Seeing as though I've covered the most popular albums of the twentieth century in the UK a while back, it only seems fitting to do the same for the most popular albums of the twentieth century on Billboard which should complete my run for overlooking the most popular music of all time in the English-speaking side of the world. Again, I'm only including albums on here that were a success in Australia and/or NZ to avoid making a fool of myself talking about successful albums in America that I've never heard of.
Much like the rest of the world, this was the final taste of success that Eric Clapton had in America given how it was a collaboration with souls legend BB King in his twilight years on this planet. Naturally it was a massive hit for the duo as a celebration of how far the blues had come since the latter broke through onto the scene back in the 50's.
Peak position #3
#52 for 2000
This is one of the last hair metal albums to achieve success anywhere in the world given how it came out months prior to when Nirvana shook up the rock and roll scene with their entry on this list. Even though the album was a success for the band in their homeland, the singles weren't as they felt too out of place with all the contemporary Christian music that got big in 1991.
Peak position #1x1
#54 for 1991 (#33 cash box)
If you're wondering why this album is so low on this list, that's because it was a success in Australia thanks to Triple J discovering it and promoting the hell out of it back in the day. It was a success in NZ due to the kiwis following our lead, however it appears that this was a success in America independent of how well it did in the southern hemisphere given how the singles all flopped on Billboard.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Peaches #29
#185 for 1995
#24 for 1996
If you can believe it, this was a comeback for Santana given how their albums from the second half of the 70's did poorly on Billboard. For what it's worth, their early material was all highly successful in their homeland and would've swarmed this list already had I allowed early 70's albums to appear on here.
Peak position #9
#32 for 1981 (#36 cash box)
This will be the last we hear from Bruce Springsteen for quite some time on this list as his 90's output was just as mediocre on the Billboard charts as it was internationally. Indeed when this album that feels like filler when you compared it to the rest of his catalogue manages to make it this high up compared to those entries, that should tell you how far he had fallen by 1992.
Peak position #3
#40 for 1982
Given how the lead single was one of the most successful of the 80's worldwide (except here in Australia for some reason) it makes sense that Falco would see massive success with it in America even if the rest of the world saw him as a novelty act. Heck had it not randomly spiked in popularity in NZ, it would be on my bonus list as opposed to featured on the main list.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Rock me Amadeus #1
Vienna calling #18
#54 for 1986 (#35 cash box)
Given how the film was a critical and commercial success, it makes sense that the soundtrack to the Crow would match the success it achieved in Australia over in America. It's one of many soundtracks from the 90's that could double as a gateway to alternative rock of the day given how none of the songs were commercially viable to chart among the likes of Mariah Carey or Madonna.
Peak position #1x1
#46 for 1994 (#27 cash box)
It was a bit of a tight fit for my 1988 list on the Australian side of my site, however that was good enough for this second album from Bruce Hornsby and company to make it onto this list given how well they did in their homeland with it. Their third album was such a disaster even in their homeland that the band called it quits by 1991.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
The valley road #5
#38 for 1988 (#28 cash box)
Unlike here in Australia where this was a sleeper hit for the brothers Gibb due to our scepticism of if the Beatles knockoff group could transition into the (then) growing disco phenomena, the Americans had more of an open mind given how the lead single was an instant chart topper for them on Billboard. A year after its release and our scepticism seemed like a complete farce.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
You should be dancing #1
Love so right #3
#62 for 1976 (cash box)
#24 for 1977 (#95 cash box)
As this was a sleeper hit here in Australia for Chicago, it's yet another album on here that wasn't exactly a mainstream success anywhere in the world outside of Chicago's native America. Even then, I get the feeling this was only a hit on Billboard due to how inescapable the lead single was back in the day, it was an international hit even throughout Europe after all.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Hard to say I'm sorry #1
Love me tomorrow #22
#89 for 1982 (#27 cash box)
I wasn't expecting the Americans to be the reason why Alan Parsons had such success in Australia and NZ during the height of the MTV era, true they never had any success in their native UK; however, they weren't exactly household names on Billboard throughout the 70's either. I'm also finding out that it was us Aussies and kiwis that made prog mainstream back in the day.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Eye in the sky #3
#76 for 1982 (#33 cash box)
This album barely missed out on appearing on the UK side of my site, it got pushed aside by one too many compilation albums from back in the day to make it onto that list. It saw no such pushback on the Billboard charts for Joe Jackson even though it weas only in Australia that the lead single managed to find any success in the world. Australia is also the only place in the world where Joe isn't a one album wonder.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Stepping out #6
Breaking us in two #18
#49 for 1982 (cash box)
#22 for 1983 (#55 cash box)
You may be surprised to see how low this album is on this list given how well it did internationally as well as the critical and commercial success of the film it's a soundtrack to, I guess you can blame the lawsuit that occurred when Ray Parker Jr stole the melody from "I want a new drug" from Huey Lewis to make the title track. Interestingly, the film is one of the few to see resurgence on the internet due to the infamous 2016 remake.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Ghostbusters #1
#69 for 1984 (#32 cash box)
It looks like the kiwis got it right when it comes to the success of the Black Crowes as this was far less popular both over there and in the band's homeland than their earlier entry was. Admittedly this was a hit here in Australia due to us Aussies wanting to check out what all the fuss was about, however the band would be yesterday's news by the time album number three rolled around.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Remedy #48
#41 for 1992 (#25 cash box)
You knew this album was coming, no way the Americans would allow new material from the fab four to slip them by especially given how inescapable this was throughout the rest of the world. That said, it's a bit of a surprise with how much less representation they've had on this list, I guess the non Americans struggling to find success on Billboard rule applies even to post breakup material.
Peak position #1x3
Hit singles
Free as a bird #6
#8 for 1996
What was that about 80's disco being a paradox on Billboard? OK so nothing from the genre may have been inescapable in America once the 70's were no more, however it does bring me great pleasure in disproving the myth that the disco backlash had any significant impact on the genre back in the day. That said, this wasn't Brothers Johnson's biggest success in their homeland like it was internationally.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Stomp #7
#38 for 1980 (#32 cash box)
It may surprise you to learn that this was a massive flop for Al Stewart in his native UK despite how well it did internationally for him including in America where its success likely encouraged us Aussies and kiwis to check out what all the fuss was about. I'm guessing it was his failure to connect with his fellow Brits that resulted in him being a one album wonder everywhere else in the world.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Year of the cat #8
#18 for 1977 (#29 cash box)
Even though these guys scored two massive hits on Billboard around the time they dropped their magnum opus in America, I should point out that this was the only success the Scottish band had in America as opposed to the several albums they had success with internationally including their native UK. In a way, this feels like a novelty release from them due to the success they had with the Breakfast club.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Alive and kicking #3
Sanctify yourself #14
All the things she said #28
#24 for 1986 (#30 cash box)
Of all the Godzilla adaptations over the years, the 1998 rendition is widely considered to be the worst as many feels it's little more than style over substance with not-so-subtle nods to the Jurassic Park franchise to boot. At least the soundtrack was a success due to its heavy reliance of alternative rock and industrial metal even if the only successful song was a Puff Daddy track.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Come with me #4
#64 for 1998
If you're wondering how on earth this English punk rocker scored massive success in America despite this being a huge bomb for him in his homeland, I should point out that he was based in New York city when he released this album which explains the success he had on Billboard. Of course, it was more of a success in the southern hemisphere where he reigned supreme in Australia and NZ.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Rebel yell #46
Eyes without a face #4
Flesh for fantasy #29
Catch my fall #50
#16 for 1984 (#25 cash box)
It took them four albums as well as huge international success with their second and third albums (at least with their singles) however Salt N Pepa finally managed to achieve massive success in their native America with this album due to how inescapable the singles were on Billboard. This was also a massive hit here in Australia, although it was curiously a bomb in NZ where hip hop reigned supreme.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Shoop #4 (#2 airplay)
Whatta man #3 (#4 cash box)
Heaven and hell #32
#18 for 1994 (#36 cash box)
#132 for 1995
Much like the rest of the world, this was a massive success for these guys as there was no indication this would be the last time Roger Waters would be the lead vocalist for Pink Floyd. We still have more entries to get to on this list from these guys, meaning that much like in the UK, this wasn't their worst performing album like it was in Australia and NZ.
Peak position #6
#24 for 1983 (cash box)
I'm a bit surprised that this greatest hits album wasn't more of a success in America than it was in Australia or NZ, granted that might be because it didn't rebound on the Billboard charts in 1983 like it did in the southern hemisphere, but that just makes it confusing as to why Steven's fellow Americans didn't follow suit when that happened here.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
That girl #4
Do I do #13
#86 for 1982 (#32 cash box)
If you thought the absence of these guys on my Australian and NZ lists were suspicious, that might be because they weren't that successful in their homeland given how it's taken this long to feature an entry from KC and the sunshine band on this list. They had far better luck with their singles on Billboard as they had five chart toppers over there as opposed to just the one here in Australia.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Get down tonight #1
That's the way I like it #1
Boogie shoes #35
#52 for 1975 (cash box)
#74 for 1976 (#13 cash box)
Was there any doubt that this live album/soundtrack to Led zeppelin's concert film The song remains the same would be a massive success in America like it was internationally? The band was on a roll when they released this album and its accompanying concert worldwide which makes it surprising that it would be their penultimate release in their discography.
Peak position #1x2
#21 for 1976 (cash box)
#59 for 1977 (#93 cash box)
As far as their fellow Americans were concerned, this was the debut album from Blondie given how their first two albums were a massive failure over there despite how big they got here in Australia and the UK. Even then, it was only when "Heart of glass" topped the Billboard charts that their fellow Americans finally gave them the chance the rest of the world had given them prior.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Heart of glass #1
#9 for 1979 (#40 cash box)
#40 for 1980
Even though the success of this third solo album from Stevie Nicks in her native America was pitiful compared to what it achieved here in Australia, it was enough of a success to make it comfortably on this list despite a much more tepid reception from American critics compared to Australian critics. This is her final entry on this list as her fourth solo album was a complete dud for her on Billboard.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Talk to me #4
I can't wait #16
#41 for 1986 (#46 cash box)
This is another album that snuck onto the Australian side of my list due to the lack of competition there was on our charts throughout the 70's, although considering all the entries from that decade on my bonus list, the fact this made the cut might be head scratching to anyone reading this. I guess the lead single was a massive worldwide hit for Minnie Riperton even if the internet despises it nowadays.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Loving you #1
#11 for 1975 (#51 cash box)
This came close to appearing on my UK list as it did chart quite high for the Rolling stones in their homeland, alas there were too many compilation albums for it to compete with to make the final cut there. Fortunately (or unfortunately if you're a fan of the band) it makes it comfortably on this list due to the lead single being a much bigger hit for the band on Billboard than it was at home.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Harlem shuffle #5
One hit to the body #28
#70 for 1986 (#29 cash box)
Much like the rest of the world, this was only a modest success for Nirvana upon its initial release in their native America, hence why it's lower on this list. I guess this is a less commercially viable album compared to their earlier entry on this list which makes its mainstream success a surprise especially compared to what else was getting popular throughout the 90's.
Peak position #1x1
#74 for 1993
#33 for 1994 (#32 cash box)
While it was a much bigger success for Barbra Streisand in America than it was here in Australia, the fact that it likely only took off thanks to her feminist anthem with Donna Summer suggests that even her fellow Americans were beginning to grow tired of the singer/actress by the end of the 70's. Her next album proved that wasn't the case as she simply needed to revamp her music style.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
No more tears #1
#53 for 1979 (cash box)
#55 for 1980
I'm shocked this wasn't among the most successful albums of the 70's in America given how this was the introduction to Earth wind and fire throughout most parts of the world, I guess their fellow Americans felt that a greatest hits album from them was redundant at this stage given how successful their back catalogue was on Billboard prior to its release.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
September #8
#24 for 1979 (#26 cash box)
If you're wondering why this album proved to be so much less successful for MJ than it was internationally, that's because it was only a success upon its initial release and didn't stick around for the remainder of the decade on Billboard like it did throughout the rest of the world. This is the best proof I have that nobody outside of America believed him to be a predator (at least at the time.)
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Scream #5 (#12 cash box)
You are not alone #1 (#2 cash box)
They don't care about us #30
Stranger in Moscow #91
#32 for 1995 (#26 cash box)
#177 for 1996
Given how there wasn't a Countdown or TOTP equivalent to brush aside preexisting bands and artists during the second half of the 70's in America, this meant that supergroup Bad company were able to find more success with their albums on Billboard than they were internationally including with their third album which did even better than their second album over there.
Peak position #5
#68 for 1976 (#38 cash box)
Given how many of his contemporaries failed to appear on my site prior to the bonus section of my list, I have to say that it's a miracle this breakthrough album from Bob Seger managed to find the success it did during the height of the Countdown era here in Australia. Naturally it was a big hit in his homeland due to the title track becoming his first hit on Billboard.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Night moves #4
#9 for 1977 (#13 cash box)
I'm a bit surprised this wasn't more of a success for Paul McCartney in America given how the lead single became his first solo chart topper on Billboard (provided you consider his work with Linda to not be solo.) This means that the album saw most of its success here in Australia likely due to how much we Aussies loved his work with Wings throughout the 70's.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Coming up #1
Waterfalls #106
#36 for 1980 (cash box)
It still blows my mind that this was a flop here in Australia if even Madonna's fellow Americans were able to make this soundtrack a success for her on Billboard, again this has less to do with the film it's tied into as that remains a critical and commercial failure for her, rather it's an inditement to how inescapable she was as a pop star upon its release.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Who's that girl #1
Causing a commotion #2
#30 for 1987 (Cash box)
For what it's worth, none of the Cult's albums were candidates for my UK list even though they call came close as their fellow Brits did give them minor success throughout the 80's. I don't know how that was enough of an incentive for them to find crossover success in America of all places, however it was for their fourth album which explains how it found an audience in the southern hemisphere for them.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Fire woman #46
Edie #93
#38 for 1989 (#21 cash box)
I'm not sure how to feel about this album's placement on here, on the one hand, it feels low given how high up on this list Bobby's solo debut is. On the other hand, Americans aren't known for having a lucrative dance market, so this makes it one of the rare exceptions to remix albums finding massive success on Billboard.
Peak position #9
#46 for 1990 (#31 cash box)
Given how this managed to make the cut on my UK list from a while back, it would've been awkward if it had failed to appear on this list since INXS were far more popular in America than they were in the UK. They would be more popular in the UK moving forward as this is their most recent entry to appear on this list.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Suicide blonde #9 (#9 cash box)
Disappear #8
Bitter tears #46
#45 for 1991
You know how Barbara Streisand managed to make history in 2014 by being the first artist to have a chart-topping album in five consecutive decades? She managed that by having them debut at number one on Billboard even though they rarely stuck around long enough to be a massive success over the years. This was the case to her second Broadway album she released eight years after the first.
Peak position #1x1
#56 for 1993 (#30 cash box)
Given how this made the cut on the NZ side of my site, it would've truly been awkward had it failed to appear on this list given how inescapable Bonnie Raitt's earlier entry on this list was in her homeland. That said, the fact it has a lower placement on here suggests that its success came from having a strong fanbase that didn't extend to the general audience in her homeland.
Peak position #1x1
#55 for 1994 (#28 cash box)
Surprised it's taken me this long to feature an album from these guys on this list? It turns out their debut album was a complete dud for them in America, meaning we have Triple J to thank for how they managed to find an audience in the first place as they were the ones that discovered their debut album and made it a massive hit in Australia and in NZ.
Peak position #1x1
#34 for 1996
#176 for 1997
I was always confused as to why this was only a decent hit at best in NZ for Matchbox 20, it turns out that it wasn't exactly the biggest thing in the world in their homeland either despite how inescapable it was for them here in Australia. You can't attribute this to Triple J either as the station famously didn't play any of their music given how they were on a major label.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Bent #1 (#2 airplay)
If you're gone #5 (#5 airplay)
Mad season #48
#39 for 2000
#46 for 2001
For five years, this was the final album from the Backstreet boys given how they were crowned the winners of the boy band wars from the 90's. They reemerged in 2005 where they scored a massive hit with "Incomplete" which was enough for their fifth album to be a success that year, however they've since become a nostalgia act as well as a target for why teen pop is considered a bad genre.
Peak position #1x2
Hit singles
Shape of my heart #9 (#7 airplay)
The call #52
More than that #27
#3 for 2001
Given how their late 80's material have already comfortably appeared on this list, this is less of a comeback for the Rolling stones in America than it was in their homeland given how their last entry on that list chronologically was their 1981 effort Tattoo you. Again, they came close to appearing on that list with their late 80's material, but it wasn't close enough to make the cut.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Love is strong #91
Out of tears #60
#62 for 1994 (#29 cash box)
#122 for 1995
Given how they're a non-American band trying to make it big in America with their debut album, it makes sense how this album from the Pretenders didn't do as well on Billboard as it did internationally for them. That said, this was a big deal for them over there which is impressive given the uphill battle they had to endure, and it wasn't their only success over there as we've already seen.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Stop your sobbing #65
Brass in pocket #14
#19 for 1980 (#58 cash box)
It's a good thing this was a decent success according to the ARIA charts for Boyz II men, otherwise I'd have to put it in the bonus section of this list which you've probably noticed has grown exponentially as we've gone further down this list. Indeed, the boys were still fairly popular in their homeland even if it wasn't to the dizzying heights they achieved from earlier in the decade.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
4 seasons of loneliness #1 (#12 cash box)
A song for mama #7
#68 for 1997
#66 for 1998
#163 for 1999
Much like here in Australia, the soundtrack to Fame was a hit upon its initial release due to how much of a critical and commercial success the film was. It also launched the career of one of its leading ladies Irene Cara who curiously didn't appear on the TV series from 1982 likely due to her working on the Flashdance soundtrack which won her second academy award.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Fame #4
Out here on my own #19
#52 for 1980 (Cash box)
This was a comeback for Olivia Newton John here in Australia and in America given how even the Americans weren't too impressed with her 70's output barring her earlier entry on this list, indeed this was able to take advantage of her image makeover she underwent in her film Grease as the songs are much more sexually explicit compared to her safer material from earlier in her career.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
A little more love #3
#35 for 1979 (#34 cash box)
We have another British band finding less success in America than they did internationally, although in this case, we can theorise the Americans simply prioritised the lead single over the rest of the album given how much bigger it was on Billboard than in the Thompson twin's native UK. Unlike the rest of the world, they're a one album wonder in America despite their third album spawning a few hits on Billboard.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Hold me now #3
Doctor doctor #18
You take me up #44
#37 for 1984 (#30 cash box)
This was somewhat of a sleeper hit for Don Henley in his homeland, hey at least it managed to make the cut as opposed to his first solo album which was a complete failure for him on Billboard. Still, it's a bit weird that this managed to be an even bigger hit here in Australia where it saw the bulk of its success, I guess we Aussies were making up for not giving his band more success throughout the 70's.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Boys of summer #5
All she wants to do is dance #9
#13 for 1985 (#23 cash box)
This came close to making it on my UK list from a while back, again we have those pesky compilation albums to thank for why it failed to appear on that side of my site. It saw more success in America for Billy Idol who was on a roll following the success of his earlier entry on this list. Again, we have another album on this list that was a bigger deal in Australia and NZ back in the day.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
To be a lover #6
Don't need a gun #37
Sweet sixteen #20
#28 for 1987
This is the final entry from Sade on this list, although considering how much further we have to go from here (especially considering all the entries I'm skipping over) it's still a massive success for the band in America where it was merely a decent hit for them internationally. I guess Billboard was the only place in the world where it failing to spawn a hit single didn't affect its popularity.
Peak position #7
#37 for 1988 (#15 cash box)
Boy howdy was it a pain tracking down how well this album did originally on Billboard (side note, only use the website's archive as a last resort, unless of course you're willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for a subscription.) It turns out this festive release from Mariah Carey was only a decent hit at best in her homeland, likely due to her label not releasing any of the tracks as singles in America.
Peak position #3
#21 for 1995 (#39 cash box)
This was just as much of a surprise hit for Pablo cruise in their homeland as it was here in Australia given how they released three albums prior to this with no success on Billboard. It wasn't even among the most popular albums of its day, nor was the lead single among the most popular, meaning these guys likely got their big break down under via a Countdown performance that's now been lost to the sands of time.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Love will find a way #6
#77 for 1978 (#26 cash box)
How has it taken me this long to feature an album from Kiss on this list? It turns out these guys weren't particularly popular in their homeland even though modern historians reckon they were one of the most overrated bands of the 70's and early 80's. This was the best they could do in their homeland, coincidentally it was with one of their weaker efforts here in Australia.
Peak position #4
#44 for 1977 (cash box)
Even though he had success prior to this album internationally, this was the Americans introduction to the works of Andrea Bocelli which he released just as the 90's was coming to an end. You've probably noticed the absence of classical music on this list, that's because the Americans weren't too interested in having that compete with the more contemporary releases of the twentieth century.
Peak position #4
#62 for 1999
#176 for 2000
Even though she had a string of hits in Australia and America during the first half of the 70's, she didn't have much luck with her albums in either country with only one or two of them being candidates for this list. That said, it appears her homeland was the only place in the world where this greatest hits album failed as this bombed here in Australia where it thrived everywhere else.
Peak position #5
#27 for 1976 (#67 cash box)
Much like here in Australia, this was a massive sleeper hit for Culture club in America given how it rebounded on the Billboard charts when the band dropped their earlier entry on this list. Indeed, this is arguably the first entry on here that made it purely for how long it lasted on the Billboard charts as it really struggled to make it on the upper echelons of their charts.
Peak position #14
Hit singles
Do you really want to hurt me #2
#9 for 1983 (#26 cash box)
#42 for 1984
Even though they struggled with their singles on Billboard, it appears that Metallica didn't have such an issue with their albums throughout the 90's in their homeland as we have all three of their entries from that decade on this list. Had I extended the list to the 21st century, their 00's and 2010's entries would also be on here.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
The memory remains #28
The unforgiven II #59
#12 for 1998
This is the only other entry from the Village people on this list, this is interesting as the LGBT band didn't appear on Countdown until 1980 which explains why their soundtrack to Can't stop the music was a success down under but not in their homeland. In any case, it appears that 1979 and no other year was their moment as far as their fellow Americans were concerned.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
In the navy #3
#89 for 1979 (#46 cash box)
While this was a bit of a stumble for Bryan Adams in America, it wasn't nearly as much of a stumble for him on Billboard as it was internationally given how it only barely made it on my Australian list and didn't quite make it onto my NZ list. That said, it appears that it was still a bigger success for him in America than his 1991 comeback which is still to come on this list.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Heat of the night #6
#44 for 1987 (#33 cash box)
It's a bit surprising to see this fairly low on this list, although that's mainly because it was more of a sleeper hit fore Bobby Brown as it debuted high on Billboard, quickly fell off the upper echelons of their charts but stuck around whenever one of the singles was released over there. This was his final success even in his homeland as his marriage to Whitney Houston overshadowed both their careers.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Humping around #3 (#4 airplay)
Good enough #7 (#5 airplay)
Get away #14
#82 for 1992 (#35 cash box)
#52 for 1993 (#32 cash box)
Well at least we're getting some representation from Kiss on this list even if it's on the lower half of it, this is their live album which put them on the map here in Australia and their homeland as well as allowing their signature track "Rock and roll all nite" to chart in both countries following its release.
Peak position #9
#31 for 1976
#62 for 1977
I still don't understand why Neil Diamond didn't have overwhelming success in his homeland during the second half of the 70's, although at least all of his albums are accounted for here as opposed to a few other artists from America that saw international success that decade.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
You don't bring me flowers #1
Forever in blue jeans #20
#61 for 1979 (#59 cash box)
It's a good thing this was a massive success for Marvin Gaye in NZ, otherwise I wouldn't be able to feature his final album on this list given how it spawned his first and only hit single he achieved outside of his homeland. This really was a bittersweet success for him even if he lived for fifteen months after its release, who knows what he had in mind for the rest of the 80's.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Sexual healing #3
#72 for 1982 (cash box)
#45 for 1983 (#44 cash box)
It's hard to say if this was a success due to the presence of Dolly Parton or Linda Ronstadt in America, most likely Linda as Dolly Parton hadn't had a hit since her collaboration with Kenny Rogers and hadn't had a solo hit since her work on the 9 to 5 soundtrack. I'm not even going to entertain the idea of this being a success thanks to Emmylou Harris.
Peak position #6
#62 for 1987 (#28 cash box)
This is another album on this list that appears low due to it being a sleeper hit on the Billboard charts, that explains how it managed to find an audience among us Aussies for Heart where so many other successful albums from the 70's failed to do so. Even though it lasted longer on the Billboard charts, its success in America is about the same as what it achieved down under.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Magic man #9
#49 for 1976 (#34 cash box)
#22 for 1977 (#25 cash box)
This was only a hit in NZ and America for Led zeppelin given how it by all accounts should never have seen the light of day and only did to allow the band to fulfill their contract two years after they went their separate ways. At least with the new material from the Beatles post breakup, they had the approval of the surviving members which wasn't the case here.
Peak position #6
#46 for 1983 (cash box)
This is another sleeper hit for this list; this time it's the breakthrough album from R.E.M who finally found some success in their homeland after five failed attempts. Interestingly, this sleeper hit on the Billboard charts was more of an immediate hit in Australia and NZ for the band, suggesting it was us Aussies and kiwis that made these guys a household name in the UK throughout the 90's.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Stand #6
#22 for 1989 (#26 cash box)
Much like in the UK, this was a hit for Gloria Estefan upon its initial release as opposed to when the news broke out that she survived a potentially fatal accident involving her tour bus. This also means that the album didn't do as well on the Billboard charts as it did internationally given how this was seen as simply another entry into her vast catalogue in America.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Don't wanna lose you #1
Get on your feet #11
Here we are #6
Cuts both ways #44
#69 for 1989 (#37 cash box)
#27 for 1990
We're seeing a lot more sleeper hits on this list, this one coming to us from Boz Scaggs second breakthrough album which was a rush release from his earlier entry on this list. Whilst this was somewhat divisive for his fans in America, it was a more immediate success for us Aussies and kiwis given how much higher it peaked on our charts.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Hard times #58
Hollywood #49
#57 for 1977 (cash box)
#88 for 1978 (#50 cash box)
This is the final studio album from Pink Floyd on this list, we'll be getting to their greatest hits albums further down but suffice to say we've covered their entire catalogue that's eligible for this list. Again, this probably would've been bigger in America had the Americans not had a strict rule against non-American artists on Billboard that decade.
Peak position #3
#48 for 1977 (#26 cash box)
This is the only other entry from the Alan Parsons project I'll be featuring on this list, admittedly this was more of a success in Australia and NZ for the prog duo which suggests that it was us Aussies and kiwis that helped the Americans discover who they were back in the day. It certainly wasn't their fellow Brits given how much of a failure their music was on the UK charts.
Peak position #9
#37 for 1977 (cash box)
We have another entry from the Rolling stones on this list, this time it's their 1983 effort which many fans will say is their final good album before they lost their way with Dirty work. We've still got a fair bit to go on this list and we've already covered all their major releases on it.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Undercover of the night #9
She was hot #42
#54 for 1983 (cash box)
#81 for 1984 (#45 cash box)
Much like the rest of the world, this was a massive bomb for Robert Palmer in America initially due to having a weak lead single. It wasn't until the standout track of the album was released where it became a massive worldwide hit for him, although he managed to score a second hit on Billboard with another song on the album due to it also having a music video comprised of him singing with Lilith Crane clones.
Peak position #8
Hit singles
Addicted to love #1
I didn't mean to turn you on #2
#11 for 1986 (#39 cash box)
If anything, I do hope that all these albums that only barely made it on the Australian and/or NZ sides of my site appearing high on this list satisfies music enthusiasts who use the Billboard charts to discover popular music of yesteryear, this should contextualise how well bands like America did in err.... America which even oldies stations tend to use for their set rotation.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Sister golden hair #1
#21 for 1975 (#34 cash box)
We have another entry that I'm sure Billboard enthusiasts should've been higher when I featured it on the Australian side of my site, admittedly this was a sleeper hit here in Australia due to it not being among the biggest albums of its time in Jackson Browne's homeland. Still, it's neat to discover just how the nostalgia circuit on the internet has formed as we go further down this list.
Peak position #5
#29 for 1977 (#41 cash box)
Now I know what you're thinking, Barry Manilow didn't have a successful album with this name anywhere else in the world, how on earth did it make it onto the main list? Well, it turns out that this was rebranded as Manilow magic when it was released in the UK and when it became a surprise hit here in Australia two years after its initial release, meaning it more than counts for this list.
Peak position #7
#36 for 1979 (#27 cash box)
This is the final entry from Michael Bolton on this list given how even in his homeland, he didn't find any success outside of the time period that's indicated on this list. I'm not sure when exactly the backlash had settled in for him in the mainstream, however going by the internet circles, it was around the time this became a success for him worldwide.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Can I touch you there #27
#103 for 1995 (#44 cash box)
#65 for 1996
While he didn't reach the dizzying heights of success on Billboard that he did in Australia or NZ, George Benson nonetheless did manage to achieve massive success in his homeland including with this entry which was yet another album that only barely made it onto the Australian side of my site due to my insistence of filling up each of my year end list.
Peak position #9
#27 for 1977 (#64 cash box)
Much like Bobby Brown's entry on this list, this is another exception to the rule where remix albums were poison on the Billboard charts given how inescapable Paula Abdul was following the success of her top entry on this list. If you're wondering why her popularity fell off a cliff after her third album, that's because it was a massive bomb even on the Billboard charts that she never released a fourth album.
Peak position #7
#54 for 1990 (#48 cash box)
I guess the fellow Americans to Simon and Garfunkel were as unimpressed with this reunion concert as the Brits were given how this also failed to rebound on the Billboard charts the year after its initial release. Admittedly I don't know why that happened here in Australia and NZ; however, that's the reason why it did much better in the southern hemisphere than it did in the northern hemisphere.
Peak position #6
#75 for 1982 (#42 cash box)
They may have been struggling to recapture the success they had with their earlier entries, however even in America, this pop sellout from U2 was quite the success upon its initial release even if it dropped down the Billboard charts like it did everywhere else in the world following its release.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Discotheque #10
Staring at the sun #26
Last night on earth #57
#45 for 1997
While it was inevitable that Kraftwerk would find success throughout Europe and the southern hemisphere with this album, I wasn't expecting this to be a success in America given just how ahead of its time it is. I guess this list is full of surprises which is why it gives me great joy in creating it despite it easily being my biggest project yet.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Autobahn #25
#84 for 1975 (#66 cash box)
Even though they scored a string of hits in America, this is the only other entry from Air supply that was a candidate for this list, meaning they were considered an singles band on Billboard just like they were here in Australia. That said, I get the feeling we Aussies wanted the Americans to make the band their own given the failure of their subsequent follow ups here.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
The one that you love #1
Here I am #5
#66 for 1981
#44 for 1982
This was one of many entries on my 90's lists that I allowed on the Australian side of my site due to me wanting to fill out those lists with non-compilation albums, as such, it was only a minor success at best on our charts as opposed to it being welcomed with open arms in New edition's native America. It appears the Americans don't see contractual obligations as a hinderance to an album's appeal.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
Hit me off #3
I'm still in love with you #7
#67 for 1996
#73 for 1997
It feels weird that the Doobie brothers saw more success with Michael McDonald than they did with Tom Johnson even in their native America, granted they only released five albums with the latter, however the former only had four albums as their lead vocalist which balances things out. In any case, this was their breakthrough album internationally even though their previous album was even bigger in their homeland.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Take me in your arms #11
#60 for 1975 (#56 cash box)
Had I allowed albums from the first half of the 70's on this list, you can rest assure that Not fragile would've been towards the top of the list given how inescapable Bachman Turner overdrive were in America throughout the 70's. That said, their popularity seemed to fall off a cliff after this album even on Billboard and their native Canada, meaning we can't pin their subsequent failures on the likes of Countdown or TOTP.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Hey you #21
#98 for 1975 (#48 cash box)
While the soundtrack to Good morning Vietnam was a decent success in America (hence its placement on this list) I get the feeling it only took off over there due to how much of a success it was here in Australia which goes to show how much we Aussies loved the movie (and still do to this day.) The other downside is that unlike here in Australia, Louis Armstrong didn't have a posthumous chart topper on Billboard from this album.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
What a wonderful world #32
#62 for 1988 (#45 cash box)
Although it wasn't as inescapable in America as it was throughout the rest of the world, this debut album from Enigma was nonetheless a massive success on Billboard likely due to the Americans at least being intrigued by the new age genre that was taking the rest of the world by storm. Their earlier entry was what made them a household name in America, although that quickly ended following a lawsuit its lead single caused.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Sadeness #5 (#12 airplay)
#41 for 1991 (#21 cash box)
Even though they had a ton of hits prior to this album in America, this will be the only entry from UB40 on this list given how none of their other albums managed to come close to being a success for the band on Billboard. Admittedly this did yield their biggest hit on Billboard even if that was more due to it being affiliated with the erotic thriller Sliver which while panned by critics was a huge commercial success.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Falling in love with you #1 (#1 airplay)
Higher ground #45
#77 for 1993 (#33 cash box)
Is me including this album on the list cheating because it only became a success here in Australia in 1994? Hell no! It appeared on this site prior to me constructing this list, so it's fair game even if we have the live rendition of its lead single to thank for why it was a hit down under six years after its initial release. Naturally it was a hit upon its initial release in the band's native America.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
One #35
#31 for 1988 (cash box)
#25 for 1989
This is one of the first albums to make it on the Australian side of my site due to me incorporating ARIA data into constructing my lists from 1989 onwards, as a result, we have ARIA to thank for allowing this entry from Barbra Streisand for appearing on this list proper given how I feel only her fellow Americans were still interested in what she had to offer by this point in her career.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Till I loved you #25
#59 for 1989
Again, we have one of the latest albums to be released featured on this list, this one coming to us from Madonna who was definitely struggling to match the success she had in America with what she achieved internationally with this release. You may have noticed that there are fewer entries the closer we get to the 21st century, that's because the Billboard charts only started becoming chaotic when their main rival Cash box went out of business in 1996.
Peak position #1x1
Hit singles
American pie #29
Music #1 (#3 airplay)
Don't tell me #4
What it feels like for a girl #23
#64 for 2000
#49 for 2001
There was no stopping George Benson in his homeland during the second half of the 70's, so much so that it makes total sense how he managed to have so much success here in Australia even if some of these albums were only sleeper hits on our charts for the musician of colour back in the day.
Peak position #7
#64 for 1979 (#45 cash box)
While this wasn't as much of a disappointment in America as it was internationally for John Denver, it was obvious that the country legend was struggling to retain the popularity he achieved with his earlier entries on this list even in his homeland, suggesting that once again, Countdown and Top of the pops (TOTP for short) had little to do with his decline in popularity worldwide.
Peak position #7
#37 for 1976 (cash box)
Now this is an interesting entry for this list, namely because we're looking at an E.P that charted on the Australian singles chart in lieu of its lead single which I'm sure will have you wondering if this counts for this list. Of course it does! It featured it alongside "Everything about you" on my 1992 list on the Australian side of this site, and reading my early 90's lists will tell you that there was a lot of debate as to where E.P's should chart down under.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Everything about you #9
#52 for 1992 (#43 cash box)
This was the first Disney soundtrack to find success in America, again Beauty and the beast did spark interest on Billboard due to the title track becoming a hit for Celine Dion, however it was when her duet partner Peabo Bryson scored a chart topper with the theme song to this classic that the soundtrack took off around the world.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
A whole new world #1 (#1 airplay)
#20 for 1993 (#42 cash box)
