Hits of Australia and NZ

I know this feels a little reductive considering every entry on this list appeared on my biggest hits of 1980-1992 lists, however I love the 80's and I'm sure the 80's aficionados in my audience would want a list like this given how I've already done one for the 90's and 70's on this site. The same rules I applied to the 90's list apply here, I'll only add commentary to songs that didn't appear on one of my official year end lists and will be ranking them based on how long they lasted on our charts.

#18 for 1988

#10 for 1987

There'll be plenty of disco tracks on this amended list of mine that were only sleeper hits here in Australia back in the day, although this was far more of an immediate success in NZ given how it was easily one of the biggest hits of the decade over there for the German band Ottawan. Interestingly none of their other songs managed to crossover in the southern hemisphere for whatever reason.

For some reason, this took two attempts to become a success here in Australia which is why it failed to appear on this side of my site up until now despite it being a huge chart topper everywhere else in the world. I guess in a way this was Falco's biggest hit here in Australia like it was internationally given how "Der Kommissar" was more of an immediate success and thus didn't chart as long here.

It turns out Kim Carnes isn't a one hit wonder after all as she managed to gain a second hit outside of her native America with this hidden gem that got pushed aside back in the day in favour of all the Live aid promotion. I guess this charted around the time she provided backup vocals for "I'd die to be with you tonight" on Jimmy Barnes big hit which would explain its success here in Australia.

#5 for 1985

#4 for 1986

#7 for 1980

#4 for 1981

#9 for 1983

#13 for 1989

#16 for 1990

#18 for 1990

#14 for 1989

#19 for 1988

#20 for 1988

#21 for 1988

#15 for 1989

#5 for 1986

#11 for 1987

#16 for 1989

#8 for 1980

#5 for 1981

#22 for 1988

#23 for 1988

#24 for 1988

#25 for 1988

This was a sleeper hit here in Australia for Def Leppard, in fact you can make the argument that this eventually becoming a success here was what helped the album take off over a year after its initial release despite how much of an instant success it was internationally for the British hair metal band. They did have a minor hit with "Rocket" from the album, however it won't be appearing on this list.

#10 for 1983

I'm not sure why this wasn't an instant success here in Australia like it was internationally for Whitney Houston, although it did stick around for quite some time on our charts likely due to her winning us Aussies over once "How will I know" was given a music video shortly after its release. It may have been a humble beginning to her career, but it's one that people look back on fondly to this day.

#9 for 1980

While it's true that "Stay" remains the song that everyone affiliates with Shakespear's sister to this day, it's worth noting that their debut single was also a decent success for them back in the day likely due to the star power that Siobhan Fahey had following her departure from Bananrama. As you can imagine, this was completely different from anything she has released with her former band hence its mixed reception upon its release.

#7 for 1984

28 weeks

#17 for 1989

#21 for 1990

#6 for 1981

#2 for 1982

#8 for 1984

#12 for 1987

#11 for 1983

#9 for 1984

#13 for 1987

#18 for 1989

#10 for 1980

#10 for 1984

#19 for 1989

#14 for 1987

#6 for 1986

#15 for 1987

#7 for 1986

#11 for 1980

#3 for 1982

#12 for 1980

#8 for 1986

#16 for 1987

#20 for 1989

#22 for 1990

#26 for 1988

#12 for 1983

#27 for 1988

#21 for 1989

#25 for 1990

#13 for 1983

#13 for 1980

#17 for 1987

#18 for 1987

#19 for 1987

From what I can gather, Simon Gallaher and Jackie Love were two theatre performers who scored a surprise sleeper hit with this duet with each other in the early 80's. I wish I could elaborate on this entry; however, it appears this was only a success due to how well showstoppers from theatre productions were doing at the time worldwide.

27 weeks

#4 for 1982

#14 for 1983

For the sake of simplicity, I've decided to bundle these two songs together on this list even though the latter didn't chart until a month after the former's release. That is to say that both songs are among the most successful of all time here in Australia in their own right, although most will tell you that their respective success here is integral to each other.

#6 for 1985

#20 for 1987

#28 for 1988

#9 for 1986

#21 for 1987

#29 for 1988

#22 for 1987

#10 for 1986

#5 for 1982

#11 for 1986

#23 for 1987

#7 for 1985

#12 for 1986

#15 for 1979

#14 for 1980

#22 for 1989

#13 for 1986

#24 for 1987

#15 for 1980

#7 for 1981

#23 for 1989

#30 for 1988

#16 for 1980

#24 for 1989

#25 for 1989

#28 for 1990

#8 for 1985

#8 for 1981

#15 for 1983

#31 for 1988

#9 for 1981

#32 for 1988

This was one of several songs that appeared on the NZ side of my site that was only a sleeper hit at best here in Australia, although it does feel odd that this didn't do even better over here considering how this was released at the height of the medley craze that had taken over the music scene worldwide.

#11 for 1984

#14 for 1986

This is the only entry from Scarecrow that managed to become a hit for John Cougar Mellencamp here in Australia, I guess had it been released as the lead single rather than the third single, it probably would've been more of a genuine hit here rather than a sleeper hit like it wound up being. Still, it and the rest of the singles on the album remain staples on oldies stations to this day and for good reason.

As this was released much sooner here in Australia than it was in NZ (it was still released a year after it became a success throughout Europe) it only makes sense that we Aussies were a bit puzzled with what to do with this track as opposed to the kiwis who made it an instant success when it saw the light of day over there.

Although "Africa" was the big hit off of Toto's grammy award winning album IV, this was its lead single which was enough of a success here in Australia back in the day for it to be a sleeper hit for the band. This is another song that is more well known these days compared to many of the songs that managed to be bigger hits upon its initial release on this list thanks to oldies stations keeping it on rotation.

26 weeks