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Miley Cyrus flourishes on Australia’s singles chart with “Flowers” (Columbia/Sony), which debuts at No. 1.
“Flowers” is, surprisingly, the U.S. pop star’s first leader in the land Down Under. Her previous best on the ARIA Singles Chart was No. 2 for 2013’s “Wrecking Ball,” though she has led the national albums chart with two titles — Bangerz in 2013 and Breakout in 2008.
Cyrus has a deep connection with Australia, which extends beyond music. She and Aussie actor Liam Hemsworth dated on and off for years after meeting on the set of the 2010 film movie The Last Song. The couple married in December 2018, but separated the following year. Later, Cyrus briefly dated another Aussie singer, Cody Simpson.
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Raye is enjoying the best-possible start to 2023. First, she crashed the Official U.K. Singles Chart with “Escapism” (via RCA/Sony), the British singer’s first No. 1 in her homeland. Now, the single climbs to a new high in Australia. “Escapism,” featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake, lifts 4-3 on the ARIA Singles Chart, published Friday (Jan. 20).
Also bringing a fresh vibe to the ARIA Chart is “Vibe” (Interscope/Universal), the new collaboration from BigBang member Taeyang and BTS member Jimin. It’s new at No. 48. “Vibe” should get a shot in the arm from the release this week of a new live performance of the song, accompanied with a full backing band.
Over on the ARIA Albums Chart, also published Jan. 20, Taylor Swift locks-up another No. 1 with Midnights (Universal). Swift’s tenth and latest studio album has led the Australian survey for 11 non-consecutive weeks, her longest-running leader in these parts.
Meanwhile, SZA’s SOS (RCA/Sony) holds at No. 2 for a third week, while British acts Arctic Monkeys and Elton John enjoy sales spikes following their recent, respective live runs. Arctic Monkeys’ The Car (Domino/EMI) freewheels 46-3, and Elton’s Diamonds (Universal) shines at No. 5.
The only new title to debut this week on the ARIA Albums Chart is Duncan Toomb’s Steel On Steel (Compass Brothers Records/Universal), the Australian country artist’s solo debut. It’s new at No. 30.
SZA cleans-up on the Australian singles chart with “Kill Bill” (via RCA/Sony), while Taylor Swift enters a 10th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the national albums survey with Midnights (Universal).
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Swift’s 10th and latest album becomes her longest-reigning No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, eclipsing the nine-week run for 1989’s 2014. On the latest chart, published Friday, Jan. 13, 1989 dips 19-20.
“Congratulations Taylor! Ten weeks at No. 1 is a great achievement and 10 chart-topping albums in just 12 years is incredible,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “Australia’s love affair with Taylor and her music is not slowing down.”
Midnights manages to hold off SZA’s SOS from a first stint on the albums chart throne, as it holds at No. 2 — though the U.S. R&B star goes one better on the ARIA Singles Chart.
In a week that saw SZA drop a bloody music video for “Kill Bill,” the track lifts 2-1 on the ARIA Chart for her first leader in Australia.
Until now, SZA’s best was a No. 2 placing for “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, lifted from the Black Panther soundtrack in 2018. She also featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More,” which peaked at No. 2 in 2021.
“Kill Bill” switches places with Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (Capitol/Universal), which slips 1-2, just days after Smith performed an exclusive, intimate concert at the d’Arenberg Cube winery in McLaren Vale, Adelaide.
Raye’s “Escapism” (Orchard) featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake reaches a new high, up 7-4. The British singer and songwriter snagged the U.K. No. 1 this week with “Escapism,” released independently after her public split with Polydor, part of Universal Music Group.
Meanwhile, Dean Lewis’ “How Do I Say Goodbye” (Island/Universal) is the best-placed homegrown track on Australia’s official singles chart, up 26-16, just two places removed from its peak position.
Also noteworthy is Stephen Sanchez and Em Beihold’s dark horse “Until I Found You” (Universal), which races 30-12, six months after it first impacted the top 100, while Skrillex, Fred Again and Flowdan bag the week’s highest debut, as “Rumble” (Atlantic/Warner) starts at No. 35.
It’s a New Year, Christmas songs perform their disappearing act for another time, and “Unholy” is back on top in Australia.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ global hit lifts 13-1 on the ARIA Chart, published Jan. 6, for its fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1.
The 2023 rebirth of “Unholy” (Capitol/EMI) closely follows the announcement that Petras will headline Sydney WorldPride’s closing concert, Rainbow Republic, on March 5, and comes ahead of Smith’s intimate performance at McLaren Vale’s d’Arenberg Cube in Adelaide.
“Unholy” leads a fresh top 10 on the ARIA Singles Chart, as Xmas tunes tumble out of sight.
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SZA‘s “Kill Bill” (RCA/Sony) vaults 12-2, while former leader “I’m Good (Blue)” (Warner) by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha leaps 25-3.
Meanwhile, British singer and songwriter Raye enjoys a new chart peak with “Escapism” (Orchard), up 26-7. “Escapism,” which represents a new, independent era for the rising artist, was the top single on the midweek U.K. chart.
Following the publication of ARIA’s year-end charts, which saw Harry Styles’ “As It Was” (Columbia/Sony) coming in at No. 1 for 2022, the Harry’s House number is once again on the rise. “As It Was” lifts 34-9 on the weekly survey.
Just one single makes its debut in the top 40 on the new chart, Dutch DJ Tiesto’s collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae, “10:35” (Sony/Warner). It’s new at No. 24.
The top album for 2022, ARIA reported earlier in the week, is Taylor Swift’s Midnights (Universal). Swift’s tenth and latest studio album holds at No. 1 on the latest ARIA Chart, for its ninth non-consecutive week at the summit. It’s one of five Swift albums currently in the top 40.
Australia was Harry’s House in 2022, as Harry Styles locked up the best-selling single and the No. 2 album, according to year-end data published by ARIA.
The former One Direction star leads the ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart with “As It Was” (via Columbia/Sony Music), which racked up five platinum certifications following its April 1 release.
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Its parent LP, Harry’s House, Styles’ third successive solo No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, spawns three of the top 50 tracks for 2022, and finishes at No. 2 on the year-end albums tally. Styles confirmed his popularity when he won most popular international artist at the 2022 ARIA Awards, a fan-voted category.
The best-selling album, according to ARIA, is Taylor Swift’s Midnights (Universal), which chalked up the biggest single sales cycle of any LP in 2022 and scooped a record nine of the top 10 singles in its first week. Also, Midnights was the year’s best-selling LP on wax.
Both Midnights and Harry’s House are platinum certified (for 70,000 combined units).
U.S. and international acts dominate the year-end tallies.
The top-ranked homegrown album is the Kid LAROI’s F*ck Love (Over You), which finished 2022 at No. 21, after landing at No. 3 on the 2021 year-end survey. The Sydney-raised, Los Angeles-based singer and rapper also scores three singles in the top 100 for 2022, led by “Stay” (Columbia/Sony) featuring Justin Bieber at No. 3 (“Stay” finished 2021 at No. 2).
Also, Pnau’s award-winning remix of “Cold Heart” (via Warner/Universal) featuring Elton John and Dua Lipa finishes 2022 at No. 4 (“Cold Heart” finished 2021 at No. 13).
The year in music will be remembered by the stranger things done by Kate Bush’s 1985 song “Running Up That Hill (Deal With God)” (via Warner), which caught fire on sales charts around the globe. Powered by Netflix’ Stranger Things, the single logged nine weeks at No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, more than any other song in 2022, and arrives at No. 11 on ARIA’s year-end tally.
ARIA 2022 Top 5 Albums
Taylor Swift – MidnightsHarry Styles – Harry’s HouseThe Weeknd – The HighlightsOlivia Rodrigo – SourEd Sheeran – =
ARIA 2022 Top 5 Singles
Harry Styles – “As It Was”Glass Animals – “Heat Waves”The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay”Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”Ed Sheeran – “Bad Habits”
ARIA 2022 Top 5 Vinyl Albums
Taylor Swift – MidnightsHarry Styles – Harry’s HouseSpacey Jane – Here Comes EverybodyArctic Monkeys – AMEd Sheeran – =
Mariah Carey already locked up the Christmas No. 1, now she’s certain to see in the New Year as queen of the Australian singles chart.
Carey’s nine-times platinum hit from 1994, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia/Sony), enters a third week at No. 1 on the latest ARIA Singles Chart, as holiday numbers flood the survey.
“All I Want” leads an “all-Christmas” top ten, published Dec. 30, and is one of 18 Christmas songs impacting the top 20, with SZA’s “Kill Bill” (down 2-12 via RCA/Sony) and Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ former leader “Unholy” (down 3-14 via Capitol/Universal) the only exceptions.
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A string of Xmas-themed tracks impact the upper tier of the chart for the first time, including the late Nat King Cole’s 1946 recording “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)” (via Universal), new at No. 27; The Beach Boys’ “Little Saint Nick” (Universal) at No. 39; Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” (Universal) at No. 41; Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (via Sony) at No. 49; and another Nat King Cole classic, “Deck The Hall” (EMI), at No. 50.
Over on the ARIA Albums Chart, Taylor Swift’s platinum-certified Midnights (Universal) retains top spot, ahead of Michael Buble’s Christmas (up 3-2 via Reprise/Warner) and SZA’s SOS. (down 2-3 via RCA/Sony).
As the New Year nears, Swift can rest assured that her fanbase in Australia is amped for a potential tour to these parts. The U.S. pop superstar makes her presence known up and down the national albums survey, with Folklore (up 31-21), Evermore (up 50-22), Red (Taylor’s Version) (up 33-23), 1989 (up 32-27), Lover (up 34-30), Reputation (up 53-44), and Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (up 62-50) making gains.
Mariah Carey isn’t called the queen of Christmas for nothing. The U.S. pop veteran lives up to her nickname as her enduring holiday classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” rings in Christmas as the No. 1 single in Australia.
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Carey’s 1994 release bags a second consecutive week at the top Down Under, and a fifth year at No. 1 during the Christmas week, ARIA reports.
Although it’s peak summer in Australia, a time when Aussies head to the beach en masse, those wintry yuletide classics dominate playlists in these parts, a fact that’s reflected by both main ARIA Charts.
Four of the top 10 singles on the chart published Dec. 23 are Christmas numbers, including Wham’s “Last Christmas” (up 6-3), Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (up 11-5), Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (up 12-7) and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (up 15-8), while Bobby Helms’ ‘50s tune Jingle Bell Rock lifts 19-14. Also, Xmas singles from Kelly Clarkson, Andy Williams, The Ronettes, Band Aid, Sia, John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band and Burl Ives impact the top 40.
The highest debut belongs to British rapper Central Cee, whose sentimental song “Let Go” bows at No. 15. The song, which samples the 2008 track “Let Her Go” by English singer-songwriter Passenger, recently cracked the top 10 in the U.K. It’s the only new release to impact the Top 40 on either of ARIA’s main surveys.
Over on the ARIA Albums Chart, Taylor Swift’s platinum-certified 2022 juggernaut Midnights holds at No. 1, ahead of SZA’s sophomore album SOS and Michael Bublé’s Christmas, respectively, while Christmas-themed albums from the Bocelli family, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, Mariah Carey, and Vika & Linda appear further down the list.
The queen of Christmas is crowned on Australia’s chart, while SZA makes her presence felt on both main surveys with her sophomore album and several singles from it.
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Nothing can top Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (via Columbia/Sony) at this time of year. The 1994 holiday classic lifts 3-1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, published Dec. 16, ahead of former leaders “Unholy” (Capitol/Universal), by Sam Smith & Kim Petras; and “Anti-Hero” (Universal) by Taylor Swift, respectively.
Carey’s seasonal number finally cracked the summit in 2018. It has returned there each December, like clockwork.
SZA’s long-anticipated second album SOS (RCA/Sony) has been well-received by Aussie fans, as album track “Kill Bill” bows at No. 5 on the singles survey, “Nobody Gets Me” arrives at No. 16, “Blind” drops at No. 27, “Low” appears at No. 34, and “Seek and Destroy” starts at No. 38.
Indeed, the U.S. R&B singer is responsible for the only tracks to debut in the top 40 on the latest cycle.
It’s that most wonderful time of the year, again, and Christmas is the big story on the ARIA Singles Chart, where perennial hits by Wham (“Last Christmas” up 11-6 via RCA/Sony) and Michael Buble (“It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” up 13-11 via Reprise/Warner), Brenda Lee (“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” up 15-12 via Universal), Ariana Grande (“Santa Tell Me” up 17-15 via Universal) and Bobby Helms (“Jingle Bell Rock” up 21-19 via Universal) climb the top 20.
SZA’s SOS, meanwhile, enjoys the highest debut on the ARIA Albums Chart at No. 2, behind Swift’s long-reigning Midnights.
The top five on the albums list is rounded out by Songs of Disappearance – Australian Frog Calls (MGM), which stays put at No. 3, and respective former best-sellers from Jimmy Barnes (Blue Christmas via Liberation/Universal) and Harry Styles (Harry’s House via Columbia/Sony).
Finally, Coterie makes a splash with their self-titled debut LP. The four-piece Australian-New Zealand band blasts in at No. 13 on the ARIA Albums Chart with Coterie (Sony), one of just two new releases to crack the top 50, after SZA’s latest LP.
Paul Kelly scores an early Christmas gift, as the veteran Australian singer, songwriter and wordsmith bags the chart crown with his holiday collection.
Kelly’s “2022 Edition” of Christmas Train (GAWD/EMI) stops at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, published Dec. 9. That’s one better than Christmas Train’s No. 2 debut and peak position following its original release in 2021, an effort that made it the highest-charting Christmas album of the year in Australia.
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Christmas Train collects a batch of classics, and features a new recording of Ron Sexsmith’s “Maybe This Christmas” — recorded with Kelly’s live band at Soundpark Studios in Melbourne — and, of course, Kelly’s own holiday standard, “How to Make Gravy,” a tale of a prisoner reflecting on the friends and family he’ll miss while he’s locked up for Christmas.
Guest vocalists on the LP include Marlon Williams, Waleed Aly, Lior, Emma Donovan, Kasey Chambers, Kate Miller-Heidke, Vika & Linda Bull, and more.
With another Aussie Christmas set blazing to No. 1 last week, Jimmy Barnes’ Blue Christmas (down 4-1 this cycle), ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd is calling the result “amazing” and “one more thing to celebrate as we enter the festive season. Congratulations to Paul for his success, it’s fantastic to see such an accomplished and important national storyteller continue to reach new heights.”
Kelly had to wait for his first No. 1. It finally came in 2017 with Life Is Fine, his 23rd studio album. Its followup, 2018’s Nature, also scaled the summit.
A smattering of Christmas gifts are placed on the ARIA Charts, including Michael Bublé’s Christmas (Reprise/Warner), up 36-8 on the albums survey, and the Bocellis’ A Family Christmas (Decca/Universal), which holds at No. 9.
Leaping in at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart, just behind Taylor Swift’s Midnights (Universal), is Australian Frog Calls: Songs of Disappearance (via MGM), an album that features calls from 43 of Australia’s most threatened frogs.
The set is a collaborative project of Australia Museum FrogID project, the Bowerbird Collective, Listening Earth and Mervyn Street of Mangkaja Arts, and aims to raise awareness for Australia’s declining frog population. Currently, one in six Australian native frog species are threatened.
The amphibian benefit recording is from the same well as Australian Bird Calls: Songs of Disappearance, an album of bird songs that reached No. 2 on the national chart in 2021.
Also new to the ARIA Albums Chart is Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains (Republic/Universal), new at No. 5, while BTS star RM’s starts at No. 26 with his solo debut Indigo (Interscope/Universal), and Magic Dirt singer Adalita bows at No. 29 with Inland (Liberation/Universal).
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (Capitol/Universal) unseats “Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (Universal) after six weeks, while Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia/Sony) races 11-3.
Metro Boomin’ has the top debut on the singles survey with his Heroes & Villains release, “Creepin’” featuring the Weeknd and 21 Savage. It’s new at No. 8.
BRISBANE, Australia — Australian dance music fans have two new charts to add to their weekly diet.
The fresh surveys, the Australian Dance Singles Chart, a countdown of the top 20 dance singles, and the Australian Dance Albums Chart, a tally of the top 10 dance albums, will publish each Friday starting this week.
Both charts will sit alongside ARIA’s other Australia-focused albums and singles charts, which include Australian Hip- Hop/R&B, Country, and Top 20 Singles and Albums, and more.
“ARIA is determined to find ways to showcase Australian music from all who create it, this is another step in the right direction as we endeavor to provide a transparent scoreboard for our industry and music fans alike to understand how local music is being streamed, purchased and engaged with,” explains the trade body’s CEO Annabelle Herd.
ARIA’s suite of charts are calculated with a combination of streams, physical and digital sales, with the exception of the ARIA Club Chart, which is based on reports by working DJs across Australia. None of those “official” tallies collate radio airplay information.
“It makes total sense to have Australian Dance Charts in addition to our regular Dance Charts, you only have to look at this year’s ARIA Awards featuring Rüfüs Du Sol, Luude and Flume to see that dance music plays such an important role in Australian music culture,” comments Herd.
“It represents many of our most-loved acts across the globe and countless DJs filling clubs across the country on a nightly basis. We’re determined to work with the dance music community to find ways to ensure established and up-and-coming producers are recognized for their contribution to this culture, and provide a greater spotlight as nightlife across Australia continues to recover.”
In June, the labels body and charts compiler rolled out its first new survey in three years — the New Release Chart, a weekly examination of the most popular new local and international singles on a four-month cycle. Earlier in the year, ARIA’s main charts began incorporating data on music consumption from YouTube.
Next year, 2023, marks the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Singles and Albums Charts.
BRISBANE, Australia — With the 2022 ARIA Awards now done and dusted, organizers are looking ahead to next year’s edition — and a brand-new category.
The Australian recorded music industry’s 37th annual ceremony will debut an award that celebrates the best use of Australian music in the creative and advertising space.
The new trophy coincides with the launch of Our Soundtrack Our Ads, a call-out to the Australian advertising industry to invest their music budgets into homegrown artists to soundtrack their work.
Spearheaded by ARIA Award-nominated recording artist Holly Rankin, the singer, songwriter and entrepreneur otherwise known as Jack River, Our Soundtrack Our Ads is the platform through which brands and creatives can gain eligibility for the new award.
It’s “an exciting opportunity for brands, creatives and the music industry to unite with a common goal of championing local music and local storytelling,” comments Rankin, whose debut full-length album Sugar Mountain opened at No. 11 on the ARIA Album Chart in 2018, and earned three ARIA Award nominations.
“We have such amazing talent here in our backyard, so getting to hear new and upcoming voices across more commercials, social media campaigns and creative content is exciting for the next generation of artists, brands and music lovers alike.”
Rankin got the ball rolling when, during the Olympic Games in July 2021, she noticed so many of the Aussie triumphs in Tokyo were beamed back home to the soundtrack of popular tunes from abroad.
So she took a stand.
Local businesses and media should do more to champion Australian music through its outlets and on commercials, she wrote in a PSA. “We need you more than ever. We wanna be your soundtrack,” read a post on her socials.
The essay went viral, commitments were made, and Our Soundtrack Our Stories was launched, to promote the use of Australian music across local businesses and media.
“We’ve been workshopping for the last 12 months, just feeling out how this would work, and making sure it would be super-authentic to both industries. And a true partnership,” explains Saynaree Oudomvilay, PR & Communications Senior Account Director at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, a partner in the new initiative.
Our Soundtrack our Ads is “really an extension of the legacy Holly has created,” she continues.
The ARIA Award should create some healthy competition. “We wanted to make (the campaign) super-accessible, and not just put out a lofty claim but back it with something tangible. The award does that,” Oudomvilay tells Billboard. “It’s also good to hold everyone accountable and make sure everyone puts their money where their mouth is in making those campaigns and engaging artists and supporting local.”
Early next year, partners in the campaign expect to share more details on what the initiative looks like, how brands can get involved, and more. In the meantime, brands, creatives and agencies can view the “pledge” and sign up for more information at the official ARIA website.
“Advertising has such an important role in impacting change across society. It creates ideas and tells stories that leave an important mark on culture. Music is no different,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd.
“I’m thrilled to celebrate talent and creativity across the two industries with this first-of-its-kind award in 2023.”
With the support and influence of Australia’s ad industry, she continues, “we can continue to create opportunities for Australian music to be heard in all its forms, by all who create it.”