The top four albums this week are all debuts, but taking out the No.1 spot with their tenth studio album is Metallica and “Hardwired… to Self Destruct”, the bands sixth No.1 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
“Hardwired…to Self Destruct” becomes the 789th No.1 Album in Australia (1965 to 2016) and the 640th for ARIA (1983 to 2016), plus the 435th to debut at No.1 and the first for the bands own label ‘Blackened’, whilst the fortieth No.1 album of 2016 (this time last year “25” by Adele debuted at the top, becoming the 32nd and final No.1 of 2015).
Their self-titled fifth album (25-Aug, 1991; commonly known as the Black Album) became the first of their six No.1 albums here, and the first of five to debut in the No.1 position, staying atop for a single week. After which their sixth set “Load” (16-June, 1996) became their first of two albums to spend two weeks at the top, with the bands third No.1 occurring with their second live album “S&M” (1 wk, 29-Nov, 1999; 17 years ago this week), after which three-and-a-half years later their eighth studio album “St. Anger” (2 wks, 16-June, 2003) was their second set to log two weeks at the top, whilst the band last went to No.1 with their ninth album “Death Magnetic” (15-Sept, 2008) which debuted at No.6 and then climbed to the top spot the following week, for a single week at No.1. In between the band have charted with three EP’s (two in 2010 and one in 2012), a live album (2010), collaborated with the late Lou Reed on “Lulu” (HP-33, 7-Nov, 2011) and a soundtrack to their doco “Through the Years” (HP-16, 30-Sept, 2013).
So this new No.1 becomes the band’s first No.1 for this decade and sixth overall, taking their tally of weeks at the top here to eight weeks, which places the band at equal 76th on the list of ‘Accumulated Weeks at No.1 1965-2016) alongside The Hilltop Hoods, Kylie Minogue, Barbra Streisand, Janet Jackson and The Offspring. Plus the band move from equal seventeenth to now equal twelfth on the tally for ‘Most No.1 Albums 1965-2016), sharing the six achieved in Australia by The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Foo Fighters and another of this years entrants to this feat, Red Hot Chili Peppers (June 2016).
This is the first time that the word ‘Hardwired’ has appeared in a No.1 album titled in Australia (in fact the first time that the word has even charted), whilst there has been two sightings of ‘Self’ at the top, although they were infused with other words, “Be Yourself Tonight” (1-June, 1985) for Eurythmics and “Yourself or Someone Like You” (24-May, 1998) for Matchbox 20, whilst the same occurred for the word ‘Destruct’, which featured on the Disturbed album “Indestructible” (19-June, 2008). The new No.1 album for Metallica also becomes the 280th by an American Act (Solo, group or duo) to hit the top here, and the 357th by a Group (local or overseas), with it becoming the seventh by an American group and the 19th by a group for 2016.
The fourth studio album for UK girl group Little Mix debuted at the top in their home country (their first there), and here “Glory Days” debuts at No.2 becoming the bands fourth Top 10 album and second successive entry at number two, as their 2015 set “Get Weird” (dropped out TW) also came in at No.2 (16-Nov, 2015), prior to which they also debuted in the Top 10 with “Salute” (LP#2, HP-4, 25-Nov, 2013) and their first set “DNA” (HP-10, 3-Dec, 2012). Lead single from the new album “Shout Out to My Ex” has peaked at No.4 and is down a couple of places this week to No.9.
Another act who has seen all of his album debut within the Top 10 is Bruno Mars, whose third studio album “24k Magic” enters at No.3 this week, his highest entry position of his three so far. Bruno’s first album “Doo-Wops & Hooligans” came in at No.7 and then took fourtteen weeks to climb to its single week peak of No.2 (peaked late Jan 2011), and then his second set “Unorthodox Jukebox” debuted at No.8,taking five weeks to climb to its peak of No.1 for three weeks in the second week of January, 2013. So there is a January chance that his album will climb higher, and so far the lead title track is up to a new peak of No.5 this week over on the singles chart, whilst the albums second chart entry occurs at No.84 too, the ballad “Versace on the Floor”.
Last week we saw Melbourne rapper and hip-hop artist Illy debut at the top, now this week Sydney (Campelltown) rapper and MC Kerser sees his sixth studio album come in at No.4 entitled “Tradition”, which by doing so becomes his fourth Top 10 album and now highest charting set. He previously landed in the Top 10 with “S.C.O.T.” (LP#3, HP-5, 4-Nov, 2013), then “King” (LP#4, HP-9, 24-Nov, 2014) and his fifth set “Next Step” (LP#5, HP-5, 23-Nov, 2015). His first two albums also charted, with “The Nebulizer” (LP#1, HP-73, 24-Oct, 2011) and then “No Rest for the Sickest” (LP#2, HP-15, 12-Nov, 2012), and did you notice that ALL of his entries chart at this time of year.
The remainder of the Top 10 continues at No.5 with “Christmas” for Michael Buble, down one spot this week, followed at No.6 by another festive season album, “Friends for Christmas” for John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John, which is down three places from last weeks No.3 debut. The fourth and final Australian artist within the Top 10 this week is Jessica Mauboy with her former No.1 set “The Secret Daughter”, which is down two to No.7.
On the one year anniversary of the album debuting at No.1, “25” by Adele is back up nine spots to land at No.8 logging a 46th week within the Top 10 and its first such appearance in this chart region since mid-October. This was helped by tickets going on sale this past week for her 2017 series of shows. Robbie Williams was in the country this past week on a promo tour for his new album “The Heavy Entertainment Show”, which is back up one spot to No.9 and landing a third week within the Top 10, whilst last weeks resurgent album for the recently passed Leonard Cohen and “You Want it Darker” falls back down eight spots this week to No.10.
UP:
* ARIA Hall of Fame inductees for 2016 were Crowded House, and their “Very Very Best of” (HP-11) collection is back up thirty-four places to No.14, and as the award ceremony only occurred on Wednesday night, that only left 1.2 days of sales before the end of the chart sales week (Friday to Thursday), so the album could finally crack the Top 10 next week in its 154th week within the Top 100.
* James Arthur was also in the country this past week on a promo tour and an ARIA Awards appearance, and this has helped the current No.1 single-holder’s album “Back from the Edge” to rebound twenty places this week to No.16.
* Coldplay are here in two weeks, and Chris Martin appeared on the Graham Norton Show screened here last Friday, which helped their “A Head Full of Dreams” album to rise back up seven places this week to No.18, whilst the bands “4CD Catalogue Set” (HP-31) of their first four albums returns to the chart at No.74.
* Flume won seven ARIA Awards at Wednesday nights ceremony, including ‘Album of the Year” for “Skin”, which returns to the chart at No.19 this week, plus it should rise again next week thanks to the new expanded “Companion EP” edition of the set, plus it’s only had 1.2 days of sales since the wins.
* Not only is the third Adele album “25” back into the Top 10, but her first two albums rebound this week too due to ticket sales, with “21” jumping twenty-eight spots to No.27 and her first set “19” returns to the chart at No.64.
* ARIA Award winner for ‘Best Female Artist’ in Sia sees her “This is Acting” set rise back up a couple of spots to No.31.
* Tash Sultana and The Temper Trap are guest artists on the current national tour by Garbage, which helps the “Notion” EP for Tash to rise back up twenty-seven places to No.36 this week.
* The recently announced Triple J Album of 2016 was awarded to D.D.Dumbo for “Utopia Defeated” (HP-20), which is back up thirty places this week to No.41.
* Multi ARIA Award nominees Rufus return to the Top 100 at No.44 with their second album and No.1 “Bloom”.
* For the fourth year in a row the Human Nature “Christmas Album” returns to the charts, this week coming back in at No.49, last year it climbed back up to No.10 for four weeks, in 2014 it climbed to No.20 and its original chart run in 2013 saw it peak at No.4 for two weeks. The band’s current album “Gimme Some Lovin’: Jukebox Vol.II” is down three spots to No.29 this week.
* And Christmas returns in a few more ways to the Albums Chart this week with the Mariah Carey staple “Merry Christmas” (#51) and right after is the Pentatonix’s “That’s Christmas to Me” (#52) album also.
* Troye Sivan won two awards for his track “Youth” (‘Best Video’ and ‘Song of the Year’), plus his album “Blue Neighbourhood” has just received a remixed edition, which all helps it to return at No.53 this week. Whilst further ARIA flow-on occurs for The Avalanches and “Wildflower” (#59, multiple nominations, no wins), “WACO’ for Violent Soho (#88, won two awards ‘Best Rock Album’ and ‘Best Group’), and finally Montaigne with “Glorious Heights” (#95, won for ‘Breakthrough Artist’).
* Further re-entries occur for the “Dream Lover” Cast Recording at No.55, “The Complete Greatest Hits” by The Eagles at No.89 thanks to Don Henley’s interview last weeks on Sunday Night, plus their “Very Best of” rebounds thirteen spots to No.87, and final returning album at No.94 is current tourists Boy & Bear (ARIA nominated) with “Limit of Love”.
* Safia were nominated at the ARIA’s for ‘Breakthrough Artist’, which stimulates their debut album “Internal” to jump up nineteen spots to No.68.
* Neil Diamond sees his “All Time Greatest Hits” (HP-38) rebound twenty-six spots to No.70 and finally after it was screened on TV again this past week, the “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.1” soundtrack is back up thirteen spots to No.73.
DOWN:
* “Two Degrees” for Illy (HP-1, WI10-1) plummets from last weeks No.1 debut spot to No.20 this week.
* “The Singles” (HP-6, WI10-1) by Phil Collins is only down five spots to No.11.
* Elvis Presley and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with their second collaboration “The Wonder of You” (HP-3, WI10-4) drops five spots to No.12
* Bon Jovi’s tenth No.1 album here “This House is Not for Sale” (HP-1, WI10-2) takes another fall this week, down nine to No.17 after only two weeks in the Top 10.
* Fifth and final Top 10 dropout this week is the first Top 10 this century for Sting “57th & 9th” (HP-9, WI10-1) down a massive twenty-one spots to land at No.30.
* Cliff Richard drops seven to No.22 with his second Rock N’ Roll covers album “Just… Fabulous Rock N’ Roll” after entering at No.15 last week.
* Birds of Tokyo see their “Brace” set drop fourteen places this week to No.33.
* After a gradual slide down the charts, this week the Barry Gibb set “In the Now” drops fifteen places to No.37.
* Dropping ten places each this week are “x” for Ed Sheeran (28 to 38) and “Illuminate” by Shawn Mendes (30 to 40).
* “Wings of the Wild” for Delta Goodrem falls fifteen places to No.42 now that her national tour here is over.
* Roy Orbison sees his “Ultimate Collection” fall thirteen spots to No.45 and last weeks entry at No.12 for Leonard Cohen and “The Essential Leonard Cohen” is this week down a massive thirty-five spots to No.47.
* The first entry here for A Tribe Called Quest called “We Got it From Here… Thanks You 4 Your Service” debuted at No.1 in the US this past week, and now this week here it tumbles thirty-three spots to land at No.46.
* “Joanne” for Lady Gaga could be spending its last week within the Top 50 this week, as it falls twenty-one spots to No.50.
* Drake and his “Views” are down thirteen this week to No.58.
* After landing his highest charting album last week at No.24, “Let Love Rule” for Archie Roach is back down thirty-six spots this week to No.60.
* The Ten Tenors tumble thirty spots to No.65 after returning last week with “Our Christmas Wish”.
* “WALLS” for Kings of Leon crumbles thirty-five spots to land at No.69 this week.
* Empire of the Sun drop thirty-four to No.75 with their third album “Two Vines”.
* Falling twenty to No.79 are Avenged Sevenfold with “The Stage”.
* After debuting at No.39 last week the latest David Bowie compilation “Legacy” is back down forty-three spots to No.82.
* Harrison Craig takes a big third week tumble with “Kings of Vegas”, down thirty-two places to land at No.85.
* “Skeleton Tree” for Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds is down forty-seven spots to No.93 and the biggest drop for the week goes to Emeli Sande whose second set “Long Live the Angels” descends seventy-nine spots from last weeks entry at No.20 to No.99 this week.
* Falling out of the Top 100 from last weeks fifty are In Flames (#38), Olly Murs (#42), the Pink Floyd box set of 1967-1972 material (#47) and Alicia Keys (#49).
FURTHER NEW ENTRIES:
* #23 (LP#5) “Prayers for the Blessed, Vol.2” by Sixx:A.M. is the follow-up album to the May 2016’s “Prayers for the Damned, Vol.1” (HP-9), and becomes the Motley Crue bass-players’ side-project help to score their fourth ARIA Albums Chart entry, having also charted with “This is Gonna Hurt” (LP#2, HP-53, May 2011) and “Modern Vintage” (LP#3, HP-31, Oct 2014).
* #26 (LP#6) “The Weight of These Wings” by Miranda Lambert is the second chart entry here for the US Country singer, following on from “Platinum” (LP#5, HP-8, June 2014)
* #32 (LP#1) “DNCE” by DNCE, is the debut self-titled album for the Joe Jonas project, which has so far produced three Top 100 singles, currently their first entry “Cake by the Ocean” (HP-6) is still charting at No.72 this week.
* #35 “Trolls” Soundtrack features the former No.3 single “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (HP-3×4, in May, June & July, TW-23) for Justin Timberlake, with the singer and voice actor in the film in the country this past week on a promo tour for the films opening here in Australia. The soundtrack also features songs sung by Anna Kendrick, Gwen Stefani, Ariana Grande, James Corden and Zooey Deschanel.
* #43 (LiveLP#2) “Live at Red Rocks” by Disturbed comes out just after the band toured here, and joins their former No.1 album “Immortalized” (TW-24) inside the Top 50 this week, and this becomes the bands eighth albums chart appearance (six studio, one best of, one live)
* #54 (debut EP) “Intertwined” by Dodie is the first release for YouTube star Dodie Clark from the UK, her channel featuring more than just the five songs on this EP too.
* #66 (LP#3) “Woman” by Justice is the French duo’s third album and entry here, following on from “†” (HP-61, July 2007) and their last set “Audio, Video, Disco” (HP-18, October 2011).
with thanks to Gavin Ryan, Australian-Charts.com
