Pink had the biggest selling album of 2012 in Australia with ‘The Truth About Love.
Pink at the Forum Theatre 2012
Gavin Ryan reports on the Top 10 albums for 2012 on Australia’s ARIA Chart:
#1 – The Truth About Love – P!nk
In the past six years (since 2006), Pink has landed either the No.1 or No.2 album of the year, this year she makes it successive years as the EOY Albums Chart leader as her sixth studio album “The Truth About Love” takes the top album honors for 2012, having spent five weeks at the top upon debut in late September, it hasn’t dipped any lower during the last three months of the year than No.4, and retook the No.1 spot in the first week of 2013.
Last year her “Greatest Hits… So Far” was the biggest seller for 2011,
with that album ranking at No.42 this year. Previously she had the No.2 albums for 2006 and 2007 with “I’m Not Dead”, and then the No.2 albums of
2008 and 2009 with her set “Funhouse”, so after four years of No.2’s, she
has now achieved two years of EOY No.1’s.
#2 – Up All Night – One Direction
#8 – Take Me Home – One Direction
The only act to achieve two albums in the 2012 EOY Albums Chart are UK
boy-band One Direction, who do it with their first and second albums, both
of which went to No.1 this year (the only act to do so). Their debut set “Up
All Night” entered the charts in early December 2011, and achieved its No.1
placing in April and May when the band was in the country. Their second
album instantly debuted at No.1 in late November, and has remained within
the Top 10 ever since.
#3 – 21 – Adele
The No.1 album of 2011 was the second album from Adele, “21”, which this
year sold enough to rank at No.3 for 2012. The album spent 32 accumulated
weeks at No.1, nine of those during 2012, whilst her debut album “19” also
kept selling, it ranked at No.11 for 2011, and is at No.70 for 2012.
#4 – Christmas (bonus Edition) – Michael Buble
Another album that ranked high in 2011 was Michael Buble’s “Christmas” set,
placing at No.2 for that year having spent five weeks at No.1. It was
re-issued with four bonus tracks for the 2012 festive season, and re-took
the No.1 spot during December for a further four weeks, helping it rank at
No.4 for the 2012 year end chart. Only a couple of albums in the past have
ever left the charts after reaching No.1, to later return and reclaim the
top spot.
#5 – + Ed Sheeran
Ed’s “+” (plus/positive) album ranked at No.58 for 2011, having been on the
charts since October of that year. But it finally went to No.1 for a single
week in August 2012 when he toured the country, and was at No.2 this past
week on the charts, plus it also gained four Top 10 singles with “The A
Team” (#2), “Lego House” (#4), “Drunk” (#9) and “Give Me Love” (#9).
#6 – My Journey – Karise Eden
The highest placed of 27 Aussie albums for 2012 is Karise Eden, winner of
‘The Voice’ with her debut set “My Journey”. The eight songs that charted
from that album did not make any placings on the EOY Singles chart, although
there was the one-week-at-No.1 song “Stay With Me Baby” (June), but it only
stayed within the Top 100 for two weeks, whilst the major single from the
album was the No.5 song “You Won’t Let Me’.
#7 – Red – Taylor Swift
Taylor scores her second EOY Top 10 placing, as her fourth studio album
“Red” ranks at No.7 for 2012, whilst her previous placement was for
“Fearless” which was the No.4 album of 2009. She also scored two No.3
singles from the album, which both land within the Top 30 EOY Singles chart,
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (#19) and “I Knew You Were
Trouble” (#27). This album is still currently within the ARIA Top 10 albums.
#9 – Armageddon – Guy Sebastian
Guy landed his second No.1 album in December after his X-Factor Grand Final
and ARIA Award performances, plus the album had achieved four Top 10 single
prior to release, so it all added up to good sales and a number nine ranking
for 2012 for his seventh album “Armageddon”. The four singles were “Don’t
Worry Be Happy” (HP-5), “Gold” (HP-10), “Battle Scars” (HP-1 for six weeks)
and “Get Along” (HP-5). This also becomes his second EOY Top 10 placement,
as his debut set “Just As I Am” was No.5 for 2003.
#10 – Birdy – Birdy
The self-titled album for sixteen-year-old British singer Birdy first
charted here in late April, making it to No.29 before slipping away after
only four weeks within the Top 100. In early August it returned to the
chart, and within five weeks it had jumped up the charts to land at No.1 for
a single week. Helped by the Top 10 singles “People Help the People” (HP-10)
and “Skinny Love” (HP-2×3) it is still charting now, and with her tour here
later this year, it should keep selling.
The Black Keys see their “El Camino” album ranked at No.11 for 2012,
followed behind at No.12 by the second album for Mumford & Sons, “Babel”,
with their debut set “Sigh No More” ranking at No.53 for the year. Lana Del
Rey’s No.1 album “Born to Die” is sitting at No.14 for the year, and
Florence + the Machine see their former chart-topper “Ceremonials” in at
No.16, with their re-packedaged debut album “Between Two Lungs” sitting at
No.87 for 2012.
Skrillex sees his two albums “Bangrang” and “Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites”
at No.18 and No.72 respectively, with his debut album (Monsters) having a
better ranking than its 2011 position of No.81. Rod Stewart sold enough of
his “Merry Christmas, Baby” album to rank at No.20 for 2012, with his
“Storyteller” Box Set making it to No.93. Coldplay’s “Mylo Xyloto” is at
No.21, with The Bee Gees seeing their box-set “Mythology” at No.23, with
their other collection “The Ultimate Bee Gees” at No.74 for 2012.(The
Ultimate was released in 2009, but only in 2012 did it reach the Top 10 for
the first time around Robin Gibb’s passing).
Maroon 5 see their “Overexposed” album ranked at No.24 for 2012, with Bruno
Mars’ debut set “Doo-Wops and Hooligans” at No.25, whilst his new album
“Unorthodox Jukebox” is at No.38 for the year after charting for only four
weeks. Matchbox 20 took their fourth album to No.1 (all of their four albums
have reached the top here in Australia), and that set “North” is at No.26,
with Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection” ranking at No.27.
Fun had two No.1 singles for 2012, and their set “Some Nights” is at No.28,
with Justin Bieber ranking at No.29 with “Believe”, and Nickleback are at
No.30 with “Here and Now”.
Aussie acts in the EOY ranking past the Top 10 are The Hilltop Hoods at
No.13 with “Drinking from the Sun”, “The Sapphires” soundtrack at No.15, 360
at No.17 with “Falling & Flying”, Keith Urban saw his first No.1 album in
Australia during 2012, and that No.1 set “The Story So Far” is at No.19 for
last year. Missy Higgins scored her third No.1 album with “The Ol’ Razzle
Dazzle”, which sits at No.22 for 2012, and the eleven places lower at No.33
is the self-titled former No.1 album for The Temper Trap.
Gotye’s “Making Mirrors” is at No.39, then at number 44, 45 and 46 we have
Cold Chisel with “The Best of – All for You”, “Moonfire” for Boy & Bear and
Delta Goodrem’s “Child of the Universe”. Further EOY placing were achieved
for local acts such as Reece Mastin at No.54 with “Beautiful Nightmare” and
his self-titled debut set at No.69, the self-titled albums for The Rubens
and Flume are at No.56 and No.57 respectively, with The Seekers “The Golden
Jubilee Album” at No.58 and “Samantha Jade” at No.59.
Angus Stone went to No.2 with his “Broken Brights” album, which ranks at
No.67, Cold Chisel’s recent studio album “No Plans” is at No.76, the AC/DC
“Live at River Plate” ranks at No.81, with Parkway Drive and their former
No.3 album “Atlas” is at No.83. Hillsong land their second ever EOY chart
placing (and highest ranked) as “Cornerstone” sits at No.85 for 2012 (“This
is Our God” was No.92 for 2008), with the No.79 album for 2011 is sitting at
No.90 this year for Crowded House and “The Very Very Best of”. Darren
Percival is at No.91 with his first album “Happy Home”, Tame Impala are at
No.94 with their second album “Lonerism”, beating the No.97 in 2010 their
debut set “Innerspeaker” achieved, and the final Aussie act to get their
album within the Top 100 for 2012 are The Presets at No.96 with their
“Pacifica” album.
Triple J’s “Like a Version Volume 8 was at No.34 for 2012, with Volume 7
ranking at No.43 (#24 in 2011). With the highest ranked Best of being the
Bee Gees “Mythology” at No.23, the other greatest hits collections are
“GRRR!” for The Rolling Stones at No.32, Bob Seger’s “Ultimate Hits: Rock &
Roll Never Forgets” at No.40, Cold Chisel at No.44, The Seekers at No.58,
Seal and “Hits” are at No.61, The Foo Fighters “Greatest Hits” scoring a
fourth year in a row for EOY rankings (2009 #21, 2010 #50 and 2011 #50
also). Whitney Houston’s “The Ultimate Collection” placed at No.66,
Creedence saw their “Ultimate Collection” sitting at No.71 for 2012. gaining
an eighth EOY placement (1990, 94, 95, 97, 98 and 2000). Elton John’s
“Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits” placed at No.80 in 2007 and sits at No.88
for 2012, with the aforementioned “Storyteller” for Rod Stewart ranking at
No.93.
Gavin Ryan reports with thanks to Australian-Charts.com
The ARIA Top albums of 2012 are here.
