CHART WATCH

We have a new No.1 single and a new No.1 album. Nicki Minaj’s ‘Anaconda’ slithers its way into our top ten, there are accreditation updates and a rather worrying second week drop for Kimbra’s album ‘The Golden Echo’. But let’s not give all the juicy goss away in the opener… Sheesh! Read on! It’s Chart Watch!

SINGLES
So who’s nabbed the No.1 spot on the ARIA singles chart this week? Naturally, that’s Taylor Swift who, after only three days on sale last week, nabs the top spot this week with her new single ‘Shake It Off’ (No.5 to No.1). And there’s even better news for the former country songstress, with the single notching up a gold sales accreditation after just ten days (35,000 copies).
The track she replaces – Meghan Trainor’s ‘Shake It Off’ – is certainly no sales slouch, however. Yes, it’s only been in the charts for six weeks, yes it does drop from the top spot this week, but yes, the song also picks up a mighty double platinum certification (140,000).
And Meghan’s not the only one; G.R.L. certainly benefited from that promo tour a couple of weeks back and their single ‘Ugly Girl’ also now wears the double platinum badge as a result (No.3).
Even Klingande’s ‘Jubel’ in position four shines a little brighter this week (platinum). So too Timmy Trumpet’s ‘Freaks’ (gold), Lilly Wood’s ‘Prayer In C’ (gold) and AJR’s ‘I’m Ready’ (gold).
The new Nicki Minaj clip, cover… the whole package really… might be causing quite the controversy, but it seems to be working sales-wise, with ‘Anaconda’ sailing into the top ten this week. It’s up 14 places from last week’s No.22 position.
Gabrielle Aplin’s ‘Please Don’t Say You Love Me’ gets another lease on life thanks to her performance of the track on ‘X Factor’ earlier in the week. It resurges eight positions to No.11 and picks up a shiny new platinum certification for sales in excess of 70,000 copies.
Iggy Azalea’s ‘Black Widow’ now comes with a golden bite at No.17, Ed Sheeran’s ‘Don’t’ jumps from No.25 to No.19 and thanks to Reigan’s performance of the track on ‘X Factor’ earlier in the week, Sia’s ‘Chandelier’ starts swinging again… up 13 places to No.23.
The track certainly doesn’t have the same chart sparkle as its predecessor ‘Let’s Get Ridiculous’, but Redfoo’s new tune ‘New Thang’ is the week’s highest debut, premiering in the No.24 position, but fellow reality judge Will.I.Am hits platinum with ‘It’s My Birthday’ at No.27.
There’s a debut to follow from Eminem ftg. Sia at No.29 (‘Guts Over Fear’), Troye Sivan’s ‘Happy Little Pill’ tastes a little more bitter this week, slumping 21 positions from No.10 to No.31 in week No.5, but Becky G’s ‘Shower’ comes up smelling of roses – up 19 positions to No.34.
Maroon 5’s ‘Maps’ jumps from No.57 to No.40, Vance Joy’s ‘Wasted Time’ debuts at No.43, Pitbull’s new single ‘Fireball’ bursts into the countdown at No.44 and Dean Ray’s cover of ‘Reckless’ on ‘The X Factor’ premieres highest of all of the contestants this week – at the even No.50.
More debuts follow after the ’50 jump’; Echosmith’s ‘Cool Kids’ at No.60 and ‘X Factor’s Sydnee Carter and her cover of ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ at No.63.
360 ftg. Gossling’s ‘Price Of Fame’ drops 15 places to No.67, Broods’ ‘Mother & Father’ lifts 19 to No.70 and more debuts for Chris Brown (‘X’ at No.75), Maroon 5 (‘Animals’ at No.78) and Reigan Derry (‘Chandelier’ at No.81).
Not such good second-week news for Will Sparks’ new single ‘This Is What The Bounce Is’, however. After premiering at No.55 last week, it’s down 27 places to No.82 this week and on its current trajectory, will be out of next week’s top 100.
Brothers 3 certainly have their fans on ‘The X Factor’; their cover of ‘Happy Birthday Helen’ debuting at No.86. There’s a debut for Slipknot’s ‘The Devil In I’ at No.88 and more for Jimmy Barnes (‘I’d Die To Be With You Tonight’ at No.93), SBTRKT (‘New Dorp. New York’ at No.94), Japanese Wallpaper (‘Breathe In’ at No.98) and Ariana Grande (‘Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart’ at No.99).
Good Jason Derulo news? His new single ‘Bubblegum’ popped up from No.79 to No.38 last week. Bad Jason Derulo news? This week it’s gone from the top 100 entirely.

ALBUMS
Yes, they held for two weeks, but Hilltop Hoods’ new album ‘Walking Under Stars’ has buckled beneath the star power of one Ariana Grande and her new album ‘My Everything’. Ariana completely eclipses the No.6 peak for her previous album ‘Yours Truly’ by debuting in the top spot on the ARIA albums chart this week, ahead of four other top ten debuts.
Royal Blood’s self-titled set is in at No.3. There’s a No.5 debut for Broods’ album ‘Evergreen’ and a No.6 debut fro Kingswood’s ‘Microscopic Wars’. Adam Harvey also gets a slice of the top ten pie with his long player ‘Family Life’, which premieres in the No.10 spot.
But even in amongst all the debuts within the top ten, there’s still a little time to shine for Sam Smith and his album ‘In The Lonely Hour’ which, after 14 weeks on the charts, picks up a gold sales certification.
Australians just seemingly can’t get enough of Rodriguez. With his upcoming tour announced earlier in the week, punters hit retailers to snap up his albums. As such, there’s plenty of re-entry love for his long players this week, but none more so than ‘Cold Fact’, which re-enters the top 100 at No.11.
Iggy Azalea’s ‘The New Classic’ jumps from No.27 to No.13. Gabrielle Aplin’s ‘English Rain’ leaps from No.29 to No.14 thanks to the promo tour. Paloma Faith’s ‘A Perfect Contradiction’ suffers a not-so-perfect contraction (No.8 to No.15), but expect it to improve next week to coincide with her Australian promotional visit.
Briggs’ ‘Sheplife’ is new at No.16; Opeth’s ‘Pale Communion’ is also new – at No.17.
More Rodriguez love with the album ‘Searching For Sugar Man’ re-entering at No.22, Sia’s album ‘1000 Forms Of Fear’ hits a gold sales accreditation after eight weeks of ARIA chart love, Rodriguez’ ‘Coming From Reality’ is back into the mix at No.25 and Wiz Khalifa’s ‘Blacc Hollywood’ premieres at No.26.
Queen are back in the country for a series of live concerts and it seems people are rediscovering their love for the iconic band at retail too; their ‘Greatest Hits’ package surging from No.53 to No.27 this week.
Taylor Henderson’s ‘Burnt Letters’ slips 12, ditto George Ezra’s ‘Wanted On Voyage’ and Sheppard’s ‘Bombs Away’ is off 15 places, but Beyoncé’s VMAs performance translates into a big sales jump for her self-titled set, which sails straight back into the top 100 at No.32.
A jump too for Russell Morris’ ‘Van Diemen’s Land’ (No.52 to No.38), but not such spectacular second-week news for Kimbra and her new album ‘The Golden Echo’. After debuting impressively at No.5 on last week’s top 100, the singer’s sophomore album finds itself languishing at No.41.
Arctic Monkeys’ ‘AM’ also slumps (No.15 to No.46); so too Violent Soho’s ‘Hungry Ghost’ (No.11 to No.47). But DragonForce’s ‘Maximum Overload’ scrapes in with a top 50 debut (No.48).
Lady Gaga’s national tour has an impact on sales for her latest album ‘ArtPop’, which re-enters the top 100 at No.54 this week. But the news isn’t quite so spectacular for Shihad, whose new album ‘Fvey’ plummets from No.9 on debut to No.55.
‘The Voice Kids’ compilation loses 19 places, Ace Frehley’s ‘Space Invader’ debuts at No.59, INXS’ ‘Kick’ re-enters at No.60, The Griswolds’ ‘Be Impressive’ is new at No.62 and a debut for Pentatonix’ ‘PTX Vols.1 & 2’ (No.63).
More drops; Passenger’s ‘Whispers’ (No.32 to No.69), One Day’s ‘Mainline’ (No.49 to No.70), First Aid Kit’s ‘Stay Gold’ (No.45 to No.71) and The Gaslight Anthem’s ‘Get Hurt’ (No.34 to No.75). Eric Clapton’s ‘The Breeze’ is also off (No.48 to No.79) and there are more drops where they came from;
Imagine Dragons’ ‘Night Visions’ (No.46 to No.83), Avicii’s ‘True’ (No.43 to No.84), Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ (No.60 to No.85) and ‘The Voice’ winner Anja Nissen’s self-titled debut (No.62 to No.90).
Basement Jaxx’ ‘Junto’ is the last of the top 100 debuts this week, coming in at No.98. And David Guetta’s ‘Nothing But The Beat Ultimate’, which re-entered the ARIA top 100 at No.25 last week makes a swift exit from the top 100 after a fleeting visit.

For a full run down of the ARIA top 50s, head over to the ARIA CHARTS WEBSITE, every Saturday from 7:00pm AEST.