CHART WATCH

It might be a brand new year, but there are some familiar faces gracing the No.1 positions on this week’s ARIA singles and albums charts.
But hell, let’s not give everything away here in the opener!? Let’s save all the juice for this week’s Chart Watch!

SINGLES
Ordinarily the record company peeps aren’t working too much over the festive season, but it would seem that they’ve still been hard at work with their accreditations; Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars (still at No.1 with ‘Uptown Funk’) have seen their single achieve a second platinum certification over the past week.
Hozier edges one spot higher; so too Taylor Swift’s ‘Blank Space’. And although AronChupa’s ‘I’m An Albatraoz’ drops from No.2 to No.4, it does pick up a fresh platinum accreditation to kick off the new chart year.
From there, the top ten is relatively settled, but Charli XCX is new into the top ten mix with ‘Break The Rules’, which improves from No.13 to No.10.
Dominating end of year charts across the planet, Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’ once again finds favour with Aussie audiences (No.20 to No.14); so too Sia’s ‘Chandelier’ (No.27 to No.20). The week’s highest new entry is at No.22 (Omi’s ‘Cheerleader’).
It appears as though the unexpected and somewhat tardy rise of Jeremih’s ‘Don’t Tell ‘Em’ maybe over, with the track slipping back a further seven spots this week, but Jessie J’s collaborative ‘Bang Bang’ moves in an upwardly direction (No.37 to No.28). Even Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ picks up five spots (No.30).
The Veronicas’ comeback smash ‘You Ruin Me’ picks up a third platinum accreditation (No.32), The Avener drops ten and a few previous chart favourites make their top 50 end-of-year comebacks; Milky Chance’s ‘Stolen Dance’, Katy Perry’s ‘This Is How We Do’ and Ariana Grande’s ‘Break Free’.
Beyond the 50, a fresh new platinum accreditation for Jessica Mauboy’s ‘Can I Get A Moment?’ (No.54), a 20 place drop for Parra For Cuva’s ‘Wicked Games’ (No.42 to No.62), but a nice little 18 place gain for 5 Seconds Of Summer’s ‘She Looks So Perfect’ (No.87 to No.69).
Even Nicki Minaj’s ‘Anaconda’ slithers its way from No.91 to No.74 thanks to some end-of-year love.
The Magician’s ‘Sunlight’ slowly begins to flicker out (No.64 to No.84), Carmada’s ‘Maybe’ loses another 16 places and Christmas is most definitely over for Mariah Carey, Band Aid 30 and Wham, whose respective festive ditties all drop entirely from the top 100 (Mariah from No.14).

ALBUMS
It seems like Taylor and Ed are playing a lovely game of swapsies over on the ARIA top 100 albums chart; after displacing Taylor from the top spot last week, Ed Sheeran has once again lost the No.1 position to… Taylor Swift.
The pair is still dominating the top two positions, however, with previous chart favourites from Sam Smith, ‘Frozen’, Hilltop Hoods, AC/DC and One Direction making up the top seven.
In position eight this week is the ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy : Awesome Mix Vol.1′ soundtrack, which bullets from No.22. Also bulleting back into the top ten are INXS’ ‘The Very Best Of’ (No.20 to No.9) and Chet Faker’s ‘Built On Glass’ (No.21 to No.10).
The Veronicas’ eponymously-titled set is also up (No.15 to No.11), but labelmates Human Nature’s ‘Jukebox’ has stopped spinning in the post-Christmas period (No.5 to No.12).
Calvin Harris’ ‘Motion’ bullets from No.35 to No.14, but he’s not the only one. Also heading northwards with a bullet this week are albums by Hozier, 5 Seconds Of Summer, George Ezra and Nicki Minaj, giving us some indication perhaps of which releases Australian punters were spending their Christmas vouchers on.
It certainly doesn’t seem like it was the tenth edition of Triple J’s ‘Like A Version’ (No.12 to No.23), nor does it seem to have been Barbra Streisand’s ‘Partners’ (No.11 to No.26). Or, for that matter, The Eagles’ ‘Selected Works’ (No.14 to No.30).
However, albums by Vance Joy, David Guetta, Coldplay, Angus & Julia Stone and Foo Fighters (‘Greatest Hits’) all pick up steam.
Michael Bublé’s ‘Christmas’ is out for another year (No.3 to No.36), but best-ofs for Fleetwood Mac, P!nk and Eminem are back in favour (Nos.38, 39 and 45 respectively).
Taylor Swift’s ‘Red’ even finds more homes this week (No.70 to No.46); so too ABBA Gold (No.50) and Iggy Azalea’s ‘Reclassified’ (No.83 to No.51).
From beyond the 50 precipice, it’s an avalanche of best-ofs back in chart action; Michael Jackson (No.54), Bruce Springsteen (No.57), Cold Chisel (No.58), Bon Jovi (No.59), Bob Marley (No.60).
But there are still albums dropping; Jess Mauboy’s ‘Beautiful’ loses 17 places (No.62), Neil Diamond’s ‘Melody Road’ is down 33 (No.64) and ‘The Art Of McCartney’ drops by 25 to No.69.
Best-ofs by Phil Collins, Elvis Presley and Blink 182 reemerge, the ‘Annie’ soundtrack scores the week’s only top 100 debut (No.81) and from there, it’s a virtual succession of re-entries from Maroon 5, Michael Jackson, Lorde, Daft Punk, The Angels, Elton John, Nickelback, Lana Del Rey and D’Angelo.
In amongst them are a few big drops, of course; Missy Higgins’ ‘Oz’ (No.57 to No.92), The Madden Brothers’ ‘Greetings From California’ (No.66 to No.95), Karise Eden’s ‘Things I’ve Done’ (No.64 to No.99) and Paul Kelly’s ‘The Merri Soul Sessions’ (No.41 to No.100).
All the other Christmas releases seem to be gone; Human Nature, Mariah Carey, Pentatonix and Lee Kernaghan all lose their top 50 places (indeed their top 100 places) this week. And it would appear that all ‘Hope’ is lost for Susan Boyle.

For a full run down of the ARIA top 50s, head over to the ARIA CHARTS WEBSITE, now every Saturday from 6:00pm AEDT.

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