ARIA Chart Watch is here again for your Saturday evening’s reading pleasure.
There’s a bit of movement this week, with some new certifications, (almost) a new number one single, plus five concurrent debuts in the ARIA albums chart top ten. But who performed best?
Naturally, we’re not giving up all those secrets right here in the opener. Read on, friend!
SINGLES
We kick things off this week , however, with news that Australia’s number one single – ‘Despacito’ from Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber – has finally been granted its first certification. Though the cupboard was bare last week, this week it’s been adjusted to a double platinum certification, meaning it’s sailed through 140,000 units down under.
Amazingly, Justin Bieber seems to be flavour of the month at the moment. He appears on three of the top five singles in Australia, including our brand new No.2 from David Guetta, ‘2U’.
Liam Payne’s single ‘Strip That Down’ is another receiving the certification update treatment this week. The former 1D star’s solo breakout edges to a new high of No.3 and goes gold (35,000 units sold).
DJ Khaled’s ‘I’m The One’ is down from two to four, with Niall Horan (who’s headed down under in a couple of weeks for a promotional visit) making up the top five.
Continuing on the theme of accreditation updates this week and Kendrick Lamar scores one for his track ‘Humble’. Gold last week, it’s now platinum certified, after smashing through the 70,000 sales barrier.
Also achieving a new certification this week are The Chainsmokers and Coldplay; their former No.2 smash ‘Something Just Like This’ is now over the triple platinum barrier (210,000 copies), though down three places to No.14.
British popstress Rita Ora has another Aussie top 20 hit on her hands. ‘Your Song’ improves just two more places this week, but it’s enough to get her inside the top 20 (No.21 to No.19). Imagine Dragons’ ‘Thunder’ rumbles into a top 20 position right behind her (up from No.28 to No.20).
Halsey’s ‘Now Or Never’ leapt from No.27 to No.16 last week, but eases five to No.21 this week.
Lady Gaga’s ‘The Cure’ finally achieves its first certification. It’s now platinum (her first single to achieve the feat since ‘Applause’ back in 2013).
Bliss N Eso score the gold love for their single ‘Moments’ with Gavin James. It’s at No.33 this week, down one from last week.
Childish Gambino’s ‘Redbone’ enjoys a little bump this week (No.51 to No.36). It’s now just six places shy of its peak thus far… and the jump comes in its 30th week of local chart action.
Drake’s ‘Passionfruit’ tastes a little sweeter thanks to its new platinum accreditation (No.39) and thanks to their performance on ‘The Voice’ throughout the week, The Veronicas see their latest single ‘The Only High’ leap from No.79 on debut to No.41.
Kygo and Ellie Goulding’s ‘First Time’ is now gold (No.44), French Montana’s ‘Unforgettable’ is into the top 50 (No.56 to No.45) and Kaleo’s ‘Way Down We Go’ and Katy Perry’s ‘Bon Appetit’ both poke their heads back into the ARIA top 50 (No.47 and No.48 respectively).
It may have vacated this week’s top 50 (only just, mind you), but a new double platinum certification proves that Snakehips and MØ’s ‘Don’t Leave’ is still ticking over.
Katy Perry picks up the pace with ‘Swish Swish’ (No.73 to No.52) as her new album ‘Witness’ makes its presence felt.
But Martin Garrix and Dua Lipa’s ‘Scared To Be Lonely’ takes a dive, losing 13 places to No.55. Lorde’s ‘Perfect Places’ also dips (11) after last week’s No.46 debut.
After premiering at No.80 last week, country star Sam Hunt’s single ‘Body Like A Back Road’ bullets 16 for a new peak of No.64.
Starley’s new single ‘Touch Me’ premieres right behind him at No.65.
Also new this week is Dj Khaled and Drake’s ‘To The Max’, which enters at No.70.
But Fifth Harmony’s ‘Down’ is (perhaps prophetically) down. Down from No.66 on debut to No.77.
Down further, however, is Ariana Grande’s ‘One Last Time’, which slumps from No.35 to No.79, despite still being super-popular over in the UK, where it remains at No.2.
In between both, Katy Perry’s ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ surges 18 places as the halo effect around the release of her new album takes place.
Andy Grammer’s ‘Fresh Eyes’ hits triple platinum (No.82), Future and Rihanna’s ‘Selfish’ plunges 23 to No.83 and there are debuts in the 90s for Jessica Mauboy (‘Fallin’ at No.91), Lorde (‘Sober’ at No.93) and Miley Cyrus (‘Inspired’ at No.97).
Foo Fighters’ ‘Run’ spent just one week in the top 100; debuting last week at No.53.
ALBUMS
Yeah, doesn’t matter what Hillsong or Lady Antebellum or Katy Perry or London Grammar threw at him… Ed Sheeran still rules the roost when it comes to the ARIA albums chart.
But it was Katy Perry who came closest. Her new album ‘Witness’ premieres at a highly respectable No.2, following on from a massive publicity blitz in the lead-up.
‘Witness’ leads a parade of five successive top ten debuts.
New at No.3 is London Grammar’s new album ‘Truth Is A Beautiful Thing’.
New at No.4 is Hillsong United’s ‘Wonder’.
New at No.5 is Rise Against’s ‘Wolves’.
New at No.6 is Lady Antebellum’s ‘Heart Break’.
With so many new entries, some had to drop out of the ten; Halsey’s ‘Hopeless Fountain Kingdom’ is one of them, out after debuting at No.2 last week (No.2 to No.12).
The Beatles’ ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ is another (No.6 to No.13), as are Pete Murray’s ‘Camacho’ (No.3 to No.14), Alt-J’s ‘Relaxer’ (No.4 to No.17) and Roger Waters’ ‘Is This The Life We Really Want?’ (No.7 to No.20).
Fleetwood Mac legends Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie score a No.23 debut for their self-titled set.
They’re ahead of a 16 place jump (No.38 to No.22) for Keith Urban’s ‘Ripcord’.
We’re not sure whether the K.Perry/T.Swizzle rivalry has anything to do with it, but Tay Tay’s ‘1989’ rockets from No.79 to No.26 this week.
The package of Elvis Presley’s ‘The Wonder Of You & If I Can Dream’ also does some serious shifting (No.63 to No.29).
Another debut in position 36 from Phoenix (‘Ti Amo’). There are also more jumps (Kaleo’s ‘A/B’ from No.58 to No.37 and the ‘Suicide Squad’ soundtrack from No.54 to No.38), but also a drop (Bernard Fanning’s ‘Brutal Dawn’ from No.17 to No.39).
SZA’s ‘CTRL’ is new at No.40, Rancid’s ‘Trouble Maker’ is new at No.41. The Weeknd’s ‘Starboy’ is up from No.59 to No.42.
But post the Manchester benefit concert, Ariana Grande’s ‘My Everything’ drops just as her single ‘One More Time’ did over on the singles side of things. It’s down from No.27 to No.45.
Gorillaz lose ground with ‘Humanz’ (No.31 to No.49), Linkin Park’s ‘One More Light’ and Tash Sultana’s ‘Notion’ both lose 15 apiece, while Amy Shark’s ‘Night Thinker’ EP drops by 21 (No.36 to No.57).
U2’s classic album ‘The Joshua Tree’ re-entered the top 100 last week at No.46 after the release of the 30th anniversary edition. But it’s down 16 this week and gone again from the top 50.
Also down (and how) this week is All Time Low’s album ‘Last Young Renegade’. It debuted impressively at No.5 last week, but finds itself a whopping 58 places lower this week at No.63.
Lee Kernaghan’s ‘The 25th Anniversary Album’ is also down (18 to No.66), as are In Hearts Wake’s ‘Ark’ (down 46 to No.71), Paramore’s ‘After Laughter’ (down 31 to No.72), the ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ soundtrack (down 30 to No.73) and Dua Lipa’s album ‘Dua Lipa’ (down a staggering 60 places from last week’s No.16 debut.
The 40 place drop for Bryson Tiller’s ‘True To Self’ (No.45 to No.85) kinda pales in comparison.
Two more debuts pop up in the 90s… the ‘Anastasia’ soundtrack at No.93 and the self-titled release from Cigarettes After Sex at No.96.
Husky’s ‘Punchbuzz’ landed at No.32 on debut on last week’s countdown. It’s gone from the top 100 after seven days.
For a full run down of the ARIA top 50s, head over to the ARIA CHARTS WEBSITE (now with a fresh new look, with fresh new features) every Saturday from 5:00pm AEST.