A week on from becoming the 16th Australian #1 album on the ARIA Charts in 2020, PWR/UP by Aussie rock icons AC/DC hold #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart for a second straight week. The band’s album Live (#1 Nov. ’92) also spent two weeks at #1 on release.
Korean pop superstars BTS take out their fourth Top 50 entry on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2020 as they debut at #2 with BE. It’s the group’s fifth Korean-language album, following on from Map Of The Soul: 7 (#1 Mar. ’20) and ninth studio album overall, coming as the follow-up to the Japanese language album Map Of The Soul: 7 ~The Journey~ (#9 Jul. ’20). BE features the single ‘Dynamite’ (#2 Aug. ’20). Another track from the album, ‘Life Goes On’ debuts at #27 this week. Sydney duo Cosmo’s Midnight produced and co-wrote the track ‘Fly To My Room’.
Tim Minchin releases his debut solo album Apart Together, debuting at #3. The musician, comedian, actor and writer who wrote the musicals Matilda and Groundhog Day has previously released a number of live albums and appeared on the Singles Chart with ‘Come Home (Cardinal Pell)’ (#11 Feb. ’16).
Melbourne trio Something For Kate return at #4 with their first album in eight years, The Modern Medieval. The follow-up to Leave Your Soul To Science (#5 Oct. ’12) is the group’s seventh studio album and becomes their sixth Top Ten on the ARIA Albums Chart. Something For Kate hit #1 with both The Official Fiction (#1 Aug. ’03) and Desert Lights (#1 Jul. ’06).
ARIA Hall Of Fame member Nick Cave returns to the chart at #5 with the live album Idiot Prayer - Nick Cave Alone At Alexandra Palace. Recorded in London in June 2020, the video of the performance was originally made available to stream online. The double album includes all 22 songs that appeared in the film, covering a wide breadth of Cave’s catalogue. With his band The Bad Seeds, Cave most recently charted with Ghosteen (#2 Nov. ’19).
Taylor Swift’s former #1 album folklore jumps from #21 to #6 in its 18th week in the Top 50. The jump comes following the release of the vinyl edition of the album. folklore spent four straight weeks at #1 in August this year and is the album that has spent the most weeks at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2020.
Johnny Cash And The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra jumps seven spots to claim a new peak at #12 in its second week on the chart.
Byron Bay garage rockers Skegss take out their second chart entry for the year as they debut at #17 with Holiday Food / Everyone Is Good At Something. The set reissues two of the band’s early EPs - Everyone Is Good At Something (2016) and Holiday Food (2017) - together on vinyl. Skegss charted last month with the vinyl reissue of the EP 50 Push Ups For A Dollar (#4 Oct. ’20).
Iconic singer-songwriter Neil Diamond hits the ARIA Top 50 for the first time in four years at #20 with Classic Diamonds With The London Symphony Orchestra. The album features re-recordings of some of Diamond’s best-loved hits with new vocals and re-interpreted arrangements by The London Symphony Orchestra. Songs performed include ‘I Am I Said’, ‘Sweet Caroline’ and ‘America’. Diamond last charted with Acoustic Christmas (#46 Dec. ’16).
Debuting at #21, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard score their seventh Top 50 entry for 2020 with K.G. The Melbourne band’s 16th studio album is their first since Infest The Rats' Nest (#2 Aug. ’19) and acts as a sonic sequel to Flying Microtonal Banana (#2 Mar. ’17). In 2020, King Gizzard have charted with the live albums Live in Adelaide '19 (#6 Jan. ’20), Live in Paris '19 (#9 Jan. ’20), Live in Brussels '19 (#4 Jan. ’20), Chunky Shrapnel (#2 Jul. ’20) and Live in Asheville '19 (#30 Oct. ’20). They’ve also charted with the collection Demos Vol. 1 + Vol. 2 (#14 Oct. ’20). Chunky Shrapnel won Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album at this week’s ARIA Awards.
American singer Josh Groban releases ninth studio album, Harmony, debuting at #26. The follow-up to Bridges (#14 Oct. ’18) features covers of tracks originally made famous by the likes of George Michael, Robbie Williams, Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello and Kenny Loggins, among others.
Coldplay’s debut album Parachutes (#2 Mar. ’01) re-enters the chart at #28 following the release of the album on yellow vinyl to mark its 20th anniversary.
Pink Floyd’s 1988 live album Delicate Sound Of Thunder (#4 Dec. ’88) returns to the chart at #35 following a remastered re-release.
Hilltop Hoods hit the chart at #37 with the third of their four instrumental album releases, Walking Under Stars (Instrumental Edition). Released in 2014 as the Adelaide group’s seventh studio album, Walking Under Stars spent two weeks at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and earned them three ARIA Awards nominations, taking out Best Urban Album. The Hoods’ vinyl-only instrumental album series has also included State Of The Art (Instrumental Edition) (#31 Oct. ’20) and Drinking From The Sun (Instrumental Edition) (#21 Nov. ’20).
American rapper Megan Thee Stallion makes her Albums Chart debut at #41 with Good News. It features collaborations with Young Thug, 2 Chainz, Beyoncé, SZA, DaBaby and the single ‘Savage’ (#4 May ’20).
At #44, Perth band Tired Lion return with second album Breakfast For Pathetics. Like debut Dumb Days (#21 Sept. ’17), the new album was produced by Violent Soho’s Luke Boerdam.
Debuting at #45, American metal supergroup Killer Be Killed release Reluctant Hero, their second studio album. It comes six years on from their self-titled debut (#47 May ’14). The group features musicians who are members or ex-members of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Sepultura, Mastodon and Converge.
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