ARIA Charts
The ARIA Charts are the official weekly rankings of the most popular music releases in Australia, compiled by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) to reflect consumer preferences across singles, albums, and various formats.[1] Established in 1983, these charts serve as a key barometer for the Australian music industry, tracking trends since the organization's founding as a national trade association representing record producers, manufacturers, and distributors.[2][3] ARIA compiles the charts using certified sales data from over 1,000 physical and digital retailers, combined with streaming metrics from major platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, ensuring a comprehensive measure of music consumption that includes both traditional purchases and modern digital plays. As of September 2025, the main charts focus on music released within the previous two years, with a separate "On Replay" chart for older releases and provisions for viral re-entries of older titles.[1][4] This methodology, updated weekly and released every Friday at 5 p.m. Sydney time, provides an accurate snapshot of popularity without favoring any single consumption method.[1] The charts encompass a range of categories beyond the flagship Top 50 Singles and Top 50 Albums, including Australian-specific rankings like the Top 20 Australian Singles and Albums, as well as genre-focused lists such as Dance Singles, Country Albums, Hip Hop/R&B Albums, and Classical Albums; specialized formats like Vinyl Albums and Compilation Albums are also tracked, including weekly Top 20 charts.[1] These rankings not only highlight commercial success but also support industry advocacy, copyright protection, and the promotion of Australian artists through initiatives tied to ARIA's broader mission.[2] With over 195 members—from independent labels to multinational affiliates—the charts underscore ARIA's role in fostering a diverse and vibrant domestic music ecosystem.[2]History
Establishment (1983–1989)
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) was established in 1983 by six major record companies—EMI, Festival Records, CBS (now Sony Music), RCA (now Sony Music), WEA (now Warner Music), and Universal—to represent and advance the interests of the Australian recording industry.[5][3] This formation addressed the need for a unified industry body to handle licensing, royalties, and promotion, replacing earlier fragmented associations. ARIA's launch coincided with the introduction of official national music charts, aimed at providing a standardized record of sales success to benefit labels, artists, and retailers. Key figures, including then-chairman Denis Handlin, played pivotal roles in initiating these charts to standardize tracking and boost industry visibility.[6][7] On July 10, 1983, ARIA published its first official weekly charts—the ARIA Singles Chart and ARIA Albums Chart—branded as the Countdown Chart and available in record stores nationwide. These initial charts were compiled using sales data from the Kent Music Report, managed by industry analyst David Kent, who had been tracking Australian music sales since 1974. The debut singles chart topped with Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart," followed by Irene Cara's "Flashdance… What a Feeling" and Michael Jackson's "Beat It," while the albums chart was led by Jackson's Thriller. This marked Australia's first printed national top 50 charts, shifting from previous unofficial or TV-based rankings like those on the Countdown program. From 1983 to 1988, ARIA licensed Kent's data (rebranded as the Australian Music Report in 1987) for its publications, ensuring continuity while building infrastructure for independent compilation.[8][9][10] By mid-1988, ARIA transitioned to in-house chart compilation, beginning with the survey dated June 13, 1988, and the first fully ARIA-produced top 50 printed chart for the week ending June 26, 1988. This shift involved ARIA directly collecting sales figures from retailers via mailed forms and phone verification, a manual process that replaced Kent's external service and allowed greater control over methodology. The move solidified ARIA's role as the authoritative source for Australian music data, with charts reflecting physical sales from over 1,000 stores. In 1989, this system continued to evolve, incorporating refinements to data aggregation while maintaining weekly publications that highlighted both international and emerging local acts, such as Crowded House's "Better Be Home Soon" reaching high positions.[9][11][12]Expansion and digital shift (1990–2014)
In the early 1990s, the ARIA Charts underwent significant expansion to enhance their scope and accessibility. The ARIA Report, a weekly publication detailing the top 100 singles and albums, was launched in January 1990 as a subscription service, marking the first time comprehensive chart data beyond the printed top 50 was made available to industry stakeholders. This development allowed for broader tracking of music sales across Australia, reflecting the growing diversity of the market. By 1997, ARIA further expanded its core charts from top 50 to top 100 positions for both singles and albums, increasing visibility for emerging artists and genres. Concurrently, from February 17, 1997, all physical sales data were recorded electronically at the point of sale, improving accuracy and efficiency in compilation processes.[13][14] The late 1990s and early 2000s saw ARIA solidify its role as a key indicator of Australian music trends, with annual end-of-year charts beginning to highlight milestones such as the dominance of local acts like Savage Garden and Powderfinger. This period also emphasized international integration, as ARIA data increasingly aligned with global standards, facilitating cross-border recognition for Australian releases. However, the true transformation came with the digital shift, driven by the rise of online music platforms. In April 2006, ARIA introduced the Digital Tracks Chart to track download sales from services like iTunes and BigPond Music, capturing the growing preference for digital formats among younger consumers. By October 8, 2006, ARIA merged this with the physical singles chart into a unified top 50, reflecting combined sales data for the first time and acknowledging the 30% growth in digital downloads since the chart's inception.[15][16][17] The digital evolution accelerated in the late 2000s, adapting to changing consumption patterns. On November 5, 2007, ARIA updated eligibility rules to allow digital-only singles—previously requiring a physical release—to enter the main chart, enabling tracks without CD counterparts to compete based solely on downloads. This change boosted chart diversity, as artists could release music directly to digital platforms. By 2012, ARIA launched a dedicated Streaming Tracks Chart on December 10 to monitor on-demand audio streams, anticipating the streaming boom. The culmination of this shift occurred on November 24, 2014, when streaming data from platforms like Spotify and Deezer was integrated into the official singles chart, with a conversion rate of 100 streams equating to one sale unit. This reform ensured the charts better represented contemporary listening habits, though it initially applied a weighted formula to balance streams against traditional sales.[18]Streaming era and 2025 reforms (2015–present)
The streaming era for the ARIA Charts began with the integration of audio streaming data into the Singles Chart in November 2014, marking a shift from physical and digital sales to reflect evolving consumer habits driven by platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.[19] This change allowed streams to contribute to chart positions, with 100 streams equating to one sale unit, aiming to capture broader music consumption patterns in Australia. By 2015, this methodology had stabilized, enabling tracks like Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" to dominate the year-end charts through combined sales and streaming metrics.[20] In May 2017, ARIA extended streaming inclusion to the Albums Chart, incorporating data from services such as Apple Music, Deezer, Google Play, and Spotify, with the first updated chart released on May 13.[21] This adjustment used album-equivalent units, where 1,750 audio streams (1:175 per track, 10 tracks per album) equaled one album sale, promoting a more holistic view of popularity amid declining physical sales.[21] The reform helped contemporary releases, such as those by international artists like Ed Sheeran, maintain strong positions by accounting for on-demand listening.[22] Further refinements occurred in March 2022, when ARIA announced the inclusion of YouTube streaming data from logged-in users starting March 4, expanding the Singles and Albums Charts to encompass video streams alongside audio. This update addressed the growing role of video platforms in music discovery, with streams weighted similarly to audio equivalents to ensure equitable representation. It resulted in more dynamic chart movements, particularly for viral tracks gaining traction through YouTube algorithms. In June 2025, ARIA unveiled its most significant reforms since the streaming pivot, effective September 1, 2025, to prioritize new music and reduce dominance by catalogue titles.[4] Under the new methodology, the main Singles and Albums Charts will exclusively feature releases from the past two years, while older titles shift to dedicated "On Replay" charts tracking enduring popularity.[23] Special exceptions allow pre-2023 releases to appear on main charts during "zeitgeist moments," such as viral revivals, to capture cultural phenomena without overshadowing fresh content.[24] These changes, developed after over a year of modeling, aim to boost emerging Australian artists by amplifying visibility for recent works amid streaming's long-tail effects.[25] The reforms exclude impact on the 2025 ARIA Awards eligibility to maintain continuity.[26]Methodology
Data sources and compilation process
The ARIA Charts are compiled using data on retail sales of physical and digital music products, supplemented by streaming activity from major digital service providers (DSPs). Sales data is collected electronically from a representative sample of participating retailers across Australia, including major chains like JB Hi-Fi and Sanity, as well as online platforms such as iTunes and Bandcamp.[27][28] Streaming data is sourced from services including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Google Play Music (now YouTube Music), and Tidal, with YouTube official music videos incorporated starting March 2022 to reflect broader consumption patterns.[21][29] The compilation process occurs weekly, with charts finalized every Friday based on the previous week's activity ending the prior Thursday. Record labels and suppliers notify ARIA in advance of new releases, providing details on catalog numbers and promotions to enable accurate aggregation of variants (e.g., different editions of the same album). Retailers submit sales figures daily or weekly via electronic systems, excluding bulk purchases exceeding three units per customer to prevent manipulation. ARIA then verifies the data for anomalies, such as unexplained spikes, and discards irregular entries while applying wholesale shipment adjustments to scale sample data to national estimates—using separate tables for albums and singles that account for varying retailer participation rates. Promotional or non-commercial sales are flagged and excluded from weighting.[27][30][31] Streaming is integrated into chart calculations through stream equivalent units (SEUs), where audio and video streams are converted to sale equivalents. For the Singles Chart, streams have been included since November 2014, though the exact conversion ratio remains proprietary; industry reports suggest alignments with global standards, such as approximately 150-200 streams equating to one paid download. For the Albums Chart, added in May 2017, the top 10 tracks (or all if fewer) from an album are aggregated, with the two highest-streamed tracks averaged down to prevent skewing, then converted at a ratio of 1,750 streams per album sale (derived from 175 streams per track across 10 tracks). These SEUs are combined with actual sales to determine rankings, prioritizing Australian-sourced consumption.[19][21][32] In June 2025, ARIA announced reforms effective September 1, 2025, to emphasize new music amid streaming dominance, without altering core data sources or equivalence formulas. Main charts (Top 50 Singles, Albums, and Australian Artist variants) now restrict entries to releases within the past two years, shifting older "catalogue" titles (over two years) to a new ARIA On Replay chart. Catalogue tracks can re-enter main charts under strict conditions: absent from the Top 100 for 10+ years, with label approval, reaching the Top 30, and limited to 10 weeks, aiming to enhance visibility for contemporary Australian artists.[24]Criteria evolution from sales to streams
The ARIA Charts were established in 1983 with criteria based exclusively on physical sales data collected from a limited network of Australian record stores, initially through manual surveys and phone reports from fewer than 200 retailers. This methodology mirrored global standards of the era, focusing on point-of-sale transactions for vinyl records, cassettes, and later compact discs to determine chart positions for singles and albums. By 1997, the process modernized to electronic point-of-sale (POS) data aggregation from over 1,200 retail outlets, improving accuracy and coverage while remaining centered on physical unit sales. The advent of digital music prompted the introduction of download metrics in April 2006, when ARIA launched a separate Digital Tracks Chart to track legal downloads from platforms like iTunes and BigPond Music. This marked the first expansion beyond physical formats, recognizing the growing shift toward online purchasing, though the main singles and albums charts continued to prioritize physical and initial digital sales until further reforms. Streaming integration began in November 2014 with the incorporation of audio streams into the ARIA Singles Chart, combining data from services such as Spotify, Deezer, and Rdio with traditional sales and downloads to form a unified consumption metric. Streams were weighted against sales to approximate economic equivalence, with approximately 175 streams equating to one sale at the time, favoring paid subscriptions over ad-supported plays to reflect revenue differences. This change aligned ARIA with international bodies like the Billboard Hot 100 and aimed to capture modern listening behaviors more comprehensively. The Albums Chart followed suit in May 2017, adopting a similar multi-level streaming methodology that converted plays into sale equivalents, further emphasizing active consumption over passive metrics like radio airplay. By then, streaming had become the dominant format in Australia, driving chart positions and certifications, with ongoing refinements to weightings ensuring streams from premium services carried greater value than free tiers. This evolution from pure sales to a hybrid model has sustained the charts' relevance amid declining physical and download revenues.Publication
Weekly and periodic releases
The ARIA Charts are updated and released weekly, providing rankings for singles, albums, and various genre-specific lists based on the previous week's consumption data. Since 19 March 2021, these weekly charts have been released every Friday at 5:00 pm AEST on streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, marking ARIA as the first major music chart provider worldwide to adopt a Friday release schedule.[33][34] Prior to this change, releases occurred on Saturdays at the same time, aligning with traditional global chart cycles.[35] The full charts are uploaded to the ARIA website the following day, on Saturday evenings at 5:00 p.m. Sydney time.[30] The weekly updates are accessible via the official ARIA website, encompassing core charts such as the ARIA Top 50 Singles and ARIA Top 50 Albums, alongside Australian artist-specific and genre charts like dance, hip-hop, and country.[1] In addition to weekly publications, ARIA produces periodic summary charts that aggregate data over longer periods to highlight annual and decennial trends in Australian music consumption. End-of-year charts, which rank the top-performing singles, albums, and artists for the calendar year, are typically released in January of the following year; for instance, the 2024 ARIA End of Year Charts were published on 15 January 2025, with Taylor Swift dominating multiple categories based on sales and streaming metrics.[36][15] These annual releases include expanded lists such as the ARIA Top 100 Singles, ARIA Top 50 Australian Artists Albums, and genre breakdowns, offering insights into market leaders and cultural impacts without altering the weekly methodology.[15] ARIA also compiles end-of-decade charts periodically, recapping the highest-achieving releases over ten-year spans; the ARIA Top 100 End of Decade Singles and Albums for the 2010s, for example, were released on 10 January 2020, crowning Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" as the decade's top single and Adele's 21 as the leading album.[37][38][39] Such periodic compilations are issued at the conclusion of each decade and serve to contextualize long-term popularity, drawing from cumulative chart performance data rather than isolated weekly snapshots.[15] In June 2025, ARIA introduced the "On Replay" charts as an ongoing weekly feature, tracking consumption of singles and albums older than two years to complement the main weekly rankings and promote catalog music.[4]Formats and public access
The ARIA Charts are published weekly, with new editions calculated every Friday based on the preceding week's data. Since 2021, they are released on streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify at 5:00 p.m. AEST Friday, with uploads to the official website occurring on Saturday evenings at 5:00 p.m. Sydney time.[1][30] This schedule ensures timely reflection of music consumption trends across physical sales, digital downloads, and streaming. Current publication formats emphasize digital accessibility, including interactive displays on the ARIA website featuring top 50 singles, top 50 albums, and specialized charts like top 20 Australian singles and albums. Full weekly charts are available as downloadable PDF files, providing detailed rankings beyond the website's truncated views.[40] Additionally, charts are integrated into streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, where users can access playlists and rankings directly within the apps.[1] Historically, the charts were disseminated through printed formats, notably via The ARIA Report, a newsletter that included top 100 singles and albums and was available by subscription starting in January 1990.[41] This publication ran until at least 1995, after which distribution shifted predominantly to digital channels, aligning with broader industry transitions. Annual end-of-year charts, dating back to 1988, are also archived and publicly viewable online.[15] Public access to the ARIA Charts is generally free and unrestricted for current and recent historical data through the website and PDFs.[1] For older chart information, such as pre-2000s artist histories, users must contact ARIA directly, potentially incurring a fee for research and provision.[11] Permission is required to reprint or commercially utilize chart data, as outlined in ARIA's code of practice.[42]Broadcast and Promotion
Television and radio integrations
The ARIA Charts have been integrated into Australian television programming primarily through the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) long-running music video show Rage, which first aired in April 1987. From 1988 to 2006, Rage broadcast a full countdown of the ARIA Top 50 singles every Saturday morning, featuring music videos in chart order to highlight the week's most popular tracks. This segment provided a key platform for promoting chart success and engaging early-morning audiences with official ARIA data.[43] In response to audience demand and to refresh the format, Rage revived a condensed chart countdown in March 2015, shifting to the ARIA Top 20 singles from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. each Saturday on ABC TV. This ongoing feature continues to play the top 20 videos based on ARIA rankings, maintaining the program's role in visually broadcasting chart positions and artist achievements to a national audience. The integration underscores Rage's commitment to reflecting current music trends through official metrics, with playlists explicitly labeling segments as "Charts" to align with ARIA releases.[44][45] On radio, ARIA established dedicated chart broadcasts starting in the mid-2000s to extend its reach via audio platforms. In February 2006, the Motorola ARIA Chart Show launched on the Nova network, airing nationally every Sunday afternoon and counting down selections from the official ARIA Top 50 singles, including a spotlight on the Top 10 digital tracks. Hosted by Jason "Jabba" Davis, the program ran until December 2008, sponsored by Motorola, and served as a syndicated vehicle for playing chart hits across Nova's stations.[46][47][48] A more extensive partnership followed in 2012, when MCM Media collaborated with ARIA to relaunch Take 40 Australia as the official radio countdown of the ARIA Top 40 singles. Broadcast on Saturday afternoons across a network of commercial stations, the show played the full Top 40 in reverse order, culminating in the number-one track, and drew on ARIA's sales and streaming data for authenticity. This integration lasted until the program's conclusion in September 2016, marking a significant era of structured radio exposure for the charts.[49][50] Beyond these dedicated shows, ARIA Charts remain integrated into broader radio programming on commercial networks like Nova and KIIS FM, where announcers reference weekly positions during music segments to contextualize airplay and promote top performers. This ongoing coverage ensures the charts influence daily listening habits without a single flagship program post-2016.[1]Digital and social media coverage
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) leverages social media platforms to promote its charts, maintaining official accounts on Instagram (@aria_official, with over 63,000 followers), X (formerly Twitter) (@ARIA_Official), Facebook, and TikTok (@aria, with 12.4K followers). These channels serve as primary outlets for weekly chart announcements, artist spotlights, and fan engagement, including posts about debuts, genre-specific highlights, and promotional resources like Canva templates designed for artists to share their chart positions. For instance, Instagram Reels frequently feature celebratory videos for new entries, such as congratulating artists on topping sub-charts during themed months like Country Music Month. A pivotal development in ARIA's digital strategy occurred in March 2021, when it partnered with TikTok to become the world's first official weekly music chart to announce results exclusively on the platform every Friday at 5pm AEST, prior to full website publication. This move enhances real-time accessibility and viral potential, with TikTok videos often summarizing chart releases—such as debuts by Australian acts—and garnering thousands of views to drive engagement. The partnership underscores ARIA's emphasis on short-form video content to connect with younger audiences and amplify Australian music discovery. ARIA extends its digital footprint through collaborations with streaming services, releasing official playlists on Spotify that mirror chart rankings, including the ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart and genre-specific lists like Club Tracks, updated weekly and attracting significant saves and streams. Since 2022, ARIA has incorporated YouTube streaming data into its chart methodology, further integrating digital consumption metrics and partnering with the platform for broader promotional reach. These efforts are complemented by Spotify's role as the presenting partner for the ARIA Awards since 2025, featuring global out-of-home campaigns and playlist-based voting that promote chart-topping nominees. Digital media coverage of ARIA Charts is robust, with outlets like Billboard providing in-depth analysis of weekly performances, such as artist doubles or debut impacts, and ABC News reporting on methodological shifts affecting local talent visibility. Social media has also proven instrumental in chart success stories, exemplified by Australian rapper Kerser achieving the number-one album position in 2015 through fan mobilization on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, bypassing traditional radio promotion. Overall, these digital and social initiatives position ARIA Charts as a dynamic, audience-driven benchmark in the streaming era.Chart Categories
Singles and digital tracks
The ARIA Singles Chart, launched on July 10, 1983, serves as the official ranking of the most popular singles in Australia, initially compiled based solely on physical sales data from a network of retailers. This chart marked the beginning of Australia's first nationally recognized music charts, replacing earlier informal surveys like those from the Kent Music Report, and has since become a key indicator of commercial success for recording artists. Throughout its early decades, the chart focused on vinyl, cassette, and CD single sales, with electronic point-of-sale recording introduced on February 17, 1997, to improve accuracy and efficiency in data collection.[51][13] The integration of digital downloads represented a significant evolution, beginning with the launch of a separate ARIA Digital Track Chart on April 9, 2006, to track sales from online platforms amid the rise of services like iTunes. By October 9, 2006, digital download figures were fully merged into the main Singles Chart alongside physical sales, reflecting the declining dominance of physical formats and the growing digital music market, which had already expanded by 30% in the first six months of monitoring. This hybrid approach ensured that tracks available only as downloads could chart, provided they met eligibility criteria such as availability through participating retailers and services. Today, the chart encompasses both physical singles and digital tracks, with data sourced from a broad sample of Australian retailers and digital providers submitting electronic sales reports weekly.[46][52][27] Streaming was incorporated into the Singles Chart starting November 22, 2014, following the establishment of a standalone Streaming Tracks Chart in 2012 to monitor audio plays on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. This addition aligned the chart with global trends, where approximately 150 paid streams or 450 ad-supported streams equate to one sale equivalent unit (as of 2024).[19][53][54] The current methodology combines physical sales, digital downloads, and streaming data from Thursday to the following Thursday, with charts calculated on Fridays and published on Saturdays via the ARIA website. Sales anomalies, such as bulk purchases exceeding three units per customer, are excluded, and data is weighted against wholesale shipment figures to estimate national totals, ensuring a representative snapshot of consumer activity. Record labels must notify ARIA of promotional events that could influence sales, and unexplained spikes are investigated to maintain integrity.[11] In June 2025, ARIA announced a major overhaul effective September 1, 2025, aimed at prioritizing new music by limiting main chart eligibility to releases from the past two years, shifting older catalogue titles to a new "ARIA On Replay" chart. This change, the most substantial since streaming's inclusion, seeks to boost visibility for contemporary and Australian artists, with provisions allowing select older tracks (over 10 years absent from the Top 100) to re-enter the main Singles Chart for up to 10 weeks upon label request and sufficient performance. The ARIA Top 50 Singles remains the flagship ranking, though a broader Top 100 provides deeper historical and current insights into digital and streaming trends.[25][24]Albums, EPs, and compilations
The ARIA Albums Chart ranks the highest-selling and most-streamed albums and extended plays (EPs) in Australia, compiled weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) based on data from physical and digital retailers as well as streaming services. Launched in 1983 as part of the overall ARIA Charts system, this chart provides a measure of long-form recorded music consumption, encompassing both new releases and established titles until recent rule changes in September 2025 limited main chart eligibility to music released within the past two years. EPs, typically shorter releases with four to eight tracks or under 30 minutes in duration, are treated equivalently to full albums for charting purposes, allowing artists to gain visibility for mid-length projects alongside traditional studio albums.[55][25] Prior to 2017, the chart relied solely on retail sales data, including physical formats like CDs and vinyl, as well as digital downloads, weighted to represent national consumption patterns from a sample of participating retailers. Multiple purchases exceeding three units by a single customer in one transaction are excluded to prevent manipulation, and promotional copies are flagged and de-weighted. Since May 2017, audio streams from on-demand services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer have been incorporated to form stream equivalent albums (SEA) units, reflecting the shift toward digital consumption. To calculate SEA, streams from an album's top 10 tracks (or all tracks if fewer than 10) are aggregated after adjusting the two highest-streamed tracks to the average of the next eight; these are then converted at a ratio where approximately 170 premium subscription track streams (as of 2023) equal one track sale equivalent, with ad-supported streams at about 420, aggregated across tracks to represent album units. This track-equivalent approach caps the influence of individual hit singles to better represent overall album performance.[27][21][22] Compilations, defined as releases featuring multiple artists or curated track selections such as greatest hits or genre samplers, were originally included in the main Albums Chart upon ARIA's inception but were separated into a dedicated Top 20 Compilation Albums Chart starting July 2, 1989, to distinguish collective works from solo or band artist albums. This separate chart follows a similar methodology, combining sales and streams into equivalent units, though it focuses exclusively on various artists' projects and excludes artist-specific compilations, which remain eligible for the main Albums Chart. The Compilation Chart highlights ongoing popularity of themed collections, with examples like the "So Fresh" series frequently topping the tally due to strong retail and streaming performance. Both charts contribute to ARIA's annual end-of-year summaries and certification thresholds, where gold accreditation requires 35,000 units and platinum 70,000 units, inclusive of SEA. Recent 2025 updates, including the creation of "On Replay" charts for older titles, ensure that legacy albums and compilations can still be tracked separately without dominating current rankings.[56][21][25]Genre and specialist charts
In addition to its flagship singles and albums charts, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) maintains a suite of genre-specific and specialist charts to capture niche music consumption trends across Australia. These charts highlight popularity within targeted categories, allowing artists and labels in underrepresented genres to gain visibility beyond the mainstream top 50 lists. They are compiled using the same methodology as the primary charts, aggregating data from physical and digital sales, downloads, and streaming equivalents from authorized retailers and services, with labels nominating releases for genre eligibility to ensure accurate categorization. Released weekly on Fridays, these charts reflect the prior week's activity and are accessible via ARIA's official website, Apple Music, and Spotify.[1][30] Genre charts focus on distinct musical styles, providing dedicated rankings that celebrate diversity in Australian and international music scenes. The ARIA Dance Singles Chart, a top 20 list launched in 2001, tracks electronic and dance-oriented tracks based on sales, downloads, and streaming data. Similarly, the ARIA Club Tracks Chart, introduced in 1999 as a top 50 ranking, relies on reports from DJs and club specialists to gauge underground and dancefloor hits, emphasizing the role of genre experts in data submission. The ARIA Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart (top 40) and its singles counterpart monitor urban music consumption, encompassing rap, rhythm and blues, and related styles, with historical roots in the early 2000s urban charts that evolved to better represent growing domestic hip hop scenes. Country music enthusiasts are served by the ARIA Country Albums Chart (top 40), which has long tracked twangy narratives and Americana influences, while the Core Classical Albums Chart (top 20) spotlights orchestral and instrumental works, maintaining a focus on traditional repertoire since its integration into ARIA's expanded offerings.[57][58][59][60][61] Specialist charts address format-specific or aggregated consumption, broadening the scope beyond artist albums. The ARIA Compilation Albums Chart (top 20), which separates multi-artist collections from solo releases, has been a staple for highlighting soundtrack and greatest-hits packages, with eligibility determined by ARIA's code of practice to avoid overlap with main album rankings. In response to the vinyl revival, ARIA launched the Vinyl Albums Chart (top 20) in April 2019, ranking full-length releases on the format regardless of genre, often featuring reissues and indie titles that perform strongly in specialty stores. These charts collectively underscore ARIA's commitment to comprehensive market tracking, with annual end-of-year summaries available from 1988 onward for select categories, enabling long-term analysis of genre evolution and cultural impact.[56][62][15]| Chart Name | Type | Size | Launch Year | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dance Singles | Genre (Singles) | Top 20 | 2001 | Electronic and dance tracks |
| Club Tracks | Genre (Singles) | Top 50 | 1999 | Club and DJ-reported dance music |
| Hip Hop/R&B Albums | Genre (Albums) | Top 40 | Early 2000s | Urban rap and R&B releases |
| Country Albums | Genre (Albums) | Top 40 | Pre-1988 (integrated) | Country and Americana |
| Core Classical Albums | Genre (Albums) | Top 20 | Pre-1988 (integrated) | Orchestral and classical works |
| Compilation Albums | Specialist (Albums) | Top 20 | Post-1988 separation | Multi-artist collections |
| Vinyl Albums | Specialist (Format) | Top 20 | 2019 | Vinyl-specific album sales |
Number-One Lists
Singles (1983–1999)
The ARIA Singles Chart commenced on 10 July 1983, marking the official start of standardized music tracking by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which took over from the Kent Music Report for national compilation. From 1983 to 1999, the chart's number-one positions showcased a diverse array of genres, including 1980s synth-pop, rock anthems, and charity singles, transitioning into 1990s dance, hip-hop, and alternative influences. Australian artists achieved significant milestones, such as John Farnham's "You're the Voice" holding the top spot for seven weeks in 1986, while international acts like Madonna and Whitney Houston dominated multiple years with extended runs. The longest number-one single of this period was Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" with 13 weeks in 1995–1996, reflecting the growing impact of rap on mainstream charts. Below is a chronological list of all number-one singles during this era, including debut dates and weeks at the top position.[51] 1983- 10 July: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler (1 week)
- 17 July: "Flashdance... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara (5 weeks)
- 21 August: "Australiana" by Austen Tayshus (1 week)
- 28 August: "Flashdance... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara (2 weeks)
- 11 September: "Australiana" by Austen Tayshus (7 weeks)
- 30 October: "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club (5 weeks)
- 4 December: "Reckless (Don't Be So)" by Australian Crawl (1 week)
- 11 December: "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel (1 week)
- 18 December: "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (1 week)
- 25 December: "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie (6 weeks)
- 5 February: "Original Sin" by INXS (2 weeks)
- 19 February: "Love Is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar (5 weeks)
- 25 March: "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper (2 weeks)
- 8 April: "99 Luftballons" by Nena (5 weeks)
- 13 May: "Eat It" by "Weird Al" Yankovic (1 week)
- 20 May: "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins (3 weeks)
- 10 June: "Hello" by Lionel Richie (3 weeks)
- 1 July: "It's Just Not Cricket" by The 12th Man (3 weeks)
- 22 July: "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! (5 weeks)
- 26 August: "When Doves Cry" by Prince (1 week)
- 2 September: "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! (2 weeks)
- 16 September: "What's Love Got to Do with It" by Tina Turner (1 week)
- 23 September: "Careless Whisper" by George Michael (4 weeks)
- 21 October: "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder (8 weeks)
- 16 December: "Like a Virgin" by Madonna (5 weeks)
- 20 January: "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid (4 weeks)
- 17 February: "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner (5 weeks)
- 24 March: "One Night in Bangkok" by Murray Head (1 week)
- 31 March: "Shout" by Tears for Fears (1 week)
- 7 April: "I Should Have Known Better" by Jim Diamond (1 week)
- 14 April: "We Are the World" by USA for Africa (9 weeks)
- 16 June: "Would I Lie to You?" by Eurythmics (2 weeks)
- 30 June: "Angel" / "Into the Groove" by Madonna (4 weeks)
- 28 July: "Crazy for You" by Madonna (4 weeks)
- 25 August: "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" by Tina Turner (3 weeks)
- 15 September: "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" by Models (2 weeks)
- 29 September: "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News (2 weeks)
- 13 October: "Dancing in the Street" by David Bowie and Mick Jagger (2 weeks)
- 27 October: "(I Got You) Babe" by UB40 with Chrissie Hynde (3 weeks)
- 17 November: "Take On Me" by a-ha (2 weeks)
- 1 December: "The Power of Love" by Jennifer Rush (1 week)
- 8 December: "Species Deceases (EP)" by Midnight Oil (1 week)
- 15 December: "The Power of Love" by Jennifer Rush (1 week)
- 22 December: "Species Deceases (EP)" by Midnight Oil (5 weeks)
- 26 January: "We Built This City" by Starship (4 weeks)
- 23 February: "A Good Heart" by Feargal Sharkey (2 weeks)
- 9 March: "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick and Friends (1 week)
- 16 March: "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean (6 weeks)
- 27 April: "Chain Reaction" by Diana Ross (3 weeks)
- 18 May: "Living Doll" by Cliff Richard and The Young Ones (6 weeks)
- 29 June: "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer (2 weeks)
- 13 July: "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" by Samantha Fox (1 week)
- 20 July: "The Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston (1 week)
- 27 July: "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" by Samantha Fox (2 weeks)
- 10 August: "Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna (6 weeks)
- 21 September: "Venus" by Bananarama (7 weeks)
- 9 November: "You're the Voice" by John Farnham (7 weeks)
- 28 December: "Funky Town" by Pseudo Echo (7 weeks)
- 15 February: "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles (1 week)
- 22 February: "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by Kim Wilde (1 week)
- 1 March: "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles (1 week)
- 8 March: "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by Kim Wilde (1 week)
- 15 March: "I Wanna Wake Up with You" by Boris Gardiner (1 week)
- 22 March: "I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)" by George Michael and Aretha Franklin (4 weeks)
- 19 April: "Boom Boom (Let's Go Back to My Room)" by Paul Lekakis (5 weeks)
- 24 May: "Slice of Heaven" by Dave Dobbyn with Herbs (4 weeks)
- 21 June: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston (5 weeks)
- 26 July: "Respectable" by Mel and Kim (1 week)
- 2 August: "He's Gonna Step on You Again" by The Party Boys (2 weeks)
- 16 August: "Locomotion" by Kylie Minogue (7 weeks)
- 4 October: "La Bamba" by Los Lobos (7 weeks)
- 22 November: "Electric Blue" by Icehouse (1 week)
- 29 November: "Too Much Ain't Enough Love" by Jimmy Barnes (1 week)
- 6 December: "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley (7 weeks)
- 24 January: "Faith" by George Michael (1 week)
- 31 January: "Got My Mind Set on You" by George Harrison (1 week)
- 7 February: "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (6 weeks)
- 20 March: "I Should Be So Lucky" by Kylie Minogue (6 weeks)
- 1 May: "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" by Billy Ocean (5 weeks)
- 5 June: "The Flame" by Cheap Trick (4 weeks)
- 3 July: "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong (1 week)
- 10 July: "Got to Be Certain" by Kylie Minogue (3 weeks)
- 31 July: "Age of Reason" by John Farnham (4 weeks)
- 28 August: "Perfect" by Fairground Attraction (3 weeks)
- 18 September: "Simply Irresistible" by Robert Palmer (5 weeks)
- 23 October: "Desire" by U2 (3 weeks)
- 13 November: "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin (7 weeks)
- 1 January: "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys (7 weeks)
- 19 February: "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers (5 weeks)
- 26 March: "Like a Prayer" by Madonna (1 week)
- 2 April: "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals (2 weeks)
- 16 April: "Like a Prayer" by Madonna (1 week)
- 23 April: "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals (1 week)
- 30 April: "Like a Prayer" by Madonna (2 weeks)
- 14 May: "The Living Years" by Mike + The Mechanics (1 week)
- 21 May: "Like a Prayer" by Madonna (1 week)
- 28 May: "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles (1 week)
- 4 June: "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler (1 week)
- 11 June: "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles (1 week)
- 18 June: "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler (1 week)
- 25 June: "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles (1 week)
- 2 July: "The Look" by Roxette (6 weeks)
- 13 August: "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" by New Kids on the Block (3 weeks)
- 3 September: "If You Don't Know Me by Now" by Simply Red (1 week)
- 10 September: "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx (5 weeks)
- 15 October: "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher (1 week)
- 22 October: "Swing the Mood" by Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers (3 weeks)
- 12 November: "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher (6 weeks)
- 24 December: "Love Shack" by The B-52's (9 weeks)
- 25 February: "Janie's Got a Gun" by Aerosmith (1 week)
- 4 March: "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor (7 weeks)
- 22 April: "Opposites Attract" by Paula Abdul (2 weeks)
- 6 May: "Vogue" / "Keep It Together" by Madonna (5 weeks)
- 10 June: "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" by Heart (4 weeks)
- 8 July: "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette (2 weeks)
- 22 July: "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer (5 weeks)
- 26 August: "Epic" by Faith No More (3 weeks)
- 16 September: "Blaze of Glory" by Jon Bon Jovi (6 weeks)
- 28 October: "Bust a Move" by Young MC (1 week)
- 4 November: "Jukebox in Siberia" by Skyhooks (2 weeks)
- 18 November: "Groove Is in the Heart" by Deee-Lite (1 week)
- 25 November: "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers (7 weeks)
- 13 January: "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice (3 weeks)
- 3 February: "I Touch Myself" by Divinyls (2 weeks)
- 17 February: "I've Been Thinking About You" by Londonbeat (4 weeks)
- 17 March: "Do the Bartman" by The Simpsons (1 week)
- 24 March: "Sucker DJ" by Dimples D. (2 weeks)
- 7 April: "Falling" by Julee Cruise (1 week)
- 14 April: "Joyride" by Roxette (3 weeks)
- 5 May: "Tingles (EP)" by Ratcat (2 weeks)
- 19 May: "The Horses" by Daryl Braithwaite (2 weeks)
- 2 June: "Don't Go Now" by Ratcat (1 week)
- 9 June: "Grease Megamix" by Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta (5 weeks)
- 14 July: "Read My Lips" by Melissa (2 weeks)
- 28 July: "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" by Bryan Adams (11 weeks)
- 13 October: "Love... Thy Will Be Done" by Martika (1 week)
- 20 October: "Rush" by Big Audio Dynamite II (2 weeks)
- 3 November: "The Fly" by U2 (1 week)
- 10 November: "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred (3 weeks)
- 1 December: "Black or White" by Michael Jackson (8 weeks)
- 26 January: "Let's Talk About Sex" by Salt-N-Pepa (4 weeks)
- 23 February: "Love You Right" by Euphoria (2 weeks)
- 8 March: "Saltwater" by Julian Lennon (4 weeks)
- 5 April: "Marvellous" by The Twelfth Man (2 weeks)
- 19 April: "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers (4 weeks)
- 17 May: "To Be with You" by Mr. Big (3 weeks)
- 7 June: "One in a Million" by Euphoria (1 week)
- 14 June: "Take It from Me" by Girlfriend (2 weeks)
- 28 June: "Jump" by Kris Kross (3 weeks)
- 19 July: "Save the Best for Last" by Vanessa Williams (1 week)
- 26 July: "Hazard" by Richard Marx (3 weeks)
- 16 August: "Amigos Para Siempre" by José Carreras & Sarah Brightman (6 weeks)
- 27 September: "Humpin' Around" by Bobby Brown (1 week)
- 4 October: "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus (7 weeks)
- 22 November: "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men (4 weeks)
- 20 December: "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston (10 weeks)
- 28 February: "You Don't Treat Me No Good" by Sonia Dada (4 weeks)
- 28 March: "Cat's in the Cradle" by Ugly Kid Joe (1 week)
- 4 April: "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz (6 weeks)
- 16 May: "Easy" by Faith No More (2 weeks)
- 30 May: "That's the Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson (1 week)
- 6 June: "Informer" by Snow (5 weeks)
- 11 July: "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40 (7 weeks)
- 29 August: "River of Dreams" by Billy Joel (1 week)
- 5 September: "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meat Loaf (8 weeks)
- 31 October: "Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat (1 week)
- 7 November: "All That She Wants" by Ace of Base (3 weeks)
- 28 November: "Please Forgive Me" by Bryan Adams (7 weeks)
- 16 January: "Boom! Shake the Room" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (1 week)
- 23 January: "All for Love" by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting (2 weeks)
- 6 February: "Give It Up" by Cut 'n' Move (4 weeks)
- 6 March: "It's Alright" by East 17 (7 weeks)
- 24 April: "The Power of Love" by Céline Dion (1 week)
- 1 May: "The Sign" by Ace of Base (4 weeks)
- 29 May: "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" by Prince (2 weeks)
- 12 June: "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies (3 weeks)
- 3 July: "Love Is All Around" by Wet Wet Wet (6 weeks)
- 14 August: "I Swear" by All-4-One (5 weeks)
- 18 September: "Confide in Me" by Kylie Minogue (4 weeks)
- 16 October: "I'll Make Love to You" by Boyz II Men (2 weeks)
- 30 October: "Tomorrow" by Silverchair (6 weeks)
- 11 December: "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow (1 week)
- 18 December: "Zombie" by The Cranberries (8 weeks)
- 12 February: "Another Night" by MC Sar & The Real McCoy (6 weeks)
- 26 March: "Here's Johnny" by Hocus Pocus (6 weeks)
- 7 May: "Back for Good" by Take That (2 weeks)
- 21 May: "Mouth" by Merril Bainbridge (6 weeks)
- 2 July: "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" by Bryan Adams (1 week)
- 9 July: "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 (6 weeks)
- 20 August: "Insensitive" by Jann Arden (1 week)
- 27 August: "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal (6 weeks)
- 8 October: "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey (1 week)
- 15 October: "Stayin' Alive" by N-Trance (1 week)
- 22 October: "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio feat. L.V. (13 weeks)
- 21 January: "Jesus to a Child" by George Michael (2 weeks)
- 4 February: "Boombastic" by Shaggy (1 week)
- 11 February: "Wonderwall" by Oasis (1 week)
- 18 February: "Boombastic" by Shaggy (3 weeks)
- 10 March: "One of Us" by Joan Osborne (5 weeks)
- 14 April: "How Bizarre" by OMC (5 weeks)
- 19 May: "Fastlove" by George Michael (2 weeks)
- 2 June: "Until It Sleeps" by Metallica (1 week)
- 9 June: "Fastlove" by George Michael (2 weeks)
- 23 June: "Killing Me Softly" by Fugees (7 weeks)
- 11 August: "Because You Loved Me" / "Power of the Dream" by Céline Dion (3 weeks)
- 1 September: "Macarena" by Los del Río (9 weeks)
- 3 November: "Wannabe" by Spice Girls (11 weeks)
- 19 January: "To the Moon and Back" by Savage Garden (1 week)
- 26 January: "Freak" by Silverchair (2 weeks)
- 9 February: "Don't Speak" by No Doubt (8 weeks)
- 6 April: "Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden (8 weeks)
- 1 June: "MMMBop" by Hanson (9 weeks)
- 3 August: "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112 (5 weeks)
- 7 September: "Men in Black" by Will Smith (4 weeks)
- 5 October: "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John (6 weeks)
- 16 November: "Barbie Girl" by Aqua (3 weeks)
- 7 December: "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba (3 weeks)
- 28 December: "Doctor Jones" by Aqua (7 weeks)
- 15 February: "My Heart Will Go On" by Céline Dion (4 weeks)
- 15 March: "It's Like That" by Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins (1 week)
- 22 March: "Never Ever" by All Saints (7 weeks)
- 10 May: "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain (4 weeks)
- 7 June: "5,6,7,8" by Steps (1 week)
- 14 June: "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo (1 week)
- 21 June: "The Cup of Life" / "María" by Ricky Martin (6 weeks)
- 2 August: "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls (5 weeks)
- 6 September: "High" by Lighthouse Family (1 week)
- 13 September: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith (9 weeks)
- 9 November: "Rollercoaster" by B*Witched (2 weeks)
- 23 November: "Crush" by Jennifer Paige (2 weeks)
- 7 December: "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" by The Offspring (6 weeks)
- 18 January: "Believe" by Cher (5 weeks)
- 22 February: "...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears (9 weeks)
- 26 April: "No Scrubs" by TLC (7 weeks)
- 14 June: "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer (3 weeks)
- 5 July: "If You Had My Love" by Jennifer Lopez (3 weeks)
- 26 July: "Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam (7 weeks)
- 13 September: "Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega (8 weeks)
- 8 November: "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" by Eiffel 65 (9 weeks)[51]
Singles (2000–present)
The ARIA Singles Chart from 2000 to the present reflects the shift from physical sales dominance to digital consumption, with the chart evolving to incorporate new formats that extended the lifespan of number-one hits. In October 2006, ARIA fully integrated digital downloads into the main singles chart, following initial monitoring from April of that year, which broadened access and boosted chart longevity for popular tracks. Audio streaming was added in November 2014, further transforming the methodology by weighting paid subscription streams more heavily than ad-supported ones from October 2018, allowing songs to accumulate weeks at number one through sustained streaming plays. These changes, combined with recent 2025 updates limiting the main chart to releases within two years to prioritize new music, have favored viral global pop and Australian breakthroughs while reducing the impact of catalog tracks.[16][19][4] This era has been marked by international superstars achieving extended reigns, alongside resurgent Australian talent amid declining local representation on the chart, which dropped to about 2.5% for Australian and New Zealand acts by 2023 before recent rule tweaks aimed to revive it. Representative number-one singles illustrate diverse genres and origins: Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" topped the chart for seven weeks in 2001, signaling a pop revival for the Australian icon during her global resurgence. Guy Sebastian's "Angels Brought Me Here," the 2003 Australian Idol winner's debut, held number one for four weeks, exemplifying reality TV's influence on local hits. In the streaming age, Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" accumulated 15 weeks at number one in 2017, tying a then-record for consecutive weeks and highlighting acoustic pop's streaming endurance.[63][51][51] Australian artists have notched landmark achievements, with Tones and I's "Dance Monkey" setting the all-time record by spending 24 non-consecutive weeks at number one from 2019 to 2020, the longest run in ARIA history and a viral phenomenon driven by TikTok and streaming. Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito" (featuring Justin Bieber) followed with 13 weeks in 2017, underscoring Latin music's crossover impact. More recently, Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" logged at least seven weeks at number one in 2023, establishing it as a prolonged country crossover hit in Australia. Taylor Swift has dominated the 2020s with multiple number-ones, including "The Fate of Ophelia" topping the chart in late 2025, amid her sweeping influence on both singles and albums lists.[64][51][65][66]| Song | Artist | Weeks at No. 1 | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dance Monkey | Tones and I | 24 | 2019–2020 |
| Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 15 | 2017 |
| Despacito (remix) | Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber | 13 | 2017 |
| Can't Get You Out of My Head | Kylie Minogue | 7 | 2001 |
| Last Night | Morgan Wallen | 7+ | 2023 |
Albums (1983–1999)
The ARIA Albums Chart commenced on 10 July 1983, marking the official start of standardized national music tracking in Australia, with Michael Jackson's Thriller as its inaugural number-one album for one week. From 1983 to 1988, the chart relied on sales data compiled by the Kent Music Report, which aggregated physical retail sales from a network of stores nationwide, providing a reliable measure of consumer demand during the vinyl and cassette era. In June 1988, ARIA assumed direct control of chart compilation, refining the methodology to include sales from an expanded panel of over 200 retailers while maintaining a focus on physical formats until the late 1990s introduction of early digital considerations.[8][68][9] Throughout the 1980s, the chart showcased the era's pop and rock dominance, with international releases like The Police's Synchronicity (3 weeks at number one in 1983) and soundtracks such as Flashdance (3 weeks in 1983) reflecting cinematic influences and dance trends. Australian artists began gaining traction mid-decade, exemplified by John Farnham's Whispering Jack, a landmark release that held the top spot for 25 weeks from October 1986 to March 1987, underscoring the resurgence of local talent amid global competition. The period also saw compilation albums thrive, including various "Breakers" and "Summer Breaks" series, which captured seasonal hits and topped the chart multiple times in 1983–1984.[69][70] In the 1990s, the chart evolved with grunge, pop, and country crossovers, as seen in Nirvana's Nevermind briefly reaching number one in 1992 and Shania Twain's Come On Over accumulating 20 weeks at the summit from 1997 to 1999, highlighting the growing appeal of genre-blending international acts. Local successes persisted, with Savage Garden's self-titled debut holding number one for 19 weeks in 1997–1998, a testament to the rising profile of Australian pop exports. Soundtracks remained prominent, notably Titanic (8 weeks in 1998), tying into blockbuster film culture. Overall, international albums accounted for approximately 80% of number-one positions, but the era established ARIA as a key indicator of Australia's diverse musical tastes.[69][71] The following table highlights the longest-running number-one albums during this period, illustrating scale and impact through sustained sales performance:| Artist | Album | Weeks at #1 | Years at #1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 34 | 1985–1986 |
| John Farnham | Whispering Jack | 25 | 1986–1987 |
| Shania Twain | Come On Over | 20 | 1997–1999 |
| Savage Garden | Savage Garden | 19 | 1997–1998 |
| Mariah Carey | Music Box | 18 | 1993–1994 |
Albums (2000–present)
The ARIA Albums Chart from 2000 onward has reflected the evolving landscape of music consumption in Australia, transitioning from predominantly physical sales to incorporating digital downloads and, later, streaming data. Initially based on retail sales of physical formats like CDs, the chart began including digital album sales around 2006, aligning with the broader shift in the industry. By May 2017, audio streams were integrated into the methodology, with 1,500 premium streams equivalent to one album sale, significantly boosting the chart's responsiveness to global streaming trends. This period has seen a blend of international blockbusters, Australian breakthroughs, and genre diversification, with over 400 different albums reaching number one by 2025.[21][73] In the early 2000s, the chart highlighted a strong presence of pop and rock acts, both local and international. The Beatles' compilation 1 topped the chart for nine weeks in late 2000, marking a commercial resurgence for catalog releases. Australian artists like Powderfinger with Odyssey Number Five (three weeks at number one in 2000) and Savage Garden's Affirmation (six weeks total across 1999–2000) underscored the era's support for homegrown talent. Soundtracks also proved influential, with Moulin Rouge! holding the top spot for 11 weeks in 2001, driven by its cultural impact from the Baz Luhrmann film. Delta Goodrem's debut Innocent Eyes achieved a record-breaking 29 non-consecutive weeks at number one starting in 2003, the longest run for an Australian artist's album in the chart's history and a testament to her pop breakthrough amid her battle with cancer.[69][69][69] The mid-2000s to 2010s saw increased globalization, with hip-hop, indie rock, and electronic music gaining traction. Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP (one week in 2001) and The Eminem Show (seven weeks in 2002) exemplified rap's rising dominance, while international stars like Coldplay (A Rush of Blood to the Head, one week in 2002) and Maroon 5 (Songs About Jane, multiple weeks in 2005) solidified pop-rock's appeal. Australian successes included Missy Higgins' The Sound of White (seven weeks total in 2004–2005) and Bernard Fanning's solo debut Tea & Sympathy (one week in 2005), reflecting indie and singer-songwriter growth. The streaming era amplified long runs for mega-artists: Adele's 21 amassed 32 weeks at number one from 2011–2012, the longest in the period, fueled by hits like "Someone Like You." Ed Sheeran's ÷ (Divide) followed with 27 weeks in 2017–2018, showcasing acoustic pop's streaming endurance. Taylor Swift emerged as a chart powerhouse, with albums like 1989 (Taylor's Version) (six weeks in 2023) and The Tortured Poets Department (eight weeks in 2024) highlighting re-recording strategies and fan-driven consumption.[69][69][69] By the 2020s, the chart has diversified further with K-pop, hip-hop, and viral social media hits, alongside efforts to elevate local content. Soundtracks and compilations like K-Pop Demon Hunters topped in 2025, while Australian acts such as Ball Park Music (Like Love, one week in April 2025) and Olivia Dean (The Art of Loving, one week in October 2025) marked indie and R&B breakthroughs. In June 2025, ARIA introduced structural changes, creating an "On Replay" chart for albums over two years old to prioritize new releases and boost Australian representation, which had declined to one or two local top-50 entries weekly in recent years. Kylie Minogue continued her legacy with Tension II as her ninth number-one album in October 2024, tying her with U2 for the most leaders since the chart's inception. As of November 2025, Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl holds the top spot, exemplifying her ongoing dominance with 12 number-one albums in the period. These shifts underscore the chart's adaptation to digital ecosystems while celebrating both global phenomena and national talent.[74][25]| Record | Album | Artist | Weeks at #1 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longest run | 21 | Adele | 32 | 2011–2012 |
| Longest Australian run | Innocent Eyes | Delta Goodrem | 29 | 2003–2004 |
| Most weeks for a male artist album | ÷ (Divide) | Ed Sheeran | 27 | 2017–2018 |
| Most #1 albums (since 2000) | Various (e.g., Taylor Swift) | Taylor Swift | 12 | 2008–2025 |
Performance Records
Top 10 singles
The top-performing singles in ARIA Charts history are evaluated using a points-based system that accounts for both the peak position achieved and the total number of weeks spent on the chart, reflecting overall commercial longevity and popularity since the charts' inception in 1983. This metric highlights the impact of streaming-era tracks, which benefit from extended chart runs compared to pre-digital releases. As of November 2025, recent hits dominate due to prolonged presence on the Top 100 Singles Chart, driven by sustained streaming and radio play.[76] The following table lists the top 10 singles based on this system, showcasing a mix of international pop anthems and collaborations that resonated strongly with Australian audiences:| Rank | Artist(s) | Title | Peak Position | Weeks on Chart | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glass Animals | Heat Waves | 1 | 159 | 5597 |
| 2 | The Weeknd | Blinding Lights | 1 | 139 | 4027 |
| 3 | Zach Bryan | Something in the Orange | 6 | 149 | 3928 |
| 4 | Benson Boone | Beautiful Things | 1 | 91 | 3751 |
| 5 | Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby | Levitating | 4 | 119 | 3629 |
| 6 | Lewis Capaldi | Someone You Loved | 4 | 164 | 3584 |
| 7 | The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber | Stay | 1 | 94 | 3462 |
| 8 | Elton John & Dua Lipa | Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) | 1 | 103 | 3356 |
| 9 | Harry Styles | As It Was | 1 | 97 | 3322 |
| 10 | Ed Sheeran | Bad Habits | 1 | 99 | 3303 |
Top 10 albums
The ARIA Albums Chart tracks the highest-selling and most-streamed albums in Australia since 1983, with performance records highlighting longevity at the summit as a primary measure of success. Albums that accumulate the most weeks at number one demonstrate exceptional popularity and cultural impact, often reflecting broader trends in music consumption. Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms holds the record for the longest uninterrupted reign, underscoring the enduring appeal of rock albums in the 1980s.[69] Subsequent entries in the top rankings feature a mix of international pop sensations and local Australian releases, illustrating the chart's blend of global and domestic influences. For instance, Adele's 21 achieved its prolonged stay amid a surge in digital sales and streaming, while John Farnham's Whispering Jack marked a high-water mark for Australian artists in the pre-digital era. These records are compiled from official ARIA data up to late 2025.[69] The following table lists the top 10 albums by total weeks at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart:| Rank | Weeks at #1 | Title | Artist | Primary Years at #1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34 | Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 1985–1986 |
| 2 | 32 | 21 | Adele | 2011–2012 |
| 3 | 29 | Innocent Eyes | Delta Goodrem | 2003–2004 |
| 4 | 27 | ÷ (Divide) | Ed Sheeran | 2017–2018 |
| 5 | 25 | Whispering Jack | John Farnham | 1986–1987 |
| 6 | 20 | Come On Over | Shania Twain | 1999 |
| 7 | 19 | Savage Garden | Savage Garden | 1997 |
| 8 | 18 | Music Box | Mariah Carey | 1993–1994 |
| 9 | 15 | Christmas | Michael Bublé | 2011–2019 (non-consecutive) |
| 10 | 14 | So Far So Good | Bryan Adams | 1992–1994 |