News 25 August 2018

Sweetener lands Ariana Grande third #1 album

Debuts for Human Nature, Jimmy Barnes and more!

Sweetener lands Ariana Grande third #1 album

Debuts for Human Nature, Jimmy Barnes and more!

American pop star Ariana Grande has claimed her third #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, debuting in the top spot with fourth album, Sweetener (more below).

This week’s chart includes eight albums by the late Aretha Franklin, seven of which are debuts. The only re-entry, Respect - The Very Best Of, hits the chart for the first time since May 2003.

Debuts:

#1: Ariana Grande ‘Sweetener’ – With her fourth studio album, American artist Ariana Grande takes out her third #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Sweetener comes two years on from Dangerous Woman (#1 May ’16) and includes appearances by Missy Elliott, Nicki Minaj and Pharrell Williams (who’s also credited as writer and producer on many of the album’s tracks). Five tracks from the album appear in this week’s Singles Chart including the singles ‘No Tears Left To Cry’ (#1 Apr. ’18) (#21) and ‘God Is A Woman’ (#5 Jul. ’18) (#7), plus ‘Breathin’ (#8), ‘Everytime’ (#36) and the title track (#43). Ariana Grande scored her first #1 album with My Everything (#1 Sept. ’14).

#2: Human Nature ‘Romance Of The Jukebox’ – Returning with their 13th studio album, Romance Of The Jukebox, Sydney vocal group Human Nature pick up their eleventh Top Ten on the ARIA Albums Chart. The follow-up to Gimme Some Lovin': Jukebox Vol. II (#1 Aug. ’16) features the quartet’s takes on tracks made famous by The Troggs, The Monkees, The Beatles, The Bee Gees and more. Human Nature first appeared in the Top Ten with Telling Everybody (#7 Jan. ’97).

#3: Jimmy Barnes ‘Working Class Boy - The Soundtracks’ – Jimmy Barnes scores his 19th Top Ten entry on the ARIA Albums Chart as a solo artist with Working Class Boy - The Soundtracks. Containing music and spoken word pieces, it serves as the soundtrack to the new documentary about Barnes’ early years, based on his 2016 memoir also titled Working Class Boy. Barnes last charted in the Top Ten with Soul Searchin’ (#1 Jun. ’16), his record-equaling eleventh #1 as a solo artist.

#13: Aretha Franklin ‘The Very Best Of Aretha Volume 1 – The ‘60s’ – Following her passing, Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin hits the chart with eight titles including debut entries The Very Best Of Aretha Volume 1 – The '60s, 30 Greatest Hits (#16), The Queen Of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings (#17), Together - The Very Best Of Aretha Franklin & Otis Redding (#19), Original Album Series (#22), A Brand New Me: Aretha Franklin (With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) (#23) and Best Of Aretha Franklin (#25), and the re-entering Respect - The Very Best Of (#20). ‘Respect’ is #50 on this week’s Singles Chart.

#15: Travis Collins ‘Brave And The Broken’ – The sixth studio album from Travis Collins becomes the country singer-songwriter’s third solo Top 50 entry on the ARIA Albums Chart. Brave And The Broken comes two years on from Hard Light (#20 May ’16). Between albums, Collins teamed up with Amber Lawrence for the mini-album Our Backyard (#40 Aug. ’17).