This was originally released the previous year following the finale of season one for the popular TV show Friends (which I regret to inform the internet the I’m a huge fan of even though I personally prefer Frasier when it comes to 90’s sitcoms.) I guess this picked up steam in NZ this year due to the show having several of these tracks play over that season which the kiwis appreciated enough to check out this album.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
I’ll be there for you #3
POPULAR IN 1996
Although her popularity in NZ wasn’t the same as it was here in Australia, that still didn’t prevent this greatest hits album from Bette Midler from becoming a huge success over there this year. Admittedly it didn’t linger on the charts over there like it did over here, so it wasn’t quite as inescapable there as it was here.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1993
Well, this soundtrack’s success was inevitable in NZ given how three of its tracks managed to become three of the biggest hits of the decade over there, it did decently well here in Australia as well likely due to the success of the film which is a buddy comedy that is carried by the chemistry between its two stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Shy guy #3
I’ve got a little something for you #3
Never find someone like you #2
Someone to love #17
POPULAR IN 1995
This was more of a success over in NZ likely due to how much more popular rock and alternative music was over there than it was over here, I’m not sure how this even happened unless the kiwis had their own equivalent of Triple J which helped them discover these types of artists like we Aussies did.
Peak position #1×4
Hit singles
E bow the letter #32
POPULAR IN 1996
This was far more of a success over in NZ than it was here in Australia, I guess the kiwis were more interested in this project than we Aussies were given how classical music had more overall success over there than it did over here back in the day.
Peak position #6
POPULAR IN 1994
Even though Phil Collins hadn’t been on anyone’s minds since his final album with Genesis from the start of the decade, it appears that people had enough fond memories of his back catalogue for this greatest hits package of his to be a massive success in NZ just like it was here in Australia.
Peak position #5
POPULAR IN 1998
I guess there was a tradition for there to be a successful greatest hits album from the Little river band once every ten years in NZ, this was the second of three successful albums to come from the band in this vein despite their back catalogue not being a success over there like it was here in Australia.
Peak position #1×2
POPULAR IN 1993
This proved to be more successful in NZ than it was here in Australia, I’m guessing because it’s technically a NZ film as well as an Australian production and this was back when the kiwis really did look out for their own when it came to their entertainment industry. Aside from that, the trajectory this soundtrack had over there was the same as it skyrocketed in popularity when the film swept the Oscars.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1993
One of the funniest films to come out of the 90’s was Cool Runnings, a Disney flick that tells a fictional story about the first Jamaican bob sledge team that remains heart-warming to this day (as inaccurate as the story is to real life.) The kiwis certainly loved this movie back in the day, so much so that the soundtrack and its lead single were both massive hits over there.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
I can see clearly now #1
POPULAR IN 1994
I’m guessing this was a hit for Bob Marley this year due to it being released as a single over there, thankfully the kiwis didn’t allow too many albums previously unavailable on CDs to make it that big over there this decade like we Aussies did.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1991
I bet you were beginning to think I forgot all about these guys on my site, it turns out that Weezer really struggled for mainstream success even in the southern hemisphere where the alternative scene was far stronger than that in their native America back in the day. Indeed, I’m not even entirely sure why this was a hit in NZ, let alone why it needed two attempts to connect with the kiwis.
Peak position #6
POPULAR IN 1995
Jimmy Barnes had decent success in the 90’s over in NZ, as such it makes sense that this greatest hits package of his would do fairly well over there similar to how it did over here to commemorate the twelfth anniversary he broke apart from Cold chisel to embark on his solo career.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Lover lover #13
POPULAR IN 1996
Sting was on a roll this decade given the success of his (then) most recent album which included the track this greatest hits album was named after, as such he found massive success with this album over there even though it was a massive flop for him here in Australia.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
When we dance #50
POPULAR IN 1994
This wasn’t quite as successful in NZ for Bjork as it was here in Australia, mainly because it didn’t spawn that runaway hit for her over there like it did over here which meant that it didn’t last as long into the new year when “It’s oh so quiet” was taking the alternative scene by storm worldwide. It did rebound a little over there, however it quickly fell off the charts when the song failed to catch on.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Army of me #26
Isobel #47
It’s oh so quiet #28
POPULAR IN 1995
Given how the NZ charts were far more chaotic than the Australia charts (regardless of whether we’re referring to AMR or ARIA) it only seems fitting that this was a hit twice over there as opposed to it merely getting bumped up our charts whenever one of the singles were released and became a genuine hit for us.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
The memory remains #23
The unforgiven II #22
Fuel #35
POPULAR IN 1997
I guess the kiwis weren’t as big of fans of Bon Jovi’s country output as we Aussies were given how much less successful his soundtrack to the second Young guns film was, that said, it was a hit over there likely due to his artist momentum as well as the popularity of the film itself.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Blaze of glory #1
Miracle #6
POPULAR IN 1990
Although their third and final album was a bit of a dud in NZ, that didn’t mean that the kiwis were upset when the girl band called it quits given the success of this greatest hits package they released less than a year after the fact. Just like here in Australia, this was the final time anyone cared about the Bangles as both their 00’s reunion and Susanna Hoffs solo career were a failure over there.
Peak position #6
POPULAR IN 1990
If you’re wondering why David Bowie was able to find success with a greatest hits album a mere three years after his last greatest hits album in NZ, that’s likely due to the news that he broke up his side project Tin machine who even back in the day was panned by critics and loathed by his fanbase for tarnishing his discography.
Peak position #4
POPULAR IN 1993
I’m not entirely sure if this is the correct version of the Les Misérables soundtrack to make it big in NZ this year given how their charts fail to specify which version became successful over there this year, however from what I can gather, there was a London recording of the show that received a ton of media attention this year to the point where a version of the original soundtrack became a success as a result.
Peak position #9
POPULAR IN 1991
It feels weird that this was a success in NZ considering how it barely charted here in Australia, I guess the kiwis love for EDM had finally overtaken our love for the genre by this point given how much of a crushing failure this and its singles was with us Aussies. Sash would be a one album wonder over there, although they would achieve a hit over here at the start of the 00’s.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Ecuador #40
Stay #12
La primavera #29
POPULAR IN 1998
I’m not sure if this album was a success because of Silverchair’s popularity here in Australia or if the kiwis really do have an indie scene that can rival that of Triple J’s presence, either way this debut album from the teenage band managed to be a huge success over there thanks to how popular the two lead singles were from the album.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Tomorrow #1
Pure massacre #2
Isreal’s son #12
Shade #47
POPULAR IN 1995
Well, this album didn’t need to wait as long in NZ to take off as it did here in Australia, mainly because it started spawning big hits over there upon its immediate release that didn’t have to wait months after they became a success in their native America to crossover there. This did cost the album from lingering on the charts as long as it did here, however it did chart higher which I feel it a neat compromise.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Creep #4
Red light special #9
Waterfalls #1
Digging on you #8
POPULAR IN 1995
You’d think this would be an even bigger success in NZ considering that one of the film’s stars is a well-established rapper, but then you remember that the title track was pulled from the shelves in order to encourage album sales for the soundtrack which as you can tell, is a tactic that almost never works in the music industry. I guess the second single managed to be a hit over there, although that was more due to it being a Snoop Dogg track than anything.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Men in black #1
We just wanna party with you #10
POPULAR IN 1997
Rather than having the first two volumes of the greatest hits anthology from Queen consistently rechart throughout the decade, their label decided to bundle them together with this release which became a massive success in NZ despite it being a massive flop here in Australia upon its initial release.
Peak position #2
POPULAR IN 1994
I get the feeling this album was meant to forever rechart during each Christmas season when it was initially released, however like every Christmas album released in the twentieth century, this wasn’t the case for Cliff Richard as it wasn’t even that popular in most parts of the world likely due to its mediocre critical reception.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Scarlet ribbons #19
POPULAR IN 1991
It appears the kiwis were also on board with having Frank Sinatra find success with this duets album he released less than five years prior to his untimely death as we Aussies were, I guess there was a bit of a nostalgic factor to this albums success given how he hadn’t found any success in either country since the 60’s which coincidentally was a duet with his daughter about their (platonic) love for each other.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1993
I guess the kiwis were more on board with Annie Lennox’s solo career this decade than we Aussies were, perhaps it was due to her wacky nature she displayed in the music videos or perhaps it was simply because they felt her brand of sophistopop worked in a way that many of her earlier contemporaries didn’t during the 90’s.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
No more I love yous #22
POPULAR IN 1995
This was way more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia for Nirvana as was the case for their previous album, I’m guessing this was because rock music in general seemed to be more popular over there which is odd given how Nirvana were among the first bands to truly gain success due to their exposure on Triple J down under.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Heart shaped box #9
All apologies #32
POPULAR IN 1993
Given how they managed to have more success in NZ throughout the 80’s than they did here in Australia, I would’ve been flabbergasted if this greatest hits package from ZZ top flopped over there this year. Even so, it didn’t do nearly as well as it did down under likely because the kiwis were already familiar with the band’s work.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Viva Las Vegas #17
POPULAR IN 1992
I think this was one of the earliest signs that the kiwis were ready to incorporate EDM into their mainstream given how it charted higher over there than it did over here back in the day for Robert Miles, true it wasn’t quite as big there as it was here, but it was a sign of good things to come for the genre over there.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Children #4
Fable #20
POPULAR IN 1996
This was the live album that Genesis released following the conclusion of their Way we walk tour, it was a huge flop in Australia likely because we Aussies were done with anything affiliated with Phil Collins, however it was a massive hit over in NZ likely because of how much the kiwis loved their (then) latest album We can’t dance.
Peak position #2
POPULAR IN 1992
Much like here in Australia, Lenny’s ambitions of being the (then) modern equivalent of Jimi Hendrix were certainly palpable to the kiwis. As such, they invested themselves in the genuine article with this greatest hits package which was as a reason as any for it to be a massive success for him.
Peak position #1×1
POPULAR IN 1993
Well, that is one edge title to give your album (at least in the pre internet age where this is par for the course) we have this comeback album from a band previously known as the Dance exponents who scored massive success eight years prior with their debut album in the new wave scene. Here they’ve adapted to the earthier sounds of rock which allowed them to chart along the likes of U2 and Crowded house in their homeland.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Why does love do this to me #3
Who loves who the most #3
Whatever happened to Tracy #6
Sink like a stone #28
Erotic #27
POPULAR IN 1992
This seemed like a good year for some of the biggest names of the twentieth century to release one more greatest hits album to close out the old century by reminding their audiences of the good times they had in their prime, the Beach boys was just one of several legacy acts to have this thought process this year.
Peak position #6
POPULAR IN 1999
This was the second greatest hits package to become a success for Supertramp since their last successful album which as this point in NZ was from the late 70’s, I guess the kiwis really did have fond memories of their heyday if they had two successful best of albums over there despite the band not releasing any new material since the first one was released.
Peak position #1×1
POPULAR IN 1992
While the kiwis weren’t as impressed that hell froze over to allow the Eagles to reunite for their Hell freezes over tour (I still can’t believe that was how it was described in the press back then) they obviously had nostalgia for the back catalogue from the band which is why this greatest hits package was a success over there. I guess this also wasn’t bigger because their last best of album was a hit a mere three years prior.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1994
From what I can gather, Kantuta was a band from NZ who scored a massive hit with their self-titled debut album this year due to it being a blend of Latin and rock. I’m guessing if they had of broken out during the Latin craze later in the decade this would’ve been even bigger over there than it already was.
Peak position #4
POPULAR IN 1992
I think this was the album that was meant to become a success on the Australian side of my site, I included a reissue of their 1980 album because that’s what appeared on the weekly charts I used when compiling these lists. Either way, this was the second greatest hits package from Dr Hook to become a success in the southern hemisphere.
Peak position #1×3
POPULAR IN 1992
This proved to be more of a success for Eric Clapton in NZ than it was here in Australia, I’m guessing the kiwis were more willing to keep him around following the success of his appearance on MTV two years prior even if his popularity came to an end once his final hit “Change the world” dropped off the charts worldwide.
Peak position #2
POPULAR IN 1994
This was also a success for the Smashing pumpkins in NZ this year, they may have been unable to handle their fame like so many talented alt rock bands before and after them, but at least that didn’t come across in their music.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Ava adore #5
Perfect #18
POPULAR IN 1998
While this proved to be more of a success in NZ for Lisa Stansfield than it did here in Australia, the obvious trade off was that the lead single was only barely a success over there as opposed to it being a massive success here and the rest of the world. It’s strange that a vocalist as unique as her wouldn’t find any other success in her career anywhere in the world after this solo breakthrough.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
All around the world #10
Live together #23
POPULAR IN 1990
This was a moderate success for Metallica in NZ, mainly for the good will they achieved earlier in the decade with the black album as the singles over there were noticeably less successful than they were here in Australia. People will complain that they sold out here, however it’s more their songs were more radio friendly than them selling out entirely.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Until it sleeps #11
Hero of the day #21
POPULAR IN 1996
It appears the kiwis were just as much fans of the Austin Powers franchise as we Aussies were given how this also managed to become a huge success over there like it did over here, I guess this was through a combination of their love of James Bond and the 60’s as the franchise (well the first two films at least) pay loving tribute to both which helps it remain endearing to this day.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Beautiful stranger #5
American woman #12
POPULAR IN 1999
Unlike here in Australia where this took its sweet time in finding success, it appears this was more of an immediate success over in NZ for the Rolling stones likely due to the kiwis having more nostalgic love for their back catalogue than we Aussies did around this time.
Peak position #4
POPULAR IN 1993
Named after the Bette Midler track that was popular around this time (which Cliff puts his own spin on with this release) this is a live album from a concert he gave around this time which must have connected with the kiwis early in the year given how big it was over there.
Peak position #7
POPULAR IN 1990
This had a similar trajectory towards success in NZ that it did here in Australia given how it was only a modest success upon its initial release over there and became a massive success a year after its release due to how big Limp Bizkit had become in the nu metal circuit.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Nookie #33
POPULAR IN 1999
This was another album to find more success in NZ than it did here in Australia from an alternative band this year, although it was still a bit of a disappointment over there compared to the band’s previous effort likely due to the fact that what they had to say wasn’t as compelling on here as what it was on their earlier effort.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Bulls on parade #22
POPULAR IN 1996
While this wasn’t as big a hit in NZ as it was here in Australia, at least the lead single proved to be Alanis’s biggest hit over there which means that the kiwis were still in love with what she had to offer as the 90’s was beginning to come to an end. Even so, it makes you wonder where all the love from her breakthrough album earlier in the decade went if there was still a massive fanbase willing to stick around for this follow up.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Thank u #2
Unsent #28
POPULAR IN 1998
This was another successful album from Van Morrison in NZ throughout the 90’s, he was certainly on a roll over there given how each of the entries on this side of my site managed to be way more successful than they were here in Australia.
Peak position #6
POPULAR IN 1997
I’m guessing this became a success over in NZ due to the surprise success that Jesus Jones managed to achieve in America this year, although it’s worth noting that it only became eligible for this list due to it re-entering the charts the following year and racking up quite a lot of points in a short amount of time to stack up with these other entries on this list.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
International bright young thing #22
Right here right now #29
Real real real #37
Who where why #48
POPULAR IN 1991
I guess the kiwis weren’t as big of fans of Michael Crawford as we Aussies were as both of his albums from the 90’s saw far less success over there than they did over here, this in particularly was a disappointment given how it was his big breakthrough outside of the theatre world here and in his native UK.
Peak position #4
POPULAR IN 1992
It turns out there was a third volume to the Labour of love series that the kiwis made a success with for UB40, I guess there were far worse ways to close out the 90’s than to give these guys further success with an album series most people likely don’t even realise has more than two entries with.
Peak position #5
POPULAR IN 1998
It appears this was what killed the winning streak that UB40 had with their original albums in NZ given how none of them managed to find success after Promises and lies from two years prior, although this was the second edition of an album that came out in 1987 that did gang busters for the band over there that year.
Peak position #9
Hit singles
Until my dying day #37
POPULAR IN 1995
If you want proof that NZ had a stronger indie scene than even we Aussies did back in the day, we have this album from grunge band Days of the new who only charted here due to how well they did with the kiwis. I doubt their fellow Americans knew they even existed even back when this was released.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Touch peel and stand #35
POPULAR IN 1998
BB King was an influential guitarist who didn’t see much success in his lifetime, this was the first hit he had in the southern hemisphere as this was a duets album with some of the biggest names in music throughout the twentieth century that was only a success in NZ and a huge flop here in Australia.
Peak position #9
POPULAR IN 1997
Roxette really struggled to transition from the 80’s to the 90’s in NZ which wasn’t the case here in Australia, that said, their greatest hits package was a more immediate success over there than it was over here which is why it appears on more than one of these lists despite it being more popular over here in the long run.
Peak position #8
POPULAR IN 1995
It appears the kiwis weren’t as into the soundtrack for this film as we Aussies were given how much less successful it was over there compared to here, although it might also be due to the success of its theme song being transferred to Wet wet wet’s earlier entry on this list over there given how much more popular that was over there compared to over here.
Peak position #12
Hit singles
Love is all around #1
POPULAR IN 1994
This managed to be an even bigger success for Van Morrison in NZ as in addition to him also having a bestselling greatest hits package this decade, he also managed to have a huge album exactly ten years prior over there which proves that the kiwis were always ready to hand the Irish crooner success.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Gloria #46
POPULAR IN 1993
It appears the kiwis were much bigger fans of China Beach than we Aussies were, so much so that the soundtrack proved to be more of a success over there than it was over here. It was a success over there on time as well, suggesting that this might have been the same fanbase that Tour of duty had the year prior that made this a success there.
Peak position #2
POPULAR IN 1990
This was the second greatest hits package to be released from the Police since their breakup in 1984, I guess it became a success this year in NZ to mark the tenth anniversary where the trio had called it quits even though this was released two years prior from their label.
Peak position #1×1
POPULAR IN 1992
I’m guessing the film was a huge success over in NZ considering how big both the soundtrack and the one single it spawned was over there, either that or the kiwis really did have nostalgia for John Paul Young’s one and only hit there which wasn’t even that big back in the day. It was likely because of this success that the film was released internationally this year where it became a critical darling.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Love is in the air (ballroom mix) #2
POPULAR IN 1993
Their popularity was on the decline in NZ the same as it was here in Australia, although Pearl jam were still able to find success with their albums over there until the end of the decade, just like they were over here.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Who you are #17
POPULAR IN 1996
From what I can gather, the Seekers did have moderate success on the Listener charts in NZ, meaning that this album which was released once Judith Durham re-joined the band becoming a hit over there does make sense.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1993
Well, she did have a ton of success in the 80’s with her first two albums, so it only seems fitting that a greatest hits album from Ruby Turner becoming a success this year was in order.
Peak position #1×1
POPULAR IN 1992
Well, it was certainly a new decade alright, as such Soul II Soul were able to score success with their sophomore album in NZ with their blending of EDM and RNB. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to survive the full transition from the 80’s to the 90’s anywhere in the world as their third album was a complete flop for them two years later.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Get a life #5
A dream’s a dream #8
People #49
POPULAR IN 1990
This is another album that was an instant success for the artist in question as opposed to it finding success the following year (there were a few of these albums to follow this trend in the southern hemisphere.) This time it’s the one and only album from Black box which found all of its success this year as the kiwis had moved on to C+C Music factory the following year when it came to music from Martha Walsh.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Ride on time #2
I don’t know anybody else #9
Everybody everybody #11
Fantasy #28
Strike it up #29
POPULAR IN 1990
The kiwis were far more invested in the post death career of Freddie Mercury than we Aussies it seems, not only did he score a huge hit posthumously with an opera singer from his 1987 album, but he also saw huge success with this greatest hits package over there which was more or less his two solo albums compiled together for one convenient release.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Barcelona #2
The great pretender #36
POPULAR IN 1992
It was a new decade, and this NZ band was already off to a good start when they released this album given how it gave them a huge hit in the form of its lead single over there, indeed this album has gone down as one of the most critically acclaimed to come out of NZ due to how fondly remembered it seems to remain on the internet.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Heavenly pop hit #2
POPULAR IN 1990
Classical music was still one of the most popular genres in the mainstream in NZ this far into the decade, as such we have this classical album from soprano singer Dawn Upshaw who managed to score a massive hit over there with this album and even briefly charted here in Australia as well.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1993
Well, this wasn’t as big a success in NZ as it was here in Australia, although it’s obvious that the kiwis still had enough for the album to make it a hit over there which is further proof I have that whoever wrote that article for the A.V club had a serious bias against this album when they declared it as one of the least essential of the decade.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Warped #4
My friends #20
Aeroplane #26
POPULAR IN 1995
Given how the lead singer Aaron Neville managed to score a massive hit this year with his collaboration with Linda Ronstadt, it only makes sense that the rest of his family would follow suit in NZ with this album that also had the luck of having one of the singles be affiliated with a (then) popular Mel Gibson flick.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Bird on a wire #5
Fearless #40
POPULAR IN 1990
Cher was certainly on a winning streak over in NZ during the first stretch of the decade, so much so that this greatest hits package she released proved to be a huge success over there despite it being a massive failure here in Australia as was the case for several of these new entries on this side of my site.
Peak position #6
POPULAR IN 1992
Much like in Australia, this was also the final album that Pearl Jam found any success over in NZ, I’m guessing it was because they turned their back on the band once they begun to sell out by the end of the decade.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Given to fly #12
POPULAR IN 1998
Well at least this second album from the Offspring managed to be a success on time in NZ as opposed to their previous album which needed to become a success here in Australia before it even touched their charts. Even so, it failed to produce that big hit that all of their albums spawned here in Australia over there, in fact these guys never had a hit single on their charts in NZ for some reason.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
All I want #27
Gone away #35
POPULAR IN 1997
It only seems natural that this would be more of a success in NZ than it was here in Australia for the Foo fighters, after all, Nirvana saw plenty more success over there than they did over here throughout the decade as did most alternative bands now that I think about it.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
This is a call #11
POPULAR IN 1995
This was a moderate success in NZ like it was here in Australia, in fact I’m guessing it was largely pulled from shelves back in the day as this is technically a Christmas album even though it did chart well into the new year upon its initial release during the Christmas season albeit on the lower half of the charts worldwide.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1999
Much like here in Australia, it had been a while since Bob Seger troubled the NZ charts prior to the release of this greatest hits package. Unlike here in Australia, this was released on time over there which means it began the year in the upper echelons of their charts long before it saw the light of day on our charts.
Peak position #4
POPULAR IN 1994
If you thought it was confusing that this album became popular here in Australia the following year, apparently the same thing happened over in NZ this year for what I can only imagine to be similar reasons.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 1996
While this wasn’t as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia for Frente, it was nonetheless a huge success over there due to the success of its second single as well as the personality on display giving the album a sense of life to it for the listener (it does have feelings after all.) Sadly, the second album from the band wasn’t a success for them which led to them breaking up later in the decade.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Ordinary angels #30
Accidentally Kelly street #4
POPULAR IN 1993
This was another album that managed to find more success in NZ than it did here in Australia, I guess the kiwis really didn’t allow the media frenzy that MJ was going through at the time to affect their opinion of his music like the rest of the world did.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Blood on the dance floor #1
History #29
POPULAR IN 1997
Well, this was much less successful in NZ than it was here in Australia, hey at least it charted much higher than their breakthrough album even if the singles were much less successful over there than that albums hits. I guess the kiwis weren’t as invested with them adapting with the times as we Aussies were, then again, these guys sadly didn’t have that much success over there overall.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Joyride #3
Fading like a flower #22
The big l #34
Spending my time #31
Church of your heart #47
POPULAR IN 1991
Give how his solo debut She’s the boss was a massive success in NZ, it’s a bit strange to see that Primitive cool was a massive flop over there for Mick Jagger. It appears his third solo album managed to pick up its slack which is interesting given how it was a complete bomb here in Australia.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Sweet thing #18
POPULAR IN 1993
This was a modest success for the Strawpeople upon its initial release in their homeland, however it achieved its true success when it was discovered by listeners of Triple J which helped boost its popularity in their native NZ for well over a year. Heck the lead single even appeared on the station’s year end list for 1995 which confirmed them as a hot indie act to look out for down under.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Trick with a knife #16
Crying #26
Sweet disorder #27
POPULAR IN 1994
Given how this managed to appear on the Australian side of this site, it’s only fitting that this would be a success in NZ as well even if it was only equally as popular there as it was over here despite charting higher over there. Lead singer Pauline Henry would chart over there later in the decade like she did over here, although she didn’t have a genuine hit over there.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
1 2 3 #4
Heaven #5
I still haven’t found what I’m looking for #6
POPULAR IN 1990
While this still took its sweet time in becoming a success in NZ like it did here in Australia, at least it managed to reach the upper echelons of their charts which is more than I can say for how it did down under given how it failed to crack our top twenty despite how inescapable the singles were over here. That said, Christina overall found less success with her albums over there despite how big her singles were.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Genie in a bottle #2
What a girl wants #1
I turn to you #11
Come on over baby #2
POPULAR IN 1999
The one trade-off for Paula Abdul scoring massive success with her singles in NZ was that her debut album was only a minor sleeper hit over there as opposed to it becoming a massive surprise hit this year here in Australia, I guess you can consider this remix album a placeholder for Forever your girl given how its popularity seems to match what the main album achieved on our charts.
Peak position #4
POPULAR IN 1990
There were no signs of these guys slowing down in NZ given how this managed to be equally as popular over there as it was over here, it’s a bit of a comeback for the band given how their previous album Angel dust only briefly rebounded on their charts following the success of their Commodores cover.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Digging the grave #16
Evidence #38
POPULAR IN 1995
Given how “Black hole sun” wasn’t a hit over there for Soundgarden like it was here in Australia, this breakthrough album from the band didn’t wind up being as popular in NZ as it was here down under which is why it’s much lower on this list. Still, they did manage to have a massive hit with their next album two years later over there that they certainly didn’t have over there.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Spoonman #10
Black hole sun #22
My wave #46
POPULAR IN 1994
You know the Celtic craze from the 90’s was inescapable when we have a compilation album (at least I think that’s what this is) finding success in NZ where it was arguably at its most popular. I’m actually more surprised this flopped here in Australia given our love for the Corrs and other Celtic acts.
Peak position #7
POPULAR IN 1998
Even though I’m not shocked at this album’s placement on this list, I am shocked that the kiwis didn’t gravitate towards its single like we Aussies did even though Warren G released his own version which was a modest success over there at the time.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
When doves cry #34
POPULAR IN 1997
It appears the kiwis wanted to bust a move this year as we have a reappearance from Bobby Brown’s remix album to coincide with Paula Abdul’s earlier entry on this list. Indeed, both albums are remixes of debut albums (or solo in Bobby’s case) released two years prior but only took off the previous year worldwide.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
Every little hit mix #3
POPULAR IN 1990
Even though UB40 never broke up and would even go on to have another successful album by the end of the decade, it appeared that lead singer Ali Campbell wanted to try his hand at a solo career which was off to a good start with this album albeit on in NZ and his native UK. It’s curious this was as successful when it came out given how most of his early contemporaries did the same thing a decade prior.
Peak position #7
Hit singles
That look in your eye #2
Let your yeah be yeah #15
Something stupid #13
POPULAR IN 1995
This was equally as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia for Michael Flateley, I’m slightly confused why though given how the Riverdance craze was more of a thing here in Australia than it was over there.
Peak position #6
POPULAR IN 1996
This is a sequel to Neil Young’s solo breakthrough Harvest from two decades prior, naturally it was a success in most parts of the world including NZ as it’s able to make an appearance on my site because of how much the kiwis loved it this year. Curiously it bombed here in Australia, I guess we Aussies didn’t have much nostalgia for Neil’s catalogue around this time.
Peak position #7
POPULAR IN 1992
This was released in NZ the same time it was here in Australia, although it didn’t receive nearly as much success over there as it did over here likely due to the novelty of a Neighbours cast member dominating the music scene wearing off over there by the time it saw the light of day. Still, it did decently well given how the lead single was a genuine success with the kiwis.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Torn #5
Big mistake #19
Wishing I was there #40
POPULAR IN 1998
Given how popular Britpop had become throughout the rest of the world this year, it only makes sense that Supergrass would see massive success with their second album even if for whatever reason that success was non-existent here in Australia back in the day. I’m guessing this would’ve been even bigger in NZ had the singles been released over there as this failed to produce a charting hit for the band.
Peak position #7
POPULAR IN 1997
Although this charted higher in NZ than it did here in Australia, this ultimately proved to be far less popular over there than it was over here likely due to the kiwis not being on board with Bjork’s brand of alt pop like we Aussies were. Indeed, she never had a hit single over there like she did over here which further confirms this theory I have.
Peak position #5
POPULAR IN 1993
I wasn’t expecting to feature a neo country album on this list given how much less popular country was in NZ even compared to Australia where it was fairly unpopular, I’m guessing this entry from the Mavericks appealed to the kiwis due to the success of Shania Twain’s entry from the top of this list as a male counterpart.
Peak position #10
POPULAR IN 1998
It looks like the kiwis weren’t big fans of the South park episodes that parodies Live aid given how much less successful the soundtrack tie in to that episode was over there, heck the standout track “Chocolate salty balls” didn’t even chart over there like it did here and in the UK, suggesting the kiwis were a bit too chased to allow this to be a cultural phenomenon upon its initial release.
Peak position #10
Hit singles
Horny #2
POPULAR IN 1998
This was the last time Bryan Adams troubled the NZ album charts given how his popularity had dwindled over there to the point where this feels more like a last hurrah for him than anything else. As least he had some better success with his singles right till the end of the decade, although those were pitiful compared to what he achieved down under.
Peak position #13
Hit singles
Have you ever really loved a woman #9
The only thing that looks good on me is you #37
Let’s make a night to remember #17
POPULAR IN 1996
