This E.P from Six60 was so popular that it too only stopped charting due to it being disqualified from doing so from this year onwards, this is quite impressive due to it not even being a full album as we’re thankfully running out of entries that had this feat on this list.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Don’t give it up #4
Rivers #32
Closer #14
Rolling stone #20
Vibes #9
Up there #37
POPULAR IN 2017
This is another example of an album that needed to be disqualified from RIANZ’s main charts in order to finally stop charting over there, it only comes in second place due to being released more recently than the top spot otherwise this easily would’ve been the biggest album of the decade over there.
Peak position #1×36
Hit singles
Shape of you #1
Castle on the hill #2
Drive #4
Galway girl #3
How would you feel #6
Supermarket flowers #16
Perfect #1
Happier #11
POPULAR IN 2017
This second album from Six60 simply refused to leave the NZ charts until very recently when RIANZ finally put a cap on their main charts to entries that are over eighteen months old, if they didn’t do that then the first dozen or so entries would chart for the rest of time over there.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
Special #1
So high #10
White lines #5
POPULAR IN 2014
Adele truly ruled the mainstream this decade with NZ being no exception to this, naturally this album was equally as popular over there as it was throughout the rest of the world.
Peak position #1×38
Hit singles
Rolling in the deep #3
Someone like you #1
Set fire to the rain #8
POPULAR IN 2011
This also recharted several times on the NZ charts like it did over here in Australia, again it’s finally been barred from charting over there due to new rules RIANZ introduced to prevent these albums from forever clogging their charts.
Peak position #1×13
Hit singles
Sing #1
Don’t #6
Thinking out loud #1
Make it rain #23
Bloodstream #2
Photograph #8
POPULAR IN 2014
The kiwis certainly loved Adele this decade (and continue to do so to this day if her latest album is anything to go by) so there’s little surprise that both of her albums would appear high on this list.
Peak position #1×15
Hit singles
Hello #1
When we were young #23
Send my love #4
Water under the bridge #15
POPULAR IN 2015
This took its sweet time in peaking in popularity over there as opposed to here where it was a relatively quick ascend to the top of the charts. I’d say we’re going with the initial run of this album except that its overall success was combined into one chart run over there as opposed to it being split up like it was over here.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
The a team #3
Lego house #5
Drunk #23
Give me love #12
Small bump #11
Kiss me #29
POPULAR IN 2011
I guess the kiwis were more on board with Sam Smith than we Aussies were initially given how much more popular their debut album was over there compared to what it was over here. This is especially true for the singles which saw much more success even without factoring in streaming.
Peak position #1×8
Hit singles
Money on the mind #12
Stay with me #1
I’m not the only one #3
Like I can #19
Lay me down #2
POPULAR IN 2014
I guess the kiwis were more willing to allow JB to have his redemption ark with this album than we Aussies did given that this is the first album on this list to be considerably more successful over there than it was over here as opposed to the mere slightly improvements some of the previous entries enjoyed over there.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Where are u now #3
What do you mean #1
Sorry #1
I’ll show you #5
Love yourself #1
POPULAR IN 2015
Although this appears slightly lower on this list, I can assure you this album proved to be equally as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia due to the kiwis also being well aware of Billie Eilish once it dropped.
Peak position #1×10
Hit singles
When the party’s over #3
Bury a friend #2
Wish you were gay #2
All the good girls go to hell #9
Bad guy #1
I love you #39
My strange addiction #21
Xanny #22
Everything I wanted #2
POPULAR IN 2019
The kiwis really loved Bruno Mars throughout the decade more so than we Aussies did, this is mainly because the singles from his three albums performed much better over there than they did over here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Just the way you are #1
Grenade #1
The lazy song #3
Marry you #5
Count on me #13
Runaway baby #35
POPULAR IN 2010
Even though the kiwis had the same love for the Queen biopic as we Aussies did, this is the only entry on this list to be affiliated with Bohemian rhapsody as they didn’t seem too interested in checking out their back catalogue following the release of the film over there like we Aussies did.
Peak position #2
POPULAR IN 2018
You’d think this album would be significantly more successful in NZ than it was here in Australia, alas it was only slightly more successful due to the singles finding more success over there than they did over here.
Peak position #1×6
Hit singles
Rockstar #1
Candy paint #6
Psycho #2
Better now #1
Paranoid #6
POPULAR IN 2018
While this wasn’t as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia, at least the success of Elton John’s biopic did encourage the kiwis to check out his back catalogue which is more than I can say for Queen’s biopic and their catalogue.
Peak position #2
POPULAR IN 2019
Although this album proved to be equally as successful in NZ as it was here in Australia, the singles were at a huge disadvantage over there due to the kiwis fully incorporating streaming data over there and Taylor pulling her catalogue from Spotify and other streaming services.
Peak position #1×6
Hit singles
Shake it off #1
Out of the woods #6
Welcome to new York #6
Blank space #2
Style #11
Bad blood #1
Wildest dreams #8
POPULAR IN 2014
This proved to be equally as inescapable in NZ as Bruno’s previous entry on this list, again this was due to the singles being more popular over there than they were over here for the throwback artist.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Locked out of heaven #4
Young girls #23
When I was your man #4
Treasure #7
Natalie #28
POPULAR IN 2012
Well at least I can say this debut album from Post Malone did find more success in NZ than it did here in Australia, although the way it found success over there was identical to how it became a hit over here.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Congratulations #21
I fall apart #1
POPULAR IN 2017
This is the album which began the chart monopoly that Six60 has had until very recently due to a change in chart format that RIANZ implemented, indeed it would easily be at the top of this list had I included every instance of it reappearing on the charts and not just its initial run.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Don’t forget your roots #2
Only to be with you #5
Forever #11
In the clear #12
POPULAR IN 2011
This is one of three entries from the opera trio Sol Mio, I guess the kiwis had enough love for opera music this decade to allow these guys to be a massive success despite the failures of their international contemporaries over there.
Peak position #1×16
POPULAR IN 2013
I guess the kiwis weren’t as impressed with the Greatest showman as we Aussies were, this is especially the case given how the covers album failed to make a second appearance on this list in addition to this being slightly lower on here than it was on the Australian equivalent.
Peak position #1×4
Hit singles
This is me #13
POPULAR IN 2018
While it wasn’t as big in NZ as his previous two entries, the fact this saw a huge improvement in this ranking should tell you that the kiwis love for Bruno was far more palpable than the love we Aussies had for him this decade.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
24k magic #1
Versace on the floor #27
That’s what I like #4
Finesse #2
POPULAR IN 2016
The kiwis were really hip to the rising popularity of Billie Eilish, true she still needed her appearance on the 13 reasons why soundtrack to find that success over there, however it was more immediate there than it was over here.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 2018
I’m guessing the kiwis weren’t as hyped up about Frozen as we Aussies were, however, that’s like saying P!nk wasn’t as popular over there as she was over here given our love for her and the Disney franchise.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
Let it go #31 (film version)
Let it go #13
POPULAR IN 2014
Well at least we cleared all of Ed’s entries outside of the top twenty, still the fact this is this high up should tell you how inescapable his popularity was in the southern hemisphere throughout the decade.
Peak position #1×5
Hit singles
I don’t care #2
Cross me #6
Beautiful people #2
Best part of me #13
South of the border #14
Remember the name #10
Antisocial #9
POPULAR IN 2019
This is another album you’d think would be much higher on this list given how it came from a local artist in NZ, however it only did slightly better over there thanks to how much more popular its singles were compared to here in Australia.
Peak position #1×8
Hit singles
Royals #1
The love club #17
Tennis court #1
Swinging party #10
Team #3
Ribs #29
POPULAR IN 2013
Naturally this wasn’t going to rank as high on this list as it did on the Australian equivalent, however the singles being more popular over there than they were over here is proof the album was indeed popular with the kiwis, nonetheless.
Peak position #1×6
Hit singles
Blow me #8
Try #7
Just give me a reason #1
True love #14
POPULAR IN 2012
The singles were far more popular in NZ even if this third album from Katy Perry proved to be equally as successful over there as it was over here, we’ll be revisiting the 2012 deluxe edition later down this list even though that technically didn’t chart over there like it did over here.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
California gurls #1
Teenage dream #1
Circle the drain #36
Firework #1
E.T #1
Last Friday night #4
The one that got away #12
POPULAR IN 2010
This was technically eligible for my 2010’s album list as it did crack the top fifty for the ARIA year end charets for 2019, however it saw its success in 2020 which is why it’s on this list instead. It was the album that made Harry Styles an international juggernaut given how much bigger it is compared to his debut and anything he did with 1D.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Lights up #7
Watermelon sugar #4
Adore you #6
POPULAR IN 2019
I guess Post Malone’s popularity came more from his singles in NZ than his album as I’m surprised this wasn’t more popular over there than it was over here much like his earlier entry on this list.
Peak position #1×7
Hit singles
Sunflower #1
Wow #1
Goodbyes #4
Circles #1
Hollywood’s bleeding #18
POPULAR IN 2019
Behold the album which spawned the biggest hit of all time for the remainder of time in NZ, admittedly this was simply a highly successful reggae album from a supergroup that spawned a hit that refuses to die on the RIANZ charts, however it’s legacy will outlive everything else on this list as far as music historians are concerned.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
In the air #1
POPULAR IN 2019
While this was more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia, I was honestly expecting it to be near the top of this list given how Kendrick Lamar seemed to be unavoidable throughout the rest of the world with this album of his.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Humble #1
DNA #5
Loyalty #15
POPULAR IN 2017
While this also briefly charted upon its initial release in NZ before quickly dropping off their charts like it did here in Australia, it appears the kiwis were willing to give these guys a second chance in the spotlight when it took off in their native America which is perhaps why it proved to be so much bigger over there than it was over here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Stressed out #5
Ride #10
POPULAR IN 2016
I’m guessing this albums popularity in NZ was why Lorde proved to be so lucrative throughout the decade given how it was more popular over there than it was here in Australia for Lana Del Rey upon its initial release. Her second album was also more popular over there than it was over here, further proving how well loved she was over there compared to over here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Summertime sadness #23
POPULAR IN 2012
This was equally as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia, I guess this was because the film is a love letter to Polynesian culture which the kiwis greatly appreciated to allow it to compete with albums over there in a way most soundtracks that were less successful on this list couldn’t.
Peak position #1×5
Hit singles
How far I’ll go #3
POPULAR IN 2017
I’m honestly more surprised this album was a hit at all here in Australia than they fact that it was only slightly more successful in NZ, again the bulk of its popularity came from the tragic passing of the rising star.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles (pre death)
Sad #4
Changes #33
Moonlight #25
Hit singles (post death)
Sad #3
Changes #11
Moonlight #8
POPULAR IN 2018
Streaming had been fully incorporated to the Australian charts by the time Drake released this album, as such, it proved to be as popular here as it was in NZ and the rest of the world thanks to those services.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
God’s plan #1
Nice for what #1
I’m upset #13
Emotionless #27
In my feelings #1
Nonstop #8
Don’t matter to me #6
POPULAR IN 2018
This will be Katy’s final appearance on this list given how Witness was a complete disaster in NZ as opposed to being a mere modest success here in Australia, I still can’t believe the second and third singles were denied on ARIA’s main chart given how they did chart on both its streaming and digital charts.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Roar #1
Dark horse #2
Walking on air #12
Unconditionally #26
Birthday #17
This is how we do #13
POPULAR IN 2013
This has a slightly higher appearance on this list, I’m guessing the kiwis had enough love for this indie rock album from the Black keys for it to outrank some of the albums which it was competing with at the time of its popularity.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Lonely boy #7
POPULAR IN 2012
It’s interesting this was equally as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia given how it wasn’t released over there until nearly a full year after it was released over here, the kiwis really did drag their feet in checking out why these guys were a big deal down under didn’t they?
Peak position #1×4
Hit singles
Little lion man #9
The cave #23
POPULAR IN 2010
Given how the success 1D had was more immediate in NZ than it was here in Australia, you’d think this album would also be much higher on this list than it was on the Australian equivalent.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
What makes you beautiful #2
One thing #16
I should have kissed you #27
POPULAR IN 2011
I think this album being less popular in NZ than it was here in Australia was more due to the kiwis completely doing away with digital sales as that’s where the bulk of its success here came from.
Peak position #1×16
Hit singles
Shallow #1
Always remember us this way #14
POPULAR IN 2018
This was far more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia, I guess the kiwis were early adopters of the Fleetwood mac nostalgia that would permeate throughout the world once streaming had taken over the mainstream.
Peak position #1×2
POPULAR IN 2013
Again, this wasn’t going to be as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia given how A: our love for P!nk is much stronger than the kiwis and B: this album was a massive dud on streaming services given how much less successful the singles were over there than they were over here.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
What about us #9
Revenge #30
POPULAR IN 2017
This is another album that was too much of a sleeper hit to make the cut on the Australian equivalent of this list, indeed this had quite a rise to its popularity in NZ given how Khalid was on a tiny indie label when he first released this and thus needed word of mouth in order for its popularity to grow.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Location #11
Young dumb and broke #1
POPULAR IN 2017
The kiwis really seemed to love George Ezra as not only was this first album of his far more popular over there than it was over here, but also his second album is still to come on this list despite it missing the cut on the Australian equivalent.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Budapest #1
Blame it on me #8
POPULAR IN 2014
The kiwis really loved this debut album from Imagine Dragons upon its initial release, so much so that it proved to be far more popular over there than it was over here despite rock and alternative being less accessible over there throughout the decade.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Believer #21
Thunder #3
POPULAR IN 2017
I honestly would’ve been shocked if this album was less successful in NZ than it was here in Australia given how much more popular their earlier entry on this list was over there than it was over here.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
It’s time #37
Radioactive #4
Demons #12
On top of the world #10
POPULAR IN 2013
I guess the kiwis really weren’t as impressed with the two albums Meghan Trainor released this decade as we Aussies were, although at least her first album was a success over there which is more than I can say for her second album.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
All about that bass #1
Dear future husband #27
Title #9
Lips are moving #5
Like I’m gonna lose you #1
POPULAR IN 2015
This was a straggler from 2019 that failed to rack up the points to appear on my 2010’s list, fortunately it lasted for quite some time during the pandemic meaning we can finally have a look at the breakthrough album that the Drax project had from their homeland. Admittedly it’s a bit bizarre they haven’t had any further success in their homeland given how they saw crossover success here in Australia.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Woke up late #15
All this time #21
Catching feelings #3
POPULAR IN 2019
There’s little surprise that this was more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia given how Cardi B dominated the streaming services when this album first came out, although we have to wait and see if she can repeat this feat with her next album.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Bodak yellow #24
I like it #7
Be careful #39
POPULAR IN 2018
Given how streaming had been fully incorporated onto the NZ charts when this album came out, it only makes sense that it would be more successful over there than it was over here given that’s where the bulk of its success came from worldwide.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Hotline bling #14
Too good #1
Too good #4
Controlla #27
POPULAR IN 2016
This became a success for Adele the exact same way it did here in Australia, that being that it was discovered by fans of her first entry on this list when that became a worldwide phenomenon for her.
Peak position #3
POPULAR IN 2011
I honestly would’ve been dumbstruck if this album was somehow less popular in NZ than it was here in Australia, indeed this truly lived up to the hype of her earlier entry on this list over there which is far more than I can say for its popularity everywhere else in the world.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
Green light #1
Liability #8
Perfect places #11
Homemade dynamite #13
Sober #18
POPULAR IN 2017
I guess the kiwis were also intrigued by what this album from the Arctic monkeys had to offer as it too was a massive success over there for reasons I can’t seem to fathom.
Peak position #1×1
POPULAR IN 2013
I did mention that this E.P charted on the album charts in NZ as opposed to the singles charts like it did here in Australia, needless to say, it was more successful over there given how the kiwis tended to look out for their own which is more than I can say for us Aussies and our local music scene.
Peak position #2
Royals #1
The love club #17
POPULAR IN 2013
It’s no surprise this was more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia given how Khalid is an RNB artist who thrived on streaming services; indeed, we’ll have to wait and see if his next album will live up to the hype this set up for him in both countries.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Better #4
Talk #1
My bad #10
Outta my head #20
POPULAR IN 2018
While the kiwis also needed this album’s multiple Grammy nominations to allow it to become a success like the rest of the world did, it proved to be more worth the wait as it was more popular over there than it was over here in Australia.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Take me to church #2
Someone new #13
POPULAR IN 2014
Well, this isn’t a controversial entry at all, in all seriousness, XXXtentacion was a troubled individual who nonetheless appealed to a wide audience and deserved far better than what he got in his short lifetime.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Jocelyn flores #12
POPULAR IN 2018
This album proved to be equally as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia for Coldplay, this would be the case for their next album, proving how well loved the British band was this decade in both countries.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Every teardrop is a waterfall #13
Paradise #3
Princess of China #8
POPULAR IN 2011
It appears the kiwis were far more intrigued by this album from 2000 than we Aussies were throughout the decade, so much so that it charted for quite some time during the midpoint which resulted in it being far more popular over there than it was anywhere else in the world.
Peak position #2
POPULAR IN 2013
While all of Eminem’s entries this decade will reappear on this list, I should point out that this is the only entry of his to find equal amounts of success in NZ as it did here in Australia this decade which should tell you that the kiwis weren’t as impressed with his output as we Aussies were.
Peak position #1×5
Hit singles
Greatest #12
The ringer #2
Lucky you #3
Killshot #6
POPULAR IN 2018
Well this was far less popular in NZ than it was here in Australia, I’m not sure why given how this used the same strategy as Ariana Grande’s earlier entry and was released around the same time as that album.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
ME! #3
You need to calm down #5
The archer #28
Lover #3
The man #15
POPULAR IN 2019
Even though we’ll be looking at all of Rihanna’s albums she released this decade on this list, it’s interesting to note that her biggest album here in Australia was considerably less successful in NZ for some reason.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Only girl #1
What’s my name #3
S&M #2
California king bed #4
Cheers #5
POPULAR IN 2010
Well, they may have been late to the Mumford and Sons party in NZ, however at least they were able to find more appreciation for their second album than we Aussies did given how much higher this album is on this list than on the Australian equivalent.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
I will wait #4
POPULAR IN 2012
The kiwis really seemed to love the singles from this album more so than we Aussies did, as such, it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest this album was far more popular over there than it was over here even if once again, rock and indie wasn’t as well loved over there.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
We are young #1
Some nights #2
Carry on #28
POPULAR IN 2012
Even though the singles weren’t as big in NZ as they were here in Australia, I guess the hype that went into this debut album from Rudimental proved to be more exhilarating for the kiwis than it was for us Aussies given how much bigger the payoff to its success was over there.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Feel the love #4
Not giving in #11
Waiting all night #9
Free #5
POPULAR IN 2013
He may have had more success in NZ than he did here in Australia as the decade went on, however his initial breakthrough proved to be equally as popular in both countries likely due to his rabid fanbase as well as the mockery he received back in the day.
Peak position #1×4
Hit singles
One time #6
Baby #4
Eenie meenie #5
Never say never #20
Somebody to love #12
Never let you go #16
POPULAR IN 2010
I did mention on the Australian side of this site that this album lingered on the lower half of our charts for a very long time, this is because its popularity worldwide came from streaming services which allowed it to linger on the upper echelons of the NZ charts for far longer and thus appear much higher on this list.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Starboy #1
I feel it coming #7
Party monster #27
POPULAR IN 2016
If you’re surprised that this failed to appear on the Australian side of my site, that’s because the bulk of its success came from streaming which we Aussies hadn’t incorporated onto our main charts when it was initially released. The kiwis did which means this final album from Rihanna (as of this writing) managed to be a massive success over there.
Peak position #5
Hit singles
Work #2
Needed me #14
Love on the brain #15
POPULAR IN 2016
Of the three albums that Coldplay released this decade, this was the only one that proved to be less successful in NZ than it was here in Australia likely due to the band beginning to fade into obscurity shortly after its release worldwide.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Adventure of a lifetime #12
POPULAR IN 2015
I’m shocked this wasn’t among the biggest albums of the decade in NZ, mainly because this was prior to Travis Scott being a punching bag in the music industry as well as it doing gang busters on streaming services upon its initial release.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Sicko mode #7
Stargazing #9
POPULAR IN 2018
I guess the controversy behind this album (well more specifically the singles) was enough for this to be considerably more popular in NZ than it was here in Australia for Ariana Grande during the final stretch of the decade.
Peak position #1×7
Hit singles
Thank u next #1
Imagine #16
7 rings #1
Bloodline #28
Break up with your girlfriend I’m bored #1
NASA #30
Needy #11
POPULAR IN 2019
Whereas the rest of the rock scene struggled for mainstream relevancy this decade, the Foo fighters only thrived in NZ like they did here in Australia as evidence by this album being equally as popular in both countries.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
Walk #38
POPULAR IN 2011
I guess the kiwis didn’t find as much love for this album from Taylor Swift as we Aussies did back in the day, although it still retains a fanbase to this day regardless of its bad reputation on the internet.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Look what you made me do #1
Ready for it #9
Gorgeous #19
Call it what you want #34
Delicate #33
POPULAR IN 2017
This was also seen as a bit of a comeback for Taylor Swift in NZ like it was internationally given how Speak now wasn’t as big a success for her as her other albums over there (it’s still to come on this list) it’s little surprise it was popular given how big the singles were.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
We are never ever getting back together #1
Begin again #11
Red #14
I knew you were trouble #3
State of grace #20
22 #23
Everything has changed #22
POPULAR IN 2012
Considering how EDM is more a thing with us Aussies than it is with the kiwis, I’m a bit surprised that the one dubstep entry on my Australian list managed to make a reappearance on this list in roughly the same position it had before.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Bangarang #14
POPULAR IN 2012
I guess the kiwis weren’t as impressed with this second and final album from LMFAO as we Aussies were given how much less successful it was over there than it was over here.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
Party rock anthem #1
Champagne showers #8
Sexy and I know it #1
Sorry for party rocking #27
POPULAR IN 2011
Given how the kiwis are well known for looking out for their own, it makes sense that this breakthrough album from Kimbra would be more successful in her homeland than it was here in Australia upon its initial release. Even so, it’s obvious this only made it big over there due to her collaboration with Gotye even if his album was far less popular than hers.
Peak position #3
Settle down #37
Warrior #22
POPULAR IN 2011
This is another big album that Sol Mio had in their homeland this decade, it proved that the kiwis still had plenty of love for classical music even during the age of streaming which is more than I can say for other parts of the world.
Peak position #1×5
Hit singles
I see fire #35
POPULAR IN 2015
I can’t overstate how much more love the kiwis had for Sam Smith this decade than we Aussies did, we’ll have to wait and see if this will continue to be the case given how they’ve only recently resurfaced in the mainstream.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Too good at goodbyes #1
Pray #32
POPULAR IN 2017
This was the album that was meant to break Brooke Fraser into an international market, while it was a huge success in her homeland (although not nearly as much as her first two albums) her international appeal didn’t come through as it and the singles flopped everywhere else in the world.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Something in the water #1
Betty #30
POPULAR IN 2010
Unlike here in Australia where Michael Bublé’s popularity was largely confided to the 00’s, it appears his popularity peaked in the 2010’s given how this was equally as popular over there as it was over here.
Peak position #1×5
POPULAR IN 2013
This was a massive success for Stan Walker in his homeland, so much so that it managed to retain some of that success over here despite we Aussies already writing off this guy as a failure due to him being blamed for the death of Australian idol in 2009.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Unbroken #9
Stuck in a box #15
Choose you #3
Homesick #21
POPULAR IN 2010
This album was instantly hated on the internet when it was first released, so much so that I’m guessing its success in NZ was through ironic streaming given how it was widely mocked by everyone back in the day. Naturally it was only a minor success here in Australia thanks to streaming not counting towards an album’s success back then.
Peak position #2
Hit singles
See you again #1
Marvin Gaye #1
One call away #3
We don’t talk anymore #8
POPULAR IN 2016
Given how this spent more time in the upper echelons of the NZ charts than it did on the Australian charts, this debut album from James Bay managed to score a higher placement on this list despite overall being equally as successful in both countries.
Peak position #6
Hit singles
Hold back the river #8
Let it go #10
POPULAR IN 2015
This is the only other album that Maroon 5 released this decade to find any sort of success throughout the world, it was too much of a sleeper hit to appear on the Australian equivalent of this site and only made the cut for this list due to the singles being strong enough to keep it on the upper echelons of their charts.
Peak position #11
Hit singles
Maps #16
Animals #11
Sugar #3
POPULAR IN 2014
She may not have had as much success overall throughout the decade in NZ as she did here in Australia, however at least Taylor can take some comfort in the fact that her third album proved to be more popular over there than it was over here at the start of the 2010’s.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
Mine #16
Speak now #34
Back to December #24
POPULAR IN 2010
Like I said earlier, the kiwis weren’t as interested in Eminem during the 2010’s as we Aussies were, that said, he did find a redemption over there with this album like he did internationally.
Peak position #1×7
Hit singles
Not afraid #8
Love the way you lie #1
No love #22
POPULAR IN 2010
I was somewhat surprised this made the cut on the Australian side of my site, so you can imagine my shock when I found out this was far more popular in NZ for Rag N Bone man (what a strange stage name) given how folk music really struggled over there throughout the decade.
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Human #11
POPULAR IN 2017
There’s no surprise this wasn’t as popular in NZ as it was here in Australia even if the second single was more of a success over there, indeed this incapsulates its entire success over there as opposed to its appearance on the Australian equivalent where it was only its initial success over here.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Raise your glass #5
Fucking perfect #2
POPULAR IN 2010
It looks like Fat Freddy’s Drop was able to achieve one more highly successful album in their catalogue in their homeland with this entry, that’s impressive given how it came out four years after their previous album from 2009.
Peak position #1×4
Hit singles
Clean the house #30
POPULAR IN 2013
I guess Guns n Roses were always more popular in NZ than they were here in Australia, even so, this being a huge success over there whilst Chinese democracy was a flop must’ve been a huge relief for Slash at the time.
Peak position #1×2
POPULAR IN 2010
I think the success of this soundtrack came more from how well received the trailers were rather than people’s love for the film, it has a fanbase of course (with me being a part of it) however it was panned by critics and often considered one of the worst films of the decade by the internet.
Peak position #1×5
Hit singles
Heathens #2
Sucker for pain #5
POPULAR IN 2016
This was more of an immediate success for Jessie J, likely due to the kiwis not being put off by its infamous lead single to the point where it became a genuine hit for her over there as opposed to over here where it was a flop.
Peak position #4
Hit singles
Do it like a dude #8
Price tag #1
Nobody’s perfect #10
Domino #3
Laserlight #19
POPULAR IN 2011
While there were plenty of metal albums released throughout the decade, this was by far the most popular of them in the southern hemisphere given how successful it was for the NZ band Devilskin in their homeland upon its initial release.
Peak position #1×3
Hit singles
Start a revolution #28
POPULAR IN 2014
It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest this was slightly more successful in NZ than it was here in Australia for Ariana Grande, this is despite the fact the lead single didn’t get to number one over there like it did over here.
Peak position #1×2
Hit singles
No tears left to cry #4
God is a woman #5
Breathin #11
POPULAR IN 2018
This was marketed as a playlist upon its initial release due to it being released exclusively on streaming platforms, as such, it’s raised the plausible theory that Drake has been buying his success since 2016 when he broke records on Spotify with his hit single “One dance.”
Peak position #3
Hit singles
Passionfruit #2
Portland #38
POPULAR IN 2017
This album did manage to achieve all of its success in Australia and NZ before the Grammys forever tainted Macklemore’s reputation, even so, the singles weren’t as popular there as they were here barring the final one of course.
Peak position #1×1
Hit singles
Thrift shop #1
Same love #1
Can’t hold us #4
White walls #6
POPULAR IN 2013
This will be one of several entries from NZ country singer Dennis Marsh who despite being in his sixties in the 2010’s, managed to find massive success with his music throughout the decade over there.
Peak position #1×1
POPULAR IN 2011
The kiwis really do love Led Zeppelin in their nostalgia circuit don’t they? This was apparently the soundtrack to a biopic from 2012 that I don’t remember anyone talking about that was nonetheless highly successful over there and nowhere else in the world.
Peak position #1×1
POPULAR IN 2012
