Australia’s latest chart week was pitched as a fight of two heavyweights. In one corner, Taylor Swift’s incumbent, The Life Of A Showgirl (via Republic/Universal). And in the other, Tame Impala’s long-awaited Deadbeat (Columbia/Sony).
When the results were called, Swift’s Showgirl had packed enough glitter to retain the crown, and nab another chart double.
The Life Of A Showgirl retains top spot on the ARIA Albums Chart for a third successive week. According to ARIA, nine of her 14 leaders have logged at least three cycles at the summit, including Red (three weeks), 1989 (nine weeks), Lover (three weeks), Folklore (four weeks), Evermore (four weeks), Midnights (16 weeks), 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (14 weeks) and The Tortured Poets Department (eight weeks).
Kevin Parker slides in at No. 2 on the national chart with Deadbeat, the first new album release in five years from his psychedelic pop project, Tame Impala.
All five of Tame Impala’s studio albums have cracked the top 5 in Australia starting with Innerspeaker (from 2010) and Lonerism (2012), both of which peaked at No. 4. Tame Impala’s last two albums, Currents (2015) and The Slow Rush (2020), went all the way to No. 1.
Deadbeat is the best-selling title this week on vinyl.
Tame Impala has won 13 ARIA Awards, one BRIT Award, a Grammy, and belatedly cracked the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time earlier this month with Deadbeat single “Dracula.” On the current ARIA Singles Chart, “Dracula” sinks its teeth in for a No. 40 start. Only one Tame Impala song has charted higher in Australia, “The Less I Know The Better,” which reached No. 17 in 2015. “Dracula” is the only new release, and only homegrown title, in the top 50.
Staying with the national albums survey, published Friday, Oct. 24, Aussie heartthrob Ruel debuts at No. 6 with Kicking My Feet (Virgin Music Group/Universal), his third appearance in the top 10; and London indie band The Last Dinner Party enters the top tier for the first time with From The Pyre (Island/Universal), new at No. 7.
Western Australia’s The Southern River Band open their account at No. 16 with Easier Said Than Done (Orchard), for their appearance on the chart. The rockers are added to the lineup of the support acts for AC/DC’s stadium concerts this December in Perth, produced by TEG Van Egmond.
Several other local artists make a splash on the ARIA top 40, including Melbourne rock band Camp Cope (Live At Sydney Opera House at No. 20 via PCR), singer-songwriter Wilsn (Bloom at No. 31 via Mushroom), and country singer Andrew Swift (Lucky Stars at No. 33 via ABC/Orchard), while internationals Sabaton (Legends at No. 14 via BNM/MGM) and Ashnikko (Smoochies at No. 15 via WUK/Warner) make their mark.
It’s all about Taylor Swift on the ARIA Singles Chart, too, as “The Fate Of Ophelia” holds at No. 1 for a third week. It’s one of four Showgirl songs in the top 10, though “Opalite” (down 2-4), “Elizabeth Taylor” (down 5-7) and “Father Figure” (down 6-8) are losing their grip.
