by Andrew Miller
The race has been run and the capital derby for the Album Chart #1 slot this week sees Shihad prevail over fellow Wellingtonians Flight Of The Conchords as the two acts enter the chart on the top two rungs.
Three years back Jon Toogood, Tom Larkin, Phil Knight and Karl Kippenberger played bridesmaid to yet another set of capital dwellers, Fat Freddy's Drop, as Based On A True Story bested Love Is The New Hate for #1 debut honours.by Andrew Miller
The race has been run and the capital derby for the Album Chart #1 slot this week sees Shihad prevail over fellow Wellingtonians Flight Of The Conchords as the two acts enter the chart on the top two rungs.
Three years back Jon Toogood, Tom Larkin, Phil Knight and Karl Kippenberger played bridesmaid to yet another set of capital dwellers, Fat Freddy's Drop, as Based On A True Story bested Love Is The New Hate for #1 debut honours.Now in their 20th year and based in Melbourne, the Wellington of Australia only bigger maybe, the newer more melodic, reflective Beautiful Machine outsells all to claim the #1.
And although Jon Toogood says chart success isn't all that important, it's a noteworthy achievement for the band as they land their third chart-topping album, their previous ones being 1999's The General Electric and 2002's Pacifier, both platinum sellers.
An On Air Double
No Air takes double honours this week, celebrating its seventh week in the Singles penthouse and also finally securing the airplay crown as Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown top the RadioScope100.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Chris bookends the Singles list by anchoring the Top40 with a new entry, Forever, at #40. It gives him an overall tally of nine New Zealand chart hits here. His Exclusive album sits at #14 this week, one place below his duet partner.
The New Singles
#14 Lil Wayne - Lollipop
Finally Lil Wayne has a hit as a headliner! To date he's featured on four Top40 singles, the first with Destiny's Child in 2004 and most recently with Wyclef Jean and others (reaching #8 late last year). Twenty-five-year-old Dwayne Michael Cartier Jr has the highest new entry at #14 with the brand new #1 in his American homeland. The last time a Lollipop graced our charts was when Danes Aqua licked #22 in 1997.
#39 Tiki Taane - Always On My Mind
Strong TV play has helped former Salmonella Dubster Tiki Taane gain his first solo hit. New at #39 this week, Always On My Mind also helps Past, Present, Future rebound 12 places to #16 on the Albums Chart. Of course, this Always On My Mind differs a little from the 1988 Pet Shop Boys #8 or the songs by Willie Nelson and Elvis Presley.
#40 Chris Brown - Forever
See story above.
The New Albums
#1 Shihad - Beautiful Machine
See story above.
#2 Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords
See story above.
#10 Mariah Carey - E=MC2
Einstein and Mariah are an interesting combination. Although she's been breaking chart records in her native US, it's not quite the same here. She does land her biggest peak position this century though. E=MC2 is her 14th time on the Album Chart here, all but three of those albums having gone platinum or better.
#30 Katherine Jenkins - Rejoice
Another Welsh female singer joins the list this week in the form of mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins. She follows her #12 2006 Living A Dream New Zealand chart debut with Rejoice fresh at #30 this week.
#33 Gray Bartlett - 50th Anniversary
Not many artists can claim 50 years in the business but former Auckland City Councillor Gray Bartlett can. As well as performing he's a promoter, manager and talent spotter. The local guitar player's chart life stretches back 23 years to 1985's gold-certified #16 Two Shades Of Gray. Along the way, 1990's Back Together Again topped the list and now 50th Anniversary becomes his ninth hit album ahead of the tour of the same name.
#35 The Jonas Brothers - The Jonas Brothers
Similar to our own Evermore or '90s trio Hanson in that they're three brothers that perform together, Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas land their first New Zealand chart appearance with their self-titled effort. And there's a younger brother waiting to join.
#39 Paramore - Riot!
Finally Paramore's Riot! makes the Album Chart having hovered underneath for the past couple of month. It gives Hayley Williams, Josh Farro, Jeremy Davis and Zac Farro the first charting album here, while the four-piece also place Crush, Crush, Crush at #38 on this week's Singles 40 as well.
#40 Hannah Montana - The Best Of Both Worlds: In Concert
'Hannah Montana' is also 'Miley Stewart' on Disney's TV series Hannah Montana. In reality, the dual characters are played by teen actress Miley Cyrus and this is where fiction and reality meet as Hannah / Miley enter this week's chart at #40 with her second hit album. The first, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, meanwhile moves to #14 this week.
You can contact Andrew at: andrewmiller@radioscope.co.nz
The Official New Zealand Music Chart by The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand , Compiled by Media Sauce
30/04/08