21 Savage Ends Taylor Swift’s Reign on Australia’s Albums Chart
Written by Lars Brandle on January 19, 2024
Taylor Swift’s long reign over Australia’s albums chart has come to an end, toppled by 21 Savage’s American Dream (via Epic/Sony).
The London-born, Atlanta-based rapper’s sixth studio album starts at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, published Friday, Jan. 19, for his first solo leader.
Previously, ARIA reports, Savage’s highest charting solo album was I Am > I Was, which reached No. 30 in 2018, though his collaborative albums flew into the top 10. His top chart position came with 2022’s Her Loss featuring Drake (at No. 2) and 2020’s Savage Mode II with Metro Boomin (No. 4). A handful of tracks from American Dream impact the ARIA Chart, including “Redrum” at No. 23 and “Née-Nah” (with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin) at No. 34.
With Savage claiming the throne, Swift’s reign with 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via Universal) ends at 11 successive weeks. The fourth in Swift’s re-recording projects, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was the best-seller for 2023, according to year-end data published by ARIA earlier this month. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is one of five Swift titles in the ARIA top 10, a position of power that is unlikely to change anytime soon; Swifties will crank-up the listening frenzy when her The Eras Tour bounces into the market next month for seven stadium shows across Sydney and Melbourne.
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Jack Harlow logs a ninth non-consecutive week at No. 1 with “Lovin On Me” (Atlantic/Warner). That’s the longest run at the top by a solo male artist — excluding collaborations and featured artists — since The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” stayed at the summit for 11 weeks in 2020. It’s worth noting, “Blinding Lights” is now recognized as the most-streamed song ever on Spotify, clocking up more than 4 billion plays across the DSP’s global network.
Ariana Grande returns to the chart with “Yes, And?” (Universal), her first solo top 40 hit in Australia in almost three years. It’s new at No. 2, her 19th top 10 single — a tally that includes four No. 1s (“No Tears Left To Cry” and “Thank U, Next” in 2018, “7 Rings” in 2019, and “Positions” in 2020).
Lifted from Grande’s forthcoming seventh studio album Eternal Sunshine (due out March 8), “Yes, And?” is Grande’s first new solo hit since “POV” peaked at No. 29 in 2021.
Two early noughts pop hits from the U.K. are rocketing up the ARIA Singles Chart, thanks to the magic of movies. Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 hit “Murder On The Dancefloor” (Universal), blasts 25-12, following its sync to Emerald Fennell’s dark flick Saltburn. Also, Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” (Sony), which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, is back in the top 20 following its inclusion in the rom-com Anyone But You. “Unwritten” reenters at No. 18, just five places below its peak position of No. 13 set back 2004.
Finally, Morgan Wallen has another notch on his chart belt as “Thinkin’ Bout Me” (Mercury/Universal) appears at No. 48 on the ARIA Chart. “Thinkin’ Bout Me” is the sixth single lifted from the country star’s chart-leading LP One Thing at a Time.
