The Sun Herald
WHO WE ARE: The music Australia loved
November 27, 2009
Lists of top selling albums and most successful performers, prepared by David Dale and last updated November 24, 2009.
The all-time most popular musicians with Australian record buyers
Based on each performer’s total sales of vinyl and CD albums, using estimates from the Australian Record Industry Association and music researcher David Kent’s Australian Chart Book.
Performer Biggest Year Topselling Album (not necessarily from the biggest year)
1 Elton John 1973 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
2 The Beatles 1968 Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
3 Billy Joel 1976 Piano Man
4 Paul McCartney 1973 Band on the Run
5 Michael Jackson 1982 Thriller
6 Abba 1975 The Best of Abba
7 John Farnham 1986 Whispering Jack
8 Jimmy Barnes 1985 For The Working Class Man
9 Neil Diamond 1972 Hot August Night
10 Madonna 1990 The Immaculate Collection
11 Fleetwood Mac 1977 Rumours
12 The Rolling Stones 1971 Goat’s Head Soup
13 Rod Stewart 1975 Atlantic Crossing
14 Dire Straits 1978 Brothers in Arms
15 Led Zeppelin 1973 Led Zeppelin II
16 Pink Floyd 1973 Dark Side of the Moon
17 Eurythmics 1985 Be Yourself Tonight
18 The Carpenters 1973 Now and Then
19 Celine Dion 1996 Falling Into You
20 Delta Goodrem 2003 Innocent Eyes
21 Savage Garden 1997 Savage Garden
22 Kylie Minogue 2001 Fever
23 Cat Stevens 1971 Teaser and the Firecat
24 Joe Cocker 1971 Cocker Happy
25 Mariah Carey 1994 Music Box
26 U2 1988 Rattle and Hum
27 INXS 1990 The Swing
28 Creedence Clearwater Revival 1970 Cosmo’s Factory
29 Cold Chisel 1984 Twentieth Century
120_Peter01.jpg 30 Midnight Oil 1983 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
31 Deep Purple 1970 Deep Purple in Rock
32 Elvis Presley 2003 30 #1 Hits
33 The Seekers 1968 The Best of the Seekers
34 Crowded House 1986 Crowded House
35 Leo Sayer 1974 Just a Boy
36 Eagles 1976 Hotel California
37 Meat Loaf 1978 Bat Out of Hell
38 Split Enz 1980 True Colours
39 Australian Crawl 1981 Sirocco
40 Bette Midler 1980 Beaches
41 Lionel Richie 1983 Can’t Slow Down
42 Eminem 2002 The Eminem Show
43 David Bowie 1973 Let’s Dance
44 Police 1979 Synchronicity
45 Skyhooks 1975 Living in the 70s
46 Bob Dylan 1976 Desire
47 AC/DC 1976 Back in Black
48 The Bee Gees 1999 Saturday Night Fever
49 Queen 1976 Greatest Hits Collection
50 Van Morrison 1974 Astral Weeks
