Happy 30th Birthday Official NZ Music Chart

Happy 30th Birthday Official New Zealand Music Chart
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
by Andrew Miller

Behind The Chart

This week's chart marks the 30th birthday of what is now the Official New Zealand Music Chart.

Ranking popular songs in order started in America with Billboard magazine, the first charts measuring the sales of sheet music.

New Zealand's first music survey dates back to 1946 when the Life Buoy (later Lever) Hit Parade began on radio running until the late '50s. It was a Top 8 countdown selected by radio programming staff.

In the '60s, Hawke's Bay radio station 2ZC (later Bay City Radio and now Classic Hits) is purported to have complied the first Top 20.

In 1966 the first chart selected by the public came into being. The NZ Top 20 was complied from public voting and published in The Listener each week (in some ways similar to the phone-in text surveys of today, albeit not as instant).

In 1970 voting was replaced by measuring sales and the chart became known as the Pop-o-Meter. Both charts were run by the NZBC and measured only the popularity of singles.

The New Zealand Federation Of Phonographic Industries (NZFPI) first mooted a National Sales Chart, primarily as a sales tool, in 1973. But it was to be a further two years before the Heylen Research Centre won the contract to compile the first chart.

On May 2 1975 the New Zealand Top 40 came into being, listing the 40 biggest selling Singles and Albums of the week.

In 1977 the NZFPI took chart compilation in-house and Record Publications Ltd was formed. In 1978 the NZFPI became the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand, thus RIANZ was born.

In 1979 the Top 40 was extended and became a Top 50.

During the mid '80s the Kuhtze Countdown began on radio, based on airplay rather than sales, this idea continued into the '90s as the Shake 30 and the Powerjam.

Median Strip magazine had been publishing radio station playlists from the mid '90s, so it seemed only logical to go the next step and compile airplay charts. Thus the RadioScope 100 and various format airplay charts came into being.

The first major chart change in 20 years happened in 1999 when radio airplay became a factor in compiling the singles chart.

The biggest change since the charts began in 1975 happened last year on April 19 when compilation of the chart moved from RIANZ to the independent company Media Sauce Ltd. Sales were now collected electronically and a range of new checks and procedures introduced. At the same time the Top 50 reverted to a Top 40 and a Heatseekers chart for up-and-coming releases and a music DVD Chart were added.

And here we are, 30 years on from the beginning of the chart we know today.

In The Beginning

The first official chart, in 1975, was numbered 1 and presented Bob Dylan with the distinction of the first #1 album with Blood On The Tracks. Helen Reddy's Free And Easy was the first #1 single on the new NZFPI survey.

Interestingly the Helen Reddy track was only a single in New Zealand. EMI's Bruce Ward wanted a new single from Helen and pulled it off an album. After getting permission from Capitol in the US, it came out as a 45 and was the first #1 on the new NZFPI Top 40.

Today's chart is number 1458 and our 362nd #1 album is Jack Johnson's In Between Dreams, just holding on for an eighth week ahead of Akon's Trouble.

Just days into New Zealand Music Month and the feelers rebound 25 places from #36 to #11, giving Playground Battle its highest placing to date.

Savage's Moonshine is the 476th #1 single and the 55th Kiwi #1 to register on the official chart and reigns for a fifth straight week. One place back comes Jesse McCartney's Beautiful Soul (moving #4 to #2), while schnapping at both their heels is Das Kleine Krokodil. Schnappi makes the biggest leap of the week from #32 to #3.

And another good start for NZ Music Month as trio Breaks Co-Op scores the most played song on the radio. The Other Side moves from #2 to #1 on the RadioScope 100, displacing Jack Johnson.

Next week is looking good for Kiwi music too. Will Shihad gain its third #1 album next week? Or could Fat Freddy's Drop make a big splash? The next seven days will tell.

Double-Single Albums

Mother's Day approaches fast - this Sunday in fact!

And just in time are the twin compilations, Venus and Mars, from SonyBMG. Venus (named after the Roman God of Love) comprises contemporary female singers, while Mars (the Roman God of War) features contemporary male singers. Both debut on this week's Compilations Chart at #4 and #6 respectively.

In common with Guns N Roses, Bruce Springsteen and Nelly, these sets are single albums but could easily be part of a double.

The New Singles

#18 Omarion - O

Twenty-year-old Omarion is a former member of US R&B boy band B2K. His debut single is the title cut to his debut solo album O.

#20 Bodyrockers - I Like The Way You Move

Currently Top 10 in their native UK, dance duo Dylan Durns and Kaz James (aka Bodyrockers) celebrate a New Zealand chart debut this week after a good build-up on Pop radio.

#24 Mariah Carey - It's Like That

She's had six #1s, four platinum and four gold singles here. In fact her very first hit, Vision Of Love, topped the chart for two weeks in 1990. Her latest album, The Emancipation Of Mimi, is just outside the Top 40. While its lead single, It's Like That featuring DJ Fatman Scoop, is new at #24 for Mariah.

#37 Dave Dobbyn - Welcome Home

Kiwi music icon Dave Dobbyn first charted as part of Th' Dudes in 1979 with Be Mine Tonight. He has the distinction of having the first local album to debut at #1 (DD Smash's Cool Bananas in 1982). And of course, there's the Footrot Flats soundtrack which includes his biggest hit, the eight-week #1 Slice Of Heaven with Herbs.

It's Welcome Home to our Dave as he debuts at #37 with the first single from his forthcoming new album. The track's currently #11 on the RadioScope 100, with a retail single due in stores the next couple of weeks.

#38 Audioslave - Be Yourself

Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and Rage Against The Machine's Tim Commerford, Tom Morello and Brad Wilk became Audioslave in 2002. The ballad Be Yourself is the lead single from the forthcoming album Out Of Exile, and it's new at #38 this week on airplay alone.

New Albums

#14 Bruce Springsteen - Devils And Dust

Out of the box, this album was a #1 debut in the UK for Jerseyman Bruce Springsteen and a Top 10 debut in Australia. A slightly more modest #14 debut here, however it's still enough to be the highest new entry of the week. Bruce made the covers of both Time and Newsweek magazine the same week 1975, when he was described as "the new Bob Dylan. Elvis Presley and James Dean all rolled into one". His NZ chart debut was Born To Run, at #28 in December '75. His biggest album was the 15-week #1 Born In The USA which was the #2 album of the year in 1984 and the #1 album of 1985.

#16 Rob Thomas - Something To Be

Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas' debut solo album is new at #16. It's the #1 album first week both in his homeland and in Oz. The first single, Lonely No More is #4 on the RadioScope 100 and is the #25 Single this week.

#17 Jesse McCartney - Beautiful Soul

American teenager Jesse McCartney has just spent four weeks at #1 in Australia with Beautiful Soul. Here, of course, he has had to deal with an all-conquering local Savage, but he moves to #2 this week. Meanwhile his debut album of the same name is new at #17 on the Albums Chart.

#23 Toy Love - Cuts

Toy Love's first and only album Toy Love reached #4 25 years ago and has been out of print for years. Now that album forms the main part of Cuts, a 2-CD collection that's new at #23. Chris Knox, Alec Bathgate, Jane Walker, Paul Kean and Mike Dooley were Toy Love for just 18 months, during which time they racked up three hit singles: Rebel/Squeeze (peaking at #29 in 1979), Don't Ask Me (#10 in 1980) and Bride Of Frankenstein (#22, also in 1980). Says Knox: "It's taken 25 years to get Toy Love on CD... don't take 25 years to buy it."

#25 Garbage - Bleed Like Me

The quartet Garbage featuring Scottish singer Shirley Manson lands its fourth chart album as Bleed Like Me debuts at #25 first week. The group's first two albums both hit #1. (The three times platinum Garbage in 1995 and Version 2.0 for two weeks in '98).

CHARTS FOLLOW

Top 40 Singles - Week To Sunday, 01 May 2005

This Last Weeks
Week Week In Title Artist Label NZ Catalogue Cert

1 1 5 Moonshine Savage feat. Akon DawnRaid/Universal * 99712 plat x1
2 4 8 Beautiful Soul Jesse McCartney Hollywood/FMR 22022
3 32 2 Das Kleine Krokodil Schnappi Universal 9870332
4 3 7 Candy Shop 50 Cent feat. Olivia Universal 9880547
5 2 13 Let Me Love You Mario SBME 82876679752 plat x1
6 7 5 Switch Will Smith Universal 9880628
7 5 4 Obsession Frankie J feat. Baby Bash SBME 675873.2
8 6 11 1, 2, Step Ciara feat. Missy Elliott SBME 82876661362 gold x1
9 10 3 Mockingbird Eminem Universal 9881483
10 11 3 Yours Truly Blindspott Capitol/EMI * 8724570
11 8 10 Get Right Jennifer Lopez SBME 675699.2 gold x1
12 14 11 Soldier Destiny's Child feat. TI & Lil Wayne SBME 675694.5 gold x1
13 13 7 Since U Been Gone Kelly Clarkson SBME 82876677602
14 9 8 How We Do The Game Universal 9880361 gold x1
15 38 2 Hope Twista feat. Faith Evans Capitol/EMI 8694662
16 17 9 The Other Side Breaks Co-Op Capitol/EMI * 8695710
17 15 7 Suburbia Streets Fast Crew Akrite/Universal * 9880547
18 new 1 O Omarion SBME 675897.2
19 18 8 Holiday Green Day WEA/Warner 9362427862
20 new 1 I Like The Way You Move Bodyrockers Universal 9871115
21 12 10 Rich Girl Gwen Stefani feat. Eve Universal 9880219
22 16 9 Caught Up Usher feat. Fabolous SBME 82876661382
23 20 8 La La Ashlee Simpson Universal 2103875
24 new 1 It's Like That Mariah Carey feat. Fatman Scoop Universal 9881057
25 22 4 Lonely No More Rob Thomas WEA/Warner 7567936802
26 19 16 Swing Savage DawnRaid/Universal * 99706 gold x1
27 25 8 Sitting, Waiting, Wishing Jack Johnson Universal 9880271
28 24 5 Let's Get Blown Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell Universal 9880385
29 21 20 Over And Over Nelly feat. Tim McGraw Curb/Universal 2103770
30 23 11 To Tha Floor Dei Hamo HiRuys/Universal * 9870233
31 27 15 The Fear the feelers WEA/Warner * 5046770102
32 29 23 Boulevard Of Broken Dreams Green Day WEA/Warner 9362427692
33 34 4 Used To Love U John Legend SBME 675245.2
34 26 15 Baby It's You JoJo Universal 9869316
35 31 15 Like Toy Soldiers Eminem Universal 2103757
36 33 2 Irish Son Brian McFadden SBME 6754872
37 new 1 Welcome Home Dave Dobbyn SBME * ---
38 new 1 Be Yourself Audioslave Universal ---
39 28 4 Okay Nivea feat. Lil Jon SBME 82876692902
40 39 4 Ten Days Missy Higgins Virgin/EMI 8163792

Chart compiled by Media Sauce Ltd.

Top 40 Albums - Week To Sunday, 01 May 2005

This Last Weeks
Week Week In Title Artist Label NZ Catalogue Cert

1 1 9 In Between Dreams Jack Johnson Universal 9880033/9880397 plat x2
2 2 8 Trouble Akon SRC/Universal 9860500 plat x1
3 4 49 Songs About Jane Maroon 5 SBME 82876632282 plat x5
4 12 7 Il Divo Il Divo SBME 82876676542 gold x1
5 8 21 Love, Angel, Music, Baby Gwen Stefani Universal 2103175 plat x1
6 3 3 Moonshine Savage DawnRaid/Universal * 99713 gold x1
7 9 6 The Sound Inside Breaks Co-Op Capitol/EMI * 8733512 gold x1
8 6 8 The Massacre 50 Cent Universal 2103885/9880390 plat x1
9 7 31 American Idiot Green Day WEA/Warner 9362487772 plat x3
10 5 4 Out Of The Moon Goldenhorse Siren/EMI * 8734592 gold x1
11 36 32 Playground Battle: Bonus Edition the feelers WEA/Warner * 5046776882 plat x1
12 10 17 Hot Fuss The Killers Universal 9863027 plat x1
13 11 13 The Documentary The Game Universal 9864143 gold x1
14 new 1 Devils And Dust Bruce Springsteen SBME 5200002000
15 14 8 It's Time Michael Buble WEA/Warner 9362489962 plat x1
16 new 1 Something To Be Rob Thomas WEA/Warner 7567934352
17 new 1 Beautiful Soul Jesse McCartney Hollywood/FMR 2061624702
18 15 12 Amore Musica Russell Watson Universal 4756294 gold x1
19 25 6 The Sound Of White Missy Higgins Virgin/EMI 8662822 gold x1
20 26 5 Breakaway Kelly Clarkson SBME 82876645092
21 17 24 The Essential: 2005 NZ Tour Edition Neil Diamond SBME 5010662000 plat x2
22 13 6 The Singles Basement Jaxx XL/Shock XLCD187
23 new 1 Cuts Toy Love FlyingNun/FMR * FNCD473
24 16 26 Donavon Frankenreiter Donavon Frankenreiter Universal 9862249 plat x1
25 new 1 Bleed Like Me Garbage FMR 5046776812
26 23 22 R&G: The Masterpiece Snoop Dogg Universal 9864841 gold x1
27 21 14 Destiny Fulfilled Destiny's Child SBME 5179162000 gold x1
28 22 24 Encore Eminem Universal 9864884/9864671 plat x4
29 19 6 Lullabies To Paralyze Queens Of The Stone Age Universal 9880296
30 24 8 Turning Point Mario SBME 82876618852
31 27 9 Best 1991-2004 Seal WEA/Warner 9362487762 gold x1
32 18 7 Hotel Moby Mute/EMI 8606102
33 28 12 The Great American Songbook Collection Rod Stewart SBME 82876678462
34 34 2 Coach Carter OST Various Capitol/EMI 5607632
35 37 4 Goodies Ciara SBME 82876628192
36 35 2 Get Lifted John Legend SBME 5185772000
37 20 3 Lost And Found Mudvayne SBME 5193532000
38 reentry 18 How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb U2 Universal 9867829/9868181 plat x3
39 reentry 12 The Girl In The Other Room: Tour Edition Diana Krall Universal 9880517 plat x1
40 33 14 Ray OST Ray Charles WEA/Warner 8122765412 plat x1

Chart compiled by Media Sauce Ltd.
Top 10 DVDs - Week To Sunday, 01 May 2005

This Last Weeks
Week Week In Title Artist Label NZ Catalogue Cert

1 2 4 Family Jewels AC/DC Alberts/FMR 338678 plat x1
2 4 19 On Fire At The Bowl Queen EMI 5441879 gold x1
3 5 2 Live In Concert Hayley Westenra Universal * 0743085
4 6 37 One Night Only Bee Gees WEA/Warner 0927420282 plat x4
5 3 10 Live At Wembley 1986 Queen Capitol/EMI 4904719 plat x2
6 reentry 42 The Dance Fleetwood Mac WEA/Warner 7599384862 plat x3
7 reentry 11 Some Kind Of Monster Metallica Roadshow F139749
8 8 17 Sultans Of Swing Dire Straits Universal 587262 plat x1
9 reentry 20 Definitive Collection ABBA Universal 0174459 plat x1
10 10 17 Majikat Cat Stevens EW/Warner 5046740242 gold x1

Chart compiled by Media Sauce Ltd.

Top 10 Compilations - Week To Sunday, 01 May 2005

This Last Weeks
Week Week In Title Artist Label NZ Catalogue Cert

1 1 7 Now That's What I Call Music 17 Various EMI 4747562 plat x2
2 2 4 Super '70s Rock Various EMI 8606242 gold x1
3 3 5 Punked Various WEA/Warner 5046779002
4 new 1 Venus Various SBME 82876696652 gold x1
5 4 9 Holla Hour Various Universal 9828301 gold x1
6 new 1 Mars Various SBME 82876696642 gold x1
7 new 1 Voices Of Love Various WEA/Warner 5046781972
8 6 5 The New Breed Various Universal 9828300
9 5 4 Wild Gold Various Shock CSRCD5182
10 new 1 Green Room 004: Hope Various Loop/Border * LP027

Chart compiled by Media Sauce Ltd.

Top 10 Heatseekers - Week To Sunday, 01 May 2005

This Last Weeks
Week Week In Title Artist Label NZ Catalogue Cert

1 10 2 Gold Moody Blues Universal 9826835
2 3 2 Opera Arias Jonathan Lemalu EMI * 5576052
3 2 4 The Emancipation Of Mimi Mariah Carey Universal 9881118
4 1 2 The Wall Of Bass Technique Baitercell And Schumacher Kog/SBME * 82876692912
5 4 2 Kingwood Millencolin Shock/Border BHR197
6 9 4 Piano Man: The Very Best Of Billy Joel SBME 5190182000
7 6 7 Awfully Deep Roots Manuva BigDada/Shock BDCD072
8 reentry 7 We Are Not Alone Breaking Benjamin Hollywood/FMR 2061624282
9 7 2 Employment Kaiser Chiefs Universal 9881674
10 5 2 Music From The OC - Mix 4 Various WEA/Warner 9362493512

Chart compiled by Media Sauce Ltd.

ENDS

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