List of best-selling albums in New Zealand
An album is defined by Recorded Music New Zealand (RMNZ) as being a type of music release comprising at least five songs or a total playing time of over 25 minutes.[nb 1] Currently, Platinum certifications denote the shipment of 15,000 copies. When RMNZ (then known as the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand) introduced certifications in 1978, to reach Platinum status an album had to ship 20,000 copies. This was reduced to its current level in 1992.[2]
The best-selling albums in New Zealand, as judged by certifications, are ABBA's greatest hits album, The Best of ABBA (1975) and Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms (1985); both have been certified 24-times Platinum. ABBA's album ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits (1992) is also one of New Zealand's best-selling albums. Pink Floyd is the only other artist with two entries on the list; its studio albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) and The Wall (1979), appear at numbers six and ten, respectively. Hayley Westenra is the only artist of New Zealand origin with an album on this list.
Best-selling albums
| Rank | Album | Artist | Year of release | Number of times certified platinum |
Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best of ABBA, TheThe Best of ABBA | ABBA | 1975 | 24[2] | 360,000 |
| Brothers in Arms | Dire Straits | 1985 | 24[2] | 360,000 | |
| 3 | Come on Over | Twain, ShaniaShania Twain | 1997 | 21[3] | 315,000 |
| 4 | Legend | Bob Marley and the Wailers | 1984 | 20[2] | 300,000 |
| 5 | Bat Out of Hell | Meat Loaf | 1977 | 17[2] | 255,000 |
| 6 | ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits | ABBA | 1992 | 16[3][4] | 240,000 |
| Born in the U.S.A. | Springsteen, BruceBruce Springsteen | 1984 | 16[2] | 240,000 | |
| Dark Side of the Moon, TheThe Dark Side of the Moon | Pink Floyd | 1973 | 16[2] | 240,000 | |
| 9 | 1 | Beatles, TheThe Beatles | 2000 | 15[3] | 225,000 |
| 10 | Jagged Little Pill | Morissette, AlanisAlanis Morissette | 1995 | 14[2] | 210,000 |
| Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds | Wayne, JeffJeff Wayne | 1978 | 14[2] | 210,000 | |
| Joshua Tree, TheThe Joshua Tree | U2 | 1987 | 14[2] | 210,000 | |
| Wall, TheThe Wall | Pink Floyd | 1979 | 14[2] | 210,000 | |
| 14 | 21 | Adele | 2011 | 13[5] | 195,000 |
| 15 | Come Away with Me | Jones, NorahNorah Jones | 2002 | 12[2] | 180,000 |
| Falling into You | Dion, CelineCeline Dion | 1996 | 12[2] | 180,000 | |
| Phantom of the Opera, TheThe Phantom of the Opera | Various Artists | 1987 | 12[2] | 180,000 | |
| Pure | Westenra, HayleyHayley Westenra | 2003 | 12[3] | 180,000 | |
| Thriller | Jackson, MichaelMichael Jackson | 1982 | 12[3] | 180,000 |
Notes
- ↑ If a release contains multiple mixes of a single song, then only the longest track counts toward the 25-minute limit. If the playing time of different songs is less than 25 minutes and the total playing time of all tracks (including multiple mixes) is less than 40 minutes, then the release is defined as a single. In any case, if the total playing time is greater than 40 minutes, it is an album.[1]
References
- ↑ "The Official New Zealand Music Charts – Chart Rules" (PDF). Recorded Music NZ. August 2010. p. 9–10. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Wellington: Dean Scapolo and Maurienne House. p. 12. ISBN 978-1877443-00-8.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". RadioScope. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011.
- ↑ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 17 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2014.