Architects claim first #1 album with For Those That Wish To Exist

British metalcore band Architects score their first #1 album on the ARIA Charts as they debut in the top spot with For Those That Wish To Exist. The Brighton five-piece’s ninth album is the follow-up to Holy Hell (#8 Nov. ’18) and takes over from All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (#2 Jun. ’16) as their highest chart peak. It’s their third straight album to hit the Top Ten. For Those That Wish To Exist also tops this week’s ARIA Vinyl Albums Chart.

Three years after hitting #1 with Watching The Sky (#1 Jun. ’18), Sheppard return to the chart at #2 with third album, Kaleidoscope Eyes. 2020 was a big year for the Brisbane band: they released a single a month between February and December and they also performed at the AFL Grand Final when it was held for the first time in their hometown. Kaleidoscope Eyes is Sheppard’s third straight Top Two album, having also hit #2 with debut album Bombs Away (#2 Jul. ’14).

Alice Cooper claims his highest-charting album on the ARIA Charts with Detroit Stories. It matches the peak he hit in the pre-ARIA era with 1977’s Lace And Whiskey which also peaked at #3. It becomes the legendary shock rocker’s eighth Top Ten album in Australia and second Top Ten studio album in a row. The follow-up to Paranormal (#4 Aug. ’17) is Cooper’s 21st solo album and pays tribute to his hometown. It includes covers of tracks by Bob Seger and the MC5, as well as performances by original Alice Cooper band members Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith.

American singer-songwriter Julien Baker makes her debut on the ARIA Albums Chart at #21 with Little Oblivions. Baker’s third solo album is the follow-up to 2017’s Turn Out The Lights. Between solo albums, she teamed up with fellow singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus to form the trio Boygenius, releasing their first album in 2018.

American punk band NOFX take out their seventh Albums Chart Top 50 entry as they debut at #25 with Single Album. It’s their first album since First Ditch Effort (#27 Oct. ’16). Originally, the band were going to release a double album, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused it to be cut down to a single album.

Melbourne band Slowly Slowly return to the Top 50 at #32 following the release of an extended edition of Race Car Blues. The group’s third studio album debuted on the chart at #7 in March 2020. The new version features twelve additional tracks.

Releasing Life Support, American artist Madison Beer picks up her ARIA Charts entry at #36. Beer’s debut album comes three years on from the EP As She Pleases.

Debuting at #39, Melbourne six-piece King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard release their seventeenth studio album, L.W. It’s the band’s third album to explore microtonal tunings following previous release K.G. (#9 Dec. ’20) and Flying Microtonal Banana (#2 Mar. ’17). Currently only available digitally, the vinyl version of the album is expected in the coming months.

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis release their first non-soundtrack album, Carnage, debuting at #40. The Bad Seeds members and long-time collaborators recorded the new album during COVID-19 lockdown in the UK. It will receive a physical release on 28 May. Cave and Ellis have previously released a number of soundtracks together including The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and The Road.