Bad Seeds' Skeleton Tree debuts at #1

Debuts for Safia, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris, Jason Aldean and more!

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds debut at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with their sixtheenth studio album Skeleton Key. The album is the fifteenth Australian #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2016, breaking the record of 14 set in 2013.

This week’s top 50 features 14 debuts, including six in the top ten.

At #8, the highest re-entry this week comes from The Beatles and their live album Live At The Hollywood Bowl. It’s a remixed and remastered version of their 1977 album The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl that’s been released to coincide with the cinema release of the Ron Howard-directed documentary Eight Days A Week. The original album peaked at #12.

Debuts:

#1: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ‘Skeleton Tree’ – The sixteenth studio album from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds gives the iconic group their second #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The release of the follow-up to Push The Sky Away (#1 Feb. ‘13) was accompanied by the limited release of film One More Time With Feeling, in lieu of interviews or live performances.

#2: Safia ‘Internal’ – Canberra trio Safia hit the Albums Chart for the first time with Internal.  The indie electronic act’s debut album features the single ‘Make Them Wheels Roll’ (#45 Apr. ‘16). They previously featured on the Peking Duk single ‘Take Me Over’ (#6 Dec. ‘14).

#3: Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris ‘My Dear Companion: Selections From The Trio Collection’ – This compilation brings together the works of the country super group of Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris. It consists of tracks from their two studio albums, Trio (#12 Mar. ’87) and Trio II (#66 Mar. ’99), as well as alternate takes and unreleased material. Dolly Parton also debuted last month with Pure And Simple (#9 Aug. ’16).

#5: Jason Aldean ‘They Don’t Know’ – The first top ten appearance for American country artist Jason Aldean. They Don’t Know is Aldean’s seventh studio album and second to hit the top 50, following on from Old Boots, New Dirt (#13 Mar. ‘15).

#7: Bastille ‘Wild World’ – Album two and a new peak for British band Bastille. Wild World comes three years on from Bad Blood (#10 Aug. ’13).

#10: Devin Townsend Project ‘Transcendence’ – The seventeenth studio album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend and the seventh released under the Devin Townsend Project name. It’s Townsend’s first top 50 appearance in any form.

#13: Jack White ‘Jack White Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016’ – A compilation of 26 acoustic songs from throughout Jack White's career as a member of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs, as well as a solo artist. The track listing spans album tracks, B-sides, remixes, alternate versions, and previously unreleased tracks. As a solo artist, White has previously charted with Blunderbuss (#2 Apr. ’12) and Lazaretto (#3 Jun. ’14).

#16: Wilco ‘Schmilco’ – Then tenth album from Wilco gives the indie rock veterans their first appearance in the ARIA top 50 since The Whole Love (#23 Oct. ’11). In between chart appearances, Wilco released a surprise album, 2015’s Star Wars.

#19: What So Not ‘Divide & Conquer’ – What So Not is Sydney record electronic producer Emoh Instead (Chris Emerson). Divide & Conquer is the act’s first appearance in the ARIA top 50 and the first release without founding member Harley Streten (Flume).

#20: Grouplove ‘Big Mess’ – A new peak for American band Grouplove with their third album. Big Mess follows on from Never Trust A Happy Song (#21 Sept. ’11) and Spreading Rumours (#18 Sept. ’13).

#22: All Time Low ‘Straight To DVD II: Past, Present, And Future Hearts’ – The second live album from American band All Time Low. It’s the pop punk group’s fourth appearance in the ARIA top 50. The album was recorded at London’s Wembley Arena while the band were touring their album Future Hearts (#4 Apr. ’15).

#27: Of Mice & Men ‘Cold World’ – The fourth studio album from American metalcore band and their second to hit the top 50 on the ARIA Charts. It’s the follow-up to Restoring Force (#9 Feb. ’14).

#38: Northeast Party House ‘Dare’ – Melbourne’s Northeast Party House make their top 50 debut thanks to Dare. It’s the band’s second album, the follow-up to 2014’s Any Given Weekend.

#48: The Hard Aches ‘I Freak Out’ – Adelaide punk duo The Hard Aches make their Albums Chart debut with I Freak Out. The six track EP comes just over a year on from the band’s debut album Pheromones.