Ed’s cheerin’

Ed Sheeran is back with his sixth Australian #1 this week, while Gerringong boys Pacific Avenue and Jindabyne’s Brad Cox score top 10 debuts. 

Produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, Ed Sheeran’s latest album - (pronounced subtract) takes the singer-songwriter to a total of 43 weeks at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It follows + in 2012, X in 2014, ÷ in 2017, No.6 Collaborations Project in 2019 and = in 2019. 

On the home front, Pacific Avenue’s debut full-length album Flowers lands at #3, marking a huge milestone for the band that formed in 2017. Comprised of Harry O’Brien, Ben Fryer, Jack Kay and Dom Littrich (also known as rapper Big Twisty), the band is currently in London playing The Great Escape and will tour Australia in July and August.  

Dom said: “This is probably the most surreal feeling we have felt yet since starting Pacific Avenue in 2017. I remember growing up and hearing about top 10 ARIA albums and seeing all of my idols named among the list.  

“To actually be on that list today makes me so proud of us as a band and so thankful to all who have supported us along the way. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to the BMG team, especially Jodie, for believing in us.” 

Country singer Brad Cox’s third album, Acres, debuts at #7, a chart high after 2020’s My Mind’s Projection peaked at #12, while The Smashing Pumpkins debut at #5 with ATUM. 

The late Olivia Newton-John returns to the chart at #29 with Just The Two Of Us: The Duets Collection (Volume 1). Olivia’s new album features duets with Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Delta Goodrem, Cliff Richard, Barry Gibb, her daughter Chloe Lattanzi and more. With global sales of more than 100 million records, ONJ is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.  

On the singles chart, Morgan Wallen’s Last Night lands at fifth straight week at #1, while Ed Sheeran’s Eyes Closed flies back up the chart, jumping from #21 last week to #7.  

New at #24 is Ed’s Curtains from the new album. It is his 66th top 100 hit here and one of several to climb the charts this week with Shivers stepping up from #24 to #22, Bad Habits up from #46 to #40, new track Boat sailing up from #99 to #48, Perfect from 2017 up from #60 to #55, Thinking Out Loud from 2014 re-entering at #79, Shape Of You from 2017 re-entering at #81.