It's a Barbie world

Barbie's absolute cultural dominance continues as Barbie The Album takes the #1 spot in this week's ARIA Albums Chart, while John Farnham's Greatest Hits reaches a new chart peak. 

In just over a week, Barbie has grossed about $US500 million worldwide, with its soundtrack being the first to top the chart since Encanto spent one week on top in March last year. It's also sent tracks from the album flying up the Singles Chart, with Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For? climbing from #8 to #2; Barbie World by Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice and Aqua jumping from #23 to #3; and Dance The Night by Dua Lipa up from #27 to #6.

Following the 24 July TV debut of John Farnham: Finding The Voice, Farnesy is also climbing the Albums Chart with four in the top 100. His Greatest Hits reaches a new chart peak this week at #9; while the film's soundtrack, which peaked at #2 earlier this year, steps back onto the chart at #21. 

Farnham's 1986 album, Whispering Jack, also re-enters at #41. It spent 25 weeks at #1 in 1986-87, went 24 times platinum and remains the highest-selling album in Australia by a local act. It was also the first Australian album to be released on CD. Finally, One Voice: Greatest Hits re-enters at #72. It peaked at #2 in 2023.

Continuing the trend for heritage Aussie acts, River Runs Dry by Cold Chisel’s Ian Moss is new at #18. It is his ninth solo studio album and first since Ian Moss in 2018. His first album, Matchbook, went to #1 in 1989; it and the lead single, Tucker’s Daughter, snared five ARIA Awards in 1990. 

As a member of Cold Chisel, Moss has had 17 top 10 albums, including five #1 albums: Swingshift in 1981, Circus Animals in 1982, Twentieth Century in 1984, The Last Wave Of Summer in 1998 and Blood Moon in 2019. 

Australian duo Busby Marou debut at #14 with their fifth studio album Blood Red, and Short Stack make a comeback with their 2009 debut album, Stack Is The New Black, re-entering at #37 after it was released on vinyl for the first time last week.

On the Singles Chart, Sprinter by Dave and Central Cee holds on top for the seventh non-consecutive week, while it's been a very good week for the K-pop group with a strong Australian contingent, NewJeans, after the release of their second EP Get Up. 

Super Shy zips from #26 to a new peak of #14, while NewJeans re-enters at #53. The group also debut with ETA at #34, Cool With You at #40, ASAP at #64 and Get Up at #82; meaning all six tracks from the EP are in the Top 100.

K-Pop by Travis Scott, Bad Bunny and The Weeknd is new at #27; it is the first single from Travis Scott’s new album Utopia. He has had four top 10 singles here with the best performer being Highest In The Room, which peaked at #3 in 2019.