News 10 November 2023

Jung Kook matches a golden record

The Fab Four fly back up the charts

Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) holds at #1 for a second week on the ARIA Albums Chart, while GOLDEN – the debut solo album by BTS member Jung Kook – arrives at #2, matching the record for highest solo album debut from a Korean artist in Australia.

The so-called golden maknae’s album contains recent hits 3D and Seven, as well as the new single Standing Next To You, which is new at #33 this week. At #2, Jung Kook shares the record for highest solo album debut from a Korean artist with fellow BTS member Suga, aka Agust D, who reached the same position with his D-2 mixtape in 2020.

As a member of BTS, Jung Kook has topped the ARIA Albums Chart three times, with Map Of The Soul: Persona in 2019, Map Of The Soul: 7 in 2020 and Proof in 2022.

Ill At Ease by Australian band The Mark Of Cain re-enters at #40. It is the deluxe edition of their third studio album, which was released in 1995 and peaked at #73.

On the singles chart, Taylor’s Swift’s Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) holds at #1 for a second week, lifting her total number of weeks in the top spot to 24 weeks with 10 songs, starting with Love Story in 2008.

Now And Then by The Beatles debuts at #6. The “last” ever track by the Fab Four, it reunites John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr and has been released as a double A-side single with Love Me Do, which was their first #1 in Australia, in 1962. It’s their first top 50 single here since 1996, when Real Love also hit #6.

First recorded by John Lennon in 1979 as a piano and vocal demo, Now And Then has been added to a reissue of The Beatles’ 1967-1970 greatest hits album (known as The Blue Album), which lands today.

With 26 chart-toppers, The Beatles have had more #1 singles in Australia than any other act (Elvis Presley is second with 14). Between 1966 and 1970, they had 14 consecutive #1 hits, their most recent #1 was Let It Be in 1970. They have also spent more weeks at #1 than any other act: 130 weeks, which they racked up between 1962 and 1970.