Scorpion lands Drake second #1 album

Debuts for Florence + The Machine, The Rubens, Gorillaz and more!

Scorpion, the fifth studio album by Drake, becomes the Canadian rapper’s second #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart (see below).

Following a reissue to mark the album’s 30th anniversary, Guns N’ Roses’ debut album Appetite For Destruction  returns to the chart at #7, the same place it originally peaked back in October 1988. The band’s Greatest Hits has also re-entered the chart this week at #35.

With her national tour up and running, P!nk has moved up two spots to #14 with Beautiful Trauma, while her Greatest Hits… So Far!!! is up 19 to #17.

Ahead of the release of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in cinemas, ABBA’s ABBA Gold & More (Anniversary Edition) re-enters the chart this week at #30.

Sydney band Ocean Alley return to the Top 50 for a fourth week at #34 with their second album Chiaroscuro.

Debuts:

#1: Drake ‘Scorpion’ – With his fifth studio album, Canadian rapper Drake nabs his second #1 on the Albums Chart. A double album, Scorpion comes two years on from Views (#1 May ’16). In between studio albums Drake released the playlist/mixtape More Life (#2 Mar. ’17). Scorpion contains the singles ‘God’s Plan’ (#1 Feb ’18), ‘Nice For What’ (#1 Apr. ’18) and ‘I’m Upset’ (#17). Eight more of the album’s tracks have debuted in the Top 50 on this week’s ARIA Singles Chart.

#2: Florence + The Machine ‘High As Hope’ – Florence + The Machine take out a fourth Top Three debut with High As Hope. The British act’s fourth studio album is the follow-up to How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (#1 Jun. ’15) and includes contributions from Jamie xx, Father John Misty, Kamasi Washington and more. Florence + The Machine have also previously charted with Ceremonials (#1 Nov. ’11) and Lungs (#3 Aug. ’10)

#3: The Rubens ‘Lo La Ru’ – Returning with their third studio album, Lo La Ru, The Rubens score a third Top Three debut. The indie five-piece from Menangle, NSW have previously charted with their self-titled debut (#3 Sept. ’12) and Hoops (#2 Aug. ’15). Working with Run the Jewels producers and brothers Wilder Zoby and Little Shalimar, Lo La Ru was recorded in a converted WWII bunker just outside the band’s hometown.

#4: Gorillaz ‘The Now Now’ – Just over a year on from Humanz (#4 May ’17), Gorillaz return with The Now Now. The British virtual band’s sixth album is their fourth Top Ten on the ARIA Albums Chart. It features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg and George Benson, among others.

#10: Bullet For My Valentine ‘Gravity’ – Welsh metal band Bullet For My Valentine score a fifth Top Ten album with Gravity. The quartet’s sixth album is the follow-up to former #1 Venom (#1 Aug. ’15) and is their first album to feature new drummer Jason Bowld, who replaced founding member Michael Thomas in 2017.

#15: Hillsong Young & Free ‘III’ – Hillsong Young & Free take out a fourth Top 50 entry with III. It’s the group’s third studio album, following Youth Revival (#3 Mar. ’16). Between studio albums, the group released the live album Youth Revival Acoustic (#37 Mar. ’17).

#29: Pendulum ‘The Reworks’ – Perth drum and bass act Pendulum return to the Albums Chart for the first time since 2010 with The Reworks. Featuring remixes of some of the group’s back catalogue by the likes of Skrillex, Moby, Knife Party, and Devin Townsend, the album marks Pendulum’s return from a seven-year hiatus. They last charted with Immersion (#3 May ’10).