This Week In... 1988

Check out what was #1 on the ARIA Charts 30 years ago!

ALBUM

John Farnham - Age Of Reason

The second of John Farnham’s ten #1s on the ARIA Albums Chart came when Age Of Reason held the top spot for eight straight weeks between July and September 1988. The follow-up to Whispering Jack (#1 Nov. ’86) debuted at #1 and eventually went on to spend 23 weeks in the Top Ten and 38 weeks in the Top 50.

Singles released from Age Of Reason include the title track (see below), ‘Two Strong Hearts’ (#6 Oct. ’88) and ‘Beyond The Call’ (#40 Dec. ’88). Receiving an 8x Platinum accreditation, the album was #13 on the 1988 ARIA End Of Year Albums Chart.

John Farnham has also topped the ARIA Albums Chart with Chain Reaction (#1 Oct. ’90), Then Again… (#1 Nov. ’93), Anthology 1 (#1 Oct. ’97), 33 1/3 (#1 Aug. ’00) and The Last Time (#1 Dec. ’02). With Olivia Newton-John, he’s scored #1s with Two Strong Hearts (#1 Jul. ’15) and Friends For Christmas (#1 Dec. ’16). The duo and Anthony Warlow scored a #1 with Highlights From The Main Event (#1 Dec. ’98).

John Farnham was inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame in 2003.

Single

JOHN FARNHAM - AGE OF REASON

For four weeks during his reign at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with Age Of Reason, John Farnham also held the top spot the Singles Chart with the album’s title track. The first track released from the album, ‘Age Of Reason’ debuted at #3 before hitting #1 for the first time in its second week in the chart. It spent a total of eleven weeks in the Top Ten and 19 weeks in the Top 50.

‘Age Of Reason’ landed at #9 on the 1988 ARIA End Of Year Singles Chart. It was John Farnham’s second and last #1 single to date on the ARIA Charts. He spent seven straight weeks at #1 in late-1986 with ‘You’re The Voice’.

He last appeared on the Singles Chart with ‘Trying To Live My Life Without You’ (#42 Jul. ’00).