Fanning Straight In At #1, Sabbath Land First Oz Top Ten In 40 Years

15 June 2013 | 7:06 pm | Staff Writer

Only three more solo chart-toppers and he equals Powderfinger's tally of five number one albums.

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As expected, former Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart today. Departures is Fanning's second solo album and his second time debuting at number one - his first solo album Tea And Sympathy took the top spot  upon release in October 2005.

Fanning also took five Powderfinger albums to number one throughout the band's recording career: Internationalist (1998), Odyssey No 5 (2000), Vulture Street (2003), Dream Days At The Hotel Existence (2007) and Golden Rule (2009). 

The week's top international debut belonged to Black Sabbath, with 13 entering at four. This is the British rock outfit's first Australian top ten album since Sabbath Bloody Sabbath back in 1974. Also debuting in the Top 50, at ten, was the Fast And Furious 6 Soundtrack (featuring Peaches,Deadmau5 and 2Chainz), Tomorrow's Harvest by Boards Of Canada came in at 24 and Damage by Jimmy Eat World landed at 26.

The second highest entry by a local was made by Andrew Stockdale, another former band frontman going solo, with his post-Wolfmother Keep Moving set in at 32. And, the first album by Sydney duo Jagwar Ma, Howlin', came in at 74 - behind Goo Goo Dolls' Magnetic, in at 65, but ahead of Beady Eye's BE, in at 81). Jagwar Ma came in at 38 on the ARIA Digital Albums Chart, ahead of Stockdale.

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The ARIA Singles Chart remained the domain of The Voice, as the TV talent show's finalist Harrison Craig debuted at numbers two and three (Unchained Melody and More Than A Dream respectively) - though unable to dislodge Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines from the top position. All up, there are 22 singles by past and present Voice contestants throughout the top 100. Only two non-Voice debuts in the 50 this week: New Zealand's Lorde with Tennis Court at 47 and Miley Cyrus with We Can't Stop at 26.

Outside the 50, the track that topped last weekend's 20th anniversary triple j Hottest 100 made a showing, with Wonderwall by Oasis back in at 52. While local band Boy & Bear entered at 63 with Southern Sun.