Aussies Won’t Catch Taylor Swift Despite Head Start

There’s an interesting picture being painted on this week’s ARIA Albums Chart, with Taylor Swift an almost certain favourite to go number one.

The American star – who’s dumped country for pop on recent records – released new album 1989 on Monday in line with an international release – rather than Australia’s traditional Friday release date. It means that today’s midweek figures cannot paint a decisive picture of how well 1989 will do, but initial figures are showing it in chart-topping territory.

If that highly likely scenario is the case, it will lead two Australian release into the top five. Veteran vocal group Human Nature’s Jukebox is in top three territory while Future Classic’s Flight Facilities can hope for a top five with Down To Earth.

Currently Slipknot hold the top spot with .5 The Gray Chapter with the Ed Sheeran a constant top five figure with X.

Further down fellow Aussie Lanie Lane’s Night Shade should debut in the top 40.

Other debuts this week will include Ben Howard’s Forget Where We Were and Susan Boyle’s Hope, which will arrive above the likes of Aretha Franklin’s Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics, Rancid’s Honor Is All We Know, Dillon Francis’ Money Sucks, Friends Rule and T.I.’s Paperwork.

Current tours are giving The Rolling Stones’ GRRR! And Rodriguez’s Cold Fact sales boosts, but the increase in scans are not as high as Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga’s Cheek To Cheek and Maroon 5’s V are enjoying.

In the ARIA Singles Chart X-Factor runner-up and new Sony signing Dean Ray is the best chance of dislodging Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud this week. Ray’s Coming Back will be the top debut and if the midweek trend continues will trouble the scorers in the top two spots.

American breakout Meghan Trainor will also debut with Lips Are Movin ahead of Justice Crew’s Rise & Fall, Brothers3’s The Lucky Ones, Timmy Trumpet’s Nightmare and The Magician featuring Years & Years’ Sunlight.

The big movers are Calvin Harris’ featuring Ellie Goulding’s Outside, Marlon Roudette’s When The Beat Drops Out and One Direction’s Steal My Girl.