Kerser Loses Out To Biebs & 1D But Still Makes Top Five Debut On ARIA Albums Chart

Incendiary Aussie rapper Kerser wasn't quite able to upset the machinations of the Justin Bieber and One Direction juggernauts on this week's ARIA Albums Chart, but the opinionated orator has still pulled off a solidly respectable debut for new full-length Next Step, which steps out at #5 on entry.

The Biebs beats the boy band to claim the top spot with Purpose, with 1D having to settle for second spot for new album Made In The A.M. The three top-five debutants are separated by Elvis Presley's posthumous collab with the Royal Philharmonic, If I Can Dream, which slips from #1 to #3 this week, while old mate Ed Sheeran and his acclaimed LP X prove a most resilient prospect, climbing back to #4 from #13 in their 74th week on the chart.

While Next Step mightn't have taken the crown, particularly impressive for Kerser is the fact that his album did come in ahead of Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue, whose first-ever Christmas album, Kylie Christmas, enters at #7, being pipped to the #6 spot by Michael Buble and his does-this-every-year Christmas album, up from #10 last week.

It continues to be something of a trans-generational week for debuts further down the ladder, with rising young performer Conrad Sewell earning a solid entry for his album, All I Know, at #9, while resurgent vets Jeff Lynne's ELO also make the top 20, stepping out with Alone In The Universe at #15. Late country singer Slim Dusty also makes a posthumous debut with The Den Tapes at #27, just ahead of Dream On Dreamer's Songs Of Soulitude (#29), the final new entry to make the top 30. However, Jackie Onassis aren't far off the pace — Pristine Alley makes the top-40 rankings on the cut-off.

In the Singles Chart, there's little surprise to find Adele still atop the pile with Hello for another week; Justin Bieber also remains steady, with Sorry sticking at #2. However, he backs it up with a consecutive placing (and debut) with Love Yourself to take #3. 

A little bit down the way, Aussie ex-Idol Guy Sebastian makes the top 20 with Black & Blue (#17), as do The Amity Affliction (Shine On, #19), while Aussie pop upstart Troye Sivan makes the top 50 as Youth enters at #44 — but it's a week that is well and truly all about the returned pop prince as Biebs takes more debuts with The Feeling (#22), Purpose (#40), Mark My Words (#49), Children (#52), Company (#54) and No Pressure (#60) to bring his total entries in the top 100 this week to 10, 11 including his featured spot on Skrillex & Diplo's Where Are U Now (#50). For a guy who seems to cop so much derision, he sure moves a tonne of units.