Chart File: Five Of The Greatest Australian Chart Topping 'Sibling' Albums

Vika & Linda Bull

With Vika & Linda Bull’s ninth studio album Where Do You Come From? coming in at #1 on the Australian Albums Chart and making an appearance on two others, the focus this week was on other totem-pole Aussie albums made by brothers and/or sisters.

According to one rough estimate, Where Do You Come From is the 36th long player to do so.

Sibling partnerships, whether in music or business, have their tests. According to the Bulls, it’s “all about keeping communication open at all times, and a bit of give-and-take.”

Julia Stone told The Music that at one point they thought of calling it quits to concentrate on their own solo careers because "We always felt a little like there was something a little bit disconnected about the way we were making records.”

A BIGSOUND panel made up of musical siblings discussed one major double-down: how does the older one(s) take to a younger but musically more gifted take to being given directions? File under Michael and the Jackson 5.

Then siblings also grow. In March 1977, Neil Finn was 18 years old, living in New Zealand, working by day at a car radiator factory and playing gigs on the weekend.

Elder brother Tim called from London to ask him to join his band Split Enz ASAP, reportedly promising him, “Fame and fortune await!” 

Neil had never been out of the country; there was a three-day delay while he got a passport. On his arrival in London The Enz went straight into rehearsals. He officially joined on April 7th, 1977.

He’d recollect to Mojo magazine: “It was a shot in the dark for them too. I could sing and probably write but I couldn’t play electric guitar. I jumped around onstage to compensate but I was pretty hopeless for the first six months.”

In 1989, Tim joined Neil’s band Crowded House. It had come unexpectedly. The US label rejected the songs on the third Crowdies long player. Neil asked Tim if he could delve into the material they’d written together for a duet album concurrently worked on.

The story goes Tim quipped, “Only if I can join the band.” Neil took it seriously. Crowded House became a foursome on Woodface and the result was a sparkling pop record with some of the best songs on an Australian long player. 

These included It's Only Natural, Weather With You, Chocolate Cake, Fall At Your Feet, and,an ode to Melbourne dubbed Four Seasons In One Day.

But on the UK tour that followed, just hours before a Glasgow show, he quit to return to his solo career. Neil shrugged. “Onstage it just didn’t feel right for us or him.”

There are a couple of omissions on this list. The Angels’ Beyond Salvation, their only #1 album, was recorded when John Brewster was temporarily out of the line-up, leaving Rick Brewster to handle guitar duties with Bob Spencer.

Two classic albums, Crowded House’s Woodface, for instance, and Goanna’s Spirit Of Place, only peaked at #2.

INXS: Kick (1987)

In January 1987, when INXS – including Farriss brothers Tim, Andrew, and Jon –  walked into Sydney’s Rhinoceros Studios to start work on their sixth album, both the band and UK producer Chris Thomas knew something special would happen. 

Listen Like Thieves had started to break the world, they had a clear vision of what to do with their rock and funk roots, Michael Hutchence was growing to be a pinup hero, and the Hutchence-Andrew Farris writing team was on the grill experimenting with loops and rhythms. The word “kick” appeared in a number of the songs, so the album title was a given.

The Devil Inside, Calling All Nations, Guns In The Sky, Mystify, Wild Life, Tiny Daggers, and a sharp angular guitar on their second cover of ‘60s band The Loved Ones’ The Loved One provided a strong parcel.

Thomas wanted to push the envelope. He changed Never Tear Us Apart from a ‘50s rockabilly ballad to something sensual, and beefed up the chorus of New Sensation so it didn’t sound like a plodder. 

He wanted a blockbuster hit, and time was running out as INXS were booked for European dates. He asked Fariss to join Hutchence in his Hong Kong apartment for two weeks. 

A taxi arrived at Andrew’s place in Sydney to take him to the airport. “Hang on, I’ve got to get something, I’ll be ten minutes,” he said, disappearing back into his pad. He emerged 45 minutes later, after recording a riff that popped in his head before the taxi arrived. 

In Hong Kong, Hutchence slammed the lyrics in ten minutes. It became a US Number One.

When the executives of INXS’ US label Atlantic Records heard the album, they hated it. They told manager Chris Murphy they’d give him a million dollars to re-record it as a real “rock” album. Both Murphy and the band refused.

Instead, Murphy sneaked off to Atlantic’s college radio reps and wowed them with it. It became a stormer on college radio, and Atlantic was forced to rush it out.

Kick went on to sell 20 million worldwide, six million in the States. It went to #2 in the UK, and #3 in the US where it stayed in the Billboard Hot 200 for 81 weeks (22 in the Top 10) and yielded six hit singles.

In Australia it quickly sold 500,000 and stayed in the ARIA Hot 100 for 85 weeks. That was their third-longest stayer, after The Swing (105 weeks) and Shabooh Shoobah (100 weeks).

AC/DC: Back In Black (1981)

The first of six Australian Number One albums out of AC/DC’s list of 17 was Back In Black, which was in pole position for a week. 

It was their first with Brian Johnson, the man who suggested they do Tina Turner’s Nutbush City Limits at his audition in London, and who got offered the role four weeks after Bon Scott’s funeral in Fremantle, WA. Sessions began in the Bahamas because UK studios weren’t available.

Malcolm and Angus Young, still stunned by Scott’s death, poured themselves into killer riffs on You Shook Me All Night Long, Hells Bells, Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution, and Back In Black.

Malcolm was years from rehab and Alzheimer’s, and still ruled the band with a rod. Back In Black was more than a new era for AC/DC.

At a time when heavy metal was poised for a renaissance, David Fricke reviewed it in Rolling Stone US as "the apex of heavy-metal art: the first LP since Led Zeppelin II that captures all the blood, sweat and arrogance of the genre."

Back In Black has sold 50 million worldwide. 27 million were in the US, and officially 870,000 in Australia. It’s helped Angus’ personal fortune swell to $160 million. Malcolm’s estate was $100 million at the time of his passing in 2017.

Another way Back In Black proved a big change was Robert “Mutt” Lange’s production. Every metal act wanted that sound. Lange had started work with them on the Highway To Hell album.

AC/DC had a bad attitude with him as their US label Atlantic had shoved Malcolm and Angus’ brother George off the producer’s chair because they wanted a more radio-friendly record.

In the studio Lange was more than a match musically. When he chided Bon over his laboured breathing due to his excessive drinking, the singer fired back “You *** do it then, c***.” Lange did it properly.

In another instance, he sat next to Angus and showed him how to construct a solo. Highway To Hell broke them in America, selling 500,000 copies and going Top 20. But it opened the door to the monster that Back In Black would come.

Angus & Julia Stone: Angus & Julia Stone (2014)

Sydneysiders Angus & Julia Stone had distinctive voices and different writing styles. In early 2006 they decided to become a duo. It worked enough for their second album Down The Way (2010), with the hit Big Jet Plane, to give them their first Aussie chart topper.

But after that they decided they’d rather do it solo. In the meantime, cool producer Rick Rubin heard Big Jet Plane at a party in Los Angeles, and realised what he could do with them.

He scrambled around and got their email addresses. Coincidentally they were both on solo tours of America. He encouraged them to hang out in Los Angeles.

The siblings met him separately. They were utterly charmed by Rubin. He said he was interested in working with them, but only if they did it together. 

It seems the Stones had little idea of what Rubin had achieved as a producer until Julia googled him and they realised he’d produced many of their favourite records.

Angus & Julia Stone worked for many reasons. They were fascinated with how he was going to  impact their music. Forced to work together again, they started to communicate to each other and actually started to write together.

In an interview with The Guardian, they revealed the story behind the track Main Street.

They were renovating their father’s house in Sydney’s northern suburbs. “In true hippie fashion, they planned to build a chicken pen, a greenhouse and convert their garage into their own personal music venue.

“Angus built this amazing bar, like a full Tropicana bar [but] when it got to lighting the stage we didn’t have any money, so we …”

“‘ …went to Kmart and stole some lights,’ Angus finishes, the pair laughing. ‘We’re probably going to get arrested by Kmart now we’ve confessed to this,’ adds Julia.”

Rubin in turn made them experiment with guitar techniques and vocal harmonies. Result: a fresh sounding sparkling record that sounded more futuristic than being reverential to the past.

Angus & Julia Stone went Top 10 in France, Germany, and Belgium. In Australia it revived their status as festival and tour favourites, going platinum and staying in the ARIA chart for 14 weeks.

The earlier Down The Way was in the charts for 62 weeks.

Australian Crawl: Sirocco (1981)

There were two sets of brothers in Australian Crawl. An early lineup which formed on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula featured singer James Reyne and drummer David Reyne. 

David left for acting before any records were released although he is part of the line-up playing the Red Hot Summer Tour this year.

The other siblings were the McDonough who were part of Crawl’s beginnings, in between making a name for themselves as champion swimmers on the Mornington Peninsula.

Bill replaced David Reyne in 1978 and was ousted in 1983 after clashes with James. 

Rhythm guitarist Guy McDonough, who’d written for the first Crawl album The Boys Light Up (notably Downhearted with Bill and Sean Higgins), was brought in for the second album Sirocco for which he wrote the hits Errol (about Tasmanian-born Hollywood hellraiser actor Errol Flynn), Things Don’t Seem and Oh No Not You Again. He died on June 26, 1984 after checking himself out of rehab for a naturopathic procedure which worsened his health condition.

Of four studio albums and two live records, Crawl only reached the summit twice – Sirocco and Sons Of Beaches (1982). Sirocco was the only album where the two McDonoughs in the line-up at the same time.

It stayed at top spot for 6 weeks and 52 weeks in the top 50.

Missy Higgins: The Sound Of White (2004)

Missy Higgins’ elder brother Dave Higgins – jazz musician, producer and TV/film composer – was not one of the 17 musicians listed on the credits of her debut album The Sound Of White. Nor was he listed as part of the seven-strong team under Production.

But Missy has maintained in several interviews he shaped her music, including the sound and confidence on The Sound Of White, more than anyone else as an unofficial collaborator and mentor.

Dave was the “cool brother”, playing through Australia and Europe. While boarding at Geelong Grammar, Missy would sneak out and attend shows with his band under-aged. 

Later, she’d be singing, also under-age with his band on weekends. Missy said Dave gave her the confidence to create and perform, and guided her through periods when she wanted to walk away from music.

He also produced tracks for her and did string arrangements, as on the single Torchlight, and has occasionally joined her onstage.

After the single Scar debuted on the ARIA Chart at #1 on August 2, 2004, The Sound Of White did the same on September 6. It stayed in the Top 50 for 85 weeks, and certified 9 x platinum. 

But more, it changed Australian music forever in inspiring a new generation of female singer-songwriters with tracks like Scar, The Special Two, Ten Days, and The River. 

Alice Skye, Amy Shark, Gordi, Gretta Ray, Odette, and Sammi Constantine were some who hailed it as a change for them.

Higgins also reached the summit with On A Clear Night (2007), The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle (2012), and The Second Act (2024). 

The Second Act was a sort-of-sequel to The Sound Of White. Without going down the poor-poor-pitiful-me path, she compared the excited anticipation of her debut to the ways life took a different turn in some ways.

In her 40s, she was no longer playlisted on radio or streaming services. But in a masterstroke, she followed up the release of The Second Act with a national tour where she performed both albums back to back.

The tour shifted well over 100,000 tickets. She found the fans of The Sound Of White were returning to see her, this time bringing their daughters, granddaughters and nieces.

Ten Other Sibling #1s To Check Out

• The Rubens: 0202 (2021)

• Jet: Get Born (2003)

• Killing Heidi: Reflector (2000)

• George: Polyserena (2002)

• The Teskey Brothers: Live At The Forum (2020)

• Lime Cordiale: 14 Steps To A Better You (2020)

• Ball Park Music:  Like Love (2025)

• The Waifs: Ironbark (2017)

• Human Nature: Dancing In The Streets: Songs Of Motown (2006)

• Sheppard: Bombs Away (2014)

This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body