Cold Chisel rock their way to No. 1 with 50 Years – The Best Of, the hits collection which blasts to the summit of the ARIA Chart.
The legendary Australian band comes from behind in the first half of the chart cycle, to sprint home in first place on the tally, published Friday, Aug. 23rd.
Since forming in Adelaide in 1973, the ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted band has led the national chart with six LPs: Swingshift (in 1981), Circus Animals (1982), Twentieth Century (1984), The Last Wave Of Summer (1998), Blood Moon (2019) and now 50 Years – The Best Of.
For ARIA and the wider music industry, a much-needed shot in the arm after a 10-month barren period.
50 Years – The Best of is the fourth consecutive No. 1 for domestic talent on the national chart, after new releases from Lime Cordiale, Tones & I, and Amy Shark.
And for frontman Jimmy Barnes, some chart therapy and another piece of history.
Barnes extends his lead as the artist with the most No. 1s in Australia, with 21 (including 15 solo records), and the news arrives as he returns home following another surgical procedure.
“I’m so grateful to all the doctors, nurses and physiotherapists who have helped me get back on my feet after some recent hip surgery,” he comments in a statement. “I can’t wait to be on stage again with Cold Chisel and play these songs for everyone who has followed us for all these years plus some people who might be seeing us for the very first time.”
On the album, he enthuses in a celebratory video ,“this is 50 years of love and dreams put into a record here.”
All told, 50 Years is Chisel’s 18th top 10 album and sixth career retrospective to crack the ARIA top 10 following Radio Songs: A Best Of Cold Chisel (No. 3 in 1985), Chisel (No. 3 in 1991), Teenage Love (No. 6 in 1994), Standing On The Outside (No. 2 in 2007) and The Best Of Cold Chisel: All For You (No. 2 in 2011).
According to ARIA, this week marks the longest run for local acts at the summit since late 2020, when Midnight Oil, Kylie Minogue and AC/DC reigned for a combined six weeks.
The last time four or more different Aussie acts ruled consecutively was in 2015, when Parkway Drive, triple j Like A Version 11, Boy & Bear, Hillsong and 5 Seconds Of Summer kept the crown at home.
A “nine-year first is absolutely phenomenal,” says ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “Even in what is perhaps the most challenging environment Australian music has faced, we can still achieve amazing success, which I truly hope excites and inspires our whole industry.”
Barnsey and Co. will smash out the hits when they embark on their expanding ‘The Big Five-0 Tour’ later in the year.
“We are stoked,” says guitarist Ian Moss in a social clip.
“If someone told me back in 1974 that we’d be having a number 1 album in 50 years, I would never have believed it,” he continues. “It’s been an incredible journey and we’re all looking forward to playing together again on ‘The Big Five-0 Tour.’”
The new recording features liner notes from “Boy Swallows Universe” author Trent Dalton, and Chisel classics “Khe Sanh,” “Standing On The Outside,” “You Got Nothing I Want,” “Flame Trees,” “Cheap Wine,” plus a new song “You’ve Got To Move.”
Visit coldchisel.com/tour for more information on ‘The Big Five-0 Tour.’
