Following on from the news that Triple J will be expanding its radio stable by taking over ABC Dig Music there’s now more reason for the national youth broadcaster to pop the champagne.
A series of cover songs has helped put the station at the top of the Aussie charts, with the ninth and latest entry in Triple J’s Like A Version compilations debuting at the top spot of the ARIA Albums Chart this week.
Like A Version: Volume Nine overtook Pure Heroine, the enormously successful debut album from New Zealand sensation Lorde, and Moon Landing, the latest release from the Australia-bound James Blunt, in its race to the top of the sales pile, the 20-track collection becoming the first compilation album in over 13 years to take out the #1 ranking.
The last time a compilation topped the mainstream albums rankings was during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where the accompanying Music from the Opening Ceremony of the 27th Olympiad album spent three weeks at the top spot.
Not only that, but the Triple J collection makes Aussie chart history as it marks the first-ever ARIA Album Chart #1 for ABC Music.
Though the record label for the government-backed broadcaster has had multiple #1 placings with Triple J’s long-running Hottest 100 compilations over the years, they’ve only ever topped the separate Compilation Albums Chart, and not the mainstream ARIA Albums Chart. A series of cover songs has helped put the station at the top of the Aussie charts…
Volume Nine is the crowning success in the radio series – traditionally presented on Fridays during the Tom & Alex-hosted Breakfast show – with the previous highest ranking Like A Version entry being the sixth edition, which reached #2 on the ARIA Album Chart back on 1st November, 2010, as Noise 11 points out. Volume Nine is also the fourth consecutive Top 10 entry for the Triple J series.
Volume Nine features a who’s who of Aussie musical talent, including Tame Impala (covering OutKast), San Cisco (covering Daft Punk), Vance Joy (covering Adele), and Something For Kate tackling Calvin Harris & Florence Welch’s hit ‘Sweet Nothing’.
There’s also the associated boost of cover versions of Kiwi songstress Lorde, her hit ‘Royals’ interpreted by fellow nationals BONJAH, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, as LA punks FIDLAR tackle ‘Red Right Hand’, and forthcoming Laneway 2014 lineup favourites HAIM paying tribute to Sheryl Crowe’s ‘Strong Enough’.
Triple J’s chart success arrives in the same week that it was announced they’d be taking over ABC Dig Music and relaunching the station as the go-to destination for a 30+ age demographic that have ‘outgrown’ the youth broadcaster.
“We’ve heard that message for many years,” said Triple J Station Manager Chris Scadden of the Dig Music rebrand. “People get to a point that they don’t feel like Triple J works for them any longer and we are responding to that.”
All in all, it’s been a very successful year for ABC’s national youth broadcaster. In March, ratings gains in the national broadcaster’s 18-24 demographic saw Scadden proclaiming “more people listen to Triple J now than ever.”
Then in August, Triple J attained another historic first, becoming the #1 rated station in Perth for the first time ever, beating out commercial heavyweights in the WA capital, such as the Fairfax-owned 96fm and Austereo’s Mix 94.5fm.
“This is the first time Triple J has been number one overall in any metro market so we’re really grateful to everyone in Perth for supporting what we do,” said Scadden at the time. “To be number one in such a competitive radio market is exceptional and we don’t take it for granted at all.”
View the Triple J Like A Version: Volume Nine artwork and tracklising below.
Tracklisting:
1. Something For Kate – Sweet Nothing
2. San Cisco – Get Lucky
3. Emma Louise – Tessellate
4. Vance Joy – Rolling In The Deep
5. Hermitude {ft. Elana Stone} – Get Free
6. Haim – Strong Enough
7. Tame Impala – Prototype
8. KINGSWOOD – Wolf
9. Seth Sentry – Punch In The Face
10. Abbe May – Pony
11. BONJAH – Royals
12. Tuka – I’m Into You
13. The Bamboos – Lost
14. Jimblah – Resolution
15. Ash Grunwald {ft. Urthboy and Scott Owen & Andy Strachan from The Living End} – Feel Good Inc.
16. Chance Waters – Little Lion Man
17. The Trouble With Templeton – The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
18. FIDLAR – Red Right Hand
19. Spit Syndicate – Latch
20. Little Green Cars – To The Last
