SZA, Taylor Swift Rule Australia’s Charts

13 January, 2023

SZA cleans-up on the Australian singles chart with “Kill Bill” (via RCA/Sony), while Taylor Swift enters a 10^th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the national albums survey with Midnights (Universal).

Swift’s 10^th and latest album becomes her longest-reigning No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, eclipsing the nine-week run for 1989’s 2014. On the latest chart, published Friday, Jan. 13, 1989 dips 19-20.

“Congratulations Taylor! Ten weeks at No. 1 is a great achievement and 10 chart-topping albums in just 12 years is incredible,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “Australia’s love affair with Taylor and her music is not slowing down.”

Midnights manages to hold off SZA’s SOS from a first stint on the albums chart throne, as it holds at No. 2 — though the U.S. R&B star goes one better on the ARIA Singles Chart.

In a week that saw SZA drop a bloody music video for “Kill Bill,” the track lifts 2-1 on the ARIA Chart for her first leader in Australia.

Until now, SZA’s best was a No. 2 placing for “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, lifted from the Black Panther soundtrack in 2018. She also featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More,” which peaked at No. 2 in 2021.

“Kill Bill” switches places with Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (Capitol/Universal), which slips 1-2, just days after Smith performed an exclusive, intimate concert at the d’Arenberg Cube winery in McLaren Vale, Adelaide.

Raye’s “Escapism” (Orchard) featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake reaches a new high, up 7-4. The British singer and songwriter snagged the U.K. No. 1 this week with “Escapism,” released independently after her public split with Polydor, part of Universal Music Group.

Meanwhile, Dean Lewis’ “How Do I Say Goodbye” (Island/Universal) is the best-placed homegrown track on Australia’s official singles chart, up 26-16, just two places removed from its peak position.

Also noteworthy is Stephen Sanchez and Em Beihold’s dark horse “Until I Found You” (Universal), which races 30-12, six months after it first impacted the top 100, while Skrillex, Fred Again and Flowdan bag the week’s highest debut, as “Rumble” (Atlantic/Warner) starts at No. 35.