Seven Australian albums hit the ARIA top 10 but only eight local singles in the top 50

WHAT is it about our homegrown artists that makes us buy their records but not download their singles? A lack of commercial radio airplay may be a reason.

AUSTRALIAN artists are dominating the album charts for the first time in four years with seven records in the top 10 but there is little passion for our homegrown singles which still struggle for airplay.

Human Nature held No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart for the second week running, holding out local rock heroes Gang Of Youths from debuting at the top spot with their critically acclaimed EP Let Me Be Clear.

Sydney hard rock trio Hellions joined them with their new album Opera Oblivia debuting at No. 4, followed by The Voicewinner Alfie Arcuri at No. 5 with a very decent showing for his winner’s record Zenith.

The recent new releases from The Avalanches, Delta Goodrem and Keith Urban also remain in the top 10, with Flume’s Skin just outside at No. 12.

Flume has been a constant presence on both the singles and album charts this year. Picture: Jason O'Brien

In total, there are 19 Australian records in the ARIA chart but only a dismal eight songs in the entire top 50 singles, led by Papercuts by Illy featuring Vera Blue at No.3.

It has been a month since a new song by a local artist managed to climb the charts with the others including The Veronicas’ In My Blood, Flume and Tove Lo’s Say It and Sia’s Cheap Thrills spending two months or more in the top 50.

And the results on the streaming singles chart are no better with newcomer Joel Adams’ Please Don’t Go, along with Papercuts, the only relatively new songs making an impression with fans of Spotify and the other services.

Sia’s Cheap Thrills hit has spent six months in the ARIA top 50. Picture: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images.

It is clear our singles struggle to be heard on the commercial airwaves against the raft of international releases from electronic, dance and pop artists from Europe and the US.

But Australian music fans still love an album.

Gang Of Youths frontman Dave Le’aupepe said the tastes of local music fans vary from their American counterparts because of the different industry priorities.

“The American industry is all about the song, not the body of work while we in Australia understand the importance of a body of work,” he said.

“Triple J will play a catalogue of songs from an album so you won’t hear just Strange Diseases from our EP, you’ll hear the other songs like Native Tongue.”

He said the presence of albums such as their release and Hellions’ Opera Oblivia in the local top 10 in a music cycle dominated by EDM and pop wasn’t an indication of a rock revival.

Keith Urban remains in the top 10 with his Ripcord album after three months. Picture: Supplied.

“Right now in 2016, the guitar is an anachronism but that gives rock’n’roll the opportunity to be rebellious again, to be underground and grow from the grassroots,” Le’aupepe said.

“That’s the real beauty of it, the opportunity to reinvent itself.

“I think people are after honest, emotive music right now whether it is made with a guitar or piano or it’s R & B.”

The passionate rock frontman and his band were one of the standouts at the recent Splendour In The Grass festival with Le’aupepe proclaiming their set to be the highlight of their career to date.

But he wasn’t so happy about coming in at No. 2 behind their label mates Human Nature and their Gimme Some Lovin’: Jukebox Vol. II covers record.

“I am jealous, I am so competitive!” he said, laughing.

“I am a grumpy rock dog so I spent every night getting drunk and reading these great four star reviews and devastated there was a star left to be had.”

Dusting off the boyband dance moves before our first Jukebox show back at @VenetianVegas on August 11! pic.twitter.com/zPfhExUmL5

— Human Nature (@HumanNatureLive) August 9, 2016

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Originally published as Seven Australian albums hit the ARIA top 10 but only eight local singles in the top 50