Official Aotearoa Music Charts
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The Official Aotearoa Music Charts, formerly the Official New Zealand Music Chart (Māori: Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa), is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music Chart also includes the top 40 Hot Singles chart, the top 20 New Zealand artist singles and albums, the top 20 Hot New Zealand singles, and top 10 compilation albums. All charts are compiled from data of both physical and digital sales from music retailers in New Zealand.
The chart also publishes gold and platinum certifications of albums and singles, according to thresholds set by Recorded Music NZ, through the database on radioscope.net.nz.
Methodology
The singles chart is currently sales and streaming data of songs. In June 2014 it was announced that the chart would also include streaming; this took effect for the chart published 7 November 2014 and dated 10 November 2014. Previously airplay was factored into the chart methodology as well.
History
Before 1975, music charts in New Zealand had been regionally compiled by magazines, record stores, and radio stations on an ad hoc basis. This often occurred at different times which made chart compiling complex, and even then only singles were counted.
From May 1975 to 2004, RIANZ published a nationwide annual ranking chart of singles and albums released in New Zealand. Position was awarded by a simple scoring system whereby a number one in one week gets 50 points, a number two gets 49 points and so on, then all weeks are added together. From 2004 onwards, however, the annual charts have songs positioned based on the number of sales for that year.
From April 2007 to October 2011, the charts were displayed and archived at the website radioscope.net.nz which listed 13 different charts, most notably RadioScope100 and NZ40 Airplay Chart. In November 2011, RIANZ launched an updated chart website. The new Chart website also provides the ability to listen to song previews, view music videos, and buy tracks and albums.
On 19 June 2021, a new chart was launched for the top ten songs in te reo Māori, for songs with at least 70% of vocals in Māori.
Additional charts
Aotearoa charts
In addition to the main Top 40 Singles and Top 40 Albums charts ranking the top forty singles and albums by all artists, on 28 October 2011 Recorded Music NZ began publishing the Top 20 New Zealand Singles and Top 20 New Zealand Albums charts, which ranked the top twenty singles and albums by New Zealand artists only. They are currently named the Top 20 Aotearoa Singles and Top 20 Aotearoa Albums charts.
Heatseekers chart
An additional "Heatseekers" chart was first published on the chart dated 5 October 2015. The chart consisted of the top ten singles outside of (and that had not previously charted inside) the top forty, and had the same rules and criteria as the Top 40 Singles Chart. Once a title made an appearance inside the top forty at any point, it became ineligible to appear on the Heatseekers chart.
Hot Singles chart
Following the discontinuation of the Heatseekers chart, in July 2018 Recorded Music NZ began publishing the Hot Singles Chart, which tracks the "40 fastest-moving tracks by sales, streams and airplay". Songs can appear on both the NZ Top 40 and NZ Hot Singles charts simultaneously, as the primary aim of the Hot Singles chart is to "reflect the songs achieving the greatest week-on-week growth".
Te Reo Māori singles chart
In mid-June 2021, Recorded Music NZ began publishing Te Reo Māori O Te Rārangi 10 O Runga chart, also known as the Top 10 Te Reo Māori Singles, which tracks songs at are at least 70% sung in Te Reo Māori using sales, streaming and airplay data.
Catalogue charts
In April 2023, Recorded Music NZ began publishing the Official Catalogue Singles chart, the Official Catalogue Albums chart, the Official Aotearoa Catalogue Singles chart, and the Official Aotearoa Catalogue Albums chart. Once a release reaches 18 consecutive months since its first charts appearance, it is no longer eligible and therefore moves into the relevant catalogue chart.
Lists of number-ones
Weekly charts
Singles
1960s
1970s
1980s–2020s
Albums
Compilations
Annual charts
Singles
1970s
1980s
1990s
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
2000s
2010s
2020s
Albums
1990s
- 1998
- 1999
2000s
2010s
2020s
40th anniversary
In May 2015, Recorded Music NZ celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Official NZ Top 40 Music Charts. An event was held at Vector Arena in Auckland and featured performances from 16 artists from New Zealand and overseas who had previously achieved various chart milestones, including most number ones, most chart entries, most weeks in the chart and most weeks at number one.
As part of the celebrations, a limited edition single pressed on red vinyl was released, with Tiki Taane's song "Always on my Mind" (the New Zealand track to spend the most weeks - 55 - in the singles chart) and Scribe's song "Stand Up" (the New Zealand single to spend the most weeks - 12 - at number one).
The following chart achievements were noted:
Singles
- Most no.1 singles: The Beatles have fourteen as a band, Justin Bieber with eleven and Katy Perry with nine no.1 singles respectively
- Most no.1 singles (NZ): Deep Obsession, 3 no. 1 singles
- Most chart entries: Madonna, 53 entries
- Most chart entries (NZ): Shihad, 25 entries
- Most weeks in chart: New Order "Blue Monday", 74 weeks
- Most weeks in chart (NZ): Tiki Taane "Always On My Mind", 55 weeks
Albums
- Most No.1 albums: U2, 13 no.1 albums
- Most No.1 albums (NZ): Local Act: Hayley Westenra, and Shihad, five no.1 albums each
- Most chart entries: Elton John, 35 entries
- Most chart entries (NZ): Split Enz, 14 entries
- Most weeks in chart: Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon, 297 weeks
- Most weeks in chart (NZ): Fat Freddy's Drop Based on a True Story, 108 weeks
- Most weeks at no.1: Adele 21, 28 weeks
- Most weeks at no.1 (NZ): Hayley Westenra Pure, 19 weeks
Certifications
Gold and Platinum certifications are awarded once a release hits the qualifying thresholds, which are based on chart-eligible retail sales and paid stream equivalent data.
From June 2016, the method of determining certifications was changed to a points-based system based on a combination of physical sales, digital sales and online streams. For singles, 175 streams is considered equal to one sale. For albums, the Stream Equivalent Album (SEA) system is used.
A single qualifies for gold certification if it exceeds 15,000 points and platinum certification if it exceeds 30,000 points. An album qualifies for gold certification if it exceeds 7500 points and platinum certification if it exceeds 15,000 points. wholesale sales to retailers. For music DVDs (formerly videos), a gold accreditation represents 2,500 copies shipped, with a platinum accreditation representing 5,000 units shipped.
| Format / product | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| Singles | 15,000 | 30,000 |
| Albums | 7,500 | 15,000 |
| Music DVDs | 2,500 | 5,000 |
Chart records
Artists with the most number-one hits
These totals include singles when the artist is 'featured'—that is, not the main artist.
‡ – The Beatles' 14 chart placings predate the Official New Zealand Music Chart which began in May 1975.
| Artist | Number-one singles | Longest run | Total weeks at number one |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beatles | 14 ‡ | "Hey Jude" (5 weeks) | 31 |
| Justin Bieber | 12 | "Despacito (Remix)" (13 weeks) | 62 |
| Katy Perry | 9 | "Roar" (11 weeks) | 30 |
| Taylor Swift | 8 | "Shake It Off", "Look What You Made Me Do", "Anti-Hero" (2 weeks each) | 11 |
| Michael Jackson | 8 | "Beat It", "Black or White" (5 weeks each) | 28 |
| U2 | 8 | "One Tree Hill" (6 weeks) | 23 |
| Rihanna | 8 | "We Found Love" (9 weeks) | 33 |
| Mariah Carey | 8 | "I'll Be There", "Endless Love" (5 weeks each) | 22 |
| Eminem | 8 | "Without Me" (7 weeks) | 30 |
| Akon | 7 | "Moonshine" (7 weeks) | 23 |
| Bee Gees | 7 | "Tragedy" (6 weeks) | 17 |
| Ariana Grande | 7 | "Thank U, Next" (6 weeks) | 20 |
| Post Malone | 7 | "Rockstar" (8 weeks) | 16 |
| Beyoncé | 6 | “Sweet Dreams, “Texas Hold 'Em” (3 weeks) | 13 |
| Chris Brown | 6 | "Forever" (8 weeks) | 26 |
| The Black Eyed Peas | 6 | "I Gotta Feeling" (9 weeks) | 20 |
| ABBA | 6 | "Fernando" (9 weeks) | 17 |
| Kanye West | 6 | "Knock You Down" (6 weeks) | 16 |
New Zealand artists with the most number-one hits
These totals includes singles when the artist is 'featured'—that is, not the main artist.
† – includes duet or collaboration by two New Zealand artists.
‡ – includes songs whose chart placings predate the Official New Zealand Music Chart which began in May 1975.
| Artist | Number-one singles | Longest run | Total weeks at number one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scribe | 4 | "Stand Up"/"Not Many" (12 weeks) † | 20 |
| Lorde | 4 | "Royals" (3 weeks) | 6 |
| John Rowles | 3 ‡ | "Tania" (4 weeks) | 6 |
| Mr. Lee Grant | 3 ‡ | "Thanks To You" (3 weeks) | 6 |
| Deep Obsession | 3 | "Lost in Love", "One & Only" (2 weeks each) | 5 |
| Savage | 3 | "Moonshine" (7 weeks) | 17 |
| Jon Stevens | 2 | "Jezebel" (5 weeks) | 7 |
| Mark Williams | 2 | "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" (4 weeks) | 7 |
| Stan Walker | 2 | "Black Box" (6 weeks) † | 7 |
| P-Money | 2 | "Stop the Music", "Everything" (3 weeks each) † | 6 |
| 3 The Hard Way | 2 | "Hip Hop Holiday" (3 weeks) | 4 |
| Avalanche City | 2 | "Love Love Love" (3 weeks) | 4 |
| L.A.B. | 2 | "In the Air" (3 weeks) | 4 |
| Ginny Blackmore | 2 | "Bones", "Holding You" (1 week each) † | 2 |
| Tex Pistol | 2 | "Game of Love", "Nobody Else" (1 week each) | 2 |
Singles with most weeks at number one
Key
† – Song of New Zealand origin
Songs denoted with an asterisk (*) spent non-consecutive weeks at number one
List of certified albums
The following is a list of albums that have been certified by the Recorded Music NZ for ten platinum or more
Ten times
Eleven times
Twelve times
Thirteen times
Fourteen times
Fifteen times
Sixteen times
- Gold: Greatest Hits
- The Dark Side of the Moon
Seventeen times
Twenty times
Twenty one times
Twenty four times
See also
- List of number-one singles in New Zealand by New Zealand artists
- List of number-one albums in New Zealand by New Zealand artists
- List of best-selling albums in New Zealand
Bibliography
- Scapolo, Dean (2007). "Introduction". The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966 – 2006. Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1-877443-00-8.