Jimmy Barnes Sets New Record With 19 Chart Topping Albums

Jimmy Barnes has set a new record on this week’s ARIA Albums Chart, with “Soul Deep 30” beating Drake’s surprise release “HONESTLY, NEVERMIND” to the top spot.

That makes 19 chart-toppers – 14 as a solo artist and five with Cold Chisel – since the ARIA Charts came into existence in July 1983.

“Soul Deep 30” celebrates the 30th anniversary of Barnes’ runaway hit (his fifth solo project).

It debuted at No.1 in 1991 and stayed there for two weeks, and earned him Best Male Artist and Highest Selling Album at the 1992 ARIA Awards.

According to ARIA, the original “Soul Deep” counts for ten of Barnes’ 58 Platinum accreditations in Australia, excluding his work with Cold Chisel, who also reappear in the Australian Albums Chart at No.5 with “The Best Of Cold Chisel: All For You”.

In total he has 22 Top 10 ARIA debuts with 13 of them debuting at No.1.

“Soul Deep 30” also topped the Vinyl Albums Chart this week.

“I love singing all these classic songs and I’m grateful that they’re now being discovered by a big new audience,” Barnes said on the weekend.

“Thanks to everyone who’s supported this project; it’s always held a special place for me ever since we cut the original version for fun over our Christmas holidays more than 30 years ago.”

Barnes paid tribute to two late Mushroom executives, Michael Gudinski and Warren Costello, who worked on the album saying they both “always loved a No.1 record,” as well as Matt Gudinski, Dean McLachlan “and the rest of the Bloodlines team for all the heartfelt work they’ve put into this album and tour.”

Jimmy Barnes’ No.1 Albums:

“Bodyswerve” (1984)
“For The Working Class Man” (1985)
“Freight Train Heart” (1987)
“Barnestorming” (1988)
“Two Fires” (1990)
“Soul Deep” (1991)
“Hits” (1996)
“Double Happiness” (2005)
“The Rhythm And The Blues” (2009)
“30:30 Hindsight” (2014)
“Soul Searchin” (2016)
“My Criminal Record” (2019)
“Flesh And Blood” (2021)
“Soul Deep 30” (2022)

Cold Chisel No.1 Albums:

“Swingshift” (1981)
“Circus Animals” (1982)
“Twentieth Century” (1984)
“The Last Wave Of Summer” (1998)
“Blood Moon” (2019)

Factoring in No.1 albums before and after the 1983 arrival of the ARIA charts, other major achievements in the Australian charts are by the Beatles (14), U2 (11), John Farnham (ten, including three collaborations, mostly with Olivia Newton-John), Eminem (ten), Madonna and Bon Jovi (nine) and Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and Taylor Swift (eight each).

With seven each are Kylie Minogue, Metallica, the Rolling Stones, Powderfinger (with two Bernard Fanning solos), Elton John, Rod Stewart, Coldplay and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Midnight Oil, Hilltop Hoods, Michael Jackson, Crowded House (with a Neil Finn solo) and AC/DC at six each.

This week’s ARIA Charts was a double Aussie whammy, with the No.1 spot on the Singles Chart occupied by Australian Japanese act Joji’s “Glimpse Of Us”.

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said: “Any week we have two Australians at No.1 across the Singles and Albums Charts is a good week, but today’s result is particularly incredible.

“In such a hotly-contested field of releases and incredible global artists, I’m thrilled to see an Aussie legend like Barnesy and an emerging artist as exciting as Joji receive the top honours.

“It’s just another example of the breadth, depth and enormous potential of Australian music.

“From everyone at ARIA, a huge congratulations to both artists.”