The highest-placed debut this week belongs to homegrown band Rancid Eddie, whose controversial song “Dry” (Independent) starts at No. 17. “Dry” has been a hot talking point in Australia’s music press throughout the week, with some artists and observers slamming its lyrical content as harmful and misogynistic. The band responded with a statement in which its members admitted to exploring “the dark sides of relationships in our lyrics” though “oppose hatred or violence of any kind against women.”
Over on the ARIA Albums Chart, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy (Universal) returns to No. 1 for a third non-consecutive week at the top, equaling Scorpion (July 2018) as the Canadian rapper’s longest stint at the penthouse.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (Universal) returns to the chart at No. 5 following its release on vinyl. It’s the week’s best-selling title on wax, ARIA reports.
Perth psychedelic rock act Pond bag their first appearance in the Top 10 as 9 (Spinning Top Music/Inertia) — their aptly-titled ninth album — debuts at No. 6, a new career high.
Melbourne indie synth act Client Liaison also snag a first Top 10, as Divine Intervention (Warner), their second album, opens at No. 7. The duo’s debut album, 2015’s Diplomatic Immunity, peaked at No. 15.
Finally, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga just miss out on a Top 10 berth with Love For Sale (Interscope/Universal), their second collaborative effort. The new studio set, a collection of Cole Porter covers, bows at No. 11. Bennett and Gaga’s first duets album, Cheek To Cheek, reached No. 7 on the chart following its release in September 2014.
