Official New Zealand Music Chart

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-20 New Zealand artist singles and albums and top 10 compilation albums. All charts are compiled from data of both physical and digital sales from music retailers in New Zealand.^[1]

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;^[2] this took effect for the chart published 7 November 2014 and dated 10 November 2014.^[3] Previously airplay was factored into the chart methodology as well.^[4][5]

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.^[6][7]

From May 1975 to 2004, RIANZ also published an nationwide annual ranking chart of singles and albums released in New Zealand.^[7] 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.^[8] 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.^[9][10]

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.^[11]

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.^[12]

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).^[13]

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, 3x#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 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[]

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.^[14]

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.^[1]

Thresholds for Recorded Music NZ accreditations, by format

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	11	"Despacito (Remix)" (13 weeks)	61
Katy Perry	9	"Roar" (11 weeks)	30
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	7	"Without Me" (7 weeks)	29
Akon	7	"Moonshine" (7 weeks)	23
Bee Gees	7	"Tragedy" (6 weeks)	17
Beyoncé	6	“Sweet Dreams (3 weeks)	13
Ariana Grande	6	"Thank U, Next" (6 weeks)	18
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
Post Malone	6	"Rockstar" (8 weeks)	15

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
John Rowles	3 ‡	"Tania" (4 weeks)	6
Mr. Lee Grant	3 ‡	"Thanks To You" (3 weeks)	6
Lorde	3	"Royals" (3 weeks)	5
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^{[nb 1]}

Songs denoted with an asterisk (*) spent non-consecutive weeks at number one

Year	Artist	Song	Total weeks at number one
2014	Pharrell Williams	"Happy" *	15
1978	Boney M.	"Rivers of Babylon"	14
2016	Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla	"One Dance"	13
2017	Ed Sheeran	"Shape of You" *	13
2017	Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber	"Despacito (Remix)"	13
1975	Freddy Fender	"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" *	12
2003	Scribe	"Stand Up/Not Many" *	12
1992	Whitney Houston	"I Will Always Love You"	11
1993	UB40	"Can't Help Falling in Love" *	11
2005	Crazy Frog	"Axel F" *	11
2009	Smashproof featuring Gin Wigmore	"Brother"	11
2011	LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock	"Party Rock Anthem"	11
2013	Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell Williams & T.I.	"Blurred Lines" *	11
2013	Katy Perry	"Roar"	11
2021	The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber	"Stay" *	11
1973	Tony Orlando & Dawn	"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree"	10
1976	Pussycat	"Mississippi"	10
2008	Lady Gaga	"Poker Face"	10
2009/2010	Stan Walker	"Black Box"	10
2015/2016	Justin Bieber	"Love Yourself"	10
1976	ABBA	"Fernando" *	9
1976	Elton John and Kiki Dee	"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" *	9
1986	All of Us	"Sailing Away"	9
1995	Coolio featuring L.V.	"Gangsta's Paradise" *	9
2002	Avril Lavigne	"Complicated"	9
2009	The Black Eyed Peas	"I Gotta Feeling"	9
2011	Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris	"We Found Love"	9
2012/2013	Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz	"Thrift Shop"	9
2014/2015	Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars	"Uptown Funk"	9
2018	Drake	"God's Plan"	9
2019	Tones and I	"Dance Monkey" *	9

List of certified albums[]

The following is a list of albums that have been certified by the Recorded Music NZ.

This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by . (October 2021)

Gold[]

Platinum[]

Multi platinum[]

Two times[]

Three times[]

Four times[]

Five times[]

Six times[]

• 1989
• The Best of Van Morrison
• The Colour of My Love
• Doo-Wops & Hooligans
• Greatest Hits
• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
• Talk on Corners
• Ten
• Tuesday Night Music Club

Seven times[]

• Cross Road
• Drive
• The Immaculate Collection
• Nevermind
• Play
• Sing When You're Winning
• Spice

Eight times[]

• Californication
• Ricky Martin
• SOL3 MIO
• Their Greatest Hits: The Record
• x

Nine times[]

• 25
• Bad
• Based on a True Story
• The Best of 1980–1990
• The Ego Has Landed
• The Eminem Show
• Hotel California
• Let's Talk About Love
• Recurring Dream

Ten times[]

• Beautiful Collision
• Metallica

Eleven times[]

• Come Away with Me
• Greatest Hits
• I Dreamed a Dream

Twelve times[]

• Christmas
• Falling into You
• The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
• Pure
• Thriller

Thirteen times[]

• ÷
• 21
• Rumours

Fourteen times[]

• The Joshua Tree
• The Wall

Fifteen times[]

• 1

Sixteen times[]

• The Dark Side of the Moon
• Gold: Greatest Hits

Seventeen times[]

• Bat Out of Hell
• Born in the U.S.A.

Twenty times[]

• Legend

Twenty one times[]

• Come On Over

Twenty four times[]

• Brothers in Arms

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

References[]

Bibliography[]

• Scapolo, Dean (2007). "Introduction". The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966 – 2006. Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1-877443-00-8.

External links[]

• Official New Zealand Music Chart Website
• New Zealand Charts portal and archive