The AC/DC `Black Ice` album became the third biggest selling album in Australia last week, after stores broke an embargo and put it on sale early.
Although officially released on Saturday October 18, ‘Black Ice’ could be easily bought on Friday October 17.The Australian chart is calculated from Saturday to Friday, so the Friday sales last week counted towards this weeks chart ... or did they?
The title clocked up sales of 7265 units making it the third biggest selling album of the week behind Kings of Leon ‘Only By The Night’ and the compilation album ‘So Fresh - The Hits of Spring 2008’.
Kings of Leon sold 26593 units (including downloads) making it an easy winner over ‘So Fresh’ with 10,239 units (which as a compilation only had physical sales).
Strangely, ARIA has chosen not to list ‘Black Ice’ in the overall chart despite awarding Kings of Leon a chart position for ‘Only By The Night’ just a month back when the same thing happened and stores broke the embargo and put it on sale early.
When 4751 units of Kings of Leon ‘Only By The Night’ sold early, the title was listed as the number three album of the week, behind ‘Breakout’ Miley Cyrus and Metallica ‘Death Magnetic’ or at number 5 if compilations were counted. AC/DC has missed out on that same courtesy.
Unlike in the USA, in Australia, compilation albums are eliminated from the removed from the album chart as they often overshadow.
Although robbed of a chart position this week, despite qualifying as the bona-fide number three album (or two album after removing compilations), AC/DC should easily top next weeks chart.
The album is available with four different coloured album covers as well as a package with a T-Shirt.
