Six60 reign supreme in 2018 Official NZ Music Charts

They dominated the 2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards, they dominated the airwaves and the ticket sales business… so it won’t come as a surprise that Six60 also dominated on the Official NZ Music Charts this year.

While international megastars Ed Sheeran and Drake secure the top spots on the main 2018 Albums and Singles Charts released today by Recorded Music NZ with Divide and God’s Plan respectively, it is the local five-piece who rule the local lists.

Continuing their reign of supremacy with Kiwi music lovers, Six60 secure the top two spots on the New Zealand Albums list with their Six60 EP and Six60 (2) album and the top three spots on the New Zealand Singles countdown with Vibes, Don’t Give It Up and Closer.

Through the entirety of 2018 there has not been a single week where either the Top40 Albums or Top40 singles have been without a Six60 track, says Chart Compiler Paul Kennedy.

“In the streaming age when local releases really have to compete on equal terms with the biggest global stars in order to get noticed, it is great to see a New Zealand act more than holding its own on the end-of-year charts.

“Six60 are a phenomenon, but they are not alone. It’s really encouraging to see five New Zealand tracks in the 2018 top 50 with big hits from DRAX Project and Sons of Zion joining the three Six60 tunes.”

Ed Sheeran’s Divide was the biggest album of the year for the second year in a row. The Englishman simply continued the dominance he began last year, the 11 times platinum album beginning 2018 at #1 and, despite big competition, not dropping outside the Top 10 all year.

Drake was just about as dominant on the Singles front with four songs in the end of year top 50, including the biggest of the lot, the nine-week #1 smash God’s Plan. The track was streamed more than 10 million times and stayed 30 weeks in the Top40.

Recorded Music NZ CEO Damian Vaughan says the calibre of musicians in Aotearoa continues to impress year on year, and it comes as no surprise that Six60 has had chart success alongside top international counterparts.

“As a nation we punch above our weight in terms of producing some of the best music in the world. It’s been a massive year for Six60 alongside other homegrown artists such as Drax Project and Sons of Zion,” says Vaughan.

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