Australian Singers With Most Number-One Hits: Who's On Top?

which australian singer has had the most number one hits

Australia has produced some of the world's most popular and successful musicians, with many Australian artists achieving multiple number-one hits. From classic bands like the Bee Gees and INXS to solo artists like Delta Goodrem and Darren Hayes, the Australian music industry has left an indelible mark on the global music scene. While it's challenging to definitively state which Australian singer has had the most number-one hits, as commercial success is just one measure of an artist's impact, exploring the charts and sales figures provides an interesting perspective on Australian music's rich history and diverse talent.

Characteristics Values
Australian singer with the most number-one hits Delta Goodrem
First Australian act to score a Number 1 single Melbourne folk group The Seekers
First Australian artist to have five #1 singles on the Australian charts from a debut album Delta Goodrem
Artist with the most number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 The Bee Gees
Australian singer with two Number 1 singles in 1996 Peter Andre
Australian singer with two U.S Billboard number-one singles Darren Hayes

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Melbourne folk group The Seekers scored the first Australian number one single in 1965

The Seekers, a Melbourne folk group, were the first Australian group to reach number one in the UK and Australia with their single "I'll Never Find Another You" in February 1965. The song was written by Tom Springfield and became a huge success, selling 93,000 copies a day in the UK alone. It was the seventh biggest-selling single in Britain for 1965.

The Seekers consisted of Judith Durham on vocals, piano, and tambourine; Athol Guy on double bass and vocals; Keith Potger on twelve-string guitar, banjo, and vocals; and Bruce Woodley on guitar, mandolin, banjo, and vocals. The group formed in 1962 and gained a strong following in Melbourne, performing folk-influenced pop music. Their distinctive sound, described as "too pop to be considered strictly folk and too folk to be rock", helped them achieve major chart and sales success in the UK and the US.

In addition to "I'll Never Find Another You", The Seekers had several other Top 10 hits, including "A World of Our Own", "Morningtown Ride", "Someday, One Day", "Georgy Girl", and "The Carnival Is Over". "Georgy Girl" was their greatest hit, making them the first Australian group to reach number one in the USA.

The Seekers also starred in several Australian TV spectaculars, including 'The Seekers Down Under', which scored the biggest TV audience ever in Australia with a 67 rating. In 1967, they performed at Expo '67' in Montreal, becoming the first-ever satellite television broadcast to Australia. They were named 'Australians of the Year 1967' and left a lasting legacy in the Australian music industry.

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Olivia Newton-John scored three number one singles in the late 70s and early 80s

Olivia Newton-John, the British-Australian singer and actress, had a prolific music career. She scored fifteen top-ten singles, including five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and two number-one albums on the Billboard 200. Newton-John's career spanned several decades, with her first single released in 1966 and her final recordings made before her passing in 2022.

In the late 1970s, Newton-John's music career reached new heights with the release of "Let Me Be There" in 1973. The song reached the American top 10 on the Pop, Country, and AC charts, and earned her a Grammy for Best Country Female and an Academy of Country Music award for Most Promising Female Vocalist. Her success continued with "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" in 1974, which topped the music charts in Australia, Canada, and the United States. In 1975, "Have You Never Been Mellow" also became a number-one hit.

The late '70s also saw Newton-John transition into acting, starring in the 1978 musical film Grease. The film's soundtrack spawned two major hit duets with co-star John Travolta: "You're the One That I Want" and "Summer Nights", which topped the music charts worldwide. "Hopelessly Devoted to You" was another hit single from the film that reached the top ten globally.

In the early 1980s, Newton-John continued her pop success with the title track from the film Xanadu, which became a number-one single internationally. The album also included the song "Magic", which topped the charts internationally as well. Her 1981 single "Physical" became Billboard's highest-ranking Hot 100 single of the 1980s, staying at the number-one spot for 10 weeks in 1982.

Throughout her career, Newton-John sold over 100 million records, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the highest-selling female Australian recording artist.

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Peter Andre scored three UK number one singles, two in 1996 and one in 2004

Peter Andre is a British-Australian singer, songwriter, and media personality. He was born in London to Greek Cypriot parents and raised in Australia. Andre entered the Australian talent show New Faces in 1989 and was offered a recording contract, releasing his first single, "Drive Me Crazy", in Australia in 1992. The song peaked at No. 72 on the Australian singles chart but reached No. 1 in most of Africa.

In 1996, Andre scored two UK number-one singles with the songs "Flava" and "I Feel You". He found renewed popularity after appearing on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2004. His 1995 hit "Mysterious Girl" reached No. 1 in the UK upon reissue in 2004. "Mysterious Girl" was originally released in 1996 and peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. However, it hit No. 1 in 2004, following Andre's increased public profile from his appearance on I'm a Celebrity.

In addition to his music career, Andre has also ventured into television. He has appeared on shows such as Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 and 2017 and starred in the Katie & Peter TV franchise from 2004 to 2009 with his then-wife, Katie Price. Andre has also been a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, where he met Price. In 2014, he became the face of supermarket Iceland's television commercials and starred in the ITV weekly series Give a Pet a Home.

Overall, Peter Andre has scored three UK number-one singles: "Flava" and "I Feel You" in 1996, and "Mysterious Girl" in 2004. He has had a successful music career and has continued to entertain audiences with his television appearances.

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Delta is the first artist with five number-one singles from a debut album

Delta Goodrem is the first artist with five number-one singles from a debut album. Goodrem is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress who rose to fame in 2002. She has since achieved multi-platinum status, with nine number-one singles, five number-one albums, and 17 top 10 hits. She has also been awarded 12 ARIA Awards, a Silver Logie Award, and three World Music Awards. Her success has not been limited to music, as she has also ventured into acting and television presenting.

Goodrem's debut album, titled "Innocent Eyes," was released in 2003 and spawned five number-one singles: "Born to Try," "Lost Without You," "Innocent Eyes," "Not Me, Not I," and "Predictable." The album itself was a commercial success, spending 29 non-consecutive weeks at number one and becoming the highest-selling album in Australia of 2003. It was certified 9x Platinum in Australia and has sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

Goodrem's achievement as the first artist with five number-one singles from a debut album is made even more impressive by the fact that she accomplished this in Australia, where the competition in the music industry is fierce. Australia has produced numerous talented musicians and bands that have achieved success both locally and internationally. Artists like the Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John, and Savage Garden have all made their mark on the music industry with multiple number-one hits.

One of the closest competitors to Goodrem's record is Savage Garden, the duo consisting of Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1997, included two international number-one singles: "Truly Madly Deeply" and "I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You." The album sold over 12 million copies worldwide and helped launch Savage Garden into international stardom. However, they fell just short of Goodrem's record with four number-one singles from their debut album.

Goodrem's success with her debut album solidified her place in the Australian music industry and paved the way for her to become one of the country's most successful artists. Her ability to connect with her audience through her music and her talent both as a singer and a songwriter have contributed to her enduring popularity. With her achievements, Goodrem has blazed a trail for other Australian artists to follow and has become an inspiration for aspiring musicians.

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Darren Hayes, the lead singer of Savage Garden, has had two US Billboard number one singles

Australian singer-songwriter Darren Hayes, the lead singer of Savage Garden, has had two US Billboard number-one singles: "Truly Madly Deeply" and "I Knew I Loved You".

Hayes was the singer of the pop duo Savage Garden from their formation in 1993 until their disbandment in 2001. Their debut album, also titled *Savage Garden*, entered the Australian charts at No. 1 in 1997 and peaked at No. 3 in the US Billboard 200. The album spawned the single "Truly Madly Deeply", which became the most-played song on US radio in 1998 and was the only one-sided single to spend a year in the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 1 in Australia and Canada. By the end of 1998, "Truly Madly Deeply" had been certified gold by the RIAA.

Savage Garden's second album, *Affirmation*, was released in 1999 and provided the hit "I Knew I Loved You", which peaked at No. 1 in Australia and Canada. "I Knew I Loved You" also reached No. 1 on the US Hot 100 and became the most-played single on US radio for the year. The song stayed on the Monitor/Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart for 124 weeks.

In addition to his success with Savage Garden, Hayes has released four solo albums since the duo disbanded in 2001. His first solo album, *Spin*, was released in 2002 and sold two million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Insatiable", charted at No. 2 in the UK and No. 3 in Australia. Hayes has also found success with his solo singles "Pop!ular", which reached No. 1 on the US Dance Charts, and "Darkness", which charted in the lower regions of the ARIA top 50 charts.

Throughout his career, Hayes has sold over 27 million albums globally and has achieved numerous awards and nominations. In 1997, Savage Garden received a record-breaking 10 ARIA Awards for their debut album, the highest number of awards ever received by an artist in one evening since the awards began 25 years prior. The duo also won Best Adult Contemporary Video and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Song of the Year for "I Knew I Loved You", and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards.

Frequently asked questions

The Bee Gees have had nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, making them the third most successful band in Billboard charts history.

Delta has achieved nine number-one singles, including her debut album which was the first ever to have five #1 singles on the Australian charts.

Olivia Newton-John scored three UK number-one singles in the late 70s and early 80s, two of which were with John Travolta from Grease.

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