Fat Freddy's Drop top selling local album in 2005

Fat Freddy's Drop album Based On A True Story.

Wellington band Fat Freddy's Drop has been named the most successful local act on 2005 album charts, according to the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand.

Their album Based On A True Story was the second best selling album of the year, pipped at the post by British artist James Blunt's Back To Bedlam.

Based On A True Story spent six weeks at top of the chart, equalling Split Enz' Time And Tide which set the benchmark in 1982.

The only other local album by a band to spend longer on top is Crowded House's Recurring Dream which stayed at number one for eight weeks in 1996.

Hayley Westenra's Odyssey was the eighth most popular album for the 12 months. Westenra's Pure was the seventh highest selling album in 2004.

Savage was the only local act to make it into the Top 10 Singles Chart - with two entries, Moonshine, featuring US rapper Akon was the third highest selling single, and Swing was eighth.

This year 20 New Zealand artists featured in the top 100 chart albums for 2005, compared with 23 in 2004. There were 16 local artists in the top 100 singles chart in both years.

The top 20 selling albums for 2005
*indicates NZ artist

1. Back To Bedlam -- James Blunt, WEA/Warner
2. Based On A True Story -- Fat Freddy's Drop, TheDrop/Rhythmethod*
3. X&Y -- Coldplay, Capitol/EMI
4. In Between Dreams -- Jack Johnson, Universal
5. Monkey Business -- Black Eyed Peas, Universal
6. In Your Honor -- Foo Fighters, SBME
7. Curtain Call: The Hits -- Eminem, Universal
8. Odyssey -- Hayley Westenra, Universal*
9. Breakaway-- Kelly Clarkson, SBME
10. Crazy Hits -- Crazy Frog, WEA/Warner
11. Demon Days -- Gorillaz, Capitol/EMI
12. American Idiot -- Green Day, WEA/Warner
13. Songs About Jane -- Maroon 5, SBME
14. Love, Angel, Music, Baby -- Gwen Stefani, Universal
15. Trouble: Deluxe Edition -- Akon, Universal
16. Playground Battle -- the feelers, WEA/Warner*
17. The Massacre -- 50 Cent, Universal
18. Il Divo -- Il Divo, SBME
19. Ancora -- Il Divo, SBME
20. Birds -- Bic Runga, SBME*

The top 20 selling singles for 2005
*indicates NZ artist

1. Axel F -- Crazy Frog, WEA/Warner
2. Das Kleine Krokodil -- Schnappi, Universal
3. Moonshine -- Savage feat. Akon, DawnRaid/Universal*
4. Popcorn -- Crazy Frog, WEA/Warner
5. Don't Cha -- The Pussycat Dolls, Universal
6. Let Me Love You -- Mario, SBME
7. Don't Phunk With My Heart -- Black Eyed Peas, Universal
8. Switch -- Will Smith, Universal
9. Swing -- Savage, DawnRaid/Universal*
10. Jingle Bells -- Crazy Frog, WEA/Warner
11. Ghetto Gospel -- 2Pac feat. Elton John, Universal
12. Candy Shop -- 50 Cent feat. Olivia, Universal
13. Beautiful Soul -- Jesse McCartney, Hollywood/Warner
14. Pon De Replay -- Rihanna, Universal
15. Lonely -- Akon, Universal
16. Big City Life -- Mattafix, Capitol/EMI
17. 1, 2, Step -- Ciara feat. Missy Elliott, SBME
18. Feel Good Inc -- Gorillaz, Capitol/EMI
19. Hollaback Girl -- Gwen Stefani, Universal
20. Gold Digger -- Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx, Universal


- NZPA