Hard work does pay off: Mel Parsons has landed her first-ever Top 40 No. 1 album in Aotearoa new Zealand.
In one of the best chart stories of the year so far, the Ōhinehou Lyttelton singer-songwriter takes the top spot on the Top 40 Albums Chart with her stunning new album Castle Hill.
In doing so, Parsons becomes just the second Aotearoa act to land a Top 40 No. 1 this year, following Six60 in February with Right Here Right Now.
Castle Hill also leads the Top 20 Aotearoa Albums Chart, who has previously peaked on the chart at No. 2 with Sabotage (2024) and Slow Burn (2022). Other new entries on the Aotearoa Albums Chart include Hine (No. 4), Mountain Boy (No. 7), and Sheep, Dog & Wolf (No. 9).
Fat Papi and prodshushy‘s reign atop the Top 20 Aotearoa Singles Chart is over as Hori Shaw and Te Wehi return to peak position with “Ready to Ride” after a three-week break.
Ella Langley holds at No. 1 on the Top 40 Singles Chart with “Choosin’ Texas”, which was covered by, um, Matthew McConaughey on Fallon this week.
Love Music?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in Australian/New Zealand music and globally.
Olivia Dean, who’ll play the grand opening of the redeveloped Western Springs Bowl in October, claims three of the remaining top five positions.
Over on the Top 10 Te Reo Māori Singles Chart, TAWAZ and friends continue their No. 1 run with “Mānawa Maiea Matariki”.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ started covering the Official Aotearoa Music Charts at the right time, with local acts increasingly scoring big results across the board.
Romi Wrights, HINA, SEEK HELP! and more great Kiwi acts shook up the charts last week, while the 4EPs release, featuring four of Ōtepoti Dunedin’s best young bands, recently showed that a grassroots campaign can still support independent music.
And now Parsons has been rewarded for years and years of hard work and consistently beautiful music with a landmark career moment.
“I spent a lot of years grinding and getting turned down for everything until I was more established,” Parsons told us in an interview about her new album. “It’s almost like if you prove you can muscle through and show that you’re serious and all in, they’re more likely to get behind and invest in you… I’ve been independent my whole career and have built a pretty good system that is quite direct with my fanbase… Pre-order campaigns ahead of records etc.”
Check out a snapshot of the main charts below. Check out this week’s full Aotearoa charts results here.
Official Top 40 Albums | Kōpae Tiketike 40 Ōkawa
- Mel Parsons – Castle Hill
- Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
- Ariana Grande – Petal
- Olivia Rodrigo – You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love
- Sienna Spiro – Visitor
Official Top 20 Aotearoa Albums | Kōpae Tiketike 20 Ōkawa o Aotearoa
- Mel Parsons – Castle Hill
- Te Wehi – I’m Home
- Six60 – Right Here Right Now
- Hine – Ka Mua Ka Muri EP
- Gamble, Killip & Eccles – Street Corners #1
Official Top 40 Singles | Tukutahi Tiketike 40 Ōkawa
- Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
- Olivia Dean – “Man I Need”
- Sam Fender and Olivia Dean – “Rein Me In”
- Olivia Dean – “So Easy (To Fall in Love)”
- Malcolm Todd “Earrings”
Official Top 20 Aotearoa Singles | Tukutahi Tiketike 20 Ōkawa o Aotearoa
- Hori Shaw and Te Wehi – “Ready to Ride”
- Fat Papi and prodshushy – “Freaked Out”
- Son & Water – “SAW”
- Te Wehi and Hori Shaw – “Catch a Wave”
- Son & Water (ft. Myshaan) – “Home”
Top 10 Te Reo Māori Singles | Tukutahi Tiketike 10 Te Reo Māori
- TAWAZ, Stan Walker and Hone (ft. HERA, Hops, Neps and Rani) – “Mānawa Maiea Matariki”
- Te Matatini and Te Kuru Marutea – “Kei Wareware I A Tātou”
- Brutha Rodz – “Manawa Raiona”
- L.A.B, Corrella and Brannigan Kaa – “Maumahara Noa Ahau”
- TAWAZ (ft. HERA, Hone and Hops) – “Karanga, Karanga”
