The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June 1988. Prior to this, from mid-1983, ARIA had licensed the 'Kent Music Report' (which was later renamed as the 'Australian Music Report', until it stopped being published in 1999).,

The ARIA charts include:

• Weekly Top 100 highest selling singles
• Weekly Top 100 highest selling albums
• Weekly Top 100 highest selling digital tracks
• Weekly Top 100 highest selling digital albums
• Weekly Top 50 highest selling physical singles (ceased 4 April 2011 or ARIA report #1101)
• Weekly Top 50 highest selling physical albums
• Weekly Top 20 highest selling Australian singles
• Weekly Top 20 highest selling Australian albums
• Weekly Top 20 highest selling dance releases
• Weekly Top 20 highest selling country releases
• Weekly Top 20 highest selling compilation releases
• Weekly Top 50 highest selling catalogue albums
• Weekly Top 50 highest selling club releases
• Weekly Top 40 highest selling urban singles
• Weekly Top 40 highest selling urban albums
• Weekly Top 40 highest selling music DVDs
• Yearly Top 100 End of Year charts profiling the year in music
• End of Decade Top 100 charts profiling the decade in music ^[1]

The top 5 singles and albums are firstly published in News Limited newspapers each Sunday. All charts, in full, are then published on the ARIA Chart website each Sunday night at 6:30 pm AEST, in order for printed release the next day. Each chart is dated according to the Monday of the given week. The website and printed lists are shortened versions of the full chart, with only the top 50 singles and albums shown as well as only the top 40 digital tracks. The ARIA Report lists the charts listed above in full and is available via paid e-mail subscription each week (the report transitioned from paper to pdf starting 9 October 2000 or issue #554). These reports are uploaded to the Pandora Archive periodically.

Formulation of charts[link]

The ARIA charts are based on data collected from a number of traditional "bricks and mortar" retailers around Australia. Both the Top 40 Digital Track Chart and the Top 100 Singles Chart include data from online retailers including iTunes and BigPond music. Starting from 8 October 2006, due to low physical single sales at the time, the official ARIA singles chart included online data as well as physical sales. In 2006, it was announced that the Brazin retailing group, comprising major retailers HMV, Sanity and Virgin music/DVD stores would no longer contribute sales data to the ARIA charts.^[2][3] However, after a five month absence, Brazin reportedly re-commenced contributing sales figures to the ARIA Charts on 26 November 2006.^[4]

ARIA Awards[link]

There are numerous awards and events for Australian chart topping artist and groups that include:

The ARIA No.1 Chart Awards have been an event on the Australian music industry's calendar since 2002. The Awards were established in 2002 as a means of acknowledging Australian recording artists, and their record labels, who attained the coveted No.1 position on the ARIA album and singles chart

The ARIA Music Awards recognise excellence and innovation in all genres of Australian music. The very first ARIA Awards took place at Sydney's Sheraton Wentworth Hotel in front of 500 industry guests, on 2 March 1987. Nineteen years later, the ARIAs are held in front of 2,500 industry guests and 5,000 members of the general public. Up until 2008, the ARIA Awards were screened on Network Ten for many years. As of 2009, they air on the Nine Network, although the ratings of the 2009 ARIA Awards were well down on previous years.

"The ARIAs have always been, first and foremost, a showcase for local artists across a broad range of genres, produced by ARIA record company members. They are the highlight of the Australian music industry's calendar, covering a diverse range of talent over 28 categories". Denis Handlin, Chairman of ARIA.

The ARIA Hall of Fame has been an important part of the ARIA Awards since 1988. Traditionally taking place during the ARIA Awards ceremony, a diverse range of artists have been inducted into the Hall of Fame including Kylie Minogue, AC/DC, Dame Joan Sutherland, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny O'Keefe, Paul Kelly, John Farnham, INXS, Slim Dusty, Jimmy Little, Nick Cave, Midnight Oil and more.

In July 2005, ARIA staged the inaugural ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame event, which was introduced to honour the growing number of legendary performers, producers, songwriters and others who have had an impact on music culture in Australia. In the past, time constraints had prevented any more than one or two artists from being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame at each ARIA Awards, resulting in a lengthy waiting list of worthy recipients.

While ARIA intends to maintain a Hall of Fame segment within the ARIA Awards presentation, the ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame will become an annual stand-alone event that continues to honour those whose musical achievements have had A significant impact in Australia and around the world.

ARIA certifications[link]

A music single or album qualifies for a platinum certification if it exceeds 70,000 copies shipped to retailers and a gold certification for 35,000 copies shipped.

For music DVDs (formerly videos), a gold accreditation originally represented 7,500 copies shipped, with a platinum accreditation representing 15,000 units shipped.

Number-one singles[link]

Pre-2000:

• 1940s || 1950s || 1960s || 1970s || 1980s || 1990s

2000 to present:

• 2000 || 2001 || 2002 || 2003 || 2004 || 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008 || 2009 || 2010 || 2011 || 2012

Number-one albums[link]

Pre-2000:

• 1960s || 1970s || 1980s || 1990s

2000 to present:

• 2000 || 2001 || 2002 || 2003 || 2004 || 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008 || 2009 || 2010 || 2011 || 2012

See also[link]

• Music of Australia
• List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
• List of number one tracks on the Australian Club Chart

References[link]

External links[link]

• ARIA Charts home page
• ARIA Charts with archives from June 1988

Australian people
Australians

Donald Bradman · Hugh Jackman · Heath Ledger Kylie Minogue · Angus Young · Leigh Whannell · Nicole Kidman
Total population
23,400,000
Regions with significant populations
Australia 23,203,000
Greece 135,000+[1]  United Kingdom 96,900[2]  United States 89,210  Netherlands 78,927  New Zealand 62,700  China 51,900  Canada 42,000  Italy 30,000  Lebanon 25,000  Chile 23,305[citation needed]  El Salvador 18,000[citation needed]  Argentina 11,369  Uruguay 9,376  Brazil 7,491  Peru 6,322  Colombia 5,706

Australian people, or simply Australians, are the citizens of Australia. Australia is a multi-ethnic nation, and therefore the term "Australian" is not a racial identifier. Aside from the Indigenous Australian population, nearly all Australians or their ancestors immigrated within the past 230 years. Colloquial names used to refer to Australians include Aussies, and Antipodeans.^[3][4]

The mainstream Australian culture (occasionally defined as the Anglo-Celtic culture), is a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of Western European migrants beginning with the early settlers from England, Scotland, and Ireland. The populations of Sydney, Melbourne and the other major cities are different from the demographics of rural Australia as a result of the differing migration patterns.

Australian people can refer to:

• The citizens of Australia, as defined by Australian nationality law
• People whose ancestors lived in Australia

Indigenous Australians[link]

The earliest accepted timeline for the first arrivals of indigenous Australians to the continent of Australia places this human migration to at least 40,000 years ago most probably from the islands of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.^[5]

These first inhabitants of Australia were originally hunter-gatherer peoples, who over the course of many succeeding generations diversified widely throughout the continent and its nearby islands. Although their technical culture remained static—depending on wood, bone, and stone tools and weapons—their spiritual and social life was highly complex. Most spoke several languages, and confederacies sometimes linked widely scattered tribal groups. Aboriginal population density ranged from one person per square mile along the coasts to one person per 35 square miles (91 km²) in the arid interior. Food procurement was usually a matter for the nuclear family, requiring an estimated 3 days of work per week. There was little large game, and outside of some communities in the more fertile south-east, they had no agriculture.

Australia may have been sighted by Portuguese sailors in 1701, and Dutch navigators landed on the forbidding coast of modern Western Australia several times during the 17th century. Captain James Cook claimed the east coast for Great Britain in 1770, the west coast was later settled by Britain also. At that time, the indigenous population was estimated to have been between 315,000 and 750,000,^[6] divided into as many as 500 tribes^{[citation needed]} speaking many different languages. In the 2006 Census, 407,700 respondents declared they were Aboriginal, 29,512 declared they were Torres Strait Islander, and a further 17,811 declared they were both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.^[7] After adjustments for undercount, the indigenous population as of end June 2006 was estimated to be 517,200, representing about 2.5% of the population.^[6]

Since the end of World War II, efforts have been made both by the government and by the public to be more responsive to Aboriginal rights and needs. Today, many tribal Aborigines lead a settled traditional life in remote areas of northern, central, and western Australia. In the south, where most Aborigines are of mixed descent, most live in the cities.

Australian diaspora[link]

There is an estimated 1 million Australians (approximately 5% of the population) residing outside Australia. Hundreds of thousands of young Australians traditionally spend time living in Europe, but most return to Australia. The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement facilitates open migration to and from New Zealand. Key factors affecting the Australian Diaspora are rise of a global labour market, more accessible and economical international transport, and increasingly sophisticated communication technologies along with a growing interest in broader global community.

Population[link]

The current Australian population is estimated at 23,203,000 (26 June 2012).^[8] This does not include an estimated 1 million Australians living overseas (see above), but it includes the estimated 24% of Australians born overseas (in various nations, but predominantly the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, China, Vietnam, India, the Philippines, and Greece).^[9]

Historical[link]

The data in the table is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics^[10][11] Note that population estimates in the table below do not include the Aboriginal population before 1961. Estimates of Aboriginal population prior to European settlement range from 300,000 to one million, with archaeological finds indicating a sustainable population of around 750,000.^[12]

Ancestry[link]

For generations, the vast majority of both colonial-era settlers and post-Federation immigrants came from the United Kingdom and Ireland, although the gold rushes also drew migrants from other countries. Since the end of World War II, Australia's population more than doubled, spurred by large-scale European immigration during the immediate post-war decades. At this time, the White Australia Policy discouraged non-European immigration.

Abolition of the White Australia Policy in the mid-1970s led to a significant increase in non-European immigration, mostly from Asia and the Middle East. About 90% of Australia's population is of European descent. Over 8% of the population is of Asian descent (predominantly Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino and Indian).^[13] The total indigenous population is estimated to be about 520,000 individuals, including people of mixed descent.^[6] The population of Queensland also includes descendants of South Sea Islanders brought over for indentured servitude in the 19th century.

In the 2006 Australian Census residents were asked to describe their ancestry, in which up to two could be nominated. Proportionate to the Australian resident population, the most commonly nominated ancestries were:^[13]

At the 2006 Census 455,026 people (or 2.3% of the total Australian population) reported they were of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin.^[7]

Languages[link]

English, a West Germanic language, is the de facto national language of Australia and is spoken by the majority of the population, regardless of other languages spoken. Most Australians speak Australian English, however Australian Aboriginal English and Torres Strait English, along with various creoles and pidgins, are spoken by some Indigenous Australians. Australia is home to a great number of unique but endangered Indigenous Australian languages, as well as Australian Aboriginal sign languages. Australia's hearing-impaired community primarily uses Auslan, a member of the BANZSL language family.

The diverse backgrounds of Australians lead to a great number of community languages being spoken:

Religion[link]

Australians have various religions and spiritual beliefs. The Australian Bureau of Statistics gathers information on religious belief in the national census.^[14] As in many Western countries, the level of active participation in church worship is lower than would be indicated by the proportion of the population identifying themselves as Christian; weekly attendance at church services is about 1.5 million, or about 7.5% of the population.^[15]

Nationality[link]

Australians share Australian nationality, which is governed by Australian nationality law. Since there is no national identification card, commonly accepted proofs of Australian citizenship are the Australian passport, an Australian birth certificate (prior to 1986, when jus soli was abolished), or an Australian citizenship certificate. Australia permits dual citizenship with no restriction, but a more restricted qualification is imposed on people wishing to enter Parliament (see Sue v Hill).

References[link]

See also[link]

v t e Australia History Timeline Prehistory Archaeology Exploration 1606–1787 1788–1850 1851–1900 1901–1945 Since 1945 Constitutional Diplomatic Economic Federation Immigration Indigenous Military Monarchy Railway Geography States and Territories Capitals Cities Cities by population Climate Continent Deserts Environment Flora Fauna Forests Geology Islands Mountains Regions Protected Areas Rivers Governance Government Constitution Monarchy Australian governments Parliament Foreign relations Military Law Law Enforcement Courts Electoral system Public Service Intelligence and Security Federal Budget National debt Politics Political parties Elections Political donations Economy Agriculture Companies Energy Home ownership Homelessness Manufacturing Media Mining Poverty Taxation Telecommunications Tourism Transportation Australian dollar Reserve Bank Stock Exchange Household income Gross state product Welfare system Superannuation Society Crime Demographics Education Health care Human rights Immigration LGBT rights Culture Australians Architecture Arts Australian English Cinema Cuisine Wine Dance Indigenous Literature Music Public holidays Religion Sport Television Theatre Art Symbols Coat of arms Flags Honours States and Territories Other Australian of the Year Award Environmental issues Overviews Index Outline Book Category Portal WikiProject

v t e Ethnic groups in Australia Australia Australian · Anglo-Celtic · Australian Aboriginal · Torres Strait Islander · White Europe Northern Danish · Norwegian · Swedish Western English · Anglo-Celtic (Cornish · Scottish · Welsh) · Belgian · Dutch · French · Irish · Manx Central Austrian · Czech · German · Hungarian · Polish · Swiss Southern Gibraltarian · Greek · Italian · Maltese · Portuguese · Spanish Balkan Albanian · Bosnian · Bulgarian · Croatian · Kosovan · Macedonian · Montenegrin · Romanian · Serbian · Slovene Eastern Russian · Ukrainian Asia East Chinese (Hong Kong) · Japanese · Korean · Taiwanese South Afghan (Pashtun) · Bangladeshi · Indian (Malayali · Tamil) · Nepali · Pakistani (Pashtun) · Sri Lankan (Sinhalese · Tamil) Southeast Cambodian · Filipino · Indonesian · Laotian · Malaysian · Singaporean · Thai · Vietnamese West Arab · Armenian · Assyrian · Iranian · Iraqi · Israeli · Jewish · Jordanian · Lebanese · Palestinian · Saudi · Turkish Americas North American · Canadian Caribbean Jamaican · Trinidadian and Tobagonian Latin Argentine · Brazilian · Chilean · Colombian · Ecuadorian · Peruvian · Salvadoran · Uruguayan Africa Egyptian · Ethiopian · Somali · South African · Sudanese · Ugandan · Zimbabwean Oceania Fijian · Maori · New Zealander · Samoan (according to 2006 Australian census data: 20680 - Ancestry by Country of Birth of Parents)

A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40.

There are lots of different criteria used in different charts used to reflect popularity, commonly: sales of records, cassettes and compact discs; the amount of radio airplay; and (recently) the number of downloads.

Some charts are specific to a particular musical genre and most to a particular geographical location (although download charts are not easily pinned down in this way). The most common period of time covered by a chart is one week with the chart being printed or broadcast at the end of this time. Summary charts for years and decades are then calculated from their component weekly charts. Component charts have become an increasingly important way to measure the commercial success of individual songs.

Chart hit[link]

A chart hit is an extremely popular recording, identified by its inclusion in a chart that uses sales or other criteria to rank popular releases. Chart-topper and related terms (like No. 1 hit, top of the charts, chart hit, and so forth) are widely used in common conversation and in marketing, and are loosely defined. In North America, the weekly charts from Billboard magazine are most often referenced (quite often internationally, as well), particularly the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and Billboard 200 album chart, although there are many other charts and sources. Because of its value in promoting recording artists and releases, both directly to the consumer, and by encouraging exposure on radio, TV other media, chart positioning has long been a subject of scrutiny and controversy. Chart compilation methodology and data sources vary, ranging from buzz charts based on opinions of various experts and tastemakers, to charts that reflect empirical data such as retail sales. Therefore, a chart-topper may be anything from an "insiders' pick" to a runaway seller.

Other terminology[link]

There are several other commonly-used terms when referring to a music/entertainment chart or the performance of a release thereon.

The term new entry is commonly used to denote a title which is making its debut appearance in that chart. This is applied to all charts, for instance a track which is outside the Top 40 but which later climbs into that level of the chart is considered to be a 'new entry' to the Top Forty that week. In most official charts, tracks have to have been on sale for a period of time in order to enter the charts; however, in some retailers' charts, new releases are included in charts as 'new entries' without a sales history in order to make them more visible to purchasers. A real new entry is a title that makes its first debut on the chart no matter how many positions officially the chart actually is. In the UK the official published chart is a Top 100 although a new entry can take place between positions 101-200. The Top 40 is only used for radio to shorten the playlists.

The term re-entry is used if a track which has previously entered a chart falls out of that chart and then later re-appears in it. This may come about if a release is reissued or if there is a surge of interest in the track. Generally any repeat entry of a track into a chart is considered a re-entry, unless the later version of the track is a materially different recording or significantly repackaged (such as Michael Jackson's "Thriller 25"), where the release would normally be considered separate and thus a "new" entry.

The term climber is used to refer to a release which is going higher in the chart week-on-week. Because chart positions are generally relative to each other on a week-to-week basis, a release does not necessarily have to increase sales week-to-week to be a climber, as if releases ahead of it decline in sales sufficiently they may slip below it. By the same metric, not all week-to-week sales increases result in a climber, if other releases improve by a sufficient amount to keep it from climbing. The term highest climber is used to denote the release making the biggest leap upwards in the chart that week. There is generally not an equivalent phrase for tracks going down the chart; the term "faller" is occasionally used, but not as widely as 'climber'.

The terms top 10, top 20 and so forth are used to determine the relative success of a release. For instance, a track may be referred to as a 'top 10 hit' if it reaches a position between 1 and 10 on the singles chart, as a 'top 20 hit' if it reaches between positions 1 and 20, and so on. The most commonly known chart is the 'top 40' widely used by the media in various territories, though it is common for longer lists to be produced for or by the music industry. For example, in the UK, the Official Charts Company produces a top 200, although various media only publish shorter lists.

The term flop is a title that never reaches an official chart position. A relative flop is a term given to a title by an act that usually has big hits then only a minor hit in between.

The term one-hit wonder is for an act that appears on the chart just once, although the term true one-hit wonder was the term given by Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums and also the Billboard book Top Pop Singles) is an act that has one number one hit and nothing else on the chart ever. If an act appears in some other form, (for example) a solo act that appears with a band or with other acts then these are taken separately.

See also[link]

• List of record charts

External links[link]

• Top 20 Chart
• Global Reggae Charts
• All Music Hits
• Current and Chart Archives from around the world
• Charts all over the world
• Choice Hits Top 50
• Wall brawl hourly chart
• The Best Selling Albums Ever... Worldwide

Stan Walker
Background information
Born	(1990-10-23) 23 October 1990 (age 21) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Origin	Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, New Zealand
Genres	Pop, R&B
Occupations	Singer, actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Sony Music Australia
Associated acts	Jessica Mauboy
Website	stanwalker.com.au

Stan Walker (born 23 October 1990 in Melbourne, Victoria), is a Māori Australian recording artist and actor. In 2009, Walker was the winner of the seventh and last season of Australian Idol. He subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia.

In December 2009, Walker released his debut studio album, Introducing Stan Walker, which included the hit single, "Black Box". The album debuted at number three on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). It also appeared on the New Zealand Albums Chart at number two and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). In 2010, Walker released his second studio album, From the Inside Out, which spawned the hit singles, "Unbroken" and "Choose You". The album debuted at number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart and number two on the ARIA Albums Chart. In November 2011, Walker released his third studio album, Let the Music Play, which debuted at number 18 on the ARIA Albums Chart and number 12 in New Zealand, and spawned the hit single "Loud".

During his career, Walker has won five New Zealand Music Awards and has received four ARIA Music Award nominations. He will make his acting debut in the upcoming New Zealand film, Mt Zion, due to be screened in 2012.

Life and career[link]

1990–2009: Early life[link]

Stan Walker was born on 23 October 1990 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia^[1] to parents Ross and April Walker.^[2] He is of Māori descent and is from the Tuhoe and Ngati Ranginui tribes in New Zealand.^[3] Walker grew up on a marae in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand.^[4] In New Zealand, he attended Fairfield Intermediate and Hamilton Boys' High School.^[5] Walker has compared his early life to that portrayed in the 1994 New Zealand film, Once Were Warriors, which tells the story of an urban Māori family and their problems with poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence.^[6] His father was repeatedly jailed for beating his wife, April, and five children, including Walker.^[2] This led to Walker smoking marijuana and thieving.^[4] Walker was also sexually abused by a relative over a nine-month period.^[2] His parents were drug dealers and both have spent time in jail for drug offences.^[2]

At the age of 15, Walker started going to church, after hearing a testimony of a girl who had a similar family background to his.^[6] Walker says his passion for music and church made him a "good boy" again.^[4] After several violent episodes, Walker and his family moved back to Australia in Coolangatta, Queensland.^[2][6] In 2009, Walker lost a daughter when his then-girlfriend suffered a miscarriage.^[3] He had planned to call his baby, Ataahua, which is Māori for "beautiful", and wears her name as a tattoo on his neck.^[3] Before Walker had entered Australian Idol, he was a shop assistant at a menswear shop in Coolangatta.^[7]

[edit] 2009: Australian Idol and Introducing... Stan Walker

In 2009, Walker auditioned for the seventh season of Australian Idol, singing John Legend's "Ordinary People" at his Brisbane audition.^[1] He received praise from the judges and progressed through to the theatre rounds receiving more recognition from the judges, with Kyle Sandilands saying, "You're the only person after the auditions that I ever told anyone about; family, friends other people that I run into. I only told them about you."^[8] After all three theatre rounds were over, it was announced that Walker had made it into the top twenty four semi-finals. Walker was a part of the first group to perform in the semi-finals. The following evening, it was announced that the first two contestants to be put through to the final top twelve according to viewer votes, were Walker and fellow contestant Kate Cook.^[9]

Throughout the season, Walker was praised continually for his voice and for the daring choices he took with his song choices.^[10] One of his most highly praised performances on the show was of the Prince song, "Purple Rain", which received a standing ovation from the judging panel and the audience.^{[citation needed]} The grand final was held on 22 November 2009 at the Sydney Opera House. After the viewer votes had been tallied, it was announced that the winner was Walker.^[11] He is the first person of New Zealand descent to win Australian Idol.^[6] After coming out of Australian Idol as the winner, Walker signed to Sony Music Australia and received an artist's development fund worth $200,000.^[12] During this time, he established his own company called, Stan Walker Music Pty Ltd, which is run by his mother, April.^[13] The company was set up in order to negotiate his contract with Sony Music and not end up like past Australian Idol contestant Damien Leith, who claimed he did not make any money from his Winners Journey release.^[13]

Walker's debut single, "Black Box", was released digitally following his win on Australian Idol on 22 November.^[14] The song peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified double platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for selling 140,000 copies.^[15][16] It also peaked at number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), for selling 30,000 copies.^[17][18] Walker's debut studio album, Introducing... Stan Walker, was released on 8 December 2009, three days ahead of its original release date.^[19] The album featured the selected songs Walker had performed as part of the top twelve on Australian Idol, as well the two original songs, "Black Box" and "Think of Me", which was produced by the first Australian Idol winner, Guy Sebastian.^[20] Introducing... Stan Walker debuted at number three on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the ARIA.^[15][21] It also made its debut on the New Zealand Albums Chart at number two and was certified triple platinum by the RIANZ, for selling 45,000 copies.^[17][22]

[edit] 2010–present: From the Inside Out, Let the Music Play and acting debut

In April 2010, Walker flew to Haiti to help Compassion Australia's relief effort of the 2010 Haiti earthquake as an ambassador.^[23] Walker's second studio album, From the Inside Out, was released on 20 August 2010.^[24] The album debuted at number two on the ARIA Albums Chart.^[15] In New Zealand, it debuted at number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart, and became Walker's first number-one album in the country.^[17] Eventually, From the Inside Out was certified platinum by the RIANZ.^[22] "Unbroken" was released as the album's lead single on 12 April 2010.^[25] On the New Zealand Singles Chart, the song peaked at number nine and was certified gold.^[17][18] In Australia, "Unbroken" peaked at number 23 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified gold.^[15][16] In June 2010, Walker featured on New Zealand rapper Young Sid's single, "Stuck in a Box". The album's second single, "Choose You", was released on 20 July 2010.^[26] The song peaked at number three on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was certified platinum.^[17][18] It also appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 16 and was certified platinum.^[15][27] "Homesick", featuring rapper Kayo, was released as the album's third and final single on 29 October.^[28] It peaked at number 21 on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was certified gold.^[17][18] This single did not chart in Australia.^[15]

Walker and Jessica Mauboy performing together during the Galaxy Tour in January 2012.

In November 2010, Walker served as a support act for the Summerbeatz tour in Australia, touring alongside Flo Rida, Jay Sean, Akon and Ciara, among other artists.^[29] He performed at the Parachute music festival in January 2011.^[30] In February 2011, Walker held his first headlining tour in New Zealand.^[31]

Walker's third studio album, Let the Music Play, was released on 18 November 2011.^[32] It debuted at number 18 on the ARIA Album Chart and number 12 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.^[15][17] Its lead single, "Loud", was released on 2 May 2011.^[33] The song peaked at number nine on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum.^[15][27] On the New Zealand Singles Chart, "Loud" peaked at number eight and was certified gold.^[17][18] The album's second single, "Light It Up", featuring Static Revenger, was released on 16 September 2011.^[34] The song peaked at number 23 on the New Zealand Singles Chart and has reached number 45 on the ARIA Singles Chart.^[15][17] In October 2011, Walker was featured on Jessica Mauboy's single, "Galaxy", which peaked at number 13 on the ARIA Singles Chart.^[15][35] Walker and Mauboy embarked on their Galaxy Tour across Australia in January 2012, to celebrate the release of the song.^[36] The tour ended in February 2012.^[36]

Walker will play the lead role of Turei in the upcoming New Zealand film, Mt Zion, about a young Māori musician who seeks to "win the support slot for Bob Marley's 1979 concert in Auckland, but comes into conflict when his ambitions clash with the traditional values of his whānau".^[37] When speaking of his role in the film, Walker told Herald Sun, "They approached me ... the script is so good, it's basically who I was six years ago ... It's definitely the main reason I wanted to get involved."^[38] "Music Won't Break Your Heart" was released as the third single from Let the Music Play.^[39] In May 2012, Walker became a supporting act for Nicki Minaj on the Australian leg of her Pink Friday Tour.^[40]

Musical style and inspiration[link]

Walker cites Beyoncé Knowles as a main inspiration; "She's musically why I do what I do."^[41] According to Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic, Walker sings predominantly pop music "with an R&B style".^[42] Walker's second album, From the Inside Out, drew from pop, R&B and hip hop,^[43] with elements of electro, glam metal, hip pop and funk also present.^[44] He describes his third album, the more pop and dance-orientated Let the Music Play,^[45] as thematically his most personal. "These are my songs, my stories, my tunes, my melodies, my words, me."^[46]

Discography[link]

• Introducing... Stan Walker (2009)
• From the Inside Out (2010)
• Let the Music Play (2011)

Tours[link]

• 2010: Summerbeatz (Supporting Act)
• 2011: New Zealand Summer Tour (Headlining)
• 2012: Galaxy Tour (Supporting Act) (with Jessica Mauboy)
• 2012: Pink Friday Tour (Supporting Act)

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]