44 Years Ago, One Of The 'best Australian Albums' Ever Became A Shock No. 1 Hit

On November 13, 1981, Australian new wave band Men at Work became overnight superstars with the release of their debut album, Business as Usual. The record was a huge hit in the United States, soaring to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and remaining there for 13 weeks.

Men at Work was formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1979 by frontman Colin Hay, bassist Ron Strykert, and drummer Jerry Spieser. Greg Ham and John Rees joined a few months later, and the band quickly became one of Australia’s most popular musical exports.

Their debut album was an immediate breakout success in Australia, but nobody could have predicted just how much unprecedented success it would also find in the United States and United Kingdom. Men at Work became the first-ever Australian band to hold simultaneous No. 1s on the Billboard 200 (with Business as Usual) and the Hot 100 (with its lead single, “Down Under”).

“Down Under” was the runaway success story of the album, with the single gradually climbing to No. 1 on the Hot 100, dethroning Daryl Hall and John Oates‘ “Maneater” in the process. Its stint was briefly interrupted by Toto‘s “Africa” before “Down Under” reclaimed the top spot to secure its fourth and final week at No. 1 in the U.S.

While it’s not uncommon for hit singles to break out of their home country and find success on the Billboard charts, the real magic of Men at Work was the ability to keep their album, Business at Usual, atop the Billboard 200 for fifteen weeks without interruption. The record overtook John Cougar’s American Fool on November 13, 1982 and held onto the top spot until February 26, 1983—when it was dethroned by Michael Jackson‘s record-breaking Thriller.

Very few international bands had seen this level of success in America before, and Business as Usual is still lauded today as one of the most influential, groundbreaking Australian albums of all time. In 2010, the record was even listed among the 100 Best Australian Albums, where it was narrowly beaten by Kylie Minogue‘s Fever and Bernard Fanning‘s Tea & Sympathy.