Oricon - Weekly International Album Chart (1/8)

Weekly International Album Chart (Japan) - 1 August 2011

1. Lady Gaga / Born This Way
2. Che'Nelle / Love Songs
3. V.A. / DJ Kaori's Party Mix2
4. Beyoncé / 4
5. LMFAO / Sorry For Party Rocking
6. Def Leppard / Mirrorball
7. Lady Gaga / The Monster
8. 2Cellos / 2Cellos
9. SHOW / Only For You Japan Edition
10. Simple Plan / Get Your Heart On!

Source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/wa/w/

You would already notice the charts I have posted here in the past were not Japan total album chart (domestic + international), but International album chart (international only). Domestic music accounts for around 80% of the whole Japanese popular music market. What I expect when you have a look the total chart is this: there are too many internationally-unknown names in the total charts so that you really can't get anything out of it. That's why I decided to stick to International charts when I started this blog. But you may want to have a look? Here it is for you:

Japan Total Album Chart - 1 August 2011

1. Juju / You
2. Lady Gaga / Born This Way
3. Tube / Re-Creation
4. Arashi / Beautiful World
5. Girls' Generation / Girls' Generation
6. Nishino Kana / Thank You, Love
7. Che'Nelle / Love Songs
8. Aoki Ryuji / Lien
9. 40mP feat. Hatsune Miku / Chisana Jibun to Okina Sekai
10. Superfly / Mind Travel

Source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2011-08-01/

So...there are just two international acts (in red) within Top 10 (Girls' Generation is actually a South Korean girls group but the album is released from a Japanese record company so that it's categorised as a domestic album). Is that unique? For comparison, here is more album charts from randomly-selected countries - US, UK, France and Sweden (international acts of each chart below are in red):

US Album Chart (Billboard 200) - 6 August 2011

1. Adele / 21
2. Kidz Bop Kids / Kidz Bop 20
3. 3 Doors Down / Time Of My Life
4. Beyonce / 4
5. DJ Khaled / We The Best Forever
6. Blake Shelton / Red River Blue
7. 311 / Universal Pulse
8. Jason Aldean / My Kinda Party
9. Amy Winehouse / Back To Black
10. Selena Gomez & The Scene / When The Sun Goes Down

Source: http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200#/charts/billboard-200

UK Album Chart - 30 July 2011

1. Adele / 21
2. Beyonce / 4
3. Adele / 19
4. Caro Emerald / Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room
5. Lady Gaga / Born This Way
6. Bruno Mars / Doo-Wips & Hooligans
7. Rihanna / Loud
8. LMFAO / Sorry For Party Rocking
9. Chase & Status / No More Idols
10. Foo Fighters / Wasting Light

Source: http://www.theofficialcharts.com/albums-chart/

France Album Chart - 24 July 2011

1. Adele / 21
2. Les Marins Diroise / Les Marins Diroise
3. The Black Eyed Peas / The beginning
4. Zaz / Zaz
5. Colonel Reyel / Au Rapport
6. Les Pretres / Gloria
7. Nolwenn Leroy / Bretonne
8. Keen V / Carpe Diem
9. Jean-Louis Aubert / Roc Eclair
10. Shakira / Sale El Sol

Source: http://www.disqueenfrance.com/fr/page-256595.xml

Swedish Album Chart - 29 July 2011

1. Benny Anderssons / OrkesterO Klang Och Jubeltid
2. Eric Saade / Saade Vol.1
3. Lasse Stefanz / Cuba Libre
4. Veronica Maggio / Satan I Gatan
5. Christer Sjögren / Kramgoa Låtar 2011
6. Adele / 21
7. Malena Ernman / Opera Di Fiori
8. Rolandz / Halleluja Mamma
9. Electric Light Orchestra / All Over The World
10. Thorleifs / Goldensax: Love Songs

Source: http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/index.html

The majority of albums in Japan, US, France and Sweden chart are domestic. However, interestingly there are only 3 domestic albums out of UK Top 10. This is just about chart positions. Market share of international music in each country is a different matter from it. But those charts above would remind you of a very important fact - each country has an unique music scene consisted of many domestic pop stars.