A collection of bird songs from Australia's most threatened species has upstaged ABBA this week, jumping into the top 10 of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) music charts this week after strong pre-order sales.

Charles Darwin University PhD candidate Anthony Albrecht produced the album Songs of Disappearance that contains 54 tracks of some of Australia’s most endangered species, recorded by eminent wildlife sound recordist David Stewart.

The album reached number five in the ARIA charts in the first weekend of its release, beating ABBA’s latest album Voyage. 

It also finished second on the charts for Australian artists behind Paul Kelly’s Christmas Train.

The 53 species spotlighted in the 54 tracks on the album are the rarest species in Australia and on the brink of extinction. 

Featured are the songs of the extremely rare Swift Parrot, Orange-Bellied Parrot, and some of the vulnerable migratory shorebirds such as the Far-Eastern Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Anyone interested can purchase the CD at Songs of Disappearance. 

The proceeds from the album will go towards BirdLife Australia’s conservation efforts.

Would you buy an album of bird noises? Who would you rather listen to – ABBA or bird noises?