Editing Men at Work (section)

=== International success – ''Business as Usual'' and ''Cargo'' (1981–1983) ===
Early in 1981 Men at Work signed with CBS Records, the Australian branch of CBS Records International, (which became Sony Music) on the recommendation of Peter Karpin, the label's [[Artists and repertoire|A&R person]].<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> The group's first single with CBS Records in Australia "[[Who Can It Be Now?]]", was released in June 1981 which reached No.&nbsp;2 and remained in the chart for 24&nbsp;weeks.<ref name="Kent"/> It had been produced by United States–based Peter McIan, who was also working on their debut album, ''[[Business as Usual (Men at Work album)|Business as Usual]]''.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/><ref name="Holmgren"/>

McIan, together with the band worked on the arrangements for all the songs that appeared on ''Business As Usual''. Their next single was a re-arranged and "popified" version of "[[Down Under (song)|Down Under]]". It appeared in October that year and reached No.&nbsp;1 in November, where it remained for six&nbsp;weeks.<ref name="Kent"/> ''Business as Usual'' was also released in October and went to No.&nbsp;1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart, spending a total of nine&nbsp;weeks at the top spot.<ref name="Kent"/> ''[[The Canberra Times]]''{{'}} Garry Raffaele opined that it "generally stays at a high level, tight and jerky ... There is a delicacy about this music — and that is not a thing you can say about too many rock groups. The flute and reeds of Greg Ham do much to further that".<ref name="Raffaele"/> McFarlane noted that "[a]side from the strength of the music, part of the album's appeal was its economy. The production sound was low-key, but clean and uncluttered. Indeed, the songs stood by themselves with little embellishment save for a bright, melodic, singalong quality".<ref name="McFarlane"/>

By February the following year both "Down Under" and ''Business as Usual'' had reached No.&nbsp;1 on the respective [[Official New Zealand Music Chart]]s<ref name="NZ Charts"/> – the latter was the first Australian album to reach that peak in New Zealand.<ref name="McFarlane"/> Despite its strong Australian and New Zealand showing, and having an American producer (McIan), ''Business as Usual'' was twice rejected by Columbia's US parent company.<ref name="Nimmervoll"/> Thanks to the persistence of Russell Depeller and Karpin, the album was finally released in the US and the United Kingdom in April 1982 – six months after its Australian release.<ref name="Nimmervoll"/> Their next single, "[[Be Good Johnny]]", was issued in Australia in April 1982 and reached No.&nbsp;8 in Australia,<ref name="Kent"/> and No.&nbsp;3 in New Zealand.<ref name="NZ Charts"/>

Men at Work initially broke through to North American audiences in the western provinces of Canada with "Who Can It Be Now?" hitting the top&nbsp;10 on radio stations in [[Winnipeg]] by May 1982. It peaked at No.&nbsp;8 on the Canadian [[RPM (magazine)|''RPM'' Top Singles]] Chart in July.<ref name="CAN Singles"/> In August the group toured Canada and the United States to promote the album and related singles, supporting [[Fleetwood Mac]].<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/> The band became more popular on Canadian radio in the following months and also started receiving top&nbsp;40 US airplay by August.<ref name="Billboard Magazine"/> In October "Who Can It Be Now?" reached No.&nbsp;1 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]],<ref name="AMG Charts"/> while Canada was one single ahead with "Down Under" topping the Canadian charts that same month.<ref name="CAN Singles"/> In the following month ''Business as Usual'' began a 15-week run at No.&nbsp;1 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref name="AMG Charts"/>

While "Who Can It Be Now?" was still in the top&nbsp;ten in the US, "Down Under" was finally released in that market. It entered the US charts at No.&nbsp;79 and ten&nbsp;weeks later, it was No.&nbsp;1.<ref name="AMG Charts"/> By January 1983 Men at Work had the top album and single in both the US and the UK – never previously achieved by an Australian act.<ref name="McFarlane"/> "Be Good Johnny" received moderate airplay in the US; it reached the top&nbsp;20 in Canada.<ref name="CAN Singles"/>

"Down Under" gained international media exposure in September 1983 through television coverage of the Australian challenge for the [[America's Cup]] yacht trophy in September 1983 when it was adopted as the theme song by the crew of the successful ''[[Australia II]]''.

The band released their second album, ''[[Cargo (album)|Cargo]]'', in April 1983, which also peaked at No.&nbsp;1 – for two&nbsp;weeks – on the Australian charts.<ref name="Kent"/> In New Zealand it reached No.&nbsp;2.<ref name="NZ Charts"/> It had been finished in mid-1982 with McIan producing again, but was held back due to the success of their debut album<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/><ref name="Holmgren"/> on the international market, where ''Business as Usual'' was still riding high. ''Cargo'' appeared at No.&nbsp;3 on the ''Billboard'' 200,<ref name="AMG Charts"/> and No.&nbsp;8 in the UK. The lead single, "[[Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive (song)|Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive]]" was issued in Australia ahead of the album in October 1982 and reached No.&nbsp;6,<ref name="Kent"/> it peaked at No.&nbsp;28 in the US the following year as the third single in that country.<ref name="AMG Charts"/> "[[Overkill (Men at Work song)|Overkill]]", followed in March 1983 made it to No.&nbsp;5 in Australia,<ref name="Kent"/> and No.&nbsp;3 in the US.<ref name="AMG Charts"/> "[[It's a Mistake]]" reached No.&nbsp;6 in the US.<ref name="AMG Charts"/> The band toured the world extensively in 1983.<ref name="McFarlane"/>