1997

 

The Top 150 Hits of… 1997

 

“Candle in the Wind 1997,” Elton John’s tribute to Princess Diana, is the biggest selling physical single of all time. The two next biggest selling singles of ‘97 (the Puff Daddy songs at numbers 6 and 9) were certified for 3 million copies. “Candle” sold 3.5 million in its first week, and within 2 months was certified for 11 million. And that’s just in the U.S. So even though it had only been released 8 weeks prior to the end of Billboard’s chart year, that was twice the time it needed to earn the #1 spot on the magazine’s year-end list.

 

It would be statistically impossible for that kind of sales performance to be surpassed by any amount of airplay, but “Don’t Speak” would have tested that had it been eligible to chart. It was the most played song for 16 weeks, and with No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom album selling 5 million more copies after “Don’t Speak” became its final track to be released to radio, allowing the album to finally hit #1 on the Billboard 200 for 9 weeks nearly a year after its release, it’s safe to say No Doubt would have had the #2 single of the year had a single been issued. So as far as I’m concerned, they did.

 

 

1.     Candle in the Wind 1997 – Elton John

2.     Don’t Speak – No Doubt

3.     Un-Break My Heart – Toni Braxton

4.     You Were Meant for Me – Jewel

5.     One Headlight – The Wallflowers

6.     I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112

7.     Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind

8.     Lovefool – The Cardigans

9.     Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down – Puff Daddy feat. Mase

10. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) – Backstreet Boys

11. Don’t Let Go (Love) – En Vogue

12. I Believe I Can Fly – R. Kelly

13. No Diggity – BLACKstreet feat Dr. Dre

14. Push – Matchbox 20

15. Head Over Feet – Alanis Morissette

16. Return of the Mack – Mark Morrison

17. How Bizarre – OMC

18. Nobody – Keith Sweat

19. Wannabe – Spice Girls

20. Mo Money Mo Problems – The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase

21. Sunny Came Home – Shawn Colvin

22. For You I Will – Monica

23. MMMBop – Hanson

24. Bitch – Meredith Brooks

25. All for You – Sister Hazel

26. Barely Breathing – Duncan Sheik

27. Mouth – Merril Bainbridge

28. Foolish Games – Jewel

29. Hard to Say I’m Sorry – Az Yet feat. Peter Cetera

30. The Freshmen – The Verve Pipe

31. I Want You – Savage Garden

32. Say You’ll Be There – Spice Girls

33. 4 Seasons of Loneliness – Boyz II Men

34. Honey – Mariah Carey

35. Crash Into Me – Dave Matthews Band

36. Men in Black – Will Smith

37. 2 Become 1 – Spice Girls

38. All Cried Out – Allure feat. 112

39. Hypnotize – The Notorious B.I.G.

40. Every Time I Close My Eyes – Babyface

41. My Love Is the Shhh! – Somethin’ for the People feat. Trina & Tamara

42. I Belong to You (Every Time I See Your Face) – Rome

43. I Go Blind – Hootie & the Blowfish

44. Do You Know (What It Takes) – Robyn

45. A Long December – Counting Crows

46. If It Makes You Happy – Sheryl Crow

47. Where Have All the Cowboys Gone – Paula Cole

48. In My Bed – Dru Hill

49. I’m Still in Love With You – New Edition

50. Pony – Ginuwine

51. G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T. – Changing Faces

52. Building a Mystery – Sarah McLachlan

53. I Believe in You and Me – Whitney Houston

54. Da’ Dip – Freak Nasty

55. When You Love a Woman – Journey

56. Don’t Leave Me – BLACKstreet

57. Everyday Is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow

58. All By Myself – Celine Dion

59. Invisible Man – 98 Degrees

60. Cupid – 112

61. Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit – Gina G

62. It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw with Faith Hill

63. The Impression That I Get – The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

64. Not Tonight – Lil’ Kim feat Da Brat, Left Eye, Missy Elliot & Angie Martinez

65. The One I Gave My Heart To – Aaliyah

66. Look Into My Eyes – Bone Thugs-n-Harmony

67. What About Us – Total

68. I Finally Found Someone – Barbra Streisand & Bryan Adams

69. Don’t Cry for Me Argentina – Madonna

70. Butta Love – Next

71. Get It Together – 702

72. Never Make a Promise – Dru Hill

73. Fly Like an Eagle – Seal

74. What Kind of Man Would I Be – Mint Condition

75. Criminal – Fiona Apple

76. I’ll Be – Foxy Brown feat. Jay-Z

77. Up Jumps Da Boogie – Magoo and Timbaland

78. Cold Rock a Party – MC Lyte

79. I Don’t Want To – Toni Braxton

80. Gotham City – R. Kelly

81. Your Woman – White Town

82. C U When U Get There – Coolio feat. 40 Thevz

83. A Change Would Do You Good – Sheryl Crow

84. Takes a Little Time – Amy Grant

85. You Must Love Me – Madonna

86. Secret Garden – Bruce Springsteen

87. No Time – Lil’ Kim feat. Puff Daddy

88. My Baby Daddy – B-Rock & the Bizz

89. ESPN Presents the Jock Jam – Various artists

90. Falling – Montell Jordan

91. Butterfly Kisses – Bob Carlisle

92. Staring at the Sun – U2

93. You Should Be Mine (Don’t Waste Your Time) – Brian McKnight feat. Mase

94. Everything – Mary J. Blige

95. I Miss My Homies – Master P

96. Big Daddy – Heavy D

97. Smile – Scarface feat. 2Pac & Johnny P

98. What’s On Tonight – Montell Jordan

99. Naked Eye – Luscious Jackson

100.                On & On – Erykah Badu

101.                Whatever – En Vogue

102.                One in a Million – Aaliyah

103.                The Difference – The Wallflowers

104.                I Care About You – Milestone

105.                Barbie Girl – Aqua

106.                Don’t Wanna Be a Player – Joe

107.                Someone – SWV feat. Puff Daddy

108.                Coco Jamboo – Mr. President

109.                Let’s Get Down – Tony Toni Tone

110.                I Shot the Sheriff – Warren G

111.                Go the Distance – Michael Bolton

112.                One More Time – Real McCoy

113.                Let Me Clear My Throat – DJ Kool

114.                I Like It – The Blackout Allstars

115.                Let It Go – Ray J

116.                Call Me – Le Click

117.                Just Between You and Me – dc Talk

118.                Alone – Bee Gees

119.                All Mixed Up – 311

120.                When You’re Gone – The Cranberries

121.                Backyard Boogie – Mack 10

122.                Thinking of You – Tony! Toni! Tone!

123.                Santeria – Sublime

124.                The Grease Megamix – Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta

125.                Street Dreams – Nas

126.                Swallowed – Bush

127.                Steelo – 702 with Missy Elliott

128.                Legend of a Cowgirl – Imani Coppola

129.                Love Gets Me Every Time – Shania Twain

130.                Do You Like This – Rome

131.                You Light Up My Life – LeAnn Rimes

132.                Step by Step – Whitney Houston

133.                You Bring Me Up – K-Ci & JoJo

134.                Butterfly – Mariah Carey

135.                Firestarter – Prodigy

136.                I Wanna Be There – Blessid Union of Souls

137.                Everlong – Foo Fighters

138.                Please Don’t Go – No Mercy

139.                #1 Crush – Garbage

140.                Put You Hands Where My Eyes Can See – Busta Rhymes

141.                Never Leave Me Alone – Nate Dogg feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg

142.                I Say a Little Prayer – Diana King

143.                Come See Me – 112

144.                It’s No Good – Depeche Mode

145.                Discotheque – U2

146.                Everything to Everyone – Everclear

147.                For You – Kenny Lattimore

148.                I Can Love You – Mary J. Blige

149.                More Than This – 10,000 Maniacs

150.                Nothin’ But the Cavi Hit – Mack 10 & the Dogg Pound

 

 

Country

1.     It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw with Faith Hill

2.     One Night at a Time – George Strait

3.     Love Gets Me Every Time – Shania Twain

4.     Carrying Your Love With Me – George Strait

5.     Little Bitty – Alan Jackson

6.     Nobody Knows – Kevin Sharp

7.     The Fear of Being Alone – Reba McEntire

8.     Everywhere – Tim McGraw

9.     On the Verge – Collin Raye

10. How Your Love Makes Me Feel – Diamond Rio

11. Rumor Has It – Clay Walker

12. (This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing – Trace Adkins

13. Better Man, Better Off – Tracy Lawrence

14. She’s Got It All – Kenny Chesney

15. I Left Something Turned On at Home – Trace Adkins