According to the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1997, the top song of the year was:
These are just a few of the interesting features and facts about the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1997. It was a dynamic year for music, with various genres and artists making their mark on the chart!
– LeAnn Rimes (A cross-genre phenomenon that spent a then-record 69 weeks on the chart) "Wannabe" – Spice Girls Chart Milestones & Trends billboard hot 100 1997
The Macarena. It was released in 1995, re-released in 1996, and still peaked at #23 in 1997. Also, Hanson’s "MMMBop" at #20. We have no excuse.
– Elton John
The music landscape of 1997 was a unique crossroads of cultural mourning, the explosive arrival of teen pop, and the commercial peak of hip-hop’s "Bad Boy" era. The year was dominated by record-breaking singles that defined a generation, from a historic tribute to a royal tragedy to the introduction of "Girl Power" in America. The Year of the Tribute
: The year saw several "darker" or alternative tracks find massive success, including "The Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe (No. 5) and Third Eye Blind’s "Semi-Charmed Life" (No. 4). According to the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles
: Following Princess Diana's passing, Elton John released a reworked version of "Candle in the Wind 1997" . It debuted at No. 1 in October and stayed there for 14 consecutive weeks, becoming the best-selling single in Billboard history and the first to be certified Diamond in the U.S..
Before "I'll Be Missing You," sampling a Police song felt sacrilegious. Then Diddy (then Puff) turned Sting’s "Every Breath You Take" into a weepy tribute to his slain friend, The Notorious B.I.G. The result? . He also had "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (sampling Grandmaster Flash) and "Mo Money Mo Problems" (sampling Diana Ross). For better or worse, Puff Daddy taught the industry how to turn nostalgia into #1 hits. It was released in 1995, re-released in 1996,
: The Notorious B.I.G. became only the fifth artist to reach No. 1 posthumously, achieving the feat with both "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money Mo Problems" .