Billboard Hot 100 1997 File

This double A-side single was a massive global phenomenon. "Candle in the Wind 1997" was a re-written tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, following her death in August. It is widely recognized as one of the best-selling singles of all time.

By the time 1997 rolled around, grunge was dead, gangsta rap was in its platinum-tinted golden age, and the music industry was making more money than ever on CD sales. But the Billboard Hot 100 told a different story than the albums chart. It was a slow-burn, heartbreak-heavy, sugar-rush year where , female R&B singers dominated , and a certain blonde-haired mouseketeer released her debut single just as the calendar turned. billboard hot 100 1997

The diversity on the Hot 100 was real. In a single Sunday drive, you’d hear country (LeAnn Rimes), gospel-tinged R&B (R. Kelly), dancehall (Chumbawamba’s "Tubthumping"), and neo-soul (Erykah Badu’s "On & On"). This double A-side single was a massive global phenomenon