1997 in British music
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| List of number one singles | |
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This is a summary of 1997 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
Oasis released their highly anticiapted 3rd album, Be Here Now, on the 21st August (in the UK). It sold 695,761 copies in its first three days to become the fastest selling album in UK history. Radiohead's third album, OK Computer, was released in May and topped the UK album charts for two weeks. Met with widespread critical acclaim, it was voted the greatest album of all time by Q Magazine readers barely months after its release.[1]
Compared to just five years earlier, singles sales were very high this year. From 22 June right through to the end of the year, every single #1 sold at least 100,000 copies a week. Like the previous year, 24 singles topped the chart, double as many as 1992.
The Spice Girls continued their success from 1996, once again getting three number 1s. The first was "Who Do You Think You Are" in March, which doubled as that year's official Comic Relief single. This ensured the group became the first act to have their first four singles all reach number 1. This was followed by "Spice Up Your Life" in October, and "Too Much" in December, which once again gave them the Christmas number one single. They had now become the first act to have their first six singles reach number 1, but this run would be broken in 1998, with "Stop" only reaching #2. Six singles released this year went on to sell over a million. The first to do so was Puff Daddy & Faith Evans' "I'll Be Missing You", a tribute to the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G.. In November and December, three consecutive number 1s all sold over a million, for only the third time in UK chart history (it had previously happened in 1984 and 1995/6). These were Aqua's "Barbie Girl", the Children in Need charity single "Perfect Day", and Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!", the theme tune to the popular children's television series Teletubbies. In addition, All Saints' "Never Ever" was released in November and also sold over a million, though it wouldn't reach number 1 until January 1998.
In November, The Prodigy released Smack My Bitch Up, which received huge international media attention, due to the fact that many people believed it to be misogynistic and / or that it promotes violence against women. Some stores refused to stock the single and / or album from which it came, and some radio stations refused to play it. A graphic video showing bad behaviour on the part of the protagonist in the music video lead to its showing on television being greatly restricted.
By far the biggest selling single of the year, though, came from Elton John. In August this year, Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash. At her funeral, he played a rewritten version of "Candle in the Wind" known as "Candle in the Wind 1997", a song originally written about Marilyn Monroe (made #11 in 1974, with a live version reaching #5 in 1988). When released this year, it quickly overtook 1984's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to become the biggest selling UK single ever, selling 4.86 million copies, and the biggest selling in the world, selling 37 million. It continues to hold the record to this day.
[edit] Charts
[edit] Number-one singles
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 January | "2 Become 1" | Spice Girls | 95,000 |
| 12 January | "Professional Widow" | Tori Amos | 80,000 |
| 19 January | "Your Woman" | White Town | 119,500 |
| 26 January | "Beetlebum" | Blur | 120,000 |
| 2 February | "Ain't Nobody" | LL Cool J | 80,000 |
| 9 February | "Discothèque" | U2 | 125,000 |
| 16 February | "Don't Speak" | No Doubt | 195,000 |
| 23 February | 140,000 | ||
| 2 March | 85,000 | ||
| 9 March | "Who Do You Think You Are / Mama" | Spice Girls | 248,000 |
| 16 March | 152,000 | ||
| 23 March | 85,000 | ||
| 30 March | "Block Rockin' Beats" | The Chemical Brothers | 84,700 |
| 6 April | "I Believe I Can Fly" | R. Kelly | 51,000 |
| 13 April | 76,000 | ||
| 20 April | 87,000 | ||
| 27 April | "Blood on the Dance Floor" | Michael Jackson | 85,000 |
| 4 May | "Love Won't Wait" | Gary Barlow | 92,000 |
| 11 May | "You're Not Alone" | Olive | 75,000 |
| 18 May | 74,000 | ||
| 25 May | "I Wanna Be the Only One" | Eternal featuring Bebe Winans | 150,000 |
| 1 June | "MMMBop" | Hanson | 260,000 |
| 8 June | 120,000 | ||
| 15 June | 86,000 | ||
| 22 June | "I'll Be Missing You" | Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 |
109,000 |
| 29 June | 156,000 | ||
| 6 July | 167,000 | ||
| 13 July | "D'You Know What I Mean?" | Oasis | 377,000 |
| 20 July | "I'll Be Missing You" | Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 |
124,000 |
| 27 July | 127,000 | ||
| 3 August | 100,000 | ||
| 10 August | "Men In Black" | Will Smith | 182,000 |
| 17 August | 133,000 | ||
| 24 August | 122,000 | ||
| 31 August | 105,000 | ||
| 7 September | "The Drugs Don't Work" | The Verve | 105,000 |
| 14 September | "Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something about the Way You Look Tonight" |
Elton John | 658,000 |
| 21 September | 1,547,000 | ||
| 28 September | 1,067,000 | ||
| 5 October | 572,000 | ||
| 12 October | 274,000 | ||
| 19 October | "Spice Up Your Life" | Spice Girls | 321,000 |
| 26 October | "Barbie Girl" | Aqua | 190,000 |
| 2 November | 239,000 | ||
| 9 November | 190,000 | ||
| 16 November | 165,000 | ||
| 23 November | "Perfect Day" | Various Artists | 385,000 |
| 30 November | 275,000 | ||
| 7 December | Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!" | Teletubbies | 317,000 |
| 14 December | 230,000 | ||
| 21 December | "Too Much" | Spice Girls | 252,000 |
| 28 December | 218,000 |
[edit] Number-one albums
| Issue Date | Album Title | Artist | Sales |
| 5 January | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 12 January | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 19 January | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 26 January | Evita (OST) | Madonna & Various Artists | |
| 2 February | Glow | Reef | |
| 9 February | White on Blonde | Texas | |
| 16 February | Blur | Blur | |
| 23 February | Attack of the Grey Lantern | Mansun | |
| 2 March | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 9 March | Pop | U2 | |
| 16 March | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 23 March | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 30 March | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 6 April | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 13 April | Dig Your Own Hole | The Chemical Brothers | |
| 20 April | Ultra | Depeche Mode | |
| 27 April | Tellin' Stories | The Charlatans | |
| 4 May | Tellin' Stories | The Charlatans | |
| 11 May | Spice | Spice Girls | |
| 18 May | Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix | Michael Jackson | |
| 25 May | Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix | Michael Jackson | |
| 1 June | Open Road | Gary Barlow | |
| 8 June | Wu-Tang Forever | Wu-Tang Clan | |
| 15 June | Middle of Nowhere | Hanson | |
| 22 June | OK Computer | Radiohead | |
| 29 June | OK Computer | Radiohead | |
| 6 July | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | |
| 13 July | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | |
| 20 July | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | |
| 27 July | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | |
| 3 August | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | |
| 10 August | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | |
| 17 August | White On Blonde | Texas | |
| 24 August | Be Here Now | Oasis | |
| 31 August | Be Here Now | Oasis | |
| 7 September | Be Here Now | Oasis | |
| 14 September | Be Here Now | Oasis | |
| 21 September | Marchin' Already | Ocean Colour Scene | |
| 28 September | Be Here Now | Oasis | |
| 5 October | Urban Hymns | The Verve | |
| 12 October | Urban Hymns | The Verve | |
| 19 October | Urban Hymns | The Verve | |
| 26 October | Urban Hymns | The Verve | |
| 2 November | Urban Hymns | The Verve | |
| 9 November | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | 192,000 |
| 16 November | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | |
| 23 November | Let's Talk about Love | Céline Dion | |
| 30 November | Let's Talk about Love | Céline Dion | |
| 7 December | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | |
| 14 December | Let's Talk about Love | Céline Dion | |
| 21 December | Let's Talk about Love | Céline Dion | |
| 28 December | Urban Hymns | The Verve |
[edit] Top 40 Singles
| Issue Date | Song Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
| 1 | Candle In The Wind 1997 / Something About The Way You Look Tonight | Elton John | 4,770,000 | 1 |
| 2 | Barbie Girl | Aqua | 1,590,000 | 1 |
| 3 | I'll Be Missing You | Puff Daddy & Faith Evans | 1,360,000 | 1 |
| 4 | Perfect Day | Various Artists | 1,270,000 | 1 |
| 5 | Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh! | Teletubbies | 900,000 | 1 |
| 6 | Men In Black | Will Smith | 880,000 | 1 |
| 7 | Don't Speak | No Doubt | 830,000 | 1 |
| 8 | Torn | Natalie Imbruglia | 810,000 | 2 |
| 9 | Spice Up Your Life | Spice Girls | 780,000 | 1 |
| 10 | Tubthumping | Chumbawamba | 780,000 | 2 |
| 11 | MMMBop | Hanson | 710,000 | 1 |
| 12 | D'You Know What I Mean? | Oasis | 700,000 | 1 |
| 13 | Never Ever | All Saints | 690,000 | 3 |
| 14 | I Believe I Can Fly | R. Kelly | 670,000 | 1 |
| 15 | Mama / Who Do You Think You Are | Spice Girls | 660,000 | 1 |
| 16 | I Wanna Be The Only One | Eternal featuring Bebe Winans | 600,000 | 1 |
| 17 | Freed From Desire | Gala | 560,000 | 2 |
| 18 | Where Do You Go | No Mercy | 540,000 | 2 |
| 19 | Sunchyme | Dario G | 500,000 | 2 |
| 20 | Free | Ultra Naté | 480,000 | 4 |
| 21 | Encore Une Fois | Sash! | 470,000 | 2 |
| 22 | Too Much | Spice Girls | 470,000 | 1 |
| 23 | Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro) | Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli | 470,000 | 2 |
| 24 | Bellissima | DJ Quicksilver | 440,000 | 4 |
| 25 | As Long As You Love Me | Backstreet Boys | 430,000 | 3 |
| 26 | Baby Can I Hold You / Shooting Star | Boyzone | 420,000 | 2 |
| 27 | Ecuador | Sash! featuring Rodriguez | 420,000 | 2 |
| 28 | Wind Beneath My Wings | Steven Houghton | 410,000 | 3 |
| 29 | Stand by me | Oasis | 400,000 | 2 |
| 30 | Stay | Sash! featuring La Trec | 400,000 | 2 |
| 31 | The Drugs Don't Work | The Verve | 370,000 | 1 |
| 32 | Mo Money Mo Problems | The Notorious B.I.G. | 370,000 | 2 |
| 33 | Tell Him | Barbra Streisand & Celine Dion | 360,000 | 3 |
| 34 | Together Again | Janet Jackson | 360,000 | 4 |
| 35 | 2 Become 1 | Spice Girls | 350,000 | 1 |
| 36 | You Might Need Somebody | Shola Ama | 340,000 | 4 |
| 37 | You're Not Alone | Olive | 340,000 | 1 |
| 38 | Angels | Robbie Williams | 340,000 | 5 |
| 39 | Everybody (Backstreet's Back) | Backstreet Boys | 340,000 | 3 |
| 40 | C U When U Get There | Coolio featuring 40 Thevz | 340,000 | 3 |
[edit] Top 10 Albums
| Issue Date | Album Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Be Here Now | Oasis | 1 | |
| 2 | Urban Hymns | The Verve | 1 | |
| 3 | Spice | Spice Girls | 1 | |
| 4 | White on Blonde | Texas | 1 | |
| 5 | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | 1 | |
| 6 | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | 1 | |
| 7 | Let's Talk About Love | Celine Dion | 1 | |
| 8 | OK Computer | Radiohead | 1 | |
| 9 | Greatest Hits | Eternal | 2 | |
| 10 | Ocean Drive | Lighthouse Family | 3 |
[edit] Music awards
[edit] BRIT Awards
The 1997 BRIT Awards winners were:
- Best British producer: John Leckie
- Best soundtrack: "Trainspotting'"'
- British album: Manic Street Preachers – "Everything Must Go"
- British breakthrough act: Kula Shaker
- British dance act: The Prodigy
- British female solo artist: Gabrielle
- British Group: Manic Street Preachers
- British male solo artist: George Michael
- British single: Spice Girls – "Wannabe"
- British Video: Spice Girls – "Say You'll Be There"
- International breakthrough act: Robert Miles
- International female: Sheryl Crow
- International group: The Fugees
- International male: Beck
- Outstanding contribution: Bee Gees
[edit] Mercury Music Prize
The 1997 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Roni Size/Reprazent - New Forms.
