Every step you take, every move you make, you'll remember these hits from 1997!
August 1997 saw the ARIA Albums Chart being dominated by big name acts including Savage Garden, The Prodigy, Spice Girls, Jewel, kd lang, Radiohead, Wallflowers and more.
For the entire month, the ARIA Singles Chart was dominated by a hip hop mogul and his tribute to a fallen friend.
10. Leonardo's Bride - Even When I'm Sleeping
Sydney band Leonardo’s Bride took out their only Top Ten on the ARIA Singles Chart when ‘Even When I’m Sleeping’ peaked at #4 in July 1997. Nominated for Single Of The Year at the 1997 ARIA Awards, the track came from the group’s debut album, Angel Blood (#25 Jul. ’97).
9. Bee Gees - Alone
Peaking at #7 in September 1997, ‘Alone’ gave ARIA Hall Of Fame members the Bee Gees their final Top Ten appearance in Australia. The single’s parent album Still Waters peaked at #4 and became the Bee Gees’ first studio album to hit the Top Ten in Australia since 1979.
8. Az Yet - Hard To Say I'm Sorry
Covering Chicago’s 1982 hit ‘Hard To Say I’m Sorry’, American R&B group Az Yet scored their second Top Ten hit of 1997. The track peaked at #5, three spots below their other hit for the year, ‘Last Night’ (#2 Apr. ’97). Both tracks were produced by Babyface.
7. Babyface Feat. Stevie Wonder - How Come, How Long
As well as producing and writing songs for the likes of Az Yet, TLC, Usher and Toni Braxton, Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Williams scored four hits in his own right on the ARIA Singles Chart during the 1990s. His highest solo peak came with the Stevie Wonder-featured ‘How Come, How Long’, which hit #5 in August 1997.
6. Quindon Tarver – When Doves Cry
American singer Quindon Tarver scored his only Top Ten on the ARIA Singles Chart when his cover of Prince’s ‘When Doves Cry’ peaked at #3 in July 1997. The track, along with Tarver’s version of ‘Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)’ appeared in Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of Romeo + Juliet. ‘When Doves Cry’ appeared on the soundtrack album William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture, Volume 2 (#2 May ‘97).
5. Will Smith - Men In Black
American actor/rapper Will Smith took out his first solo #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart when ‘Men In Black’ spent four weeks at #1 in September 1997. The theme tune of and first single released from the soundtrack to the film Men In Black (#4 Sept. ’97), it debuted at #7 and hit #1 for the first time in its fifth week in the top 50.
4. Hanson - MMMBop
The debut single from Hanson became the sibling trio’s sole chart-topper on the ARIA Singles Chart when it spent nine straight weeks at #1 between May and July in 1997. Released from Hanson’s debut album, Middle Of Nowhere (#1 Aug. ’97), ‘MMMBop’ debuted at #1 and went on to spent a total of 13 weeks in the Top Ten and 20 weeks in the Top 50. ‘MMMBop’ was accredited 2x Platinum. It charted at #5 on the 1997 End Of Year Singles Chart.
3. Meredith Brooks - Bitch
Singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks’ only hit on the ARIA Singles Chart, ‘Bitch’ peaked at #2 in July 1997. It also peaked at #2 in the US. A parody of the song by comedian Chris Franklin called ‘Bloke’ spent two weeks at #1 in February 2000.
2. Hanson – Where’s The Love
As the Top Ten run of ‘MMMBop’ reached its final weeks, Hanson picked up their second chart entry for 1997 with ‘Where’s The Love’. Spending its first three weeks on the chart at #2, it went on to spent 12 weeks in the Top Ten and 22 weeks in the Top 50. Hanson would score a third Top Ten for the year with ‘I Will Come To You’ (#2 Dec. ’97).
1. Puff Daddy Feat. Faith Evans & 112 - I'll Be Missing You
American rapper/producer Sean Combs (also known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy, etc) took his first and only #1 to date on the ARIA Singles Chart when ‘I’ll Be Missing You’ spent five straight weeks in the top spot during August 1997. It was Puff Daddy’s second single to chart locally, after ‘Can't Nobody Hold Me Down’ (#27 Jul. ’97). Both tracks – as well as the follow-up single ‘Been Around The World’ (#48 Jan. ’98) – appeared on the album No Way Out (#17 Aug. ’97).
The single debuted at #44 at the start of July 1997 and hit #1 for the first time in its fourth week in the top 50. ‘I’ll Be Missing You’ spent a total of 13 weeks in the top ten and 20 weeks in the top 50. It was #4 on the 1997 ARIA End Of Year Singles Chart and accredited 2x Platinum.
The single was released as a tribute to Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, who died in March 1997 during the infamous East Coast-West Coast hip hop war. It also features contributions from Wallace’s widow, Faith Evans and the R&B group 112, as well as a sample of The Police’s hit ‘Every Breathe You Take’.
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