1990s in music in the UK |
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This is a summary of 1997 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Oasis released their highly anticipated third album, Be Here Now , on 21 August (in the UK). It sold 695,761 copies in its first three days and 813,000 copies in its first week. As of 2023, it is the fastest-selling album in UK history. [1] Radiohead's third album, OK Computer , was released in June and topped the UK Albums Chart 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. [2]
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 ones. The first was the double A-side songs "Mama" and "Who Do You Think You Are"; the latter of which was the Comic Relief single for 1997. 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. Spice Girls also had great success on the album charts as Spice and Spiceworld were two of the top five best sellers of 1997.
The Backstreet Boys released their second international album Backstreet's Back . The album was a massive success reaching number two and selling over 800,000 copies in the U.K. The three singles released from the album were massive hits with "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" reaching number 3 and "As Long as You Love Me" also reaching number three and staying in the charts for 19 weeks.
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 ones 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 one 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 led to its showing on television being greatly restricted.
By far the biggest-selling single of the year, though, came from Elton John. In August, Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash. At her funeral, John 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.
Andrew Glover's string quartet The Fickle Virgin of Seventeen Summers was one of several new classical works by British composers. Others included Geoffrey Burgon's City Adventures, a percussion concerto written for Scottish virtuoso Evelyn Glennie and premièred by her during the 1997 Proms season. One of the UK's most prolific classical composers, Wilfred Josephs, died on 17 November. In April, Nigel Kennedy, now calling himself simply Kennedy, returned to the stage at the Royal Festival Hall after a five-year absence from the concert stage resulting from neck surgery. Towards the end of the year, veteran composer Sir Michael Tippett developed pneumonia while visiting Sweden, which would lead to his death early in 1998.
Chart date (week ending) | Song | Artist(s) | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
4 January | "2 Become 1" | Spice Girls | 301,000 |
11 January | 113,000 | ||
18 January | "Professional Widow" | Tori Amos | 80,000 |
25 January | "Your Woman" | White Town | 119,500 |
1 February | "Beetlebum" | Blur | 120,000 |
8 February | "Ain't Nobody" | LL Cool J | 80,000 |
15 February | "Discothèque" | U2 | 125,000 |
22 February | "Don't Speak" | No Doubt | 195,000 |
1 March | 140,000 | ||
8 March | 85,000 | ||
15 March | "Mama" / "Who Do You Think You Are" | Spice Girls | 248,000 |
22 March | 152,000 | ||
29 March | 85,000 | ||
5 April | "Block Rockin' Beats" | The Chemical Brothers | 84,700 |
12 April | "I Believe I Can Fly" | R. Kelly | 51,000 |
19 April | 76,000 | ||
26 April | 87,000 | ||
3 May | "Blood on the Dance Floor" | Michael Jackson | 85,000 |
10 May | "Love Won't Wait" | Gary Barlow | 92,000 |
17 May | "You're Not Alone" | Olive | 75,000 |
24 May | 74,000 | ||
31 May | "I Wanna Be the Only One" | Eternal featuring Bebe Winans | 150,000 |
7 June | "MMMBop" | Hanson | 260,000 |
14 June | 120,000 | ||
21 June | 86,000 | ||
28 June | "I'll Be Missing You" | Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112 | 109,000 |
5 July | 156,000 | ||
12 July | 167,000 | ||
19 July | "D'You Know What I Mean?" | Oasis | 377,000 |
26 July | "I'll Be Missing You" | Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112 | 124,000 |
2 August | 127,000 | ||
9 August | 100,000 | ||
16 August | "Men in Black" | Will Smith | 182,000 |
23 August | 133,000 | ||
30 August | 122,000 | ||
6 September | 105,000 | ||
13 September | "The Drugs Don't Work" | The Verve | 105,000 |
20 September | "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" | Elton John | 658,000 |
27 September | 1,546,688 | ||
4 October | 1,067,000 | ||
11 October | 572,000 | ||
18 October | 274,000 | ||
25 October | "Spice Up Your Life" | Spice Girls | 321,000 |
1 November | "Barbie Girl" | Aqua | 190,000 |
8 November | 239,000 | ||
15 November | 190,000 | ||
22 November | 165,000 | ||
29 November | "Perfect Day" | Various Artists | 385,082 |
6 December | 274,706 | ||
13 December | "Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!"" | Teletubbies | 317,000 |
20 December | 230,000 | ||
27 December | "Too Much" | Spice Girls | 252,000 |
Chart date (week ending) | Album | Artist | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
4 January | Spice | Spice Girls | 375,000 |
11 January | 119,000 | ||
18 January | 65,000 | ||
25 January | 54,000 | ||
1 February | Evita | Madonna | 49,000 |
8 February | Glow | Reef | 55,000 |
15 February | White on Blonde | Texas | 47,000 |
22 February | Blur | Blur | 92,000 |
1 March | Attack of the Grey Lantern | Mansun | 48,000 |
8 March | Spice | Spice Girls | 72,000 |
15 March | Pop | U2 | 152,000 |
22 March | Spice | Spice Girls | 62,000 |
29 March | 65,000 | ||
5 April | 85,000 | ||
12 April | 59,000 | ||
19 April | Dig Your Own Hole | The Chemical Brothers | 62,793 |
26 April | Ultra | Depeche Mode | 43,000 |
3 May | Tellin' Stories | The Charlatans | 68,000 |
10 May | 33,000 | ||
17 May | Spice | Spice Girls | 23,700 |
24 May | Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix | Michael Jackson | 37,000 |
31 May | 30,000 | ||
7 June | Open Road | Gary Barlow | 58,000 |
14 June | Wu-Tang Forever | Wu-Tang Clan | 26,000 |
21 June | Middle of Nowhere | Hanson | 24,000 |
28 June | OK Computer | Radiohead | 136,500 |
5 July | 48,200 | ||
12 July | The Fat of the Land | The Prodigy | 316,951 |
19 July | 98,000 | ||
26 July | 66,000 | ||
2 August | 49,000 | ||
9 August | 36,000 | ||
16 August | 30,500 | ||
23 August | White on Blonde | Texas | 30,000 |
30 August | Be Here Now | Oasis | 696,000 |
6 September | 235,000 | ||
13 September | 95,000 | ||
20 September | 64,000 | ||
27 September | Marchin' Already | Ocean Colour Scene | 64,000 |
4 October | Be Here Now | Oasis | 48,000 |
11 October | Urban Hymns | The Verve | 250,054 |
18 October | 97,000 | ||
25 October | 63,500 | ||
1 November | 56,000 | ||
8 November | 61,000 | ||
15 November | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | 192,000 |
22 November | 91,228 | ||
29 November | Let's Talk About Love | Céline Dion | 91,000 |
6 December | 91,000 | ||
13 December | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | 121,000 |
20 December | Let's Talk About Love | Céline Dion | 142,000 |
27 December | 219,918 |
Chart date (week ending) | Album |
---|---|
4 January | Now 35 |
11 January | |
18 January | The Annual II Mixed by Judge Jules & Boy George |
25 January | |
1 February | |
8 February | |
15 February | In the Mix 97 |
22 February | The Annual II Mixed by Judge Jules & Boy George |
1 March | Club Mix 97 2 |
8 March | |
15 March | The Soul Album |
22 March | The Best Album in the World...Ever! 5 |
29 March | Dance Nation 3 – Pete Tong & Judge Jules |
5 April | Now 36 |
12 April | |
19 April | |
26 April | New Hits 1997 |
3 May | |
10 May | |
17 May | |
24 May | Big Mix 97 |
31 May | |
7 June | Smash Hits Summer 97 |
14 June | The Best Club Anthems...Ever! |
21 June | |
28 June | |
5 July | |
12 July | The Best Disco Album in the World...Ever! |
19 July | |
26 July | Now 37 |
2 August | |
9 August | |
16 August | |
23 August | Fresh Hits 1997 |
30 August | |
6 September | |
13 September | Ibiza Uncovered |
20 September | |
27 September | |
4 October | Kiss in Ibiza 97 |
11 October | Ibiza Uncovered |
18 October | Big Mix 97 – Volume 2 |
25 October | The Best Anthems...Ever! |
1 November | Now Dance 97 |
8 November | Huge Hits 1997 |
15 November | The Annual III Mixed by Pete Tong & Boy George |
22 November | |
29 November | Now 38 |
6 December | |
13 December | Diana Princess of Wales – Tribute |
20 December | |
27 December |
Based on sales from 30 December 1996 to 28 December 1997. [4]
Notes:
Based on sales from 30 December 1996 to 28 December 1997. [6]
Notes:
Based on sales from 30 December 1996 to 28 December 1997. [9]
No. | Title | Peak position | Sales [10] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Now! 38 | 1 | 920,000 |
2 | Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute | 1 | 700,000 |
3 | Now! 37 | 1 | 600,000 |
4 | Now! 36 | 1 | 600,000 |
5 | The Annual III | 1 | 400,000+ |
6 | The Full Monty Original Soundtrack | 3 | 350,000 |
7 | The Greatest Hits of 1997 | 2 | |
8 | The Best '60s Album in the World... Ever! III | 5 | |
9 | The Annual II | 1 | |
10 | Ibiza Uncovered | 1 |
The 1997 Brit Awards winners were:
The 1997 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Roni Size/Reprazent – New Forms .
The Spice Girls are an English girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Mel B ; Melanie C ; Emma Bunton ; Geri Halliwell-Horner ; and Victoria Beckham. They have sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling girl group of all time. With their "girl power" mantra, the Spice Girls redefined the girl-group concept by targeting a young female fanbase. They led the teen pop resurgence of the 1990s, were a major part of the Cool Britannia era, and became popular culture icons of the decade.
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.
Melanie Janine Brown, commonly known as Mel B or Melanie B, is an English singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress. She rose to fame in the mid 1990s as a member of the pop group the Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Scary Spice. With over 100 million records sold worldwide, the Spice Girls are the best-selling female group of all time. The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2000, before reuniting for a greatest hits album (2007) and two concert tours: the Return of the Spice Girls (2007–2008) and Spice World (2019).
"Say You'll Be There" is a song recorded by the English girl group Spice Girls for their debut studio album Spice (1996). The Spice Girls co-wrote the song with Eliot Kennedy after the group left Heart Management in 1995. Later, Jonathan Buck also received a songwriting credit. Produced by production duo Absolute, the song incorporates a mix of dance-pop and R&B influences. It also includes a harmonica solo played by Judd Lander. Once considered by the group's record label Virgin Records to be the group's debut single, it was released as the second single from Spice on 26 September 1996.
"Viva Forever" is a song by English girl group the Spice Girls from their second studio album, Spiceworld (1997). The song was co-written by the group with Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard, while production was handled by the latter two. It is a pop ballad with Spanish-style elements. The song's theme is about a summer romance during a holiday vacation, as the lyrics discuss recent experiences and memories. It was released as the album's fourth and final single on 20 July 1998 by Virgin Records.
"Who Do You Think You Are" is a song performed by British pop group Spice Girls. It was written by the group members with Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins—also known as Absolute—for the group's debut album Spice, released in November 1996. The song is heavily influenced by early 1990s dance-pop, and has a nu-disco-style beat that resembles the music of the late 1970s. Its lyrics are about the superstar life, and how someone can get trapped in the world of fame.
"Wannabe" is the debut single by the British girl group the Spice Girls, released on 26 June 1996. It was written by the Spice Girls, Matt Rowe and Richard "Biff" Stannard and produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album, Spice, released in November 1996. The song was originally mixed by Dave Way, however the Spice Girls were not pleased with the result, and the recording was instead mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent. A dance-pop song, its lyrics address the value of female friendship over heterosexual relationships. It has since became a symbol of female empowerment and the most emblematic song of the group's girl power philosophy.
Spiceworld is the second studio album by English girl group the Spice Girls, released on 1 November 1997 by Virgin Records. Its music incorporates dance-pop music and production. The album became a commercial success worldwide, lengthening the so-called "Spicemania" of the time. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, with first-week sales of 190,000 copies and shipped 1.4 million copies in two weeks. The album also reached number one in 13 countries, while peaking inside the top three in Australia, Canada, France, Switzerland and the United States. Spiceworld has sold over 14 million copies worldwide, making it one of the world's best-selling albums by a girl group.
"2 Become 1" is a song by the British girl group the Spice Girls. Written by the group members, together with Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album, Spice (1996). "2 Become 1" is an R&B-influenced pop ballad that features instrumentation from a guitar, an electronic keyboard and string instruments. The lyrics focus on the bonding of two lovers, and also address the importance of safe sex. Its Big TV!-directed music video, which features the group performing against time-lapse footage of Times Square in New York City, was completely shot against a blue screen at a studio in London. The backdrop was later superimposed.
"Too Much" is a song by English girl group the Spice Girls from their second studio album, Spiceworld (1997). The group members co-wrote the song with its producers, Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins—the songwriting and production duo known as Absolute—while the group was shooting scenes for their film Spice World.
This is a summary of 1998 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
"Stop" is a song by English girl group the Spice Girls from their second studio album, Spiceworld (1997). The group co-wrote the song with its producers, Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins of the Absolute production duo, during the filming of the film Spice World.
"Goodbye" is a song recorded by British girl group Spice Girls. It was written by the group, Richard Stannard, and Matt Rowe, while it was produced by the latter two. The song became the group's first song without the vocals of Geri Halliwell. It was released by Virgin Records on 14 December 1998 and was later included on their third studio album Forever (2000). "Goodbye" is a pop ballad that lyrically consists of the group's farewell to a friend, specifically Halliwell. The lyrics were also seen, by the media and fans alike, as the group's end, although the idea was dismissed by the members.
"Spice Up Your Life" is a song by British girl group the Spice Girls from their second studio album, Spiceworld (1997). The song was co-written by the group with Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard, at the same time as the group was shooting scenes for their 1997 film Spice World, while production was handled by the latter two. It is a dance-pop song, with influences of Latin rhythms such as salsa and samba. The song's theme reflects the group desire to "write a song for the world" while the lyrics have been labeled as dance-oriented with a self-promoting message.
"Mama" is a song by the British girl group the Spice Girls. It was written by the Spice Girls, Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard, and produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album Spice, released in November 1996. "Mama" is a pop ballad that features instrumentation from keyboards, a rhythm guitar, a cello, and a violin, and its lyrics deal with the difficulties in relationships between mothers and daughters that appear during their childhood.
This is a summary of 1996 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
The Spice Girls, an English girl group, have released three studio albums, one compilation album, 11 singles and 18 music videos. Formed in 1994, the group was made up of singers Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm and Victoria Beckham.
"Move Over", also known as "Generationext", is a song by English girl group the Spice Girls from their second studio album, Spiceworld (1997). The song was originally co-written by Clifford Lane with Mary Wood as a jingle for PepsiCo's "GeneratioNext" advertising campaign and used in television ads released in January 1997. Through Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, the Spice Girls signed an endorsement deal with Pepsi in early 1997, that consisted of the release of an exclusive CD single, TV commercials, on-can and bottle promotion and the group's first live concerts in Turkey.