To determine the number one song of 1997, one must first decide how to measure such a thing. In the United States, the year ended with the inescapable groove of "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997" by Elton John. In the United Kingdom, the charts were dominated by the ominous, pulsing bass of "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans. Though stylistically universes apart—one a somber orchestral ballad, the other a sampling-heavy hip-hop elegy—both tracks shared a singular, defining DNA: they were monuments to grief.
The #1 song of 1997 depends heavily on which chart and methodology you use (e.g., Billboard Hot 100 year-end vs. Billboard Hot 100 weekly #1s vs. global sales). The most commonly cited answer for the is: #1 song in 1997
This presents a fascinating dichotomy for the number one slot of 1997. The year’s biggest hits were not about partying, love, or rebellion. They were about absence. The dominance of "I'll Be Missing You" proved that hip-hop had fully crossed into the mainstream pop consciousness, capable of producing universal, crossover hits that could dominate the global charts just as easily as a standard pop ballad. The "smooth" aesthetic of Bad Boy Records in 1997 offered a polished, radio-friendly version of rap that stood in stark contrast to the grittier sounds of the genre just a few years prior. To determine the number one song of 1997,
Yet, looking back, the most interesting aspect of 1997's number one song is the world it inadvertently reflected. This was the peak of the "End of History" era—the brief, sun-drenched window between the fall of the Soviet Union and the onset of the War on Terror. The economy was booming, the internet was a promising frontier, and pop culture was dominated by a sense of polished optimism. The Spice Girls told us "Girl Power" was the future, Hanson gave us "MMMBop," and the world seemed to be glittering with potential. global sales)