So here we go with my rank of the number 1 singles of 1997.

The year of Cool Britannia, New Labour, the death of Princess Diana, the Teletubbies and the peak of CD single sales.

There are 2 AA singles this year and as per last year I will not rate the holdover 1 of 1996 (Spice Girls - 2 Become 1).

The bottom two number 1s don't deserve a write up, or youtube videos to promote them.

I disliked both songs before their main singers were convicted sex offenders, but given this these are the the lowest of the low.

26. R Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly

25. Puff Daddy & Faith Evans ft 112 - I’ll Be Missing You

Right, now those are out of the way, onto the actual rate!

24. LL Cool J - Ain’t Nobody

1 week at number 1, February

AI summary: Released in early 1997, LL Cool J’s “Ain’t Nobody” became his first and only UK Number 1 single. Tied to the soundtrack of Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, the track blended smooth boom bap production with romantic swagger, landing perfectly in the Valentine’s season. It debuted at the top on 2 February 1997, spending one week at #1 and a total of 12 weeks in the Top 100. Its chart run saw a swift descent: 1-5-11-20-35-50-70-75-72-81-85-98

My take: A cover that detracts from the original not adds to it. A pointless non-number 1 that took advantage of weaker February sales and the backing of a box office hit.

I wouldn't put the Puff Daddy or LL Cool J records that far down but I can't say I particularly like either and that formula of rapped verses and 80s choruses sang by somebody else got very tired very quickly. I do like "I Believe I Can Fly" but all 3 of those records got to number one for non-music reasons.

No huse losses for me so far. In fact I don't think I'd heard the LL Cool J song until just now.

I used to despise 'I'll Be Missing You' but I'm a bit softer towards it these days.

I don't even confidently know that LL Cool J one.

I was not a fan of the Sting rewrite, I thought it was bad taste at the time, taking a stalker song and turning it into mush. Faith Evans presence was the only redeeming factor, and if they'd turned it into an anti-gun-violence song for charity purposes I would have been more tolerant of it. Daddy Diddy more into cash generating though. Still cant bear listening to it, but that might not be an issue going forward. R Kelly's was a fairly middling ballad, plodding was his go-to setting. Ain't Nobody not a patch on Rufus/Chaka, though I have a soft spot for LL, I liked his first semi-rap hit as a youngster and he slipped into acting along the way, so a bonus chart-topper is OK.

I always really enjoyed I'll Be Missing You, but obviously isn't something I seek out to listen to now. Faith Evans has always sounded lovely on it, and it was quite poignant before it was tarred by association.

I never particularly liked I Belive I Can Fly, although it reminds me of the buzz around the Space Jam film.

Ain't Nobody may well be last for me on musical merit, completely pointless. Of all the great songs he had that could have been a No.1 instead...

Just scanned the full list and on the whole it is far more impressive than 1996, with very little complete rubbish, although the highs were maybe a bit higher in 1996.

23. Gary Barlow - Love Won’t Wait

1 week at number 1, April

AI summary: This saw Barlow pivot from balladeer to uptempo pop, thanks to a track originally penned by Madonna and Shep Pettibone. Reworked for Barlow’s debut album, the song’s breezy production and unexpected origins helped it debut at #1 — though its fit with Gary’s image felt uneasy. A fleeting success, it quickly faded from his setlists, but remains a curious footnote in 90s pop: a moment where Take That’s frontman briefly borrowed the Queen of Pop’s leftovers and made them chart gold.

My take: Less boring than Forever Love, I still find this completely forgettable.

22. Elton John - Candle in the Wind 1997

Number 1 for 5 weeks, September/October

AI summary: A reimagined tribute to Princess Diana, this version of Elton’s 1973 ballad became the fastest-selling single in UK chart history. Debuting at #1 with over 1.5 million copies sold in its first week, it held the top spot for five weeks and remains the UK’s best-selling single of all time. Stripped of flamboyance, the arrangement is solemn and stately, with Elton’s restrained vocal backed by George Martin’s orchestration. Though never performed live again, its cultural impact was seismic — a moment where pop music became national mourning.

My take: This isn't bad for a charity record and at the time it was a very poingnant powerful and emotional record. However, with nearly 30 years hindsight, this is not something to go back to and very much a thing of its time.

10 hours ago, Jessie Where said:

I used to despise 'I'll Be Missing You' but I'm a bit softer towards it these days.

I love it. Saw a documentary on BBC3 about Diddy last week and it's not played much at all these days.

Edited October 28Oct 28 by CRAZY CHRIS

I have a soft spot for Candle In The Wind 1997 and I remember my Mum owning the CD single of it. I think I prefer it to the original, but I'm guessing because it's more of my time than the original.

Love Won't Wait is not bad, I prefer it to Forever Love and I quite like the chorus. It doesn't sound like a Madonna song whatsoever so I'm always surprised to hear that she wrote it.

Candle In The Wind 1997 is also ok, not an Elton favourite of mine in the first place but served a purpose at the time and suited the public's mood quite clearly.

My one memory of 'Love Won't Wait' is seeing it performed on TOTP when it was number one and my Dad remarking it was "nothing special at all" - and he was completely right!

Tom Ewing from Popular who's reviewing all the UK number 1s (slowly x) did a great piece on Candle in the Wind 1997 and Diana's legacy so to speak: https://popular-number1s.com/2014/03/27/elton-john-candle-in-the-wind-97-something-about-the-way-you-look-tonight/#debug5

The whole hysteria has never quite sat right with me, but song-wise, it's always been boring, though I don't doubt the authenticity of how he was feeling when he sung it.

I actually didn't mind the R Kelly and P Diddy songs, but have no desire to revisit them.

I had totally forgotten Gazza's Madonna throwaway - its much better than his previous dull ballad. Still fairly forgettable, but a decent enough track. I'd rather hear this than any of the other tracks so far. Elton's Candle: I never liked the sombre original, B side Bennie & The Jets should have been the monster track, as it was in the USA. By the 90's I'd softened a bit towards it, nostalgia and all that, but this version killed that dead. I bought the CD as it was for charity and I liked the other side, but it's not really listenable in 2025. Diana's death was a massive shock out of the blue, and the reaction globally was unexpectedly out of the ballpark. In the context of the funeral it was affecting on the day - but as a recording, nah, just play Something About The Way - I'd rather hear that than any version of Candle In The Wind, including the live hit version in the 80's.

This news report is always baffling to me, people buying 40 copies. What on earth for??!

2 minutes ago, gooddelta said:

This news report is always baffling to me, people buying 40 copies. What on earth for??!

Wonder if they still have them in boxes in their lofts?

I don’t see the single often charity shops which always surprises me.

They usually gave them away as unwanted gifts, is my memory of it, it was the money for charity I suppose that made them feel it was better than just donating £80 to the charity direct. Grief makes people do irrational stuff. And no, they never turned up in charity shops that I have ever seen, I'm guessing they are thought to be collectible icons of a moment in history (even if there are millions of 'em!).

I don't see singles in many charity shops anymore although I've seen Candle In The Wind in a few over the years, I even bought one of them myself once because I like Something About The Way You Look Tonight (and it was about 10p).