In late 1996, the music industry was panicking. Grunge was dead (Kurt Cobain had been gone for two years), and the nihilistic tantrum of Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails was too dark for radio. Executives didn’t know what the future sounded like.
But Puff Daddy wasn’t done. At #8 was (sampling Grandmaster Flash). At #12 was "Mo Money Mo Problems" (sampling Diana Ross). Puff Daddy had figured out the cheat code of 1997: if you sample a beloved 80s song, you automatically win. top 20 songs 1997
None of these artists would ever have a top 20 hit again. 1997 was a hit-and-run. You got your 15 minutes, then vanished. At #15 was "Everlong" by Foo Fighters . Wait, no—that's a lie. "Everlong" peaked at #3 on the Modern Rock chart, but on the Hot 100? It didn't even crack the top 40. The future of rock (Dave Grohl) was languishing while "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba (#17) was a massive hit. Yes, the song with "I get knocked down, but I get up again" was more popular than any Foo Fighters song in 1997. In late 1996, the music industry was panicking
Then, 1997 happened. And it was the strangest, most chaotic, most beautiful car crash of genres ever assembled on a single year-end chart. But Puff Daddy wasn’t done
Tension: 1997 couldn’t decide if it wanted to mourn or dance. At #6 was "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy & Faith Evans . A eulogy for The Notorious B.I.G. (murdered that March) set to the sample of The Police’s "Every Breath You Take." It was grief as a Billboard hit.
1997 was the last year the music industry had no idea what to do. So it just played everything. And somehow, that was glorious.