What Were The Top Ten Selling Singles In 1997?
The Cold Open
Britain in 1997 felt like a changing of the guard. Tony Blair’s New Labour swept to power in a landslide, Britpop began to lose its shine, and Princess Diana’s death plunged the country into grief and hysteria. Channel 5 launched with dubious fanfare, while Harry Potter crept into bookshops for the first time. The Spice Girls remained omnipresent, but the year’s defining moment was Elton John rewriting one of his old ballads to soundtrack national mourning. Around that, novelty hits, bubblegum pop, and a song about drinking and resilience filled the charts.
Here are the top ten selling singles in the UK in 1997.
1. Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle in the Wind 1997 – Elton John
Sales: 4,770,000 • Label: Rocket • Catalogue: PP2
A rewritten tribute to Princess Diana became the fastest and biggest-selling single in UK history. Five weeks at No 1 and certified grief on vinyl.
2. Barbie Girl – Aqua
Sales: 1,830,000 • Label: MCA • Catalogue: UMCD 80459
Danish technopop satire dressed as children’s music. Four weeks at No 1 and lawsuits from Mattel.
3. I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112
Sales: 1,600,000 • Label: Arista • Catalogue: 74321 49692 2
A Police sample turned into an elegy for The Notorious B.I.G. Six weeks at No 1 in the UK, a worldwide chart-topper.
4. Perfect Day – Various Artists
Sales: 1,540,000 • Label: Chrysalis • Catalogue: CDPERF1
Lou Reed’s hymn repurposed for the BBC. A charity single featuring an endless procession of stars. Three weeks at No 1.
5. Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh! – Teletubbies
Sales: 1,300,000 • Label: BBC Worldwide Music • Catalogue: WMX5
Children’s TV characters knocked out Spice Girls and Oasis. Christmas No 1 and a nation briefly lost its mind.
6. Men In Black – Will Smith
Sales: 1,200,000 • Label: Columbia • Catalogue: 664919 2
Hollywood tie-in rap delivered with sunglasses and aliens. Four weeks at No 1, a blockbuster single for a blockbuster film.
7. Don’t Speak – No Doubt
Sales: 1,100,000 • Label: Trauma/Interscope • Catalogue: IND 95515
A break-up anthem disguised as ska-pop. Sixteen weeks in the Top 10 and No 1 for three.
8. Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
Sales: 1,000,000 • Label: RCA • Catalogue: 74321 528 58 2
Australian soap star turns one-hit wonder into timeless karaoke. Peaked at No 2 but sold a million.
9. Spice Up Your Life – Spice Girls
Sales: 930,000 • Label: Virgin • Catalogue: VSCDT 1660
The second album kicked off with carnival whistles and slogans. One week at No 1 and more evidence that Spice ruled the decade.
10. Tubthumping – Chumbawamba
Sales: 900,000 • Label: EMI • Catalogue: CDEM 345
Drinking songs disguised as anarchist chants. Peaked at No 2 in the UK but became a global pub anthem.
