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CHART: Australian top 50 singles of 1997

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Jamie M Scuglia

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Jan 3, 1998, 3:00:00 AM1/3/98

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T H E 5 0 B I G G E S T S E L L I N G S I N G L E S
I N A U S T R A L I A F O R 1 9 9 7
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=> P R E A M B L E

So what happened in 1997? Of course, no one could forget the tragic
death of Princess Diana on the 31st of August this year and the impact
this would have on the music world. Elton John's moving tribute to
Diana, a re-worked version of his former hit "Candle In The Wind"
sold over 40 million copies world-wide and just over 1 million copies
in Australia. It became the biggest selling single internationally and
also the biggest seller in Australia. With a sales accreditation here
of 14 times platinum it was no surprise this ended up as the biggest
seller this year on the charts in Australia. Not only was the number one
single of the year a tribute to the tragic death of a well-known person,
but so was the number 4 single of the year. America's Notorious B.I.G.
was murdered on the 9th of March this year and his widow, Faith Evans,
along with his personal friend, Puff Daddy, teamed up with 112 to record
the ballad "I'll Be Missing You" - a song that was also heavily played
after Princes Diana passed away due to the relevance of the lyrics.

1997 also finally saw A.R.I.A. switch to 52 weeks of music charts a year.
Usually they had one or two weeks break over the Christmas and New
year period meaning that usually only 50 charts were produced each year
in Australia. This now means that the end of year chart, for the very
first time, includes sales right up until the end of year including the
very lucrative and monsterous Christmas sales period. Due to this, singles
that were charting highly during the Christmas sales period have had a
huge impact on the end of year top 50. In fact, every single that was
top 10 in the last chart of 1997 has made it into the chart of the 50
biggest sellers of the year.

So who were the big names on the charts this year? Hanson certainly
were. The American teenagers swept Australia and the world by storm,
smashing all chart records by debuting here at number one with their
very first release - the catchy song "Mmm Bop". And for people who wrote
them off as one-hit wonders, then time has proven them wrong. They
followed that single up with two number 2 hits - "Where's The Love" and
"I Will Come To You". So huge were sales of their first three singles
that all THREE of them appear in the end of year top 50. And not just
scattered throughout the chart - all three singles were in the top 15
sellers of the year. The Spice Girls were also hot in 1997. Like
Hanson, they managed to get three of their singles into the top 50
of the year, but they were around the lower reaches of the end of year
chart and were unable to churn out a huge seller like their number one
single "Wannabe" which spent 11 weeks at number one at the end of 1996
and was the fifth largest hit of 1996. Despite that, in the U.K. they
have notched up six number ones in a row - something never ever seen
on the U.K. charts before, and their popularity is likened to the
Beatles over there.

The novelty record of the year, of course, has to be Aqua's "Barbie
Girl". Ending up as the second largest hit of the year in Australia
and topping the charts all over the world, this Danish group made a
hilarious and very catchy song about the Barbie Girl doll and due to
the nature of some of the lyrics, it sparked controversy all over
the world. Aqua then released "Doctor Jones" which touched on themes
from the series of movies featuring Indiana Jones. So great were
sales for this single that it went platinum after just three weeks
on the charts and in its third week ended up as the 14th biggest
seller of the year and the last number one single of 1997.

How did Australian artists go overseas this year? Savage Garden became
world-wide stars in 1997. With two American top 10 hits - "I Want You"
and "Truly, Madly, Deeply", they also moved on into markets in Asia
and Europe and sold millions of records world-wide. Here in Australia,
they scored two number one hits including the largest selling locally
made single - the 8 week chart-topper "Truly, Madly, Deeply". And they
weren't just a "singles" band. Their debut, self-titled album is the
largest selling album this year in Australia with a 9 times platinum
certification and it also spent several months at number one here.
Other Australian acts that did well overseas were the Bee Gees, Gina G,
Peter Andre, Universal, Natalie Imbruglia, Human Nature, Danii Minogue,
Kylie Minogue, Tina Arena, Deni Hines, Lisa Maxwell, Merril Bainbridge,
INXS, Silverchair, Past To Present, Kulcha, Rolf Harris and Leonardo's
Bride. The last few years have really seen Australian acts make a huge
impact overseas and this is set to continue in 1998.

=> A U S T R A L I A N R E C O R D I N G S

1993, 1994 and 1996 were definitely the low points of the last decade
for Australian success on the local end of year top 50 singles chart.
However, this year, thanks to two hits from Savage Garden, one from
Silverchair, one from Tina Arena, one from the Bee Gees and the duet of
the year by John Farnham and Human Nature, we were almost able to double
the number of Australian hits on the end of year top 50 chart as compared
to last year - it's up from 4 to 6 singles. Sadly, however, to find the
last time an Australian artist had the biggest selling single of the year
requires us to go all the way back to 1987 when Kylie Minogue's debut
single, "Locomotion", topped the weekly charts for almost 2 months and
achieved double platinum status.

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Year Number of Aus/NZ artists in the end of year top 50
-----------------------------------------------------------
1989 11 singles
1990 11 singles
1991 9 singles
1992 15 singles
1993 3 singles
1994 3 singles
1995 8 singles
1996 4 singles
1997 6 singles
-----------------------------------------------------------

=> T H E N U M B E R O N E S I N G L E S

This lists all the singles that were number one in 1997 and how much time
they spent at the top of the chart. The singles are arranged in
chronological order of them making it to number one. The weeks all add
up to 51 which was the number of charts issued in 1997. There were 12
number one singles in 1997 - the same number as in 1996.

(a) WANNABE spent 11 weeks at number one, however most of this was in 1996
as it spent just one week at number one on the chart dated 12th
January 1997.

(b) DOCTOR JONES continued on at number one in the first chart of 1998
after going to number one in the last chart of 1997.

Interestingly enough, not one, but TWO artists had TWO songs go to number
one in 1997. Both Savage Garden and Aqua managed to score two chart
toppers each - something we've never seen this decade!

=> T H E L O N G E S T R U N N I N G S I N G L E S

This lists singles which have been in the 1997 charts for more than 20
weeks. If the single was in the charts prior to the beginning of 1997,
then weeks spent in the charts in 1996 is also included to give a full
picture of the single's life-span on the charts.

/------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| 36 weeks: BREATHE - The Prodigy (a) |
| 32 weeks: TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY - Savage Garden * |
| 32 weeks: TO THE MOON AND BACK - Savage Garden * (a) |
| 31 weeks: HEY JUPITER / PROFESSIONAL WIDOW - Tori Amos (a) |
| 31 weeks: WANNABE - Spice Girls (a) |
| 29 weeks: SEXY EYES - Whigfield (a) |
| 28 weeks: UN-BREAK MY HEART - Toni Braxton (a) |
| 28 weeks: I LIVE FOR YOU - Chynna Phillips (a) |
| 27 weeks: HOW DO U WANT IT - 2 Pac (a) |
| 26 weeks: PONY - Ginuwine |
| 25 weeks: YOU WERE MEANT FOR ME - Jewel |
| 25 weeks: SONG 2 - Blur |
| 25 weeks: DON'T LET GO (LOVE) - En Vogue |
| 25 weeks: BREAK MY STRIDE - Unique II (a) |
| 25 weeks: NO DIGGITY - Blackstreet (a) |
| 24 weeks: ONE HEADLIGHT - The Wallflowers |
| 24 weeks: GONE AWAY - The Offspring |
| 24 weeks: I NEED YOU - 3T |
| 24 weeks: LAST NIGHT - Az Yet |
| 24 weeks: TWISTED - Keith Sweat (a) |
| 24 weeks: (IF YOU'RE NOT IN IT FOR LOVE) I'M OUTTA HERE |
| - Shania Twain (a) |
| 23 weeks: ONE MORE TIME - The Real McCoy |
| 23 weeks: LET'S MAKE A NIGHT TO REMEMBER - Bryan Adams (a) |
| 23 weeks: MACARENA - Los Del Mar featuring Pedro Castano (a) |
| 22 weeks: I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU - The Rembrandts (a) |
| 22 weeks: WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT |
| - Warren G featuring Adina Howard (a) |
| 22 weeks: WISHES - Human Nature * (a) |
| 22 weeks: SAY YOU'LL BE THERE - Spice Girls |
| 22 weeks: FIRE, WATER, BURN - Bloodhound Gang |
| 22 weeks: WHEN I DIE - No Mercy |
| 22 weeks: REMEMBER ME - Blue Boy |
| 22 weeks: SEMI-CHARMED LIFE - Third Eye Blind |
| 21 weeks: IN TOO DEEP - Belinda Carlisle (a) |
| 21 weeks: C'MON N' RIDE IT (THE TRAIN) - Quad City DJ's (a) |
| 21 weeks: YOUR WOMAN - White Town |
| 21 weeks: ALONE - Bee Gees * |
| 21 weeks: HOW COME, HOW LONG - Babyface featuring Stevie Wonder |
| 21 weeks: BITCH - Meredith Brooks |
| 21 weeks: MEN IN BLACK - Will Smith (b) |
\------------------------------------------------------------------------/

(a) These singles were also charting in 1996 and continued to chart in
1997.

(b) These singles were still charting at the end of 1997.

Compared to last year, we've had a very sharp increase in the number of
long running singles which is partly responsible for the larger number of
singles that went gold and platinum this year. In 1996, 24 singles had
spent more than 20 weeks in the charts. In 1997, this number was up to 40.
In fact, 5 out of the 11 longest charting singles of this decade charted
in 1997!

=> T H E 1 9 9 7 E N D O F Y E A R C H A R T

This is based on record sales in 1997 within Australia. Note that
weeks in the chart and highest position lisyed for each single below
are taken up until the chart dated 28th December - those statistics do
not include the recently published first chart of 1998 dated 4th January.

/-------------------------------------\
| The top 50 Australian singles chart |
/-----------------| 1 9 9 7 |------------------\
/ \-------------------------------------/ \
# HP WI TITLE - ARTIST
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. #1 {16}+ SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT /
CANDLE IN THE WIND 1997 - Elton John
2. #1 {13} BARBIE GIRL - Aqua
3. #1 { 8}+ TUBTHUMPING - Chumbawamba
4. #1 {20} I'LL BE MISSING YOU - Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112
5. #1 {20} MMM BOP - Hanson
6. #1 {21} MEN IN BLACK - Will Smith
7. #1 {32} TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY - Savage Garden *
8. #1 {19}- DON'T SPEAK - No Doubt
9. #2 {36}- BREATHE - The Prodigy
10. #2 {25}- BREAK MY STRIDE - Unique II

11. #3 { 9}+ DO YA THINK I'M SEXY? - N-Trance featuring Rod Stewart
12. #3 {20}+ HOW DO I LIVE - Trisha Yearwood
13. #2 {20}+ WHERE'S THE LOVE - Hanson
14. #1 { 3}+ DOCTOR JONES - Aqua
15. #2 { 7}+ I WILL COME TO YOU - Hanson
16. #2 {21} BITCH - Meredith Brooks
17. #1 {32}- TO THE MOON AND BACK - Savage Garden *
18. #3 {25} DON'T LET GO (LOVE) - En Vogue
19. #6 {29}- SEXY EYES - Whigfield
20. #1 {18} FREAK - Silverchair *

21. #2 {17} I FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE - Barbara Streisand and Bryan Adams
22. #3 {26} PONY - Ginuwine
23. #2 {24} LAST NIGHT - Az Yet
24. #7 {13}+ COCO JAMBOO - Mr. President
25. #3 {25} YOU WERE MEANT FOR ME - Jewel
26. #3 {17}+ EVERYBODY (BACKSTREET'S BACK) - Backstreet Boys
27. #5 {21} HOW COME, HOW LONG - Babyface featuring Stevie Wonder
28. #3 {12}+ EVERYTIME YOU CRY - John Farnham and Human Nature *
29. #3 {23} ONE MORE TIME - The Real McCoy
30. #2 {22} WHEN I DIE - No Mercy

31. #5 {20} HARD TO SAY I'M SORRY - Az Yet
32. #2 {18} 2 BECOME 1 - Spice Girls
33. #8 {13}+ PUSH - Matchbox 20
34. #6 {28}- UN-BREAK MY HEART - Toni Braxton
35. #2 {21} YOUR WOMAN - White Town
36. #8 {10}+ SPICE UP YOUR LIFE - Spice Girls
37. #6 {18}+ I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER - Diana King
38. #3 {18} WHEN DOVES CRY - Quindon Tarver
39. #7 {21} ALONE - Bee Gees *
40. #4 { 6}+ AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME - Backstreet Boys

41. #2 {16} BURN - Tina Arena *
42. #4 {25} SONG 2 - Blur
43. #9 {24}- TWISTED - Keith Sweat
44. #2 {22}- WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT - Warren G featuring Adina Howard
45. #12 {22} SAY YOU'LL BE THERE - Spice Girls
46. #9 { 7}+ TELL HIM - Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand
47. #12 {16}+ FOOLISH GAMES - Jewel
48. #5 {24}- (IF YOU'RE NOT IN IT FOR LOVE) I'M OUTTA HERE - Shania Twain
49. #9 { 9}+ YOU SEXY THING - T-Shirt
50. #8 {18}+ HONEY - Mariah Carey
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Denotes Australian/New Zealand Artist. 1996 local content: 6/50 (12%)
+ Denotes single still present in the first chart of 1998
- Denotes single commenced charting in 1996
HP Denotes highest charting position of single (including 1996)
WI Denotes number of weeks single charted (including weeks in 1996)
\____________________________________________________________________________/

Coming soon - the top 100 biggest selling singles of 1997 - in other
words, the number 51 to 100 singles to add to the list above. Also,
the 100 biggest selling ALBUMS of 1997 in Australia! Stay tuned!

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