1997 was also the year the world said goodbye to the old guard. re-recorded "Candle in the Wind" for Princess Diana, selling over 33 million copies worldwide—a record that will likely never be broken. It was a somber moment in a year that was otherwise obsessed with looking forward.
The single biggest commercial success of the year—and the best-selling single of all time since charts began—was Elton John's double-A-side tribute single "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight". Released following the tragic passing of Diana, Princess of Wales, the song spent a staggering . 1997 top songs
Here is a retrospective on the sound of 1997. 1997 was also the year the world said
The elephant in the room. This tribute to Princess Diana became the best-selling single of all time (until streaming). Musically, it’s a faithful remake of his 1973 classic. As a song review , it's undeniably moving but nearly impossible to separate from the cultural shock of her death. It dominated radio for months. The single biggest commercial success of the year—and
In addition to the top 10 songs, there were many other notable hits that made 1997 a memorable year for music. Some of these include: