# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1997 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357 "2014-11-11T17:24:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/21 "2014-11-11T21:07:22Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Even worse than 1996! So bad that, while I wouldn’t have voted for “Unbreak My Heart” in 1996, I did vote for it in 1997! It’s interesting seeing all the opposite reactions here. It seems like through the 80s, we had a fairly decent consensus on what the good years and bad years were, but here it’s starting to diverge. To me, this is the best year of the 90s so far. 1993 was the worst (that’s the only one I really couldn’t vote for.) I haven’t looked ahead, so i don’t know what’s coming. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/22 "2014-11-11T21:27:23Z")
All these songs suck and I was going to abstain. Music used to be better and this is the worst year ever. The best song of the year was some alternative song by Radiohead or something. Now for my pick. 😉 Okay, after spending a few minutes YouTubing these mysteries, I’m going with The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy - “Mo Money Mo Problems.” At least it’s got a funky sample goin’ on in the background, some okay rapping, and a timeless lesson as a theme. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/23 "2014-11-11T21:41:11Z")
Seriously, how can Hanson _not_ win this poll? I mean, it’s either them or Spice Girls or “Hypnotize”. Anyway, 1997 certainly can’t make me smile when I look back on its big mainstream pop hits. Fortunately, 1997 is also the year that I started dating my now wife, so thinking of that makes me smile plenty. (Usually.) ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/24 "2014-11-11T22:48:04Z")
When I first heard _MMMBop_ on the radio, I thought it was a catchy little tune, and I had a pleasant picture in my head of the young girl singing lead. Over the next 2 or 3 days, maybe 4, I would smile again whenever I heard the song, imagining that such a voice surely belonged to a good-looking late-teens girl, beautiful but not to the extent of seeming unapproachable. Then I actually saw the video. :eek: Ignorance can indeed be bliss. Still voted for Hanson this time around, although the Spice Girls made me waver. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/25 "2014-11-11T23:47:05Z")
“MMMBop” made me want to shoot myself. Still does, in fact. So I voted for the Spice Girls because they merely made me want to beat my head against the wall. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/26 "2014-11-11T23:57:12Z")
All right, pure pop is starting to make its big comeback. The 1993-1996 period was basically all R&B and rap, but the Spice Girls and Hanson represent the first wave of good old timeless pop music returning to its proper place in the sun. I went with Spice Girls over Hanson because Wannabe is just a super catchy pop song, while MMMbop is really just warmed over garage band music that no one would have cared about if they weren’t so darn young and precocious. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/27 "2014-11-11T23:59:06Z")
The Spice Girls song was a magical production. However, Hypnotize must take the cake. It was Biggie’s biggest tune, at the height of his powers, right before he was killed (at the behest of Suge Knight). ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/28 "2014-11-12T01:37:05Z")
It’s kind of refreshing to see the usually cynical-affected Doper community giving a commanding lead to the two extremely catchy, light pop entries. Too bad for Biggie but one can’t help but think his crossover appearances at #1 here were aided by a large helping of dead man’s bounce (I’d like to think he would have rather bombed but lived, given the choice). And I will not lie, I am relieved to see _Candle… '97_ back in a \*\*distant \*\*third place. When it became the #1 single of all history I was near apoplectic with disbelief. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/29 "2014-11-12T01:46:07Z")
What song had three releases, all by the same artist, with each subsequent release peaking higher on the UK charts than the previous release… with each a different version of the same song? Why, _Candle In the Wind_, of course. Original release: peaked at #11 1986 release (live): peaked at #5 1997 release (Diana): peaked at #1 (It wasn’t released in the US in 1973-74.) So it got my vote. Completely flabbergasted that _Hanson_ is doing so well. I don’t think any of these polls has surprised (and dismayed 😉 ) me as much as 1997. I would have guessed that “I’ll Be Missing You” would’ve lead… instead (as of now) it has 0 votes of 65. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/30 "2014-11-12T01:52:01Z")
You know, MMMBop was actually a genius little song… ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/31 "2014-11-12T01:54:05Z")
Those words don’t make any sense in the order in which they are written… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/32 "2014-11-12T01:59:56Z")
This was a banner year for albums… Brighten the Corners - Pavement The Boatman’s Call - Nick Cave OK Computer - Radiohead ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/33 "2014-11-12T04:13:50Z")
“Wannabe” sticks its head up a millimeter or so, so I went with that. Has anyone seen that confounded nadir? ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/34 "2014-11-12T04:52:32Z")
Was “Mo Money Mo Problems”\* the first song (or at least the first popular song) to have people rap and sing on top of a sample that had someone else singing, as opposed to rapping and singing over instrumental samples? \*my vote, although I’d probably vote for “Mmmbop” after relistening to the two songs – and I would’ve voted for any track on _OK Computer_ that isn’t “Fitter Happier” or “Climbing Up the Walls” ahead of anything in the poll ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/35 "2014-11-12T05:02:57Z")
Other songs from that year were “Bittersweet Symphony” by Verve, “Freshman” Verve Pipe, “Virtual Insanity” by Jamiroquai. I’m on my phone so I will list a few more later. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/36 "2014-11-12T09:06:53Z")
> [@Kimble](#): > > I would’ve voted for any track on _OK Computer_ that isn’t “Fitter Happier” Am I the only person in the world who actually _like_ this song? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/37 "2014-11-12T10:54:33Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Am I the only person in the world who actually _like_ this song? Nope, if it wasn’t for “Electioneering”, it’d probably be my favorite off the album. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/38 "2014-11-12T13:49:52Z")
Wannabe is intensely irritating, while MMMBop at least has a decent tune, so I voted for that. To be honest I think Unbreak My Heart is possibly a better piece of music than either, but I already voted for it last year and I don’t think it’s nearly good enough to merit two votes. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/39 "2014-11-12T13:59:20Z")
_MMBop_ by half a nose, but only because the rest of the entries sucked marginally more. And because _Candle in the Wind_ made me want to pee on Diana’s grave. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357/40 "2014-11-12T14:51:54Z")
I can honestly say I don’t know any of these songs except “un-break my heart”. And I sure as hell ain’t voting for THAT. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1997/704357.md?page=3)