# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1999 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2014, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688 "2014-11-15T11:53:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/1 "2014-11-15T11:53:59Z")
It’s time to party like it’s 1999 (again), people. Our survey now closes out the 20th century with 15 songs, including the longest gap between an artist’s first and last #1, the longest gap between an artist’s first charting single and their first #1, and the first #1 to feature Auto-Tuned lead vocals. You know the drill. What’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) ---
**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 15, 2014, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/2 "2014-11-15T12:07:56Z")
Went with Britney. This year has my most-hated #1 of all time - Cher’s “Believe”. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/3 "2014-11-15T12:12:44Z")
I had to look up the Santana one to figure out what it was. But it wins by about a kajillion miles. Honourable mention to Livin’ La Vida Loca, which is kinda fun. ---
**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 15, 2014, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/4 "2014-11-15T12:44:51Z")
A slightly better year, IMHO, than the previous several, but maybe that’s my Latino bias talking. It came down to Kike Iglesias and Christina Aguilera for me. Since someone already cast a vote for Kike, I voted for Christina. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/5 "2014-11-15T13:08:09Z")
After sitting out the 1998 poll, here is a clear first choice with the Santana comeback. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/6 "2014-11-15T13:37:02Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > A slightly better year, IMHO, than the previous several, but maybe that’s my Latino bias talking. In retrospect, the Latin sound really was big this year, which no doubt contributed to Santana’s comeback being the huge phenomenon it was. I cast my vote for him easy - “Smooth” is one of the few songs from ‘99 that holds up and still gets airplay these days, and Rob Thomas’ vocals are great. For me, though, the two songs that best defined 1999 are ones that never made it to #1 on the Hot 100, but were in heavy rotation on MTV and often scored highly on TRL - “My Name Is” by Eminem (peaked at #36) and “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” by Baz Luhrmann (peaked at #45). ---
**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 15, 2014, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/7 "2014-11-15T14:20:13Z")
Ah, yes, “Believe.” The song that inflicted obvious autotune on us for the first time. Cher has earned herself a seat in Music Hell for doing that, right next to Donna Summer (she earned hers for doing a _twenty-goddamn-minute_ version of “McArthur Park.”) I went for “Smooth” because Carlos Santana rocks. ---
**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 15, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/8 "2014-11-15T14:28:39Z")
I have a lot of good memories with “Believe,” so I went with that. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/9 "2014-11-15T15:07:15Z")
I’m afraid I had to go with Britney. I’m not as ashamed of that as I should be, but she is _hot_. Regards, Shodan ---
**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 15, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/10 "2014-11-15T15:13:32Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > For me, though, the two songs that best defined 1999 are ones that never made it to #1 on the Hot 100, but were in heavy rotation on MTV and often scored highly on TRL - “My Name Is” by Eminem (peaked at #36)… That song was popular even in Mexico. I remember living there, and a cousin visited, and I said to him, “There’s this clever, funny rap artist on the radio lately – know anything about him?” He replied, “Oh, you must mean Eminem.” I said, “No, that’s not his name…something with an S…” He laughed – and I learned that “Slim Shady” was just a pseudonym/alter ego. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/11 "2014-11-15T15:23:01Z")
> [@Art\_Rock](#): > > After sitting out the 1998 poll, here is a clear first choice with the Santana comeback. Agreed, and the entire album was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/12 "2014-11-15T15:30:56Z")
Ms. Britney Spears, though other good songs around. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/13 "2014-11-15T15:33:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > In retrospect, the Latin sound really was big this year, which no doubt contributed to Santana’s comeback being the huge phenomenon it was. I cast my vote for him easy - “Smooth” is one of the few songs from ‘99 that holds up and still gets airplay these days, and Rob Thomas’ vocals are great. > > For me, though, the two songs that best defined 1999 are ones that never made it to #1 on the Hot 100, but were in heavy rotation on MTV and often scored highly on TRL - “My Name Is” by Eminem (peaked at #36) and “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” by Baz Luhrmann (peaked at #45). That Baz Luhrman song was fantastic, true powerful lyrics that applies to everybody. Also anyone remember that song “Mambo #5” by Lou Bega that was terrorizing radio in 1999? ---
**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 15, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/14 "2014-11-15T15:54:42Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > That Baz Luhrman song was fantastic, true powerful lyrics that applies to everybody. Terrific. I had never seen the video until now (and only recall hearing the “song” maybe once or twice); poignant to see the Twin Towers, briefly, in 1999. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/15 "2014-11-15T16:32:15Z")
I had to vote for Britney, with JLo finishing second in the world-famous **Ponch8 Music Rating System**. The excellence of Santana was partially negated by Rob Thomas. Eminem’s “My Name Is” would have been an easy choice for the win if it had reached #1. Cher finishes dead-ass last. I hate that fucking song. > [@Nema98](#): > > Also anyone remember that song “Mambo #5” by Lou Bega that was terrorizing radio in 1999? Unfortunately yes. That song might be even worse than “Believe.” ---
**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 15, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/16 "2014-11-15T16:33:38Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Also anyone remember that song “Mambo #5” by Lou Bega that was terrorizing radio in 1999? I do _now_. _jams bottle brush in ears_ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/17 "2014-11-15T16:35:14Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Also anyone remember that song “Mambo #5” by Lou Bega that was terrorizing radio in 1999? I think I must have recently travelled here from a parallel universe identical to ours in every way except that that song never existed, because I had never heard or heard of it until a few months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/18 "2014-11-15T16:48:31Z")
Went with Ricky Martin. I remember first seeing him on the '99 VMAs and being blown away. The song is still fun. I’m surprised Genie in a Bottle and Hit Me Baby One More Time came out the same year as Livin La Vida Loca. I feel like they came years before Ricky. ---
**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 15, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/19 "2014-11-15T17:10:04Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I think I must have recently travelled here from a parallel universe identical to ours in every way except that that song never existed, because I had never heard or heard of it until a few months ago. Interestingly enough, in that “catchiest songs of all time” list I linked to in the thread on 1996 (where “Wannabe” was declared the catchiest/most quickly recognizable song of all time), [Mambo #5 was the runner-up.](http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/catchiest-pop-songs-time-revealed-survey/story?id=26681018) You should be thankful you missed it. I was living in Europe at the time, and it you just couldn’t get away from that damned song. I don’t know if it was as bad here in the US. ---
**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 15, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688/20 "2014-11-15T17:11:34Z")
Shit, somehow I completely glossed over Ms. Spears/ That really should be my vote. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1999/704688.md?page=2)