Fifty years ago, I made my first appeared on the Earth. In celebration, we are going to take a look at the year-end Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for each year of my life and see what songs resonated with me at the time and if they continue to do so to this day.
We continue our look back at the music of my lifetime with 1996, the year I should have graduated from college had I settled on a major earlier, went back to the bank for a second summer, returned to Purdue for my fifth and final year of college (at least for now), and turned 22. Only 33 songs on the Hot 100 are familiar to me today, with 24 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.
#99: Hootie & The Blowfish – Only Wanna Be with You
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Returning for its second straight year-end chart, the track peaked at #2 on the Album Rock Tracks chart and #6 on the Hot 100.
#98: Los del Rio – Macarena
iTunes stats: N/A
The original Spanish language version of the tune, it reached #23.
#94: Ace of Base – Beautiful Life
iTunes stats: 28 plays
Topping out at #15, it was the lead single from the group’s second album in Europe and the second single in the US.
#92: Metallica – Until It Sleeps
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The band’s lone top ten hit, it went to #10.
#81: Toni Braxton – Un-Break My Heart
iTunes stats: N/A
Spending eleven total weeks atop the Hot 100, it ruled the charts from December of 1996 through mid-February of 1997.
#76: Sophie B. Hawkins – As I Lay Me Down
iTunes stats: 16 plays
Hitting the year-end chart for the second time, it peaked at #6.
#75: Sheryl Crow – If It Makes You Happy
iTunes stats: 14 plays
The lead single from Crow’s sophomore album, it reached #10 and remains her most recent top ten solo release.
#68: No Doubt – Just a Girl
iTunes stats: 38 plays
The band’s first charting single in the US, it spent 29 weeks on the Hot 100, topping out at #23.
#67: BoDeans – Closer to Free
iTunes stats: 23 plays
Hitting #16 and becoming the band’s biggest hit, it was used as the theme song for Party of Five.
#66: Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen – Theme from Mission: Impossible
iTunes stats: N/A
Recorded for the first Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible film, it peaked at #7.
#56: Oasis – Wonderwall
iTunes stats: 25 plays
The fourth single from the group’s second studio album, it spent a then-unprecedented ten weeks atop the Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached #8 on the Hot 100 in March, becoming their lone top-ten hit.
#50: Hootie & The Blowfish – Time
iTunes stats: 14 plays
The fourth single from the group’s breakout debut, it topped out at #14.
#44: Smashing Pumpkins – 1979
iTunes stats: 6 plays
The second single from the group’s bloated double album, it went to #12.
#42: Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre – No Diggity
iTunes stats: 12 plays
Winner of the 1998 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, it spent four weeks at #1 in November of 1996.
#41: Collective Soul – The World I Know
iTunes stats: 16 plays
The third official single from the group’s second album, it spent four weeks atop the Album Rock Tracks chart while peaking at #19 on the Hot 100.
#39: Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s
iTunes stats: 19 plays
Originally written and recorded in 1993, it was re-recorded and released in 1995, reaching #5 in January of 1996.
#33: Coolio featuring L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
iTunes stats: 38 plays
The #1 song of 1995, it spent twelve weeks in the top two spots on the chart, three at #1 and another nine at #2.
#31: Natalie Merchant – Wonder
iTunes stats: N/A
Her second solo single topped out at #20.
#30: Joan Osborne – One of Us
iTunes stats: 27 plays
The only charting single of her career on the Hot 100, it went to #4 and earned three Grammy nominations.
#29: Alanis Morissette – You Learn/You Oughta Know
iTunes stats: 17 plays/39 plays
Released as a double A-sided single following the success of You Oughta Know on alternative radio, it peaked at #6.
#28: Dishwalla – Counting Blue Cars
iTunes stats: 31 plays
The only charting single of the group’s career on the Hot 100, it reached #15 and earned two ASCAP awards as the most-played song of the year on radio.
#25: Jewel – Who Will Save Your Soul
iTunes stats: 33 plays
The singer’s debut single, it went to #11.
#24: Goo Goo Dolls – Name
iTunes stats: 15 plays
The breakthrough single for the band, released from their fifth studio album, it topped both the Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Album Rock Tracks chart while topping out at #5 on the Hot 100.
#19: Eric Clapton – Change the World
iTunes stats: N/A
Recorded for the Phenomenon soundtrack, it became Clapton’s sixth and final top ten hit, peaking at #5.
#18: Celine Dion – It’s All Coming Back to Me Now
iTunes stats: N/A
The subject of a lawsuit between writer Jim Steinman and long-time collaborator Meat Loaf, who intended to place the song on his Bat out of Hell III album, Dion’s version reached #2.
#17: 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman – California Love
iTunes stats: 51 plays
2Pac’s first single after being released from prison and signing with Death Row, it spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 in July.
#15: Gin Blossoms – Follow You Down/’Til I Hear It from You
iTunes stats: N/A/ 19 plays
Another double A-side release, with one song from the Empire Records soundtrack and the other being the lead single from the group’s second major label release, it went to #9.
#13: Alanis Morissette – Ironic
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The highest charting single of her career, it topped out at #4 in April.
#12: Everything but the Girl – Missing
iTunes stats: N/A
Originally released in 1994 to little acclaim, the remix peaked at #2 and spent 55 weeks on the Hot 100, a then-record.
#11: Quad City DJ’s – C’mon N’ Ride It (The Train)
iTunes stats: 12 plays
One of only two singles from the group to chart on the Hot 100, it went to #3.
#8: Donna Lewis – I Love You Always Forever
iTunes stats: 12 plays
The singer’s debut single, it spent nine weeks at #2.
#5: Mariah Carey – Always Be My Baby
iTunes stats: N/A
Carey’s eleventh chart topper, it spent two weeks at #1 in May, tying her at the time with Madonna and Whitney Houston for the most #1 singles by a female artist.
#1: Los del Rio – Macarena (Bayside Boys remix)
iTunes stats: N/A
Spending a record-setting 60 weeks on the Hot 100, the remix, which combined the original Spanish-language version with English lyrics, was the #1 hit in the land for fourteen of those weeks.