Charting 1997: 16th August

01.(NE) Will Smith - Men In Black
A new Number One at last! And the second consecutive rap song at the top, which was a notable event back then. It's also the second chart-topper within 18 months based on the bassline from 'Forget-Me-Nots'. And of course it's from a film, too, like a lot of this chart.

02. (1) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
03. (2) Gala - Freed From Desire
04.(NE) Wet Wet Wet - Yesterday
Including this, I believe. Their last release of the 20th century before a split over royalties, and their second dip into the Lennon/McCartney songbook. 
05. (4) Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
06.(NE) Mary J Blige - Everything
And another cover version, her first UK Top 10 hit.
07. (6) The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems
08. (8) Meredith Brooks - Bitch
09. (9) Coolio - C U When U Get There ft 40 Thevz
10. (7) Boyzone - Picture Of You
11.(NE) Lil' Kim - Not Tonight
Also featuring several other female rappers and a sample from 'Ladies Night' by Kool & The Gang. Inevitably, it was from a film. 
12. (3) Peter Andre - All About Us
13.(11) Ultra Nate - Free
14.(NE) Olive - Outlaw
The utterly forgotten, but actually quite decent, follow-up to their chart-topper.
15. (5) Texas - Black Eyed Boy
16.(10) Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?
17.(12) The Mamas And The Papas - California Dreamin' {1997 re-issue}
18.(16) Sash! - Ecuador
19.(13) Levellers - What A Beautiful Day
20.(NE) Kym Mazelle - Young Hearts Run Free
From the Baz Luhrman film of Romeo and Juliet. I'm not sure whether they couldn't afford the Candi Staton version, or whether somebody actually thought this suited the movie better.
21.(NE) The Wildhearts - Anthem
They'd already split and reformed at least once by this point, so this was a significant comeback hit for them. And a testament to their famously loyal fans that they could make such a big impact with this less than obviously commercial song. I don't often mention Top of the Pops performances here - I mostly leave that to On This Top Of The Pops Day - but this one does have rather a cult following. 
22.(17) Stretch 'N' Vern Presents 'Maddog' - Get Up! Go Insane!
23.(19) The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
24.(18) North And South - Tarantino's New Star
25.(20) Todd Terry - Something Goin' On
26.(NE) Robyn - Do You Know (What It Takes)
Not to be confused with Robin S., from whom we heard a month ago. But this is the same Robyn who topped the chart a decade later. She's not brilliantly served by this second-division Max Martin song, but it's not terrible.
27.(21) R Kelly - Gotham City
28.(22) Eternal - I Wanna Be The Only One ft BeBe Winans
29.(37) Universal - Rock Me Good
30.(14) Paul Weller - Brushed
31.(23) Shaggy - Piece Of My Heart ft Marsha
32.(15) Makaveli - Toss It Up
33.(NE) D-Influence - Hypnotize
One of the many British soul groups of this era who seemed on the verge of a major breakthrough but never quite made it. 
34.(24) The Seahorses - Blinded By The Sun
35.(NE) The Klubbheads - Discohopping
The follow-up to Klubbhopping of course. Happy hardcore but not that good. 
36.(39) The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You {1997 re-issue}
37.(NE) Coldcut - More Beats And Pieces
A sequel to their 1987 debut single and their first Top 40 hit since 1989 (aside from their contribution to the 'People Hold On' remixes in January). Also, in keeping with their multimedia interests at the time, the first hit single ever to be released as an enhanced CD. It seemed like the future then, but feels like the distant past now. 

38.(NE) Geneva - Best Regrets
Their fourth hit. The momentum seemed to have waned by now.
39.(28) Michael Jackson - History/Ghosts
40.(31) Hanson - Mmm Bop


49.(NE) Rhythm Masters - Come On Y'All/Let Me Tell You Something
50.(NE) Mad Moses - Panther Party
51.(NE) Faith No More - Last Cup Of Sorrow
54.(NE) Vincent De Moor - Flowtation
56.(NE) California Sunshine - Summer '89
61.(NE) Newton - Don't Worry
71.(NE) Jesus Jones - Chemical #1
74.(NE) Camp Lo - Luchini! AKA (This Is It)