Top 100 Songs Of 1997 May 2026

★★★★½ (4.5/5) Flawed but essential – Trim the adult-contemporary filler and add more left-field gems, and you’d have a perfect snapshot.

Here’s a proper, critical review of a hypothetical “Top 100 Songs of 1997” playlist or compilation: top 100 songs of 1997

The best 1997 lists avoid the obvious top 40. They include Fiona Apple’s seething “Criminal,” Missy Elliott’s genre-bending “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” and Björk’s glacial “Jóga.” They recognize the quiet power of Elliott Smith’s “Angeles” and the punk energy of The Offspring’s “Gone Away.” A great playlist balances radio monsters (Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997,” tragically unavoidable) with deeper cuts like Portishead’s “All Mine” or Prodigy’s “Smack My Bitch Up.” ★★★★½ (4

Many “Top 100” lists stumble by over-indexing on the Billboard Hot 100, which in 1997 was clogged with saccharine ballads (Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”—technically released December ‘97 but often included). Others ignore international hits (Oasis’ “D’You Know What I Mean?” underperformed in the US but was massive globally). The worst offenders exclude underground classics like Modest Mouse’s “Trailer Trash” or Yo La Tengo’s “Autumn Sweater.” top 100 songs of 1997