Billboard #1 R&B Songs Of 1997 Rankdown (COMPLETE)

[Soulsista]

6. Can't Nobody Hold Me Down - Puff Daddy feat. Mase

"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" was the debut single for Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs. It features Mase and topped the rap, R&B, and Hot 100 charts. Samples "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson, and contains an interpolation of "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder.

Apologies to mamooshka...


Stats
Chart Entry: January 25, 1997
Peak Date: March 8, 1997
Weeks At #1: 6
Weeks In Top 10: 13
Weeks On Chart: 29
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (6 weeks)

Points: 162
Average: 6.77
Standard Deviation: 3.117 (Highest)

mamooshka - 1
jtd Thee Stallion - 2
PREDS PRIDE - 2
gonecountry - 2
alexcuse - 3
#LisaRinna - 4
bat1990 - 4
newpower - 4
divasummer - 4
chanman - 5

CF15 - 6
beyoncelover - 6
samo🦕 - 6
Ivy Leegue™ - 6
Mirago - 6
B-Boy - 7
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 7
aerodynamite - 7
annoymous1 - 7
jenglisbe - 9
.indulgecountry - 9
rowellfarm490 - 9
wyckyd - 10
Private Dancer - 10
singingrulebritannia - 10
Kelly's 10th Fan - 10
BB🌕 - 10

Soulsista - 11
Gonza'90 - 11
312999 - 11
ilikemilk - 11

[312999]

In terms of all the songs that sampled the Message, IMO this is the worst one.

[Private Dancer]

Jul 31, 2023 13:43:57 GMT -5 singingrulebritannia said:

Jul 31, 2023 13:12:41 GMT -5 Private Dancer said:

Why is supergroup in quotations...

Because they sure didn't do anything super once they got together 🤷

You do know that a supergroup is ppl who are famous on their own and they create a band...

so regardless of them releasing less than super music...they are still a supergroup

[Soulsista]

The Top 5:

Don't Let Go (Love) - En Vogue
On & On - Erykah Badu
Hypnotize - The Notorious B.I.G.
I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112
You Make Me Wanna... - Usher


Biggie and En Vogue are back in the Top 5...can one of them pull out the win? Will we see an all-Bad Boy Top 2? Or will Erykah or Usher claw their way to the top?

And there are still three last place rankings out there, where will they land?

Find out tomorrow!

SPOILER: Click to show

{R&B Class Of '97}jenglisbe chartfanatic @wykcyd B-Boy chanman Private Dancer #LisaRinna singingrulebritannia .indulgecountry jtd Thee Stallion alexcuse Gonza'90 beyoncelover 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 samo🦕 rowellfarm490 PREDS PRIDE bat1990 newpower divasummer 312999 Kelly's 10th Fan aerodynamite mamooshka Ivy Leegue™ gonecountry Mirago ilikemilk BB🌕 annoymous1

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Great top 5! Those songs are EXACTLY in my top 5! 🙌

[singingrulebritannia]

Jul 31, 2023 14:02:36 GMT -5 Private Dancer said:

Jul 31, 2023 13:43:57 GMT -5 singingrulebritannia said:

Because they sure didn't do anything super once they got together 🤷

You do know that a supergroup is ppl who are famous on their own and they create a band...

so regardless of them releasing less than super music...they are still a supergroup

Yes, Brocka, I know what the commonly accepted definition of 'supergroup' is. Don't be condescending here.

My point was to poke fun at the whole idea of the term, because it implies combining artists who had unique careers with different ethos into a unified project will automatically multiply each other's forces into something better. The quotation marks were me disputing its usefulness as a phrase.

[Private Dancer]

Jul 31, 2023 14:14:02 GMT -5 singingrulebritannia said:

Jul 31, 2023 14:02:36 GMT -5 Private Dancer said:

You do know that a supergroup is ppl who are famous on their own and they create a band...

so regardless of them releasing less than super music...they are still a supergroup

Yes, Brocka, I know what the commonly accepted definition of 'supergroup' is. Don't be condescending here.

My point was to poke fun at the whole idea of the term, because it implies combining artists who had unique careers with different ethos into a unified project will automatically multiply each other's forces into something better. The quotation marks were me disputing its usefulness as a phrase.

 Sorry, thought you did not know. It went over my head

[PREDS PRIDE]

1, 3, 4, 6, 10, overall good top 5. not complaining about that last reveal though, kind of expected it to be out a little sooner than that

[#LisaRinna]

CNHMD >> IBMY

[bat1990]

1, 2, 3, 5, 7

Not bad, I'm just a little sad I broke my streak of perfect ranks.

[Soulsista]

This extra was from their album Another Level. It topped the R&B airplay chart and peaked at #12 on the Hot 100 airplay chart, and also hit #1 in New Zealand. Samples "A Dream" by DeBarge.

Don't Leave Me - Blackstreet

---

Next, the lead single from their album Evolution. Written and produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, it topped the Hot 100 (the most recent #1 for the Motown label) and peaked at #2 for R&B.

4 Seasons Of Loneliness - Boyz II Men

[312999]

I may be one of the only ones who thinks this but I prefer Don’t Leave Me over No Diggity, and it could have had a shot at my 1 on this.

[divasummer]

Jul 31, 2023 13:43:57 GMT -5 singingrulebritannia said:

Jul 31, 2023 13:12:41 GMT -5 Private Dancer said:

Why is supergroup in quotations...

Because they sure didn't do anything super once they got together 🤷

Personally I’ve never cared for their music much.
I actually like Sisqo’s solo albums more….

About the above post.
I prefer “Don’t Leave Me” over “No Digity” as well.

[beyoncelover]

11. Never Make a Promise - Dru Hill: This was one of the 3 songs that I wasn't really familiar with but it made the biggest impact on me where I ranked this at #9. I thought this was a really sweet, touching and emotional song and the music video matched it so well. Really nice song from Dru Hill but not one of my very favorite of theirs. Ouch at 9 #11s but not really too surprising.

10. My Body - LSG: Ooh I was kinda hoping for this song to show up here so I could get my first perfect ranking as I placed this at #10 too. This is another song I'm not that familiar with but am vaguely familiar with it somewhat. It's nice, smooth and enjoyable but I just connected to other songs more.

9. A Song For Mama - Boyz II Men: Ooof this was the first hurtful loss here as I do really love this song as this was my #5. :'( This is such a gorgeous, moving and touching song and just a song that I've always loved from Boyz II Men. But I know/feel like Boyz II Men's songs often rank quite on the lower end here so I am not too surprised this showed up. Just glad it didn't land in the bottom two spots.

8. G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T. - Changing Faces: Really nice and pretty song but it was just my least favorite of these songs hence it being my #11. This was just another song I wasn't really that familiar with and hadn't gotten into. I don't even know if it existed? But still really nice song.

7. In My Bed - Dru Hill: This was a tricky song to rank here. I do really enjoy/like the original version and I tried mostly basing my decision off of that. So that's why I gave it a lower #8 ranking (as the Top 8 songs were all songs I really liked/loved). Had I considered the remix, I could have ranked that a few spots higher. This is very nice and smooth. Nice that this didn't get any #11 rankings.

6. Can't Nobody Hold Me Down - Puff Daddy feat. Mase: Ooh ahh okay, I guess this isn't too surprising to be the song with the highest SD and to be the most polarizing here, haha. This is my #6 so yayy for another perfect ranking. I do love this song and think this is a great jam! Interesting how this song has a spot in every spot except that there are no #8s.

So I got my #1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 left. Not too shabby. Near perfect of my Top 5 all making it. Hopefully my #7 comes in 5th so that my Top 4 can be the actual Top 4!

Of the extras, I do really like "4 Seasons Of Loneliness." Though not one of my veryy favorite songs from Boyz II Men.

[CF15]

The correct top 5.
"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" did not age very well, and the "Break My Stride" sample is definitely not it. But I still like parts of the song, which was enough for me to put it above the 5 songs below it that I really did not care for.

[CF15]

Jul 31, 2023 14:01:16 GMT -5 312999 said:

In terms of all the songs that sampled the Message, IMO this is the worst one.

Yeah, I can't believe I'm saying this about a modern hit, but even Coi Leray's version did it better.

[Soulsista]

And we're back!

The song leaving us now has the 2nd highest SD. Three #1s will go down, along with two #11s.

SPOILER: Click to show

{R&B Class Of '97}jenglisbe chartfanatic @wykcyd B-Boy chanman Private Dancer #LisaRinna singingrulebritannia .indulgecountry jtd Thee Stallion alexcuse Gonza'90 beyoncelover 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 samo🦕 rowellfarm490 PREDS PRIDE bat1990 newpower divasummer 312999 Kelly's 10th Fan aerodynamite mamooshka Ivy Leegue™ gonecountry Mirago ilikemilk BB🌕 annoymous1

[Soulsista]

5. I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112

"I'll Be Missing You" was the follow-up to "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down". With Faith Evans and featuring 112, it debuted atop the rap, R&B, and Hot 100 charts, and hit #1 in 17 other countries. It finished as the top single for 1997 in Iceland, Romania, and The Netherlands, and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance By a Duo Or Group. The song is a tribute to The Notorious B.I.G., who was murdered the previous March.

"I'll Be Missing You" was built on a sample of "Every Breath You Take" by The Police, which led to a lawsuit by Sting because Puffy hadn't secured legal approval for the sample before its release. As a result, Sting was awarded 100% of the royalties, with payments reportedly lasting until 2053. Sting and Puffy eventually reconciled, and they performed the song together at the MTV Video Music Awards that September.

Elements of the hymn "I'll Fly Away" were also used, which later led to a copyright infringement lawsuit. A settlement was reached with the plaintiffs receiving an undisclosed amount.

Fun fact: Puffy asked Jay-Z to write his lyrics, but Jay passed and suggested rapper Sauce Money write for him.

Apologies to jtd Thee Stallion, PREDS PRIDE, and 312999...


Stats
Chart Entry: June 14, 1997
Peak Date: June 14, 1997
Weeks At #1: 8
Weeks In Top 10: 13
Weeks On Chart: 33
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (11 weeks)

Points: 195
Average: 5.71
Standard Deviation: 3.079 (2nd highest)

jtd Thee Stallion - 1
PREDS PRIDE - 1
312999 - 1
alexcuse - 2
ilikemilk - 2
jenglisbe - 3
CF15 - 3
beyoncelover - 3
Mirago - 3
chanman - 4
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 4
annoymous1 - 4
#LisaRinna - 5
samo🦕 - 5
bat1990 - 5
Ivy Leegue™ - 5

divasummer - 6
mamooshka - 6
Soulsista - 7
wyckyd - 7
rowellfarm490 - 7
newpower - 7
singingrulebritannia - 8
Kelly's 10th Fan - 8
B-Boy - 9
gonecountry - 9
.indulgecountry - 10
Gonza'90 - 10
aerodynamite - 10

Private Dancer - 11
BB🌕 - 11


Someone loses a #1 with the next reveal...another will lose the final last place ranking.

[312999]

And now this one IMO is a sample done right.

[CF15]

Expected. Glad it made the top 5. #11's? Ain't no way it's worse than all of the snooze-inducing nothingness we saw at the bottom of the rankdown.
Lol at both of the P. Diddy songs having the two highest SD's.

[Soulsista]

4. On & On - Erykah Badu

Born in Dallas, Erica Wright took on the name Erykah Badu while in high school. She got her start in the music business working with D'Angelo, which led to a deal with Universal Records via Kedar Records. Her debut single "On & On" peaked in the Top 20 on the Hot 100, and along with her debut album Baduizm, helped to popularize neo soul. It won a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The song features teachings of the Five-Percent Nation.

Apologies to jenglisbe...


Stats
Chart Entry: January 25, 1997
Peak Date: February 8, 1997
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 12
Weeks On Chart: 31
Hot 100 Peak: #12

Points: 224
Average: 4.77
Standard Deviation: 2.499 (4th highest)

jenglisbe - 1
Soulsista - 2
#LisaRinna - 2
singingrulebritannia - 2
bat1990 - 2
Mirago 2
BB🌕 - 2
Gonza'90 - 3
rowellfarm490 - 3
newpower - 3
gonecountry - 3
.indulgecountry - 4
samo🦕 - 4
aerodynamite - 4
Ivy Leegue™ - 4
CF15 - 5
B-Boy - 5
Private Dancer - 5
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 5
Kelly's 10th Fan - 5
mamooshka - 5

wyckyd - 6
chanman - 6
annoymous1 - 6
beyoncelover - 7
ilikemilk - 7
jtd Thee Stallion - 8
divasummer - 8
312999 - 8
PREDS PRIDE - 10

alexcuse - 11


Taking the bronze is the song that has the 2nd lowest SD. Five people will lose their #1, and just two people will lose a bottom 5.

[jenglisbe]

How tf is this #4?! Apparently y'all don't know that you know nothing at all. I guess I'll see y'all next lifetime.

[CF15]

This was the one nice discovery for me, but I still like this top 3 more.

[CF15]

I like that there isn't really a clear winner here at all. Like, I can easily see any of these three taking it. Personally rooting for "Hypnotize", but either of the other two would be perfectly fine by me, too.

[Soulsista]

3. You Make Me Wanna... - Usher

Born in Dallas and raised in Chattanooga and Atlanta, Usher Raymond IV got his start as part of a group called the NuBeginnings. Later appearing on Star Search, he landed a deal with LaFace Records and released his first single when he was just 14. His single "You Make Me Wanna..." was the lead single from his sophomore album My Way. Co-written and co-produced by Jermaine Dupri, it was one of the biggest hits of 1997, reaching the Top 5 on the Hot 100 and hitting #1 in the UK. It won a Soul Train Award for Best Male R&B/Soul Single and received a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The song broke the record set by "In My Bed" for longest stay on the R&B chart, at 71 weeks, which held until Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You" broke it in 2007.

Apologies to B-Boy, #LisaRinna, alexcuse, aerodynamite, and ilikemilk...


Stats
Chart Entry: August 23, 1997
Peak Date: September 6, 1997
Weeks At #1: 11
Weeks In Top 10: 24
Weeks On Chart: 71
Hot 100 Peak: #2

Points: 275
Average: 3.13
Standard Deviation: 1.688 (2nd lowest)

B-Boy - 1
#LisaRinna - 1
alexcuse - 1
aerodynamite - 1
ilikemilk - 1
jenglisbe - 2
CF15 - 2
.indulgecountry - 2
beyoncelover - 2
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 2
samo🦕 - 2
annoymous1 - 2

Soulsista - 3
chanman - 3
Private Dancer - 3
312999 - 3
Kelly's 10th Fan - 3
mamooshka - 3
Ivy Leegue™ - 3
wyckyd - 4
singingrulebritannia - 4
jtd Thee Stallion - 4
rowellfarm490 - 4
PREDS PRIDE - 4
divasummer - 4
gonecountry - 4
Mirago - 4
BB🌕 - 4

Gonza'90 - 6
bat1990 - 7
newpower - 8

[Soulsista]

vs.




They're separated by just 5 points, and one of them has the lowest SD! Who will take the crown, En Vogue or Biggie? The final 2 will be revealed shortly!

SPOILER: Click to show

{R&B Class Of '97}jenglisbe chartfanatic @wykcyd B-Boy chanman Private Dancer #LisaRinna singingrulebritannia .indulgecountry jtd Thee Stallion alexcuse Gonza'90 beyoncelover 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 samo🦕 rowellfarm490 PREDS PRIDE bat1990 newpower divasummer 312999 Kelly's 10th Fan aerodynamite mamooshka Ivy Leegue™ gonecountry Mirago ilikemilk BB🌕 annoymous1

[Soulsista]

But first, a couple of extras. Her follow-up to "On & On" wasn't released commercially, but still found its way to the top of the R&B airplay chart. The music video features cameos from Pete Rock, Method Man, and her then-boyfriend André 3000 of Outkast.

Next Lifetime - Erykah Badu

---

This song closed out 1997 with a 6-week stay atop the R&B airplay chart. It was later covered by the rock band My Morning Jacket.

Tyrone - Erykah Badu

[CF15]

I feel like En Vogue wins this.

[Soulsista]

Here we go, the final 2...#2 had the most #1s, but it still wasn't enough.



2. Hypnotize - The Notorious B.I.G.

"Hypnotize" was the lead single from Biggie's sophomore album Life After Death. It topped the Hot 100, rap, and R&B charts (debuting at #1 on the latter two). It was built on a sample of Herb Alpert's "Rise" and also contains an interpolation of "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew. The chorus was sung by Pamela Long of Total.

Herb Alpert's nephew Randy said that a few rappers had asked him for permission to use the "Rise" sample over the years, but he turned them down until he heard Biggie's song.

"Hypnotize" was the last single to be released while Biggie was alive; he was murdered just five days later.


Stats
Chart Entry: April 26, 1997
Peak Date: April 26, 1997
Weeks At #1: 3
Weeks In Top 10: 8
Weeks On Chart: 20
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (3 weeks)

Points: 279
Average: 3.00
Standard Deviation: 2.129 (5th lowest)

CF15 - 1
chanman - 1
singingrulebritannia - 1
Gonza'90 - 1
beyoncelover - 1
rowellfarm490 - 1
bat1990 - 1
newpower - 1
Ivy Leegue™ - 1
gonecountry - 1
Mirago - 1
annoymous1 - 1
wyckyd - 2
312999 - 2
aerodynamite - 2
mamooshka - 2
jtd Thee Stallion - 3
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 3
samo🦕 - 3
PREDS PRIDE - 3
BB🌕 - 3
Soulsista - 4
divasummer - 5

jenglisbe - 6
B-Boy - 6
Private Dancer - 6
#LisaRinna - 6
alexcuse - 6
Kelly's 10th Fan - 6
ilikemilk - 6
.indulgecountry - 7

---

And now, the #1...only one person had this outside their Top 5!



1. Don't Let Go (Love) - En Vogue

"Don't Let Go (Love)" was released from the soundtrack to the movie Set It Off. It peaked inside the Top 5 on the Hot 100 and hit #1 in Denmark and Norway. It received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance By a Duo Or Group.

"Don't Let Go" was the last single released by the group before Dawn Robinson left to pursue a solo career.

Congrats to wyckyd for a perfect Top 2!


Stats
Chart Entry: November 9, 1996
Peak Date: January 25, 1997
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 14
Weeks On Chart: 31
Hot 100 Peak: #2

Points: 284
Average: 2.84
Standard Deviation: 1.508 (Lowest)

Soulsista - 1
wyckyd - 1
Private Dancer - 1
.indulgecountry - 1
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 1
samo🦕 - 1
divasummer - 1
BB🌕 - 1
chanman - 2
Gonza'90 - 2
rowellfarm490 - 2
newpower - 2
Kelly's 10th Fan - 2
Ivy Leegue™ - 2
B-Boy - 3
#LisaRinna - 3
bat1990 - 3
singingrulebritannia - 3
aerodynamite - 3
annoymous1 - 3

CF15 - 4
alexcuse - 4
beyoncelover - 4
312999 - 4
mamooshka - 4
ilikemilk - 4
jenglisbe - 5
jtd Thee Stallion - 5
gonecountry - 5
Mirago - 5

PREDS PRIDE - 6


And that concludes the Billboard #1 R&B Songs Of 1997 Rankdown! Thanks again to everyone who participated.

See you in '98!

[divasummer]

Great num.1.
However “A Song For Mama” deserved more love….