Tubthumping – Chumbawamba

A No. 1 song in Australia, the song was written ‘as a song of hope and positivity’, it was also No. 1 in Canada and No. 2 in the UK.

My favourite memory of this song is playing the demo of World Cup 98 on PC, and you’d hear the song in the game menu over and over as you play two quick halves of soccer.

Barbie Girl – Aqua

Barbie Girl reached No. 1 in Australia in 1997 so many may wonder why it is on the 1998 compilation, perhaps somebody put the wrong Aqua song in and was meant to put in a song like ‘Candyman’.

Would you believe that the song has 1.6 billion views on YouTube? Mattel also sued Aqua, but the song was declared a parody which does protect people.

It’s Like That – Run DMC vs. Jason Nevins

This new version of the Run DMC hit from 1983 was a big hit in 1997/98, the song even stopped the Spice Girls from a seventh consecutive number one hit as the song could only get to No. 2, it was one of only two Spice Girls singles in the UK not to reach No. 1.

Polyester Girl – Regurgitator

Regular overseas readers would likely have heard of Australian alternative rock band Regurgitator in our look through CD 1 of this compilation, ‘Polyester Girl’.

The song was their highest charting single; they had songs charting in Australia between 1996 and 2004.

I Wanna Be The Only One – Eternal

This song charted in both 1997 and 1998, doing most of its business in 1998 and peaked at No. 10, it was the R&B and Pop group’s third and final Top 10 single in Australia with Stay peaking at No. 3 in 1993, that song is a 90s classic.

Foolish Games – Jewel

Foolish Games peaked at No. 12 in 1997, the song ‘details the frustration and agony of knowing that the intensity of one’s love is not reciprocated by one’s lover’

It was Jewel’s second of three Top 20 single hits in Australia; her first four studio albums all peaked in the Top 10 in Australia between 1995 and 2003.

Together Again – Janet Jackson

Together Again was a big hit for Janet Jackson, it peaked at No. 4 in Australia and charted in late 1997 and into 1998, it was a No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in America too.

Up to 2025, Janet Jackson would have nine Top 10 songs in Australia including one No. 1 and two that peaked at No. 2.

You Sexy Thing – T-shirt

T-shirt were a pop duo that only existed in 1996-1997 and comprised of Miranda Cooper and Chloé Treend and they released a version of Hot Chocolate’s ‘You Sexy Thing’.

They made impact with the song as it had peaked at No. 6 in Australia, it wasn’t the only version of the song in 1997 as Clock released a version and Hot Chocolate re-released their song too, this music video is noted for having Hot Chocolate lead singer Errol Brown appear at the end of the song as well as his vocals being in the song.

Fight for Your Right (To Party) – N.Y.C.C

German Hip Hop act N.Y.C.C covered this Beastie Boys hit in 1998, and it peaked at No. 12 which was interesting because it had done better than the Beastie Boys whose version peaked at No. 37 in 1987.

This song is a misunderstood song as it was not a song in support of the ‘frat boy’ party culture but ended up being supported by those who love it.

Cleopatra’s Theme – Cleopatra

‘Cleopatra’s Theme’ peaked at No. 25 in Australia and was one of three singles that charted for the girl group in the country, the third one was ‘Thank ABBA for the Music’ with B*Witched, Steps, Tina Cousins and Billie Piper.

They had four Top 5 singles and one Top 20 album in the UK from their two albums.

Hey Now Now – Swirl 360

‘Hey Now Now’ is a song by America Pop Rock group Swirl 360, it peaked at No. 68 in Australia and its best result was No. 12 in Canada, while a lot of people may not have heard of them, they have been recording steadily and their music has appeared in ten movies or tv shows.

Takin’ All Day – The Cruel Sea

The Cruel Sea are an Indie Rock band from Australia and this single actually didn’t do very well as it peaked at No. 132 though the album it came from ‘Over Easy’ was much more successful as it had peaked at No. 13, their third consecutive Top 20 album.

Next Time – Marie Wilson

Marie Wilson’s debut single ‘Next Time’ peaked at No. 21 in Australia, and it was quite a memorable song at the time especially when growing up and getting lots of music listening in during 1998.

Unfortunately, it was one of only three singles to chart between 1998 and 2017, she picked up three ARIA Award nominations and had won three Mo Awards for Jazz Vocal Performer of The Year in 1994, 1998 and 2001.

The Day You Come – Powderfinger

‘The Day You Come’ by Powderfinger peaked at No. 25 in Australia, while moderately successful, it achieved the honour of winning Single of the Year at the 1999 ARIA Music Awards.

Powderfinger had six studio albums, four were consecutive No. 1 hits including ‘Internationalist’, the album that featured ‘The Day You Come’.

Fly – Sugar Ray

This song by Sugar Ray peaked at No. 31 in Australia, it appeared on seven different charts that are run by Billboard, hitting No. 1 on the Radio Songs, Alternative Airplay and Pop Airplay charts

Two singles later, they would have massive success with the song ‘Every Morning’.

Teardrop – Massive Attack

British Trip Hop group Massive Attack released this song in 1998 with Elizabeth Fraser recording the vocals and also doing the songwriting of this song; it almost had another vocalist as Madonna was considered for the song, but the plan was voted against 2-1.

The song charted at No. 16 in Australia and No. 10 in the UK, the only Massive Attack song to hit the Top 10 in the UK.

Casanova – Ultimate Kaos

This song was released to no effect in Australia in 1997, it was re-released in 1998 to great effect with the song hitting No. 18 in Australia, it was one of two Ultimate Kaos songs to reach the Top 20 in Australia.

The group was created by Simon Cowell and they split in 1999, the year ‘Anything You Want (I’ve Got It)’ peaked at No. 20 in Australia.

Sex and Candy – Marcy Playground

Alternate Rock band ‘Marcy Playground’ released this song in 1997, it peaked at No. 8 in Australia in 1998 and it had the exact same result on the Billboard Hot 100 though it was No. 1 on the Alternate Airplay chart.

This was a popular song in primary school probably because of the word ‘sex’, those sure were interesting times in the late 90s, who needed a book when music taught you all you needed to know in life.

I Don’t Like It – Pauline Pantsdown

This song peaked at No. 10 in 1998, it is a political parody song about Pauline Hanson, a controversial politician in Australia, originally there was the song ‘Backdoor Man’ that was created after Hanson’s attacks on Asian immigration and welfare spending on Aborigines but was

‘I Don’t Like It’ was then created and it was a success, it was not stopped by Pauline Hanson and is said to have helped caused Pauline Hanson and her political party to lose half of their support in the late 1990s.