✨ January 1998 – New Year, New Hits, Same Amazing Vibes! 🎉🎶
1998 kicked off with a wave of new talent, heartfelt ballads, club bangers, and unforgettable voices lighting up charts around the globe. Let’s rewind and check out the hits that defined the beginning of the year — from the bottom up, so we save the biggest surprise for last… 😉
Fresh international acts stepped into the spotlight this month. Sweetbox, featuring the soulful vocals of 🎤 Tina Harris, delivered Everything’s Gonna Be Alright, a smooth and hopeful anthem blending classical strings and hip hop beats. Over in Ireland, the ever-romantic Boyzone gave us their heartfelt version of Baby Can I Hold You, while A Song for Mama by the legendary Boyz II Men tugged at every heartstring 💔. The emotional charity single Perfect Day also brought together a dream team of UK artists for a powerful cause.
Pop divas and singer-songwriters brought beauty and introspection to the charts: Lisa Loeb returned with the catchy I Do, while the emotional I Don’t Want to Wait by 🎹 Paula Cole began its journey toward TV fame and beyond. And Torn by 🌧 Natalie Imbruglia entered with quiet strength, quickly becoming a ‘90s anthem.
From Europe, Aqua made a splash again with Doctor Jones, and Freedom by 🎧 Robert Miles featuring Kathy Sledge gave us a dreamy club moment. Italian star Eros Ramazzotti kept the romance alive with Quanto Amore Sei, while the magical Enya reminded us to dream with Only If. ✨ And from across the UK, Oasis dropped All Around the World, a Britpop symphony full of horns, harmonies, and grandeur.
Pop-rock and soulful voices held their ground too. 3AM by Matchbox Twenty painted a late-night emotional picture, and Angel of Mine by UK girl group Eternal added elegance to the chart. Meanwhile, Angels by 👼 Robbie Williams made a powerful entrance that would soon turn it into a modern-day classic.
Smooth R&B and timeless ballads filled the airwaves: You Make Me Wanna… by the charismatic 💃 Usher kept climbing, while the stunning duo of Toni Braxton & Kenny G made us feel all the feels with How Could an Angel Break My Heart. Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden quietly started its path to becoming one of the biggest love songs of the year. And the radiant queen Janet Jackson held two spots this month – with the poetic Got ’Til It’s Gone and the euphoric Together Again, which soared with emotion and meaning 🕊️.
On the club and alt-pop front, Are You Jimmy Ray? had people buzzing, while Prince Igor by Rapsody, Warren G, and Sissel intrigued listeners with its unique operatic-rap fusion. Dance-pop bangers from Robyn, Dario G, Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth, and N-Trance kept our feet moving 🕺.
Timeless voices and magical moments rounded out the upper part of the chart: Tell Him by the divine duo Barbra Streisand & Céline Dion remained strong, Stand By Me by Oasis brought a classic back to life, and Butterfly by 🦋 Mariah Carey fluttered with emotion and artistry. Meanwhile, the dramatic Tomorrow Never Dies by Sheryl Crow gave Bond fans a thrilling musical moment.
Now, let’s get to the very top…
The top 3 hits of January 1998 were all about love, strength, and timeless pop magic. At #3, Together Again by Janet Jackson soared with heart and groove. Hanson proved their staying power at #2 with the emotional I Will Come To You.
And flying high at #1 this month… 🎤💫 As Long As You Love Me by the unstoppable Backstreet Boys! These five icons from Orlando melted hearts with flawless harmonies, slick production, and a love song that defined a generation.
💬 Which one of these songs brings back the best memories? Are you team R&B, pop, ballads, or dance? Let us know in the comments!
👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, 💬 COMMENT, 🔔 SUBSCRIBE and ✨ SHARE this video with your fellow ‘90s music lovers. Let’s keep the golden era of pop alive — one hit at a time!
| TM | LM | 2M | MS | SONG | ARTIST | LABEL |
| 1 | 3 | 13 | 4 | As Long As You Love Me | Backstreet Boys | Jive Records |
| 2 | 15 | 36 | 3 | I Will Come To You | Hanson | Mercury Records |
| 3 | 40 | NEW | 2 | Together Again | Janet Jackson | Virgin Records |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | Tubthumping | Chumbawamba | EMI Records |
| 5 | 41 | NEW | 2 | Tomorrow Never Dies | Sheryl Crow | A&M Records |
| 6 | 1 | 9 | 4 | Spice Up Your Life | Spice Girls | Virgin Records |
| 7 | 16 | 34 | 3 | Walkin’ On The Sun | Smash Mouth | Interscope Records |
| 8 | 6 | 18 | 4 | Fly | Sugar Ray | Atlantic Records |
| 9 | 20 | 49 | 3 | Sunchyme | Dario G | WEA Records |
| 10 | 4 | 4 | 5 | Barbie Girl | Aqua | MCA Records |
| 11 | 13 | 25 | 3 | Butterfly | Mariah Carey | Columbia Records |
| 12 | 8 | 11 | 4 | Stand By Me | Oasis | Columbia Records |
| 13 | 34 | NEW | 2 | Open Road | Gary Barlow | RCA Records |
| 14 | 42 | NEW | 2 | Back To You | Bryan Adams | A&M Records |
| 15 | 9 | 26 | 4 | Raincloud | Lighthouse Family | Polydor Records |
| 16 | 17 | 35 | 3 | Tell Him | Barbra Streisand & Celine Dion | Columbia Records |
| 17 | 11 | 21 | 4 | Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? | N-trance Feat. Rod Stewart | All Around The World |
| 18 | 5 | 1 | 4 | Anybody Seen My Baby? | The Rolling Stones | Virgin Records |
| 19 | 35 | NEW | 2 | You Make Me Wanna… | Usher | Arista Records |
| 20 | 43 | NEW | 2 | Too Much | Spice Girls | Virgin Records |
| 21 | 12 | 6 | 6 | Where’s The Love | Hanson | Mercury Records |
| 22 | 19 | NEW | 2 | Janie Don’t You Take Your Love To Town | Jon Bon Jovi | Mercury Records |
| 23 | 46 | NEW | 2 | Truly Madly Deeply | Savage Garden | Columbia Records |
| 24 | 25 | NEW | 2 | How Could An Angel Break My Heart | Toni Braxton Feat. Kenny G | Arista Records |
| 25 | 24 | 42 | 4 | Push | Matchbox Twenty | Atlantic Records |
| 26 | 47 | NEW | 2 | Are You Jimmy Ray | Jimmy Ray | Epic Records |
| 27 | 45 | NEW | 2 | Prince Igor | Rapsody Feat. Warren G And Sissel | Mercury Records |
| 28 | 18 | 20 | 4 | I Say A Little Prayer | Diana King | Columbia Records |
| 29 | 7 | 12 | 4 | Just For You | M People | M People Records |
| 30 | 14 | 24 | 3 | Quanto Amore Sei | Eros Ramazzotti | BMG Records |
| 31 | 10 | 5 | 4 | Got ‘Til It’s Gone | Janet Jackson | Virgin Records |
| 32 | NEW | 1 | Torn | Natalie Imbruglia | RCA Records | |
| 33 | NEW | 1 | Angels | Robbie Williams | Chrysalis Records | |
| 34 | NEW | 1 | I Do | Lisa Loeb | Geffen Records | |
| 35 | 21 | 39 | 3 | How Do I Live | LeAnn Rimes | Curb Records |
| 36 | 23 | 10 | 6 | Men In Black | Will Smith | Columbia Records |
| 37 | NEW | 1 | Freedom | Robert Miles Feat. Kathy Sledge | Arista Records | |
| 38 | 31 | NEW | 2 | Angel Of Mine | Eternal | EMI Records |
| 39 | 32 | 45 | 3 | Show Me Love | Robyn | RCA Records |
| 40 | NEW | 1 | Roxanne ’97 [Puff Daddy Remix] | Sting And The Police Feat. Pras | A&M Records | |
| 41 | 22 | 15 | 5 | Something About The Way You Look Tonight | Elton John | Mercury Records |
| 42 | NEW | 1 | Doctor Jones | Aqua | MCA Records | |
| 43 | NEW | 1 | Baby Can I Hold You | Boyzone | Polydor Records | |
| 44 | NEW | 1 | A Song For Mama | Boys II Men | Motown Records | |
| 45 | 48 | 50 | 3 | Only If | Enya | WEA Records |
| 46 | NEW | 1 | All Around The World | Oasis | Columbia Records | |
| 47 | NEW | 1 | Everything’s Gonna Be Alright | Sweetbox Feat. Tina Harris | RCA Records | |
| 48 | NEW | 1 | I Don’t Want To Wait | Paula Cole | Warner Bros. Records | |
| 49 | NEW | 1 | Perfect Day | Various Artists | Chrysalis Records | |
| 50 | NEW | 1 | 3AM | Matchbox Twenty | Atlantic Records |
