Flashback: February 16, 1996

 Hello again everyone. The last time I did a flashback was January 25th, and I wound up getting my heart ripped out that day...again. So, this flashback, I should have a clear mind (if not a slightly bruised heart) and should follow through with a proper flashback. This week, we go back to 1996. I don't think I've done a flashback from that year before. I'll have to check to be sure. Also, I'm doing this flashback a little different from my other ones. In the past my flashbacks came from either the Radio & Records pop chart from that week or the Billboard Hot 100. This week however, I'm basing this off the Hot 100 Airplay sector of the Billboard chart. Charts back in those days, as well as radio, was rather unique. So, without further ado, here were, according to Billboard Magazine, the 40 most played pop songs:

40. Brain Stew/Jaded by Green Day. Got plenty of run on MTV and rock radio, but course, pop radio in Virginia (where I lived) wouldn't touch the song. Kinda like how a country station in Oklahoma won't touch Beyonce's latest country song (Update: after public outcry, the station caved and started playing it). Another reason that I kinda despise that state, especially after a few weeks ago. 

39. Runaway by Janet Jackson. At this point, this song had already dropped below the Top 40 according to Radio & Records. Even though I had it as recurrent, as it was below #20 with 20+ weeks on the chart.

38. Not Gon' Cry by Mary J. Blige. This one had yet to reach the top 50 on Radio and Records pop chart yet. It would eventually debut on March 8.

37. Back For Good by Take That. Big in England, not so much here outside of this track.

36. Set U Free by Planet Soul. A staple at the old enlisted club in Norfolk Naval Base. I don't think that place exists anymore...

35. Glycerine by Bush. A little surprised in retrospect that this charted because much like Brain Stew at #40, this hardly got any traction outside the rock and alternative stations in Virginia.

34. Anything by 3T. I honestly don't remember this tune. 

33. Kiss From A Rose by Seal. From I think the best Batman movie, "Batman Forever."

32. Follow You Down by Gin Blossoms.

31. I Want To Come Over by Melissa Etheridge. 

30. Diggin' On You by TLC.

29. Run-Around by Blues Traveler. I have yet to see exactly how long it stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 by on Radio and Records it stayed for almost a year!

28. Before You Walk Out Of My Life by Monica. 

27. Don't Cry by Seal. Quality follow-up to "Kiss From A Rose."

26. Carnival by Natalie Merchant. Her first smash hit as a solo artist. Faded away as the century came to a close.

25. You'll See by Madonna. I think this was her last hit from her "Bedtime Stories" album, before the "Evita" soundtrack later that year.

24. Roll To Me by Del Amitri. If I'm not mistaken this was one of a handful of one-hit wonders from the mid-90's.

23. Til I Hear It From You by Gin Blossoms. Just as "Runaway" at #39, I had as a recurrent song, it was listed on Radio & Records because back in February 1996, their recurrent rule was at least 26 weeks in the top 40 and under position 25.

22. Hook by Blues Traveler. Kind of a humorous video to this song.

21. Only Wanna Be With You. Yeah, the Dolphins made Darius Rucker, and plenty of others in South Florida, cry this season.

20. California Love by 2Pac (f/Dr. Dre & R. Troutman). Arguably 2Pac's signature hit. Didn't get enough run on pop radio.

19. Ironic by Alanis Morissette. Was it just me, or did I have the feeling that Alanis was a little unhinged going off of the video for this song?

18. Tell Me by Groove Theory. Another hit that I thought didn't get enough run on pop radio.

17. Hey Lover by LL Cool J. I just did a compare/contrast with the two media markets that I spent the majority of my time in (Norfolk, VA and Raleigh, NC) and no wonder that my music listening experience in the 90's was whack. On Z104 (NOR), this song got 30+ plays for the week, while it received zero on G105 (RDU). Conversely, "Ironic" had a similar number of plays during the week in Raleigh, while receiving zero in Norfolk. Also, "Hand In My Pocket" was G105's number one song for the week, Z104 was listed as CHR/Pop, but were anything but. If anything, they were rhythmic/urban.

16. Fantasy by Mariah Carey. Another thing about G105, that station refused to play this song, but would instead play the song that "Fantasy" is sampled from, "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club. Seriously. I swear I had to have been around the two WORST markets for pop radio in the mid-90's. No WONDER I was miserable while I was up there! 

15. Sittin' Up In My Room by Brandy. Another song that G105 ignored. 

14. 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. Another song that Z104 ignored that you could only get on the rock station. You starting to catch my drift as well as sense my frustration?

13. The World I Know by Collective Soul. As you may have been able to tell with the last few songs, the world I knew at the time (at least from a music standpoint) was not a fun one.

12. Wonder by Natalie Merchant.

11. As I Lay Me Down by Sophie B. Hawkins. Unfortunately, this (and not "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover") is Hawkins's signature hit. Reason, the original video for "Lover," which suddenly went away when Hawkins came out. Damn.

10. Wonderwall by Oasis. Probably the greatest singalong song of my lifetime, even though I never sang it while intoxicated.

  9. Be My Lover by La Bouche.

  8. Nobody Knows by Tony Rich Project.

  7. One Of Us by Joan Osborne. I may have mentioned this in a prior entry years ago, but the spoken word intro to this song sounds like it came from a woman I used to know from Lake County, Florida.

  6. Exhale (Shoop Shoop) by Whitney Houston. Again, another great song that G105 ignored. Seriously G105, were you racist or something back then???

  5. Breakfast At Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something. Another mid 90's one-hit wonder.

  4. Time by Hootie & The Blowfish. Another song I used to sing along to.

  3. Name by Goo Goo Dolls. A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio. Somewhat prophetic words there.

  2. Missing by Everything But The Girl. Kind of describes my life; everything but the girl.

...and the most played pop song according to Billboard Magazine on this date 28 years ago was...

  1. One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men. I think until recently (within the last five years), that held the record for most weeks at number one on the Hot 100 chart.

Hope to have more entries for y'all this weekend. Enjoy your Friday everyone.

BonyScribe