Country supercouple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill took a testament of love to the top of the chart in 1997. "It's Your Love" logged 30 weeks in the top 40, easily ranking as the biggest hit of the year. Teenage sensation LeAnn Rimes scored five top 10 hits, including her first number one single, "How Do I Live", at the tender age of 15 years and 2 days, the youngest act to hit number one on UU-BRU Radio Playlist to date. The Diane Warren song was also a top ten hit for Trisha Yearwood. British pop stars, Spice Girls, placed their first three singles in the top ten, making them the top new act and group of 1997. Two other acts reached the top with their first top 40 single, Sugar Ray and The Cardigans, landing both in the year end top five. The world mourned the loss of Princess Diana and found comfort in Elton John's performance of a rewritten "Candle In The Wind". Elton John entered the chart straight at number one a week after performing the song at her funeral. Bob Carlisle reached number two with "Butterfly Kisses", the biggest Christian crossover hit to date. Bob Carlisle was one of several acts to peak at number two in 1997 including No Doubt, Jim Brickman & Martina McBride, Whitney Houston, Hanson, LeAnn Rimes and Mariah Carey. Only 12 singles reached number one in 1997, the lowest amount since UU-BRU Radio Playlist began in 1978.
TOP ACT OVERALL LeAnn Rimes
TOP MALE ARTIST Tim McGraw
TOP FEMALE ARTIST LeAnn Rimes
TOP GROUP Spice Girls
TOP NEW ACT Spice Girls
12 songs reached #1 on UU-BRU in 1997
