It’s Divas, Post-Grunge, Trip-Hop and Alanismania as the Internet takes off, Netscape battles Microsoft in the browser wars, Tupac is killed and tensions between Patriot groups and the Clinton administration help propel a song by an aging Rocker to #1. Media and music continue to fragment into tighter niches, but “The Macarena” unifies the dancefloor and an unknown Singer-Songwriter defies label marketing gimmicks to score the #1 hit of the year.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Billboard Radio Songs entries that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs (on the Billboard Radio Songs chart) during the calendar year

1. Alanis Morissette
2. Mariah Carey
3. Celine Dion

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most charting songs on the Billboard Radio Songs chart during the year (song count in parentheses)

• 8-WAY TIE: Alanis Morissette/Mariah Carey/La Bouche/Hootie & Blowfish/Oasis/Smashing Pumpkins/LL Cool J/Bush (4)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 Billboard Radio Songs hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 29.3 years

#1 Songs   List of Billboard Radio Songs #1's that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Mariah Carey – One Sweet Day (December ’95, 13 wks)
2. Everything but the Girl – Missing (March, 5 wks)
3. Celine Dion – Because You Loved Me (April, 14 wks)
4. Alanis Morissette – You Learn (July, 5 wks)
5. Donna Lewis – I Love You Always Forever (August, 13 wks)
6. Celine Dion – It’s All Coming Back to Me Now (November, 2 wks)