Finnish #1 Chart Hits: 1996
Ever wondered what the biggest hits of 1996 were in the cold Nordic frontiers of Finland? Well look no further, as I've completed another run-and-review-through of the chart history of my old home grounds.
>> Go check it out! (1996 starts about 1/3rds down this page) <<
In 1996 Finland is still knee-deep in its infatuation with dance music, but the focus has moved away from the bright cheer of Eurodance towards the darker, moodier soundscapes of the UK dance scene. The 1996 charts overall look a lot like any other 1996 singles chart from anywhere in the Western world: "Macarena", "Killing Me Softly", "Insomnia", "Firestarter", Spice Girls, all familiar names in what is a landmark year of sorts.
There aren't many homebrew heroes popping up this year, but a particularly notable name appears at the very end of the year. The scrawny punk trio Apulanta scored their first #1 single as they took a more alternative, grunge-indebted sound, and this would shake up the entire Finnish charts for the rest of the 1990s. Apulanta's success not only means that my list is going to end up double-timing as their singles discography rate for a good while (you won't believe how many #1s these guys have), but at the time it provoked a massive shift in trends. From 1997 forward Finnish alternative rock was cool as heck and it became one of the key dominant forces in the charts. But more on that in the next update.
Flint's Top 5 Hits of 1996
- Spice Girls - Wannabe
- Suede - Trash
- Los Del Rio - Macarena
- Robert Miles - Children
- Faithless - Insomnia
The Trash Can Award for the Worst #1 of the Year: Metallica - Until It Sleeps
1997 up next - and like said, it's going to get a lot more Finnrock up in here.