There’s a saying about the passing of time: Everything old is new again. What does it mean? Well, the idea is that culture is cyclical. Fashion, music, and everything else that people enjoy eventually go out of style only to come back again in full force. Think about bell-bottom pants—every 30 or 40 years, they seem to come back in style.
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But the saying goes for more than just leg wear. It’s also true for music, too. For an example of that, just look at the year 1999. As the world was preparing for not only a new century but a new millennium, there were throwback classic rock artists who’d made names for themselves decades prior that were all of a sudden again earning No. 1 spots on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s crazy but true! Let’s explore.
“Smooth” by Santana from ‘Supernatural’ (1999)
Who would have guessed that Santana, who rose to popularity in the late 60s and early 70s with his Bay Area rock band, would be garnering No. 1 song after No. 1 song in the late 90s and early 2000s. But that’s just what happened with his 1999 LP, Supernatural, which featured myriad big-name artists of the day, from Rob Thomas to Dave Matthews. Santanta created a blueprint for success in your second act with the album that many can follow still today.
“Believe” by Cher from ‘Believe’ (1998)
Not only did Cher’s 1998 single, “Believe”, hit No. 1 in 1999, but the track was actually the best-performing song from that final year of the 20th century. For Cher, who had risen to fame thanks to her husband and wife duo in the 60s and 70s, Sonny & Cher, it was a remarkable achievement. To hit No. 1 some 30 years after establishing herself in culture is quite remarkable. Indeed, Cher had the whole world singing about believing in life after love! Shoot, she still has us singing about it now!
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