Kenny G "My Heart Will Go On"

Not just Celine Dion profited from "My Heart Will Go On", Kenny G also released an instrumental version of the popular ballad in 1998. Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz radio stations couldn't contain themselves and spun both tunes. While Celine's more popular version will go down in history, Kenny G's didn't fare as well: peaking at #19 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.

Amy Grant "I Will Be Your Friend"

There's a strange connection between TOMS Shoes and Amy Grant. Back in 1999, Blake Mycoskie convinced the city of Nashville to allow his company (Mycoskie Media) to put billboards up around the city. Mycoskie convinced local politicians that these new billboards would not be billboards, per se, and wouldn't be advertising. Instead, Mycoskie sought to put album art from musicians on the sides of buildings. He successfully convinced the Nashville city council that the "ads" would contain no call-to-action, so therefore it was more art than advertising. Guy Raz artfully covers this in his podcast interview with Mycoskie on How I Built This. Mycoskie Media's first client: Amy Grant. After selling his billboard company to radio behemoth Clear Channel, Mycoskie later appeared on The Amazing Race and eventually launched TOMS Shoes. 

Shania Twain "You're Still the One"

They said it would never last. Critics dismissed the relationship between budding country star Shania Twain and her successful producer boyfriend Robert "Mutt" Lange...even after the pair married. And, for 17 years, Twain proved them wrong...the two even wrote "You're Still the One" as a memento of their relationship and how they overcame all the naysayers. All of this crashed to the floor when Shania learned Mutt was having an affair with her best friend. The pair divorced in 2010. Twain told Andy Cohen that if she ever saw her now ex-friend, she'd tell her: "I wish I never met you." Is it possible for his story to get even more bonkers? Yes! Shania bonded with her ex-friend's ex-husband and the two commiserated over being jilted lovers...only to later become lovers. WTF!

Sheryl Crow "My Favorite Mistake"

Eric Clapton is rumored to be the man behind "My Favorite Mistake". In the song, Sheryl Crow sings about a relationship with a man who is unfaithful. While she's never confirmed who she's singing about in the song, she did admit it wasn't about Clapton claiming that their relationship was not a mistake.

New Radicals "You Get What You Give"

Marilyn Manson was so upset his name was used opposite Courtney Love in the lyrics of "You Get What You Give" that he threatened to beat up New Radical's lead singer Gregg Alexander. The two later bumped into each other in a grocery store where Alexander apologized to Manson and all was forgiven.

Paula Cole "Me"

Twenty-one years before Taylor Swift, Paula Cole released the ballad "Me". MTV and VH1 gave Paula's "Me" a bit of exposure, but nothing like what Taylor Swift got from her April 26th release of "Me!".

Madonna "Ray of Light"

"If you want to succeed in life, you need to constantly reinvent yourself," said the guest speaker in one of my college courses. Those wise words from this man (who at the time worked for the upstart WB Network) continue to remain relevant as I celebrate my 20 year college reunion. Credit to Madonna for artistically reinventing herself with every passing album. Even today, at 60 years of age, Madonna will embark on her Madame X Tour in support of her 14th studio album.

LeAnn Rimes "Looking Through Your Eyes"

The list of country music that found its way over to Adult Contemporary radio stations expanded in the late-90s thanks to names like Shania Twain, Faith Hill and LeAnn Rimes. LeAnn's 1998 ballad "Looking Through Your Eyes" originally debuted on the Quest for Camelot Soundtrack.

Backstreet Boys "I'll Never Break Your Heart"

Originally released in 1995, the Backstreet Boys finally found success with their ballad "I'll Never Break Your Heart" in 1998. The delay actually is fitting given that it took the boys two weeks to record the song because Brian Littrell and A.J. McLean both had colds.

Goo Goo Dolls "Iris"

The most-played song from 1998 came from an Alternative-Rock band with a goofy name. The Goo Goo Dolls released "Iris" for the City of Angels Soundtrack, but later included it in their Dizzy Up the Girl album. The song found homes on Alternative, Rock, Top 40, and Adult Contemporary radio stations which propelled it to the top spot on all of those formats. While not a well-received movie, the City of Angels Soundtrack also featured radio hits from Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan.

Lionel Richie "Time"

TD Ameritrade's Superbowl commercial from last year featured two people trying to get Lionel Richie to utter his famous song title "All Night Long" throughout their spot that touted Ameritrade's ability to trade after hours. Props to Lionel and others who embrace poking a little fun at themselves.

Janet Jackson "Together Again"

After graduating from college in 1999, I returned to my part-time DJ job at Windy 100 (WNND-FM) in Chicago. At that time, the upstart Adult Contemporary radio station was about a year old and had already eaten away at 93.9 Lite-FM's (WLIT-FM) stronghold on the market. The heritage radio station continued to present itself as an at-work radio station that shuffled through a "safe" playlist of ballads and without talk (DJs with personality). By contrast, Windy 100 pounded their mantra of "No Lite, Sleepy, Snoring, or Boring" music. While the station certainly did play some soft music (see "My Heart Will Go On"), it surrounded those songs with more upbeat tunes. Lite-FM eventually followed Windy 100's lead and added more contemporary and uptempo songs like "Together Again" from Janet Jackson -- music that the old Lite-FM would never play. By 2000, Windy 100 overtook The Lite in key demographics which led to a revolving door of personnel changes at 93.9 including their longtime Program Director and numerous on-air voices.

Cher "Believe"

My college roommate Doug asked me what I believed to be a loaded question. He said, "Todd, do you believe in life after love?" After my lengthy response, he was quiet. I took this silence as affirmative of my revealing something deep and profound. After a couple moments, he casually mentioned that those were the lyrics to "Believe" from Cher. (eye roll)

Bob Seger & Martina McBride "Chances Are"

Included on the Hope Floats Soundtrack, the ballad "Chances Are" features the unmistakable Bob Seger with Martina McBride. The duet charted on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 1998, but wasn't the album's crown jewel. That gem belonged to Garth Brooks who remade Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love". The remake finished first on the Country Chart during the summer of 1998 and earned Brooks a Grammy nomination in 1999. Other big names on the soundtrack include The Rolling Stones, Lyle Lovett, Trisha Yearwood, and Sheryl Crow.

Amy Grant "Like I Love You"

With Amy Grant's marriage to Gary Chapman nearing its breaking point, many of the songs on Grant's Behind The Eyes album touched upon her personal struggles. "Like I Love You" was one of the album's bittersweet hits--peaking at #10 on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 1998.

Michael Bolton "Best of Love"

Michael Bolton got some help from Babyface in "Best of Love"--a sexy ballad from his All That Matters album.

Jim Brickman & Anne Cochran "After All These Years"

"After All These Years" featured the vocals of Anne Cochran with Jim Brickman playing piano. The song not only was a Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary Chart, but it helped to launch Cochran's career as one-half of a duet. She went on to sing with Donny Osmond, Dave Koz, and Michael Bolton (among others).

Blessid Union of Souls "Light in Your Eyes"

The group Blessid Union of Souls intentionally spelled their name "blessid" incorrectly so they wouldn't be called Blessed Union of Souls. Alrighty then...

Faith Hill "This Kiss"

The following is a real phone call I received while working at a soft rock radio station in 1998.

"Hi, Windy 100."
"Oh, hi. Could you play that new song from Faith Hill?"
"This Kiss?"
"Yeah, that one!"
"Um, I'm actually playing it right now."
"Oh. Can you play it again?"
"(deep breath)"

Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston "When You Believe"

You would think a duet from two of the biggest female divas singers of their time would result in a huge hit, but that wasn't the case with the song "When You Believe" from Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The duo recorded reportedly did not like one another and sought to disprove the rumors with the duet for The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack in 1998. While song only proved to be a Top 20 hit on the Hot 100, it fared much better on the Adult Contemporary Chart (#3).