Oasis also scored their 4th UK chart topper in January, which was their last release for two years as they embarked on a massive world tour which brought along the expected controversy and increased publicity for the band.
4 with their debut single "I Know Where It's At" in late 1997, clocked up 3 chart toppers across the year: the 1.25 million selling "Never Ever", popular covers of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge" and Labelle's "Lady Marmalade" (both released as a double A-side) and laid-back dance track "Bootie Call", all tracks from their debut self-titled album, which itself was successful, reaching #2.
Dance-associated "Rollercoaster" and emotional ballad "To You I Belong" quickly became 2 more UK chart toppers for the girls.
Their third release from their second album, Spiceworld, "Stop" was a minimal hit in the US and became their first single not to top the UK charts, ending the run of consecutive #1's at 6.
Making matters worse, Geri Halliwell (also known as Ginger Spice) announced her departure from the group on 31 May after missing various concerts and an appearance on the national lottery.
2 with "The Boy Is Mine", which had a 13-week run at the top of the US chart, but it was a very successful year in the UK for Brandy, who had 2 No.
4 with solo release "My All", which became another chart-topper for her in the US; however, her duet with Whitney Houston, "When You Believe" from the soundtrack to The Prince of Egypt was a bigger hit in the UK than in the US, making No.
Aerosmith scored their biggest global hit throughout their career to date: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", from the soundtrack to Armageddon, made No.
Other US acts who succeeded in the UK during 1998 but were not quite as popular back home were Aaron Carter and Madonna.
Her new, dance-influenced, album, Ray of Light also topped the charts, producing several other hits including the title track which made #2.
Hip Hop trio Destiny's Child began their career with the release of their single, "No, No, No", which made No.
The album spawned two hit singles: the chart topping "The Drugs Don't Work" and the No.
Danish-Norwegian pop outfit, Aqua completed a hat-trick of Number Ones after the massive success of "Barbie Girl", as "Doctor Jones" and "Turn Back Time" both hit the top.
Run DMC's 1983 hit "It's like That" was remixed by Jason Nevins and topped the charts for 6 weeks, selling 1.12 million copies.
The song was one of the fastest selling singles of the year, and also kept the Spice Girls' "Stop" off the top of the charts, breaking the band's run of consecutive No.
The song comprised music from the duo's Indian roots with Western rock beats.
This included Oasis, Garbage, Catatonia, Space, Embrace, Pulp and Massive Attack.
Jamiroquai topped the singles chart with their release "Deeper Underground"; their album Synkronized made No.
She had received a recording contract after appearing in an advertising campaign for Smash Hits magazine.
On the other end of the range, Cher at 52 years of age became the oldest solo female to top the UK charts.
"Believe" also became the largest selling single by a female artist in the UK, with 1.67 million copies sold.
It contained everything from her debut single "Vision of Love" to her most recent work "Honey", as well as some bonus tracks, "When You Believe", a duet with Whitney Houston, "Sweetheart" a duet with Jermaine Dupri, and "I Still Believe", a cover of the hit song from Brenda K. Starr.
Sung by Céline Dion, it sold 1.31 million copies in the UK alone and topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
English composer Anne Dudley won an Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for The Full Monty.
Film composer John Barry produced his first full-length classical work, The Beyondness of Things.
One of Britain's most successful classical composers, Sir Michael Tippett, died at the age of 93, having developed pneumonia while visiting Stockholm for a retrospective of his concert music.
It was also the year when 12-year-old soprano Charlotte Church produced her first album, Voice of an Angel, which was certified triple platinum in UK sales alone, and launched her career as an opera crossover artist.
Her countryman, rising star Bryn Terfel, gave a recital at Carnegie Hall.
Established opera singer Lesley Garrett released her hit album of the same name, including songs from popular musicals as well as operatic arias.