This is the second song in my Throwback Thursday series, in which we'll progressively head back in the history of popular music. This week's song was the number one song in America on this day in 1999.
One of the biggest musical acts at the turn of the century was Carlos Santana. First bursting onto the scene in the late '60s, Santana and his eponymous band had spent the '80s and '90s in decline and hiatus. Santana, inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, then released a breakout album in 1999 which included two songs that would become among the band's greatest hits.
Santana teamed up with Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas for the debut single from their new album Supernatural, titled "Smooth". On October 23, 1999 Smooth, which was written by Thomas, became the number one song on the Billboard chart - a spot the song did not relinquish until January of 2000. After spending nearly three months as the hottest song in America, Smooth went triple-platinum and won three Grammy awards.
Smooth is highly infectious, with a summer fiesta feel. The percussion, horns and guitar playing blend perfectly. Thomas's unique vocal style adds a distinct flavor to this hit unlike any other song released in the last 20 years. Fifty years from now, we will still see this song as a classic hit and quite possibly as the song that defined the late '90s.
Next week: 1996
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