Lists of the number one and top·ranked Alternative Rock Songs of 1996
| Title | Artist | Weeks at #1 | Starting Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wonderwall | Oasis | 10 weeks (9 week(s) in 1996) | see 1995 Number Ones for start date |
| 1979 | Smashing Pumpkins | 1 week | 1996-03-02 |
| Ironic | Alanis Morissette | 3 weeks | 1996-03-16 |
| Champagne Supernova | Oasis | 5 weeks | 1996-04-06 |
| Salvation | The Cranberries | 4 weeks | 1996-05-11 |
| Mother Mother | Tracy Bonham | 3 weeks | 1996-06-08 |
| Counting Blue Cars | Dishwalla | 1 week | 1996-06-29 |
| Pepper | Butthole Surfers | 3 weeks | 1996-07-06 |
| Standing Outside A Broken... | Primitive Radio Gods | 6 weeks | 1996-07-27 |
| Who You Are | Pearl Jam | 1 week | 1996-09-07 |
| Down | 311 | 4 weeks | 1996-09-14 |
| Novocaine For The Soul | Eels | 2 weeks | 1996-10-12 |
| What I Got | Sublime | 3 weeks | 1996-10-26 |
| Swallowed | Bush | 7 weeks | 1996-11-16 |
| 14 total | |||
<< Previous Year's Number One Rock Tracks | Next Year's Number One Rock Tracks >>
The countdown below comes straight from Billboard Magazine's year·end edition of the top 40 Modern Rock Tracks of 1996.
Bear in mind, Billboard takes their ranking from November of the previous year, to November of the current year, so this method won't be accurate for any calendar year.
| Rank | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pepper | Butthole Surfers |
| 2. | 1979 | Smashing Pumpkins |
| 3. | Counting Blue Cars | Dishwalla |
| 4. | Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart | Stone Temple Pilots |
| 5. | Santa Monica (Watch The World Die) | Everclear |
| 6. | Wonderwall | Oasis |
| 7. | Spiderwebs | No Doubt |
| 8. | In The Meantime | Spacehog |
| 9. | Machinehead | Bush |
| 10. | Stupid Girl | Garbage |
| 11. | Down | 311 |
| 12. | Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand | Primitive Radio Gods |
| 13. | Brain Stew/Jaded | Green Day |
| 14. | Burden In My Hand | Soundgarden |
| 15. | Mother Mother | Tracy Bonham |
| 16. | Glycerine | Bush |
| 17. | Big Me | Foo Fighters |
| 18. | Ironic | Alanis Morissette |
| 19. | Champagne Supernova | Oasis |
| 20. | Where It's At | Beck |
| 21. | Tonight, Tonight | Smashing Pumpkins |
| 22. | Natural One | Folk Implosion |
| 23. | Novocaine For The Soul | Eels |
| 24. | Just A Girl | No Doubt |
| 25. | The World I Know | Collective Soul |
| 26. | I Got ID | Pearl Jam |
| 27. | Cumbersome | Seven Mary Three |
| 28. | What I Got | Sublime |
| 29. | Salvation | The Cranberries |
| 30. | Big Bang Baby | Stone Temple Pilots |
| 31. | Here In Your Bedroom | Goldfinger |
| 32. | Pretty Noose | Soundgarden |
| 33. | Tahitian Moon | Porno For Pyros |
| 34. | Photograph | The Verve Pipe |
| 35. | Heaven Beside You | Alice In Chains |
| 36. | Too Much | Dave Matthews Band |
| 37. | Who Will Save Your Soul | Jewel |
| 38. | King Of New Orleans | Better Than Ezra |
| 39. | Banditos | The Refreshments |
| 40. | Ready To Go | Republica |
source: Billboard Magazine back issue from December 28, 1996 via Google Books
<< Previous Year's Billboard Year End Countdown | Next Year's Billboard Year End Countdown >>
KROQ gets credit as the very first Modern Rock radio station ever! At year's end starting in 1980, KROQ ranked the top "106.7" songs of each year, based on votes by their listeners. The 106.7 comes from their place on the FM dial.
Instead of listing the chart, just follow the link below to go directly to the website providing the chart.
Bear in mind, the ranking has a year·end bias, as the top·ranked songs tended to be the ones most heavily played toward the end of the year.
<< Previous Year For KROQ | KROQ's Top 106.7 songs of 1996 | Next Year For KROQ >>
91X, another early Modern Rock station from San Diego, also made a listener·based year·end countdown. 91X ranked their top 91 songs each year, beginning in 1983.
Follow the link below to go directly to the website providing the chart.
<< Previous Year For 91X | 91X Top 91 songs of 1996 | Next Year For 91X >>
WKQX, or Q101 in Chicago, ran with an Alternative Rock format from 1996 to 2003. They ranked their station's top 101 songs each of those years.
Follow the link below to go directly to the website providing the chart.
<< Previous Year's Top Songs | Alternative Rock main page 1996 | Next Year's Top songs >>