# List of European number-one hits of 1996

This is a list of the European Music & Media magazine's European Hot 100 Singles and European Top 100 Albums number-ones of 1996.
| Issue Date | Song | Artist | Album | Artist |
| 6 January | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Coolio featuring L.V. | Made in Heaven | Queen |
| 13 January | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Coolio featuring L.V. | Made in Heaven | Queen |
| 20 January | "Earth Song" | Michael Jackson | Made in Heaven | Queen |
| 27 January | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Coolio featuring L.V. | Made in Heaven | Queen |
| 3 February | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Coolio featuring L.V. | Made in Heaven | Queen |
| 10 February | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Coolio featuring L.V. | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 17 February | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Coolio featuring L.V. | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 24 February | "Spaceman" | Babylon Zoo | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 2 March | "Spaceman" | Babylon Zoo | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 9 March | "Spaceman" | Babylon Zoo | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 16 March | "Spaceman" | Babylon Zoo | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 23 March | "Children" | Robert Miles | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 30 March | "Children" | Robert Miles | Mercury Falling | Sting |
| 6 April | "Children" | Robert Miles | Mercury Falling | Sting |
| 13 April | "Children" | Robert Miles | Falling Into You | Celine Dion |
| 20 April | "Children" | Robert Miles | Greatest Hits | Take That |
| 27 April | "Children" | Robert Miles | Greatest Hits | Take That |
| 4 May | "Children" | Robert Miles | Greatest Hits | Take That |
| 11 May | "Children" | Robert Miles | Greatest Hits | Take That |
| 18 May | "Children" | Robert Miles | To the Faithful Departed | The Cranberries |
| 25 May | "Children" | Robert Miles | To the Faithful Departed | The Cranberries |
| 1 June | "Children" | Robert Miles | Older | George Michael |
| 8 June | "Children" | Robert Miles | Older | George Michael |
| 15 June | "Children" | Robert Miles | Older | George Michael |
| 22 June | "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" | Los Del Rio | Older | George Michael |
| 29 June | "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" | Los Del Rio | Load | Metallica |
| 6 July | "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" | Los Del Rio | Load | Metallica |
| 13 July | "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" | Los Del Rio | Load | Metallica |
| 20 July | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | Load | Metallica |
| 27 July | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | The Score | Fugees |
| 3 August | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | The Score | Fugees |
| 10 August | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | The Score | Fugees |
| 17 August | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | The Score | Fugees |
| 24 August | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | The Score | Fugees |
| 31 August | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette |
| 7 September | "Killing Me Softly" | Fugees | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette |
| 14 September | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette |
| 21 September | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette |
| 28 September | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | R.E.M. |
| 5 October | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | R.E.M. |
| 12 October | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | R.E.M. |
| 19 October | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | R.E.M. |
| 26 October | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | R.E.M. |
| 2 November | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Greatest Hits | Simply Red |
| 9 November | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Dance Into the Light | Phil Collins |
| 16 November | "Say You'll Be There" | Spice Girls | Dance Into the Light | Phil Collins |
| 23 November | "Say You'll Be There" | Spice Girls | Dance Into the Light | Phil Collins |
| 30 November | "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" | Backstreet Boys | Greatest Hits | Simply Red |
| 7 December | "Breathe" | The Prodigy | Spice | Spice Girls |
| 14 December | "Breathe" | The Prodigy | Spice | Spice Girls |
| 21 December | "Breathe" | The Prodigy | Spice | Spice Girls |
| 28 December | "One & One" | Robert Miles featuring Maria Nayler | Spice | Spice Girls |