Child Of The 1980's

The first Now That’s What I Call Music compilation album was released in 1983, and it’s appearance completely changed the way compilation albums were viewed. It wasn’t the first compilation album by any means. I remember my Dad having several Top of the Pops albums (I don’t think this had anything to do with the BBC TV show) which he had bought when he was growing up. However, the NOW albums, as they are generally called today, changed the way such compilations were viewed from being a selection of tunes you may have heard of to a collection of current hits that you were most likely familiar with.

One of the biggest problems facing compilation albums was the number of songs you could fit on an album. Remember this was before compact discs and downloadable MP3s music had taken over from vinyl records and cassette tapes, so all the NOW albums were sold on two records or tapes. Double albums had existed before, but they were few and far between and rarely were compilations of songs by many different bands and singers – or “various” as most compilations now get classified! The biggest step NOW made was to release on two albums, giving the average teenager access to 30 or so top songs for little more than the price of a regular album.

The NOW series is still going strong today, almost 25 years later. At the time of writing we’re up to number 67, with NOW 68 due in November. There have also been several spin offs from the series, include separate albums for specific years (e.g. NOW 1980) and genres of music (e.g. NOW Dance). But what was on that original now album, I hear you cry? Well, here’s a track listing:-

Disc one

1. Phil Collins : You Can’t Hurry Love
2. Duran Duran : Is There Something I Should Know
3. UB40 : Red Red Wine
4. Limahl : Only For Love
5. Heaven 17 : Temptation
6. KC & the Sunshine Band : Give It Up
7. Malcolm McLaren : Double Dutch
8. Bonnie Tyler : Total Eclipse of the Heart
9. Culture Club : Karma Chameleon
10. Men Without Hats : Safety Dance
11. Kajagoogoo : Too Shy
12. Mike Oldfield : Moonlight Shadow
13. Men at Work : Down Under
14. Rock Steady Crew : (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew
15. Rod Stewart : Baby Jane

Disc two

1. Paul Young : Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)
2. New Edition : Candy Girl
3. Kajagoogoo : Big Apple
4. Tina Turner : Let’s Stay Together
5. Human League : (Keep Feeling) Fascination
6. Howard Jones : New Song
7. UB40 : Please Don’t Make Me Cry
8. Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack : Tonight I Celebrate My Love
9. Tracey Ullman : They Don’t Know
10. Will Powers : Kissing With Confidence
11. Genesis : That’s All
12. The Cure : Love Cats
13. Simple Minds : Waterfront
14. Madness : The Sun and the Rain
15. Culture Club : Victims

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This entry is filed under Music - Albums and was posted on October 11th, 2007. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.