Now That's What I Call The Hit Compilation Albums Of Yesteryear

[Milky Tears]

Thought it was about time I started a major chart hits compilation album thread on PS. I've been thinking about it for a few years, but could never be a*sed doing the research. Well, that's all about to change...



During my recent Mighty CD Collection Rummage!, I've rediscovered almost one hundred Now That's What I Call Music/Hits/Smash Hits/Now Dance/Essential Hardcore/Dance Zone/Monster Hits compilation albums!

Inspired partly by Jonno's excellent DWM thread and Wayne's various PS journeys, I plan to pick a chart hits compilation album at random (well, randomish) once a week/fortnight/month/whatever and post a load of guff about the period it covers. Itll be like some sort of weirdo "chart time capsule" dug up from the depths of my tat collection.

Feel free to contribute your own nostalgic memories of the chosen period, general comments, queries or just cheese fool abuse.


I could start with the first Now release from 1983, or the most famous one Now 13 (from Christmas 1988 with the Now spaceship on the cover. I think it's still the best-selling Now album.), but I've decided to go with the first one I got on its original release...



Guess what Santa brought for Christmas 1987?

[Milky Tears]

Now That's What I Call Music 10 (EMI/Virgin/Polygram)


30 TOP CHART HITS (August-December 1987)

CLICK HERE FOR COVER

Released: Monday 23rd November 1987 (UK Sales - a massive 1 million+ Christmas seller. Awarded Triple Platinum within a week, Now 10 managed to be the UK's fourth best-selling album of 1987 on less than six weeks sales. 4x Platinum in January 1988.)

In The News: (Aug-Dec 1987) Hostages in Beirut, continuing trouble in Afghanistan, Peter Wrights Spycatcher book is banned, Michael Ryan shoots 16 people dead in Hungerford before taking his own life with a rifle, Robert Maclennan replaces David Owen as SDP Leader (tis true!), Martina Navratilova wins the US Open, Fatima Whitbread wins the UK's only gold medal at the World Athletic Championships in Rome, Operation Deepscan fails to find the Loch Ness Monster, "The Great Storm" batters South-East England (Michael Fish is a crazy foo!), "Black Monday" Stock Market Crash, Jesse Jackson launches his second campaign for U.S. President, Lester Piggott is jailed for tax evasion, Rangers beat Aberdeen in the Scottish League Skol Cup Final (Rangers won 5-3 on penalties), Enniskillen Remembrance Day Bombing kills eleven people, King's Cross fire kills 31 people, construction work on Channel Tunnel begins.

Big On Screen: Fatal Attraction, Beverly Hills Cop II, Full Metal Jacket, The Untouchables, Dirty Dancing, The Lost Boys, Wish You Were Here. A bit too late for The Living Daylights (opened in June 1987).

Big On The Box: Coronation Street (27million watch Hilda leave on Christmas Day), EastEnders, It'll Be Alright On Xmas Night, Beadle's About, Blind Date, Bread, Miami Vice and Challenge Anneka.

The Two Ronnies final Christmas Show is broadcast (includes Pinocchio II - Killer Doll)
ChuckleVision, Knightmare and Going Live all begin in September. Star Trek: The Next Generation debuts in the US and Sylvester McCoy sweeps all before him as Doctor Who Season 24 is broadcast in the UK.


Tracklisting (Original UK Chart Position In Brackets)

Disc One

Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caball - 'Barcelona' (2)
Pet Shop Boys - 'Rent' (8)
The Communards - 'Never Can Say Goodbye' (4)
M/A/R/R/S - 'Pump up the Volume' (1)
Hue & Cry - 'Labour of Love' (6)
Jellybean featuring Steven Dante - 'The Real Thing' (13)
Johnny Hates Jazz - 'I Don't Want to Be a Hero' (11)
The Style Council - 'Wanted' (20)

T'Pau - 'China in Your Hand' (1)
Heart - 'Alone' (3)
Kiss - 'Crazy Crazy Nights' (4)
Billy Idol - 'Mony Mony' (7)
Whitesnake - 'Here I Go Again (USA Remix)' (9)
The Alarm - 'Rain in the Summertime' (18)
Marillion - 'Sugar Mice' (22)

Disc Two

Wet Wet Wet - 'Sweet Little Mystery' (5)
Curiosity Killed the Cat - 'Misfit' (7)
Los Lobos - 'La Bamba' (1)
Fat Boys And Beach Boys - 'Wipeout' (2)
Bananarama - 'Love in the First Degree' (3)
Cliff Richard - 'My Pretty One' (6)
Karel Fialka - 'Hey, Matthew' (9)
Jan Hammer - 'Crockett's Theme' (2)

Nina Simone - 'My Baby Just Cares for Me' (5)
Erasure - 'The Circus' (6)
The Housemartins - 'Build' (15)
Level 42 - 'It's Over' (10)
ABC - 'When Smokey Sings' (11)
Squeeze - 'Hourglass' (16)
The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - 'A Fairytale of New York'* (2)

* as listed on cover

Now Number Ones: Three

1st August: 'La Bamba' - 2 weeks
3rd October: 'Pump Up The Volume' - 2 weeks
14th November: 'China In Your Hand' - 5 weeks





Interesting Sleevenotes (as originally compiled by Now legend Ashley Abram)

Queen "have had 23 British Top 20 singles to date... Freddie aims for his 4th solo Top 20 hit..."

'Rent' was the Pet Shop Boys "third Top 10 Smash of the year..."

Jellybean "A.K.A John Benitez produced numerous early Madonna singles..."

'Never Can Say Goodbye' was "originally a No.2 hit for Gloria Gaynor in early 1975..."

'Wanted' was The Style Council's "13th UK Top 30 single since 'Speak Like A Child' in March 1983. Paul Weller has now appeared on about 33 UK Top 30 hits since 1977..."

T'Pau "lead singer Carol Decker not thought to be related to Desmond..."

Heart "are fronted by the Wilson sisters Ann & Nancy..."

'Mony Mony' was "originally No 1 for Tommy James & The Shondells in August 1968..."

'Here I Go Again (USA Re-Mix)' "topped US chart in October 1987..."

Bananarama's 'Love In The First Degree' "had shot to No.3 by 25th October... equalling their biggest hit to date 'Robert De Niro's Waiting' (1984)..."

'My Pretty One' was "Cliff's first Top 10 UK single for three and a half years..."

'Hey, Matthew' - Matthew is Karel's young son... 'Hey Matthew' made No.9 in September 1987... His first Top 10 Hit... Karel did graze the chart in 1980 with 'The Eyes Have It'..."

Jan Hammer "was born in Czechoslovakia and is 39 years old..."

'My Baby Just Cares For Me' "is expected to be her first British hit single since 1969... Her real name is Eunice Waymon..."

'When Smokey Sings' "this tribute to Smokey Robinson made No.11 on 30th June 1987..."

Where Are They Know? (The One Hit Wonders/Novelty Tracks): M/A/R/R/S - They kicked Rick Astley's whiny/piss-poor dancing ass from the number one spot, sampled Stock, Aitken and Waterman and Ofra Haza, got knocked off the top by the Bee Gees and then disappeared.

Karel Fialka - no sign of him after 'Hey, Matthew', but he probably killed the annoying little ****. "#I want to be a soldier, street fighter, be a policeman. A captain of a boat - big boat..."


Biggest Bomb! (I Don't Remember That One!?): Not really a bomb, but The Style Council's 'Wanted' only made No.20 and Marillion's 'Sugar Mice' No.22. Must be one of the most successful Now track selections ever. All bar one of them made the Top Twenty!

They Were Played Everywhere At The Time: There was no escape from TPau, Rick Astley (dont forget Nat King Cole at Christmas), Bill Bloody Medley & Jennifer Warnes, Pet Shop Boys (plus Dusty), M/A/R/R/S, Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, George Michael, Madonna, Simply Red, Whitney Houston, Los Lobos, The Communards, The Proclaimers, Terence Trent D'Arby,
U2, Jelly Bean, Beastie Boys, George Harrison, Billy Idol, Prince, Johnny Hates Jazz, Level 42, Fat Boys & Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, Black, LL Cool J, Whitesnake, Bruce Willis, Alexander ONeal, Kiss, Def Leppard, Stock, Aitken and Waterman and the smugness of Wet Wet Wet during the second half of 1987. Five Star were active and Shakin' Stevens was still hitting the Top Ten with What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For!


Honourable Mentions Not forgetting Abigail Mead & Nigel Goulding s I Wanna Be Your Drill Instructor (from Full Metal Jacket), Pseudo Echos Funky Town , Scarlet Fantastics No Memory and Waxs sublime Bridge To Your Heart. All four appeared on the rival Hits 7 (Sony, BMG, Warner) album released at the same time.

Sadly, The Hooters epic Satellite, Spagnas Call Me , Sinittas Toy Boy, Was (Not Was) with Walk The Dinosaur and George Harrisons Got My Mind Set On You didnt make it onto any of them.

I think Voyage Voyage was probably kicking about as well.




Big thanks to: everyHit.com, Wikipedia, The Top Twenty Book: Sixth Edition (Tony Jasper, 1994), Ultimate Music Database, The BPI, IMDB, BFI, BARB, INFAX, and TV Cream. Any chart stat mistakes have been put there deliberately to keep Uncle Jonno on his toes... Honest, guv!

[Simon R]

I have Ofra Haza's version of Madonna's "Open Your Heart" and very good it is too. All slow and ballady. And wotnot. There's rumours that Bananarama are recording a cover of "Voyage Voyage".

Good thread BTW! 1987 was a pretty good year for pop. Scary to think it's 20 years ago.

[SiHart]

At the time Wet, Wet, Wet were my favourite group, and I can remember saving up to buy Popped in, Souled Out. I haven't listened to it for a few years now though.

I also really liked M/A/R/R/S a great deal at the time, but wondered why... if I hadn't analysed it more, my whole musical taste might have been very different. It's still great now.

Si xx

[Milky Tears]

I couldn't afford to buy 'Popped In, Souled Out' until I got my birthday money in November 1987. That was about six weeks after it came out!

I also loved 'Pump Up The Volume' at the time. This was during my saddo "House Arrest" phase.

I remember Stock, Aitken and Waterman moaning about the 'Roadblock' sample in 'Pump Up The Volume', but I wasn't aware that 'Never Gonna Give You Up' allegedly sampled the bassline from Colonel Abrams 'Trapped'! Is this a "Wikipedia In Mistake Shocker!"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pump_up...ume_%28song%29

Next you'll be telling me Abrams wasn't a real Colonel and 'Roadblock' wasn't a load of old toss!



Star Turn On 45 Pints' 'Pump Up The Bitter' is still a better tune, though.

There's rumours that Bananarama are recording a cover of "Voyage Voyage".

It has a cracking chorus:

#Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inou de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacre d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.



Edited to add: The bassline in the Abrams and Astley tracks do sound similar.

[Matthew T]

"Voyage Voyage" was a bit later, it was one of the singles I bought when I got into music for the first time in mid-1988!

Despite being a big dance music fan, I've never liked M/A/R/R/S, it just sounds like noise to me!

Best songs on this one are T'Pau, Whitesnake and Heart. Soft rock madness!

Now 12 was the first one I bought.

Most of these early Nows are worth a FORTUNE if you've got them on CD.

[Milky Tears]

I think 'Voyage Voyage' was originally released in 1987, as it appears on Hits 7. It didn't make the Top 40 until the 1988 re-release hit No.5.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desireless

Now 12 was the first one I bought.

Most of these early Nows are worth a FORTUNE if you've got them on CD.

Now 10 is the earliest one I've got on CD. Then it's Now 13 and Now 19 onwards on shiny disc. Ten on tape and six on vinyl as well.

I've got Hits 10, Monster Hits and Snap It Up! Monster Hits 2 (from 1989-90) on disc as well.

Best songs on this one are T'Pau, Whitesnake and Heart. Soft rock madness!

T'Pau's 'China In Your Hand' is the best song ever written about Mary Shelley and Frankenstein. 1988's 'Secret Garden' is about a transexual, isn't it?


Carol Decker was clearly a lyrical Jesse James.

[Alex]

Oddly the only song on there that I loved at the time was Rent by the Pet Shop Boys. But then it was only from 1990+ that I got really in to music, before then I'd just spend days and days play commodore 64 games and would just listen to the rubbish music they had.

Matt's right about their value btw, I've sold Now 9 on cd (it's only the cd versions which go well btw), and got about 40 for it, and that was one where the cd case wasn't in too great a condition.

[Phillip Culley]

Blimey - I have a collection of Nows on CD ranging from Now 10 through to Now 57 (although it's only consecutive from about Now 23 onwards) - I wonder just how much it's worth! )

[Alex]

Well, I can give you a rough idea as I've ebayed a fair few of them.

Now 8 - 10 will go from between 30-50, Now 11 - 14 will be around 20 - 25, and 15 - 20 will be between 10 - 15, it always depends on roughly how many others are being sold at the time though. It's worth mentioning in the title that it's an original too, as frustratingly a lot of copies float around on ebay.

Now 20 - 30 normally do okay around the 5, but from Now 30 onwards they don't do that well as there's always a fair few up for sale.

Edit: That's based on rough figures of ebaying most of them twice, though it's been about 3 months since I last sold one, but imagine they'll be roughly around the same amount. It might be worth doing a completed items list just to check though if anyone's planning to sell any of them.

[Phillip Culley]

I'll have to look around - right now it's more curiosity since the CDs themselves are over 10,000 miles away! Selling them is just something I'm considering at the moment - one of the many things to do once I've sorted out my visa and things and made sure I can stay here in Canada long term

[Milky Tears]

Now That's What I Call Music 29 (EMI/Virgin/Polygram)


2 CD SET (August-December 1994)

CLICK HERE FOR COVER

Released: Monday 14th November 1994 (UK Sales - yet another massive 1 million+ Christmas seller. Awarded Triple Platinum on December 1st, and had gone 5x Platinum by January 1995.)

In The News: (August-December 1994) Peter Cushing dies, age 81. Woodstock ’94/25th Anniversary. Sunday trading becomes legal in England and Wales (what kept you?). The Provisional IRA declare a ceasefire. Andre Agassi and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario win U.S. Open singles titles. Roy Castle dies of lung cancer, age 62. NASA lose radio contact with the Magellan spacecraft. “Cash-for-questions affair” as The Guardian reports that Conservative MPs, Neil Hamilton and Tim Smith, took bribes from Harrods chief Mohamed Al-Fayed to ask questions in the House of Commons. Burt Lancaster dies, age 80.

It is announced that Ronald Reagan has Alzheimer's disease. Forty-five year old George Foreman becomes boxing's oldest heavyweight champion when he knocks out Michael Moorer in the 10th round of their WBA/IBF title fight in Las Vegas. George W. Bush is elected Governor of Texas. First passengers travel through the Channel Tunnel. Doris Speed (OBE) dies, age 95. John Lucarotti dies, age 68. Raith Rovers beat Celtic 6-5 on penalties in the Scottish League/Coca Cola Cup Final (2-2 AET). Boris Yeltsin orders troops into Chechnya. Fred West is remanded in custody, charged with 12 mudrers. His wife Rose West, is charged with 10 murders.


Big On Screen: Four Weddings and a Funeral (had been kicking about since May, see also Wet Wet Wet), Forrest Gump, The Lion King, True Lies, Pulp Fiction, Clear and Present Danger, The Mask, The Flintstones and Speed.

Big On The Box: National Lottery Live (launched on 19th November by Noel Tidybeard, watched by 20.17 million viewers), EastEnders (19.31 million witness the fallout from “Sharongate” as Grant beats up Phil in The Arches on October 27th), Coronation Street, Heartbeat, Casualty, You‘ve Been Framed, London‘s Burning, Big Break and Noel‘s House Party.

BBC1 spends nine Autumn Sunday nights in Seaforth, while BBC2 devotes six Monday nights to Martin Chuzzlewit. The X Files debuts on BBC2 in September, filling a one-hour slot alongside Harry Hill’s Fruit Fancies! CBBC‘s Parallel 9 and CITV‘s Knightmare both come to and end in September. ER, Friends, Chicago Hope and Due South premiere in the US.


Tracklisting (Original UK Chart Position In Brackets)

Disc One

Pato Banton with Robin & Ali Campbell - ‘Baby Come Back’ (1)
Cyndi Lauper - ‘Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun)’ (4)
Big Mountain - ‘Baby I Love Your Way’ (2)
Take That - ‘Sure’ (1)
Michelle Gayle - ‘Sweetness’ (4)
Whigfield - ‘Saturday Night’ (1)
MC Sar & The Real McCoy - ‘Another Night’ (2 )
Corona - ‘Rhythm Of The Night’ (2)
New Order - ‘True Faith '94’ (9)
Sophie B. Hawkins - ‘Right Beside You’ (13)
Youssou N'Dour featuring Neneh Cherry - ‘7 Seconds’ (3)
Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories - ‘Stay (I Missed You)’ (6)
Crash Test Dummies - ‘Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm’ (2)
Louis Armstrong - ‘We Have All the Time in the World’ (3)
Robert Palmer - ‘Know By Now’ (25)
R.E.M. - ‘What's the Frequency, Kenneth?’ (9)
Oasis - ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’ (7)
The Rolling Stones - ‘Love Is Strong’ (14)
The Cranberries - ‘Zombie’ (14 )

Disc Two

East 17 - ‘Around The World’ (3)
Red Dragon featuring Brian and Tony Gold -‘Compliments On Your Kiss’ (2)
Chaka Demus & Pliers - ‘Gal Wine’ (20)
R. Kelly - ‘She's Got That Vibe’ (3)
Brand New Heavies - ‘Midnight At The Oasis’ (13)
China Black - ‘Stars’ (19)
Music Relief - ‘What's Going On’ (70)
Celine Dion - ‘The Power Of Love’ (4)
Kylie Minogue - ‘Confide In Me’ (2 )
Massive Attack - ‘Sly’ (24)
Eternal - ‘So Good’ (13)
Ultimate KAOS - ‘Some Girls’ (9)
Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman - ‘Can You Feel It?’ (13)
M Beat featuring General Levy - ‘Incredible’ (8)
Shampoo - ‘Trouble’ (11)
Blur - ‘Parklife’ (10)
Erasure - ‘I Love Saturday’ (20)
Sparks - ‘When Do I Get To Sing "My Way"‘ (38)
2wo Third3 - ‘I Want The World’ (20)

Now Number Ones: Three

17th Sep: Whigfield - ‘Saturday Night’ 4 weeks
15th Oct: Take That - ‘Sure’ 2 weeks
29th Oct: Pato Banton - ‘Baby Come Back’ 4 weeks

Wet Wet Wet’s epic fifteen week reign at number one continued through August until mid-September. Now failed to include/predict Baby D’s ‘Let Me Be Your Fantasy’ (topped the chart for two weeks at the end of November).



Interesting Sleevenotes (still being compiled by Now legend Ashley Abram)

Pato Banton’s “monster cover of Eddy Grant & The Equals ‘Baby Come Back’” had reached “No.2 by 16/10/94... His toasting on the cut is ably assisted by chart superstars Robin & Ali Campbell from UB40”

Big Mountain - “this multi-cultural band hails from San Diego, California… their reggae cover of Peter Frampton’s ‘Baby I Love Your Way’ was a huge stateside smash and then a monster No.2 UK Summer hit in June ’94”

Michelle Gayle - “‘Looking Up’ was one of 1993’s finest debut successes for Michelle… The London soulstress has done even better with the follow-up, ‘Sweetness’ - it had climbed steadily to reach No.6 by 16/10/94”

Whigfield “is probably the first chart-topper to be named after her music teacher…”

‘Rhythm Of The Night’ - “this massive Euro hit was written & produced by Italian producer Francesco Bontempi (AKA Lee Morrow) with luscious vocals by Brazilian Olga De Souza…”

‘Another Night’ - “this dance floor monster is tipped to take Patsy & O-Jay into our charts in November”

Robert Palmer’s “25 year career to date has encompassed musical styles from Heavy Rock to Calypso to R ‘n’ B to Big Band”

East 17 - “if we check our December crystal ball, we see ‘Stay Another Day’ flying high”

Red Dragon “is one of Jamaica’s best known DJ’s, Brian & Tony Gold (not brothers) are Jamaica’s premiere vocal duo”

‘Gal Wine’ was “Chaka Demus & Pliers’ 6th successive UK hit… it followed ‘Tease Me’, ‘She Don’t Let Nobody’, Twist and Shout’, ‘Murder She Wrote’ & ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ into the Top 30 in late August ’94”

China Black “are Hong Kong born Simon Fung & Errol Reid from Birmingham but with West Indian heritage”

‘Confide In Me’ was Kylie’s “20th UK Top 20 Hit”

Music Relief’s “version of Marvin Gaye’s classic ‘What’s Going On’ is due for release on 24/10/94... All funds raised go to help refugees in Rwanda”

Ultimate Kaos “are 5 young men from London - Nico G, Jomo B, Jayde, Ryan & 11 year old singer Hayden…”

Shampoo “are Jacqui & Carrie the Dazzling Teenage Pop-Princesses From Plumstead…”

2Two Third3 “are Victor Scerri, Denny Payne & Lee Thomas…”

Where Are They Know? (The One Hit Wonders/Novelty Tracks): Everyone needs to know where Sannie Carlson is right now, so check out the Official Whigfield Fansite.

Michelle Gayle announced that she’d split from ex-footballer/pundit Mark Bright a few weeks ago (I didn’t even know they were married!). She’s also appearing at Blackpool Grand Theatre and writing a novel that isn’t about Simon Cowell. Shampoo are long gone and China Black resurfaced on ITV1’s Hit Me Baby One More Time last year. Corona, Crash Test Dummies and Sophie B Hawkins are still releasing stuff, but Big Mountain (“The American UB40” ), Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman, Chaka Demus & Pliers and Red Dragon featuring Brian & Tony Gold are all "Missing In Action".

Lisa Loeb has done a bit of acting/presenting and had her own reality dating show ("Follow the spunky, soulful singer on her trek through the hero's journey we call dating in the 21st century"), with sister Debbie, on E! last year - #1 Single (Do you see what they've done with the title there? )

2Two Third3 were managed by Tom Watkins (Bros/East 17) and had some funny business with yellow rubber gloves, plasters and a cartoon character called Biff. More info HERE

I actually bought Ultimate Kaos’ ‘Some Girls’ My favourite member was Jomo B!


Biggest Bomb! (I Don't Remember That One!?): Music Relief ‘s ‘What’s Going On’ looks like one of the biggest all-time Now album flops. No. 70 for one week is the only trace of it I can find! Massive Attack , Robert Palmer and Sparks all failed to make the Top Twenty. Palmer’s ‘Know By Now’ was robbed!

They Were Played Everywhere At The Time: There was no escape from Wet Wet Wet, All-4-One’s ‘I Swear’, Whigfield, Pato Banton, Take That, REM, Elton John’s Lion King stuff, Blur, Oasis, Stone Roses, Let Loose, China Black, Boyz II Men, Corona, East 17, PJ and Duncan , Mariah Carey (with a bit of Luther Vandross), Madonna, Big Mountain, Kylie Minogue, Michelle Gayle, R Kelly, The Prodigy, Sophie B Hawkins, Lisa Loeb, Eternal, Sheryl Crow, Louis Armstrong, Cyndi Lauper, Baby D and M People. Might as well mention the smugness of Wet Wet Wet again, Bon Jovi’s epic ‘Always’ and quickly throw in Sean Maguire!! Paul Weller, Sting, INXS and The Beatles ‘Live At The BBC’ were also heard quite a bit.

[Milky Tears]

Now That's What I Call Music 29 BONUS TRACK

Honourable Mentions EYC’s seedy little ‘Black Book’ (E.Y.SEE,YA! remember them? Express Yourself Clearly, or something!? I think the CD digipack came with a little black book full of fan names, didn‘t it? I‘ve probably got it somewhere!!), Warren G & Nate Dogg’s sublime ‘Regulate’, DJ Miko’s cover of ‘What's Up’ (original by 4 Non Blondes), Terrorvision with ‘Alice What's The Matter?’, Pearl Jam’s mad ‘Spin The Black Circle’ and Sir Tomas Of Jones with the mighty ‘If I Only Knew’.

Not forgetting Madonna’s ‘Secret’/‘Take A Bow’, Suede’s ‘We Are The Pigs‘/‘The Wild Ones’, The Stone Roses comeback with ‘Love Spreads’ , The Manic Street Preachers’ ‘Holy Bible’ era and The Beautiful South’s massive ‘Carry On Up The Charts’ album (top seller of 1994).

Still trying to forget woeful efforts from Jimmy Nail (‘Crocodile Shoes’) and David Essex & Catherine Zeta Jones (‘True Love Ways’).

SPECIAL ADVANCE WARNING!! Boyzone were starting to spurt by the end of this period!


Big thanks to: everyHit.com, Wikipedia, The Top Twenty Book: Sixth Edition (Tony Jasper, 1994), Ultimate Music Database, The BPI, IMDB, BFI, BARB, INFAX, and TV Cream. Can’t believe I had to lose 25% of my post/edit into two in order to stay below the 10000 character limit!! That is not cool and awesome.

[SiHart]

That was the soundtrack of the end of my first year and the start of my second year at Sheffiled University! We had a lot of laughs- dancing round the streets of Sheffield on a cold November night to some of those songs, dressed in the opposite sex's nightwear for the now disbanded Pyjama Jump night and I ended up snogging this gorgeous girl called Jenny for a large portion of the night... funny days!

What's the Frequency, Kenneth? is still my favourite REM song, ever!

Si xx

[Matthew T]

Now we're in my era!

I bought this one, and the second disc was ruined by a price sticker on the inside - the sticky stuff went all over the playing side of the CD when I peeled it off!

The ones in bold are the ones I bought on CD single as well:

Disc One

Pato Banton with Robin & Ali Campbell - Baby Come Back (1)
Cyndi Lauper - Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun) (4)
Big Mountain - Baby I Love Your Way (2)
Take That - Sure (1)
Michelle Gayle - Sweetness (4)
Whigfield - Saturday Night (1)
MC Sar & The Real McCoy - Another Night (2 )
Corona - Rhythm Of The Night (2)
New Order - True Faith '94 (9)
Sophie B. Hawkins - Right Beside You (13)
Youssou N'Dour featuring Neneh Cherry - 7 Seconds (3)
Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories - Stay (I Missed You) (6)
Crash Test Dummies - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm (2)
Louis Armstrong - We Have All the Time in the World (3)
Robert Palmer - Know By Now (25)
R.E.M. - What's the Frequency, Kenneth? (9)
Oasis - Cigarettes & Alcohol (7)
The Rolling Stones - Love Is Strong (14)
The Cranberries - Zombie (14 )

Disc Two

East 17 - Around The World (3)
Red Dragon featuring Brian and Tony Gold -Compliments On Your Kiss (2)
Chaka Demus & Pliers - Gal Wine (20)
R. Kelly - She's Got That Vibe (3)
Brand New Heavies - Midnight At The Oasis (13)
China Black - Stars (19)
Music Relief - What's Going On (70)
Celine Dion - The Power Of Love (4)
Kylie Minogue - Confide In Me (2 )
Massive Attack - Sly (24)
Eternal - So Good (13)
Ultimate KAOS - Some Girls (9)
Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman - Can You Feel It? (13)
M Beat featuring General Levy - Incredible (8)
Shampoo - Trouble (11)
Blur - Parklife (10)
Erasure - I Love Saturday (20)
Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing "My Way" (38)
2wo Third3 - I Want The World (20)

This set was notable for featuring three of my all time worst ever songs - Big Mountain, Lisa Loeb, and R Kelly!

It also contains what is possibly the BEST song of all time however - the mighty "Another Night" by (MC Sar &) the Real McCoy!

[Milky Tears]

A few questions for Mr Matt:


'Another Night' was a top tune, but why didn't you buy Ultimate KAOS?

Does Biff appear on the cover of 'I Want The World'?

Did you also buy Pato Banton's 'Bubbling Hot' (with Ranking Roger)?

Why did that Music Relief song bomb? Who sings on it?

What's the Frequency, Kenneth? is still my favourite REM song, ever!

Good choice, Si.

'Monster' is an underrated album.

[Carol Baynes]

T'Pau's 'China In Your Hand' is the best song ever written about Mary Shelley and Frankenstein. 1988's 'Secret Garden' is about a transexual, isn't it?


Carol Decker was clearly a lyrical Jesse James.

Hi James Lots of nostalgia for me there! Thanks!

I love "Secret garden", but I always took it more literally as a song about potential and finding yourself and making life what you want, man!!!

My first NOW compilation was 2 I think. It's one of the early ones with a pig on, although I didn't get one again until NOW 7. I did get the HITS albums in 1985/6 though. HITS 4 is fab, and has a cool Mondrian-esque cover.

[Matthew T]

'Another Night' was a top tune, but why didn't you buy Ultimate KAOS?

Didn't like it at all! In fact I could've included that as a fourth worst song ever! I liked the follow up "Hootchie Booty" though.

Does Biff appear on the cover of 'I Want The World'?

I don't remember! I'd have to dig it out - I remember it featuring the band members sat on a large onion though! It's a great song actually.

Did you also buy Pato Banton's 'Bubbling Hot' (with Ranking Roger)?

I did not. But I do have an MP3 of it on my PC and I stick it on when I need a laugh.

Why did that Music Relief song bomb? Who sings on it?

I seem to recall it just wasn't very good! The "stars" singing on it included such huge names as CJ Lewis and Michelle Gayle IIRC.

[Milky Tears]

Now That's What I Call Music 49 (EMI/Virgin/Polygram)


(April-July 2001)

CLICK HERE FOR COVER

Released: Monday 30th July 2001 (UK Sales - the average 1 millionish for a Now Summer release. Awarded Triple Platinum on shipments/week of release.)

In The News: (April-July 2001) US-China Spy Plane incident. Harry Secombe dies, age 79. Joey Ramone dies, age 49. 2001 Census on April 29th. Manchester United win their third Premiership title in succession, Liverpool became only the second English side to win the League Cup and FA Cup in the same season (adding the UEFA Cup for a unique 'treble') and Celtic clinch the treble in Scotland. General Election campaign: Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott punches a protester who threw an egg at him in Rhyl. Labour landslide as they’re elected for second term on June 7th with 167 majority (down slightly from 179). William Hague resigns, becoming the first full Conservative Party leader not to have become Prime Minister. Joan Sims dies, age 71. Goran Ivanišević and Venus Williams win the Wimbledon singles titles. Barry George sentenced to life for murder of Jill Dando. Beijing wins the bid to host the 2008 Olympics. Jeffrey Archer sentenced to four years for perjury. Massive protests at the 27th G8 summit in Genoa, Italy.

Big On Screen: Bridget Jones’s Diary, Shrek, The Mummy Returns, Jurassic Park III, Pearl Harbor, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Evolution and Rugrats In Paris

Big On The Box: EastEnders (20.05 million watch on April 5th as Lisa admits to Phil she shot him), Coronation Street, Heartbeat, Emmerdale, Casualty, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Airline, The Weakest Link and Bob The Builder. Big Brother 2 is a hit on Channel 4 (Brian, Helen & Paul, Amma, Bubble, Dean, Elizabeth, etc), whilst Survivor flops on ITV (averaging 5-6 million and “only peaking” at 9 million for the final).

ONdigital is rebranded ITV Digital in July. BBC1’s Ballykissangel comes to an end after five series. Ken Stott stars in the first two-part Messiah over May Bank Holiday weekend and the first series of Mersey Beat begins in July. Production ends on Teletubbies (although there’s still a backlog of new episodes) as Baywatch, Star Trek: Voyager, Masterchef and Channel Five’s 100% also come to an end. Six Feet Under premieres in the US.


Tracklisting (Original UK Chart Position In Brackets)

Disc One
Robbie Williams - ‘Eternity’ (1)
Gabrielle - ‘Out Of Reach’ (4)
Atomic Kitten - ‘Eternal Flame’ (1)
Blue - ‘All Rise’ (4)
S Club 7 - ‘Don't Stop Movin'’ (1)
Geri Halliwell - ‘It's Raining Men’ (1)
Ronan Keating - ‘Lovin' Each Day’ (2)
Stereophonics - ‘Have A Nice Day’ (5)
Wheatus - ‘Teenage Dirt bag’ (2)
Blink 182 - ‘The Rock Show’ (14)
U2 - ‘Elevation (Tomb Raider Mix)’ (3)
Outkast - ‘Ms. Jackson’ (2)
Destiny's Child - ‘Survivor’ (1)
Hear'Say - ‘The Way To Your Love’ (1)
Backstreet Boys - ‘More Than That’ (12)
Britney Spears - ‘Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know’ (12)
Marti Pellow - ‘Close To You’ (9)
Dido - ‘Thank You’ (3)
Zero 7 - ‘Destiny’ (30)
Radiohead - ‘Pyramid Song’ (5)


Disc Two
Eddy Grant - ‘Electric Avenue (Ringbang Remix)’ (5)
Gorillaz - ‘19 - 2000 (Soulchild Remix)’ (6)
DJ Pied Piper and The Masters Of Ceremonies - ‘Do You Really Like It?’ (1)
Mis-Teeq - ‘All I Want’ (2)
Roger Sanchez - ‘Another Chance’ (1)
Basement Jaxx - ‘Romeo’ (6)
Da Hool - ‘Meet Her At The Love Parade 2001’ (11)
Ian van Dahl - ‘Castles In The Sky’ (3)
Fragma - ‘You Are Alive’ (4)
Steps - ‘Here And Now’ (4)
A*Teens - ‘Upside Down’ (10)
Bellefire - ‘Perfect Bliss’ (18)
Texas - ‘I Don't Want A Lover (2001 Mix)’ (16)
Boris Dlugosch featuring Risn - ‘Never Enough’ (16)
Janet Jackson - ‘All For You’ (3)
Eve - ‘Who's That Girl?’ (6)
Nelly featuring City Spud - ‘Ride Wit Me’ (3)
Sisq - ‘Dance For Me’ (6)
Aaron Soul - ‘Ring Ring Ring’ (14)
Damage - ‘So What If I’ (12)
Melanie B - ‘Lullaby’ (13)


Now Number Ones: Eight

28th Apr: Destiny's Child - ‘Survivor’ 1 week
5th May: S Club 7 - ‘Don't Stop Movin'’ 1 week
12th May: Geri Halliwell - ‘It's Raining Men’ 2 weeks
26th May: S Club 7 - ‘Don't Stop Movin'’ 1 week
2nd Jun: DJ Pied Piper - ‘Do You Really Like It’ 1 week
7th Jul: Hear'Say - ‘The Way To Your Love’ 1 week
14th Jul: Roger Sanchez - ‘Another Chance’ 1 week
22nd Jul: Robbie Williams - ‘Eternity/The Road To Mandalay’ 2 weeks
4th Aug: Atomic Kitten - ‘Eternal Flame’ 2 weeks

Now 49 is only missing chart toppers from Shaggy feat. Rayon (‘Angel’ - 3weeks) and Christina Aguilera/Lil' Kim/Mya/Pink (‘Lady Marmalade’ - 1 week).




Interesting Sleevenotes (by Now legend Ashley Abram)

‘Eternity’ is “a brand new track, released alongside popular live number ‘The Road To Mandalay’… This double ‘A’ side comes with a sensational short film described by the directors as ‘Love Story meets The Sweeney head on'”

Atomic Kitten - “The girls recently performed at Party In The Park where they appeared to gain a new fan - they draped an Atomic Kitten T-Shirt over Prince Charles!”

S Club 7 - “Earlier this year S Club star Rachel was voted Britain’s Sexiest Star by readers of FHM”

Geri Halliwell - “had no qualms about contributing to the movie and says ‘I love Bridget Jones. In fact I am Bridget Jones. So many of us are. When they asked me to do the film, it was like a gift”

Stereophonics - “the lads are currently preparing for their ‘Day At The Races‘ shows at Donnington Race Track & Cardiff Millennium Stadium - the large capacity venues will host the biggest Stereophonics shows yet”

‘The Way To Your Love’ - “following the monster debut hit ‘Pure and Simple’, Popstars winners Hear’Say proved they were no flash in the pan sensation with their second successive No1 hit”

Britney Spears - “last year’s sell-out world tour featured Britney’s classic hits, breathtaking dance routines and no less than 12 costume changes!”

Zero 7 - “(aka Henry Binns & Sam Hardaker) first pricked the ears of music fans and critics with their acclaimed dub remix of Radio head’s ‘Climbing Up The Walls’… their debut EP, limited to just 1000 copies, sold out in days and they aim to score their biggest hit to date with ‘Destiny’ which features the velvet vocals of Sia Furler & Sophie Barker”

‘Electric Avenue’ - “originally a hit in 1983, Eddy Grant released the Ringbang remix of his classic ‘Electric Avenue’ in Summer 2001... Proving the track hadn’t lost any of its appeal in the last eighteen years, it shot straight into the UK chart at No.5 in June”

‘Gorillaz’ - “following the scorching success of their debut single ‘Clint Eastwood’, Gorillaz return with fun & feel good Summer anthem ‘19-2000’… the upbeat Soulchild Remix is proving to be a winner on the dance floor, while another killer Gorillaz video accompanies the track - this time featuring a face-off between the animated band and a 250-foot Moose!”

‘Do You Really Like It?’ - “the garage ditty is well placed to become one of this year’s biggest tunes in holiday resorts all over Europe ”

Mis-Teeq - “Alesha (22), Sabrina (22) and Su-Elise (19) are three ‘sassy’ ladies who go by the collective name of Mis-Teeq”

Roger Sanchez - “believes ‘a great DJ can take a record and give it an entirely new sound or vibe…Djing is part of what draws me into making music’”

‘Here and Now’ - “was released as a double ‘A’ side with ’You’ll Be Sorry’ in June 2001... Steps are currently writing material for a new album, as well as taking their live performance to Belgium, Holland, Spain, Japan and Thailand”

A*Teens - “youthful Abba-fans Marie, Amit, Sara and Dhani are all under 19 years of age… debut album ‘The Abba Generation’ was a tribute to the Swedish super group, but their latest LP has a fresh flavour, as Dhani explains ‘we wanted to bring the essence of Abba’s music into the 21st Century… but at the same time show our development as a band”

‘Perfect Bliss’ - “is the debut single from Tara, Kelly, and sisters Ciara and Cathy, AKA Bellefire… the girls met in Dublin where they were all pursuing their dream to be singers, Kelly says ‘we all like serious pop music… but then we all have different influences as well like Whitney Houston, Air, Massive Attack & Jeff Buckley”

‘Lullaby‘ - “the video ‘intimately captures the loving bond between the famous mum and her daughter“

Where Are They Now? (Includes One Hit Wonders/Novelty Tracks): I never realised A*Teens were so big! Marie’s website is worth a look. DJ Pied Piper’s whereabouts is currently unknown, Hear'Say, Blue, S Club 7, Steps, Damage and Mis-Teeq (7 Top Ten singles!) are long gone, but Wheatus and Fragma are still active. As well as Lil’s Eurovision effort, Tash on Just The Two Of Us, Jenny Frost recently announcing she’s pregnant, Katona’s pap shots/Iceland adverts, Atomic Kitten were still kicking about a few months ago.

Blink-182 went on an "indefinite hiatus" in 2005, Eddy Grant disappeared again and the Backshaft Boys are still back again!

Not much to add about Da Hool or Aaron Soul…. until this turned up the other week.

[Milky Tears]

Now That's What I Call Music 49 EXTRA

Biggest Bomb! (I Don't Remember That One!?): Most of the tracks on Now 49 were “Top Ten Smashes!”, all of them hitting the Top 20... apart from Zero 7. The “British Air” (see Wikipedia) only made No.30 with ‘Destiny’ in August 2001. Chart history was 30-46-55-Bye. Their biggest hit single, even though they‘ve had a couple of top five albums and a Mercury Music Prize nomination (for debut album ‘Simple Things’ in 2001).


They Were Played Everywhere At The Time: There was no escape from S Club 7, Shaggy (featuring anyone off the street), Ronan Keating, Blue, Dido, Destiny’s Child, Hear’Say, Steps, Atomic Kitten, Travis, Robbie Williams, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Wheatus, Fragma, Jennifer Lopez, Gorillaz, Nelly, Gabrielle, REM, Travis, Basement Jaxx, Faithless, Usher and Limp Bloody Bizkit.


Honourable Mentions: O-Town (from MTV's "awesome and cool" Making The Band series) with ‘Liquid Dreams’, REM’s ’Imitation Of Life’, MOP's (Mash-Out Posse?) ‘Cold As Ice’, Starsailor’s ‘Good Souls’, Bon Jovi’s 'One Wild Night’, Brandy & Ray J’s ‘Another Day In Paradise’ (is it better than the original?), 'Crazy Town’s ’Butterfly’, 2Pac’s ‘Until The End Of Time’, OPM’s ‘Heaven Is A Halfpipe’ and D12 with those dodgy ‘Purple Pills’.

Not forgetting Stereo MC’s comeback with ‘Deep Down and Dirty’ (No.17), Wyclef Jean’s sublime ‘Perfect Gentleman’, Faith Hill’s ‘There You'll Be’, Musique vs U2’s ‘New Years Dub’, Daft Punk’s ‘Digital Love’, Muse’s ‘Newborn’, Travis returned with ’Sing’ and Steven Gately’s mighty ‘Stay’!

Still trying to forget woeful efforts from 'N Sync ('Pop'), Oxide & Neutrino ('Up Middle Finger') and Jessica Simpson (‘Irresistible’).

SPECIAL ADVANCE WARNING! The Tweenies 'Do The Lollipop' was unleashed at the end of July!


Big thanks to: everyHit.com, Wikipedia, The Top Twenty Book: Sixth Edition (Tony Jasper, 1994), Ultimate Music Database, The BPI, IMDB, BFI, BARB, INFAX, and TV Cream. Still having to split into two in order to stay below the 10000 character limit!!