A Various Artists CD compilation of some of the most popular music, according to the charts from 1998 onwards. The first one was released in 1998 with some contemporary music, and was only available by calling the number on TV. Apparently it was a decent seller, as it was released to record stores about 2 months later. It was good, and spawned a number of sequels and ripoffs, like Totally Hits. Now 4 actually made the top 10 charts, and was the only various artists CD that wasn't a soundtrack to hit it big.

What makes it really a good seller is that they sell music that's still big, not overplayed yet, not months too late.

CD 1had:
1. Together Again - Janet Jackson
2. As Long As You Love Me - Backstreet Boys
3. The Way - Fastball
4. [Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
5. Say You'll Be There - Spice Girls
6. All My Life - K-Ci & JoJo
7. Never Ever (Single Edit) - All Saints
8. If You Could Only See - Tonic
9. Mmmm Bop - Hanson
10. Zoot Suit Riot - Cherry Poppin' Daddies
11. Shorty (You Keep Playing With My Mind) - Imajin
12. Anytime - Brian McKnight
13. Barbie Girl - Aqua
14. Karma Police - Radiohead
15. I Will Buy You A New Life - Everclear
16. Fly Away - Lenny Kravitz
17. Sex & Candy - Marcy Playground

CD 2- released July 1999
1. ...Baby One More Time- Britney Spears
2. You Get What You Give- New Radicals
3. Millennium- Robbie Williams
4. Closing Time- Semisonic
5. Sweetest Thing (The Single Mix)- U2
6. My Favorite Mistake- Sheryl Crow
7. Praise You (Radio Edit)- Fatboy Slim
8. I Think I'm Paranoid- Garbage
9. Never There- Cake
10. Because Of You- 98 Degrees
11. Goodbye (Single Version)- Spice Girls
12. Take Me There- Blackstreet & Mya
13. When A Woman's Fed Up (Clean Version)- R. Kelly
14. Father Of Mine- Everclear
15. What I Got (Clean Version)- Sublime
16. I'll Never Break Your Heart - Backstreet Boys
17. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (Edit) - Jay-Z
18. Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) (Edit) - Baz Luhrmann

CD 3 released December 1999
1. All Star- Smash mouth
2. American Woman- Lenny Kravitz
3. What's My Age Again?- Blink 182
4. Bailamos- Erique Iglesias
5. Sometimes- Britney Spears
6. All I Have To Give - Backstreet Boys
7. Tell Me It's Real - K-Ci & JoJo
8. The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim
9. Nookie - Limp Bizkit
10. Special - Garbage
11. If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time - R. Kelly
12. Get Gone - Ideal
13. Chante's Got A Man - Chante Moore
14. Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me) - Blessid Union Of Souls
15. Why I'm Here - Oleander
16. Happily Ever After - Case
17. The Hardest Thing - 98 Degrees
18. Out Of My Head - Fastball

CD 4, released July, 2000
1. Larger Than Life - Backstreet Boys
2. (You Drive Me) Crazy - Britney Spears
3. I Need To Know - Marc Anthony
4. Candy - Mandy Moore
5. Blue (Da Ba Dee) - Eiffel 65
6. It Feels So Good - Sonique
7. I Belong To You - Lenny Kravitz
8. I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden
9. I Wanna Know - Joe
10. Try Again - Aaliyah
11. Waiting For Tonight - Jennifer Lopez
12. Get It On Tonite - Montell Jordan
13. Steal My Kisses - Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals
14. Then The Morning Comes - Smash Mouth
15. Meet Virginia - Train
16. I Try - Macy Gray
17. This Time Around - Hanson
18. All The Small Things - Blink 182

CD 5, released November 2000
1. It's Gonna Be Me - N'Sync
2. Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche) - 98 Degrees
3. Jumpin', Jumpin' - Destiny's Child
4. Don't Think I'm Not - Kandi
5. I Think I'm In Love With You - Jessica Simpson
6. Faded - Souldecision
7. Shake It Fast - Mystikal
8. Case Of The Ex - Mya
9. Aaron's Party (Come & Get It) - Aaron Carter
10. Lucky - Britney Spears
11. Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely - Backstreet Boys
12. Incomplete - Sisqo
13. I Wanna Be With You - Mandy Moore
14. Doesn't Really Matter - Janet Jackson
15. Back Here - BBMak
16. Absolutely (Story Of A Girl) - Nine Days
17. Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
18. Wonderful - Everclear
19. It's My Life - Bon Jovi

CD 6, released April 2001
1. Stronger - Britney Spears
2. Gotta Tell You - Samantha Mumba
3. Bye Bye Bye - *NSYNC
4. Around The World (La La La La La) - ATC
5. Love Don't Cost A Thing - Jennifer Lopez
6. [Independent Woman Pt. 1[ - Destiny's Child
7. It Wasn't Me - Shaggy
8. No More (Baby I'ma Do Right) - 3LW
9. Crazy - K-Ci & JoJo
10. I Wish - R. Kelly
11. Shape Of My Heart - Backstreet Boys
12. Crazy For This Girl - Evan & Jaron
13. Yellow - Coldplay
14. Again - Lenny Kravitz
15. With Arms Wide Open - Creed
16. Hemorrhage (In My Head) - Fuel
17. Drive - Incubus
18. Beautiful Day - U2
19. AM Radio - Everclear

CD 7, released July, 2001
1. Survivor - Destiny's Child
2. All For You - Janet Jackson
3. Baby Come Over (This Is Our Night) - Samantha Mumba
4. In My Pocket - Mandy Moore
5. Play - Jennifer Lopez
6. The Call (Neptunes Remix W/Rap) - Backstreet Boys
7. Playas Gon' Play - 3LW
8. Ride Wit Me (Featuring City Spud) - Nelly
9. Danger (Been So Long) - Mystikal Featuring Nivea
10. Fiesta Remix - R. Kelly Featuring Jay-Z
11. Let Me Blow Ya Mind - Eve Featuring Gwen Stefani
12. What Would You Do - City High
13. Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know - Britney Spears
14. This I Promise You - *Nsync
15. Never Had A Dream Come True - S Club 7
16. Hanging By A Moment - Lifehouse
17. Jaded - Aerosmith
18. From My Head To My Heart - Evan And Jaron
19. Flavor Of The Weak - American Hi-Fi

I (or rather my father) actually own a copy of the original Now! That's What I Call Music on LP. It was originally produced as a collaboration between many record labels, and was released by Virgin/EMI Records in 1983. It was the first of the long line of albums released under the Now! name, a series which continues to the present day in the UK and (as stated in other writeups) is now establishing itself Stateside as well.

This is a double album that was released onto vinyl and cassette tape. The cover art features the word "Now" as its centrepiece, filled with pictures of the artists featured. Underneath is the phrase "That's What I Call Music". Using the record gatefold as a guide, here is the track listing:

Side 1

  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

Side 2

  1. Culture Club, Karma Chameleon
  2. Men Without Hats, The Safety Dance
  3. Kajagoogoo, Too Shy
  4. Mike Oldfield, Moonlight Shadow
  5. Men At Work, Down Under
  6. Rock Steady Crew, Hey You (Rock Steady Crew)
  7. Rod Stewart, Baby Jane
  8. Paul Young, Wherever I Lay My Hat

Side 3

  1. New Edition, Candy Girl
  2. Kajagoogoo, Big Apple
  3. Tina Turner, Let's Stay Together
  4. The Human League, Fascination
  5. Howard Jones, New Song
  6. UB40, Please Don't Make Me Cry
  7. Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack, Tonight I Celebrate My Love

Side 4

  1. Tracey Ullman, They Don't Know
  2. Will Powers, Kissing With Confidence
  3. Genesis, That's All
  4. The Cure, The Love Cats
  5. Simple Minds, Waterfront
  6. Madness, The Sun And The Rain
  7. Culture Club, Victims

As one can tell from the tracks listed, this is a fairly accurate snapshot of (pop) music from the early 1980s. In fact, as the sleeve informs me, only five tracks that weren't included make up the other number ones of 1983. Five. (These tracks were, by the way, Billy Jean (Michael Jackson), Let's Dance (David Bowie), True (Spandau Ballet), Every Breath You Take (The Police), and Uptown Girl (Billy Joel).)

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.