Electric Light Orchestra And Olivia Newton John

Xanadu [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] Review by Doug Stone
Hollywood never learns. Hot on the heels of box-office failures Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Can't Stop the Music, comes the roller-skating Olivia Newton John in Xanadu. This soundtrack is fluff stuff to be sure, but some pearls float amongst the mire. Lead-off "Magic" remains a fine single. "Suddenly," a duet ONJ ekes out with British luminary Cliff Richard, seems better than most love themes. The sudden appearance of the Tubes almost saves the doomed swing/rock hybrid "Dancin," but the two styles should never meet. The second half glows from the Electric Light Orchestra, soaring at its commercial height, escaping this crippling fairy tale fairly untarnished with three more hit bits: "I'm Alive," "All Over the World," and the Olivia Neutron Bomb showcase title track. "Don't Walk Away" and "The Fall" stand as two of Jeff Lynne's finest, thus the flip nukes the front which should stay stuck to the theater floor. Listening to this soundtrack may beat watching the actual film, but know that if you didn't dig Xanadu when it came out, the platter gains nothing through time.

Olivia Newton-John: Gold is a double album of Olivia Newton-John's greatest hits, released in 2005. It contains all but one of her solo Billboard Hot 100 hits (excluding "I Need Love") and is the first CD to contain the track "Fool Country" (a B-side to "Magic" and contained in the film Xanadu, but not available on the soundtrack). The album is considered the most thorough of all of Newton-John's many compilation albums.

"Xanadu" is the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name, featuring the Australian singer Olivia Newton-John and the British group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in June 1980 on MCA Records in the United States and July 1980 by Jet Records in the United Kingdom. The original LP release featured on side one the songs of Newton-John, and on side two the songs of ELO. The Newton-John side also featured Cliff Richard, the Tubes and Gene Kelly. Although the film was a critical and commercial disappointment, the soundtrack was a worldwide success and received positive reviews from music critics going double Platinum in the US and Canada. The hit singles "Magic" and "Xanadu", peaked at #1 in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively. Both singles also went to #1 in the Netherlands and Italy, respectively. It was the 5th most popular US soundtrack in 1981.

NOW Music is proud to present the newest addition to the ‘Yearbook’ series: NOW – Yearbook 1981. 4 CDs of 85 tracks that defined the charts in 1981. This special edition CD is housed in ‘hard-back book’ packaging, including a 28-page booklet with a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz, and original singles artwork, and as a standard 4-CD package. Kicking off with legendary No. 1s from Queen and David Bowie (‘Under Pressure’), The Police (‘Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic’), and The Specials (‘Ghost Town’), disc 1 is packed with classics that represent the influx of new artists that dominated the year, and would set the pop and fashion agenda for the next few years… with songs which sound as fresh and vital today as they did in 1981, from Ultravox, Visage, Duran Duran, Japan, the No. 1 ‘Tainted Love’ from Soft Cell, and the year’s biggest selling single (and Xmas No. 1) ‘Don’t You Want Me’ from The Human League. Adam & The Ants make three appearances on this Yearbook and actually had 5 huge hits this year, Toyah and Kim Wilde made huge chart debuts with ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘Kids In America’, and chart regulars Blondie, ABBA and Olivia Newton-John enjoyed continued success with massive singles. Shakin’ Stevens had two No. 1’s (both present here), and Madness produced a classic cover of ‘It Must Be Love’. Disc One closes with two more No. 1’s from soul legends Smokey Robinson with ‘Being With You’ and Michael Jackson, who enjoyed his first UK No. 1 with ‘One Day In Your Life’ a re-discovered track from his Motown recordings.

NOW Music are pleased to announce our next release – NOW That’s What I Call A Massive 80s Party – Out 11th November!
Beginning with the classic feel-good sing-along anthem ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ from Wham! and continuing with a run of some of most memorable hits of the decade from Kenny Loggins with ‘Footloose’, the massive number one ‘Uptown Girl’ from Billy Joel and the triumphant ‘I’m Still Standing’ from Elton John. Moving on with a selection of songs from some of the greatest female voices of the decade – including Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Chaka Khan, Irene Cara and Olivia Newton-John. Up next is a run of hits from producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman including smashes from Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Rick Astley, Bananarama, Mel & Kim and Dead Or Alive. Completing the disc is Pop gold from The Bangles, Kim Wilde, Matthew Wilder, and finishing with the epic ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ from Cher.

Since June 2021 we have presented five editions of the NOW – Yearbook series that span the first half of the 1980s. NOW Music is proud to present the newest edition to our ‘Yearbook’ family: NOW – Yearbook 1979. With a re-imagined look that reflects the era, 85 tracks over 4-CDs celebrate a truly spectacular year of chart magic.

NOW Music is proud to present the newest addition to the ‘Yearbook’ series: NOW – Yearbook 1981. 4 CDs of 85 tracks that defined the charts in 1981.