Modern Romance

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.

Following the recent release of ‘NOW Yearbook 1981’, we continue to celebrate the remarkable year of pop that was 1981 with ‘NOW – Yearbook Extra 1981’ as a limited edition 3CD. Featuring 66 fabulous tracks that we couldn’t fit on ‘NOW – Yearbook 1981’ – including massive hits and songs that debuted in 1981 and have become enduring favourites.

Featuring 80 tracks on 4 CD’s – available as a limited edition of 5000 units deluxe ‘hardback book-style’ package featuring a 28-page booklet that includes a summary of 1983, a track by track guide, a quiz and original singles artwork…
Celebrating the first year of ‘NOW That’s What I Call Music’ – 1983. ‘Now Yearbook’ presents a stellar selection of 1983’s biggest and best hits… huge chart hits from the year, alongside enduring and well-loved classics…
1983 saw British artists achieving unprecedented success across the world with ‘Every Breath You Take’ from The Police being the year’s biggest seller in the U.S., and ‘Karma Chameleon’ from Culture Club being the top seller in the U.K. Breakthrough acts, achieving their first big hits – all here – include a staggering line-up of future superstars: U2, Eurythmics, Wham!, Paul Young, The Style Council, Marillion and Thompson Twins, to name a few…

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 is proud to present the newest addition to the ‘Yearbook’ series: NOW – YEARBOOK 1982. 4 CDs of 84 defining tracks that ruled the charts in 1982. This special edition CD is housed in ‘hard-back book’ packaging, including a booklet with a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz, and original singles artwork.
Featuring 16 of the year’s number 1s, including ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ (Survivor), ‘Ebony And Ivory’ (Paul McCartney), ‘House Of Fun’ (Madness), ‘Town Called Malice’ (The Jam), ‘Pass The Dutchie’ (Musical Youth), and 1982’s biggest seller ‘Come On Eileen’ from Dexys Midnight Runners.
1982 saw the first huge hits from a wealth of new artists including Culture Club, Wham! and Tears For Fears, as well as an incredible line-up from artists who had established their chart presence in the prior 18 months and would produce some of the greatest tracks of the decade; Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, ABC, Haircut 100, Soft Cell, The Human League, and a newly solo Adam Ant.

Following the recent release of ‘NOW – Yearbook 1982’, we are continuing the celebration of that phenomenal year of pop with ‘Now – Yearbook Extra 1982’; a limited edition 3CD.
62 essential tracks that we couldn’t fit on ‘Yearbook 1982’ include smash hits from The Jam, Soft Cell, Madness, Monsoon, Trio, Simple Minds, Japan, The Stranglers and Dexys Midnight Runners.
1982 saw a huge influx of new synth and pop bands in the charts – with many finding worldwide success complimented by the rise of MTV. Duran Duran cemented their success with the release of their ‘Rio’ album, and its title track is the perfect first track here. ABC, Adam Ant, Spandau Ballet and Culture Club with their Top 3 ‘Time (Clock Of The Heart)’ all follow, as do ABBA with ‘Head Over Heels’, the second single released from ‘The Visitors’ – the last studio album from the band for nearly 40 years. Disc 1 signs off with Captain Sensible’s No. 1 cover of ‘Happy Talk’, and Chas & Dave’s biggest ‘Ain’t No Pleasing You’.

Entirely self-taught, unfazed by blindness and brittle bone disease, Chicago born Chris Anderson (1926-2008) remains a legendary figure among jazz pianists and an acknowledged influence on Herbie Hancock, who studied with him in 1960. Hancock was quick to spread the word among musicians. His teacher, he said, had "a whole other facet of tools of expression and harmonies that I hadn’t heard in Bill Evans," adding that "Chris Anderson is a master of harmony and sensitivity." The reverence in which he is held by jazz musicians was not reflected in anything remotely like wider acclaim, but Anderson’s few recordings are much sought-after gems among those in the know. His first two trio albums, for VeeJay and Riverside/Jazzland, both of which are included here, were made in 1960 and ’61 respectively. They show a very individual and provocative harmonic sense, as distinctive as Thelonious Monk’s or Bill Evans’s, a light but firm and elegant swing, and a delicate balance of the cerebral and the emotional. It gave his music tremendous power to touch the heart and appeal to the intellect at the same time. His was a very special talent.

"Romance" is David Cassidy's 7th studio album as a solo artist and his first released by Arista Records. Released in 1985, Romance was the only studio album Cassidy released during the 1980s. Since growing out of his teen idol fame from The Partridge Family, Cassidy continued to try to re-invent his music career; however, in the United States, his latter albums from the 1970s did not chart. Therefore, for the album Romance, Arista excluded a U.S. release and released the album only in Europe, Israel, Japan, South Africa and Australia. Romance hit #20 on the British charts in May 1985. George Michael sang on the song, "The Last Kiss" (originally recorded with different lyrics by Cliff Richard in 1981 as Young Love), which peaked at #6 in the UK Top 40 and charted all over Europe and in Australia.