Now Yearbook 73 Exta

CD1 kicks off in style with The Everly Brothers and their 7-week chart-topper ‘Cathy’s Clown’ ahead of two more true legends, Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley. Cliff, along with The Shadows on ‘The Young Ones’ from 1962, and Elvis with his fifth #1 ‘It’s Now Or Never’ from 1960. Disc 2 opens with a stellar run of early ‘60s soul classics; ‘Stand By Me’ by Ben E. King which finally became a UK #1 26 years after its original chart run. The third disc dances into life with second appearances on this collection from Chubby Checker celebrating the craze ‘The Twist’, Dion and Bobby Vee. The final disc opens with four massive instrumental hits: The Tornados became the first British group to top the US charts when ‘Telstar’ repeated its UK success, and The Shadows’ debut hit (away from Cliff) ‘Apache’ hit the top spot in 1960.

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.

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’.

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.

NOW is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and take a trip back 50 years in Pop history – with 82 tracks on 4 CDs, to celebrate a stellar year of Pop singles… NOW – Yearbook 1974.

Each release in our ‘Yearbook’ series includes a vinyl edition, featuring a selection of tracks taken from the full line-up found on the CD version. Inevitably, this has meant that a huge number of fabulous tracks have not been included on the LP versions… plus we have also released an accompanying CD ‘Extra’ for each of the years.

The Now What’s That I Call Music Team continue their ‘Yearbook’ series with NOW Yearbook ’84 an 80-track four-CD set and 3LP coloured vinyl package that features 42 defining hits that ruled the charts in 1984, including number ones from Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan, Duran Duran, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and George Michael (solo and with Wham!), together with huge hits from U2, Spandau Ballet, and Deniece Williams. As with NOW Yearbook ’83 the four-CD set is available in deluxe hardcover book set with a 28-page book with track annotations and music quiz laid out in classic ‘eighties’ style. This is limited to 5,000 units. A slightly cheaper non-deluxe is also available (but you really don’t want to be buying that one). NOW Yearbook ’84 is out on 29 October 2021. Be aware that both the 3LP coloured vinyl and the 4CD deluxe of NOW Yearbook ’83 are already out-of-print, despite only being released in June, so don’t miss out.

The Now That’s What I Call Music team are effectively issuing a companion 3CD set to Now Yearbook 1980-1984: The Final Chapter, itself a companion to the ten previous Yearbook releases covering those five years.The ‘Extra’ version of Yearbook 1980-1984 is, as usual, a 3CD set in a card sleeve and this one features 63 “essential hits” from the period. Remarkably, the early 1980s can handle what is in effect a ‘fourth level’ of examination (Yearbook > Yearbook Extra > Final Chapter > Final Chapter Extra) and this is far from ‘the dregs’ of the era with loads of classic pop hits from Queen, Eurythmics, Pretenders, Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Japan, Heaven 17, Level 42, Nik Kershaw, XTC, Elton John and more.

NOW is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and taking our longest trip back in pop history so far – 50 Years – with 83 tracks on 4 CDs, to celebrate a landmark year of Pop singles… NOW – Yearbook 1973. Opening with the iconic ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ from Elton John and followed by Paul McCartney & Wings’ Bond theme ‘Live And Let Die’, this epic beginning to this journey back to 1973 continues with a run of massive Glam-Rock infused hits from T. Rex, Mud and Alvin Stardust, and #1s from Suzi Quatro, Wizzard, 10cc, ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ from Slade and Sweet with ‘Blockbuster’.