[James Bond]

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Released: 28th November 1983
Origin: United Kingdom
Label: Virgin / EMI
Format: Vinyl / Double Cassette / Video
Duration: 01:49:00 (109 Minutes)
Tracks: 30
#1’s: 11
Chart Peak: #1 (5 weeks)
Sales: 900,000 (3x Platinum)
Original Retail Price: Unknown
Today’s Asking Price: Unknown

Tracklisting

1. Phil Collins – You Can't Hurry Love* 2:52 {1}
2. Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know?* 4:09 {1}
3. UB40 – Red Red Wine* 3:01 {1}
4. Limahl – Only For Love 3:55 {16}
5. Heaven 17 – Temptation* 3:12 {2}
6. KC & The Sunshine Band – Give It Up* 4:15 {1}
7. Malcolm McClaren – Double Dutch 3:42 {3}
8. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart* 4:29 {1}
9. Culture Club – Karma Chameleon* 3:56 {1}
10. Men Without Hats – Safety Dance 2:50 {6}
11. Kajagoogoo – Too Shy* 3:45 {1}
12. Mike Oldfield – Moonlight Shadow* 3:38 {4}
13. Men At Work – Down Under* 3:35 {1}
14. Rock Steady Crew – (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew 3:50 {6}
15. Rod Stewart – Baby Jane 4:45 {1}
16. Paul Young – Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)* 4:09 {1}
17. New Edition – Candy Girl* 3:35 {1}
18. Kajagoogoo – Big Apple 4:11 {8}
19. Tina Turner – Let's Stay Together* 3:35 {6}
20. Human League – (Keep Feeling) Fascination* 3:50 {2}
21. Howard Jones – New Song* 4:20 {3}
22. UB40 – Please Don't Make Me Cry 3:25 {10}
23. Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Tonight I Celebrate My Love* 3:30 {2}
24. Tracey Ullman – They Don't Know* 3:00 {2}
25. Will Powers – Kissing With Confidence 4:00 {17}
26. Genesis – That's All 4:25 {16}
27. The Cure – The Lovecats* 3:40 {7}
28. Simple Minds – Waterfront* 4:45 {13}
29. Madness – The Sun And The Rain 3:30 {5}
30. Culture Club – Victims* 4:55 {3}

Key
Tracks highlighted red were official UK #1’s.
Tracks with an asterisk (*) next to their title have also been included in special releases from the series.
The track duration has been highlighted cyan.
Bracketed numbers refer to highest chart position reached.

Miscellaneous Facts

Track Most Weeks At #1: Culture Club – Karma Chameleon (6 Weeks)
Lowest Charting Track: Will Powers – Kissing With Confidence {17}
Longest Song: Culture Club – Victims 4:55
Shortest Song: Men Without Hats – The Safety Dance 2:50
Edited Tracks: Unknown
Unedited Tracks: Unknown
Inlay Mistakes: None
Other Facts: N/A

On This Day In History

28th November 1983 - There was another Ronnie Lane benefit concert, this time in Dallas, Texas similar to the previous one in London. (Facts c/o Rock and Pop Timeline. Surrey: Merchant Book Company, 2003. )

James Bond's Review

Now that's what I call Music; a brand new compilation release back in December 1983, basically kicked this monumental, unstoppable series off in style. The bold white lettering "NOW, That's What I Call Music" is emblazoned on the cover of my second hand double cassette. It's second hand because unfortunately I wasn't born when the album was originally released. The label is '30 great tracks including 11 number ones' , a super acheivement by any standards, and the team deliver with a brilliant debut album. Phil Collins begins the album in perfect uptempo style with a cover of the Supremes' classic, and this is followed by many great tracks - my personal highlights include the excellent UB40 with the first of their two appearances on the album, 'Red Red Wine'; still catchy after 25 years. Heaven 17 is a cheesy dance classic, the same of which can be said for the brilliant KC And The Sunshine Band. Bonnie Tyler's giant 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart' ends side one of my cassette very well. Other highlights for me on the first Now album include Culture Club's Karma Chameleon - still very infectious, Mike Oldfield, Men At Work, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner and the mighty Genesis.
The first Now album also began the tradition of landing exclusive tracks - here they are Duran Duran and Tina Turner. The trademark, nameless (as far as we know) Now Pig graces the back advertisement of the album which is a Danish Agricultural Produces poster from the office of the Now team. The pig is commenting on the cockerel's tones saying 'Now, that's what I call music'. Simple but clearly a winning formula. It has to be said that my cassette case is looking decidely weary after 25 years but hey, what do you expect? However, the tracks play as new and the booklet still looks pretty crisp. Amazing to look at the info given per artist in the inlay at how the charts used to be measured. For example, KC And The Sunshine Band went into the chart at no.64 on 13th July 1983 and within a month made no.1! As far as I can tell there are no mistakes in the booklet and it is very well presented. Although it's a plain colour scheme and style, it sets the sophisticated standard for the high class compilation series that we've come to expect from the Now albums over the years. Overall, a very positive start to what has become a great series. Lots of classic hits. My ratings go from 1 being the worst to 10 as the best. I give the first Now album 8/10

The songs that sum up Now 1 for me are:
Phil Collins - You Can't Hurry Love,
UB40 - Red Red Wine
KC And The Sunshine Band - Give It Up
Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart
Culture Club - Karma Chameleon

The songs that we could have done without on Now 1 are:
Limahl - Only For Love
Kajagoogoo - Big Apple
Human League - Keep Feeling (Fascination)
UB40 - Please Don't Make Me Cry
Will Powers - Kissing With Confidence.

Drew's Review

Who would have thought that this would be the album to kick-start a compilation series which would later go on to produce the greatest compilations ever!
Like many others on the forum, I was not around to witness the release of the early compilations but at least I still get to listen to them 25 years later.
Now That's What I Call Music or Now as it was also known was really a spin-off compilation in itself. This compilation mixed various songs from 1983 and managed to include 11 number ones from that year out of 17! Some artists had the pleasure of having 2 of their songs included such as Culture Club, UB40 & Kajagoogoo which today might be considered a rarity.
It was unknown to the people at EMI how many copies Now That's What I Call Music would sell and how popular it could become, and there wasn't really any other competition in the music market. So this was a risk and there may not have been plans for a sequel, but with its success, EMI has no plans to stop there and some months later released a sequel to be titled Now II.
According to Wikipedia, Now That's What I Call Music became one of the biggest albums of the year and it became one of only a few compilation albums to reach #1 on the UK album chart, staying there for four consecutive weeks and five in all.
As for the music on the compilation, I am impressed with the variety of music to listen to from Duran Duran to Bonnie Tyler, from Phil Collins to Rod Stewart, from New Edition to UB40 ― there is something for everyone to enjoy.
1983 produced some fine music which can be summed up with this one compilation, and it is still a popular listen some 25 years on.
My personal assessment is that Now That's What I Call Music is a great album; I wish one day it might get re-released onto CD format, but for what it is now I give it 4 stars. Well done EMI.



Drew's Top 5 (as of January 2008)
1. Phil Collins – You Can't Hurry Love
2. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart
3. Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know
4. UB40 – Red Red Wine
5. Paul Young – Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)

Drew's Bottom 5 (as of January 2008)
1. Rod Stewart – Baby Jane
2. Will Powers – Kissing With Confidence
3. UB40 – Please Don't Make Me Cry
4. Genesis – That's All
5. Kajagoogoo – Big Apple

Other Resources

Official Now Music Website
Wikipedia
TV Cream
Rate Your Music
Everyhit

[Billy]

Not being born at the time I can only imagine how incredible it was seeing this for the first time in the shops. *Eleven* number 1s was pretty much unprecedented for compilation albums then, and even all the rest are well-known and high charting, with even the smallest hit 'only' getting to number 16! Being released in November it had pretty much the entire year of 1983 to play with, which I suppose counts for the high quality. Starting it off with 'You Can't Hurry Love' was a great choice and I loved how they repeated that 20 years later by having it kick off disc 1 of Now Decades.

Incredibly, almost every single new number 1 of 1983 is available on a Now album. The majority are on this one, 'Only You' by the Flying Pickets (which came out after this) is on Now 2, and 'Every Breath You Take' by The Police, 'Uptown Girl' by Billy Joel, 'True' by Spandau Ballet and 'Let's Dance' by David Bowie can be found on albums like both versions of Now 1983 (10th anniversary and Millennium editions), 2003's 'Now Decades' and 2006's 'Now Number 1s' . The only one to spoil the fun is 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson. Has there ever been a year where EVERY number 1 has been put on a Now album?
_________________
Tapes:3,Dance,6,7,8,SH,10,11,13,14,15,16,18, 20,D92,23,26,1993,28,DS94,D95,33,34,D97,43,44,53,58
CDs:D92,29,30,31,32,33,35,37,38,D97,41,43,44,45,47,48,49,D2002,51,53,55,58,60,63,Decades,No1s
LPs: Dance,6,8,9,10,13,16
VHS: Smash Hits,10,12,13,16
Had shot to number 31 by 16th July 1989!

[James Bond]

Well I have a second hand copy of the double cassette of the album. I own a copy of each album 1-68.
_________________
Proud member of the Now Music forums for 5 years and collector since 1998. I own Nows 1-69 so far, 3 Now dance albums, Now Decades, Now Years, Best of Now Dance, Now 1984 and Now 1993. Soon to own Now 70!


Best movie of 2008? Yes indeed!

[Johnny 1989]

Out the year I was born, 1983 was the right year to launch Now Music, on my iPod 1983 is the first year that I have over 50 tracks for (38 for 1982 but before then barely 20). Cover is nothing special but then again back in 1983 that wasn't so important.

8.5/10

My favorutie tracks from this album:

1. Phil Collins - You Can't Hurry Love
3. UB40 - Red Red Wine
5. Heaven 17 - Temptation
6. KC And The Sunshine Band - Give It Up
9. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
11. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
12. Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow
13. Men At Work - Down Under
14. Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew (you gotta laugh at this one)
19. Tina Turner - Let's Stay Togehter (I like it, good soulful tune)
20. Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination
27. The Cure - Love Cats
28. Simple Minds - Waterfront
29. Madness - The Sun And The Rain
_________________
Regards Johnny 1989
Now - The Circle Years

[Shaky Fan]

I remember going to a friends house on Christmas Day and seeing the album for the fist time - he had got it on tape. It wasn't until a year or so later that took any interest in the series, that was when my cousin bought one (Now 3?) and then ordered the previous ones. And it wasn't until he stopped buying them (Now 9 was his last) that I started....

[Mattemo]

Now That's What I Call Music- Volume 1!

Cover's a bit plain, but that's alright for the first volume! I mean, noone knew that they'd reach 70 volumes some 25 years later!

I don't actually have it myself, which is unfortunate.. I do know a couple of people that DO have it though...

I only know 13 songs off it-

1. Phil Collins - You Can't Hurry Love
3. UB40 - Red Red Wine
5. Heaven 17 - Temptation
6. KC And The Sunshine Band - Give It Up
8. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart
9. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
11. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
12. Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow
13. Men At Work - Down Under
17. New Edition - Candy Girl
20. Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination
26. Genesis - That's All
27. The Cure - Love Cats

Out of them, 'You can't hurry love' and 'Give it up' are on my iPod... As is 'Too Shy' aswell! Some proper 80's anthems...

This is one of the reasons I wish I was born earlier...
_________________
I've been collecting NOW since 1999..
I have NOWs 2, 4-8, 10-14, 17-22, 24-29, 33, 35, 37, 38, 41-43, 46, 47 and 49 on tape, NOWs 23, 29, 34-36, 38-73 on CD, a few spares (don't have room to list em all!) US NOWs 15-26, NOW Dance 93, NOW Dance 97 and NOW Dance 2008, all on CD!

[Drew]

This is what some members have had to say in recent years.

[dazzler]

Hello everybody.
I might be a newbie (from Belgium)
but in fact I'm collecting the NOW series for more than 15 years now.

And I've got them all (the first 12 on vinyl and from 10 to 69 on cd).
I also managed to get the complete 10th anniversary series.

First I had the millenium series, but I think
the 10th anniversary ones have a much better tracklist.

I like the idea of reviewing all the volumes for this 25th year anniversary.
What makes the series so good is that it combines both
the biggest international hits and the finer examples of pure britpop.
That's why the NOW albums are also popular outside the UK.

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 01

I think the first one was one of the best releases.
Ofcourse they could pick out songs from almost one full year.
That's why there are so many number 1 hits on volume 1.
But I think some of the minor hits were really really minor ones.

FAVOURITE 14

PHIL COLLINS you can't hurry love
DURAN DURAN is there something i should know
UB40 red red wine
BONNIE TYLER total eclipse of the heart
CULTURE CLUB karma chameleon
MEN WITHOUT HATS the safety dance
KAJAGOOGOO too shy
MIKE OLDFIELD moonlight shadow
MEN AT WORK down under
ROCK STEADY CREW hey you
ROD STEWART baby jane
PAUL YOUNG wherever i lay my hat
TRACEY ULLMAN they don't know
CURE the love cats

[RockGolf]

Bizarrely, this was the 7th or 8th NOW I bought. I'm Canadian, so mostly, besides a few vacations in England/Ireland, I bought the albums as imports in Canada until CD-WOW came along.

But this one, which I'd been looking for for ages, I found in a remainder bin in a Connecticut shopping mall for something insane like $4.00. I've have paid $20! Sadly, it was on cassette not vinyl, but it made the trip for me. Over 20 years later and I still remember saying to the record store clerk that I'd been looking for this album for years. And the complete lack of interest from the clerk.

[ICryOverSpiltMilk]

[jc26]

Will start updating this page in the next few days seeing as I started the idea up for the 25th anniversary.