(review) by OberonDarksoul Sat May 22 2004 at 1:28:30

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).)

I like it!