“Now That’s What
I Call Music” the voiceover man
proclaims triumphantly as the distinctly British compilation album returns for
its Spring release. Can you believe we’re on 87 now! (Or should that be Nows?)
And what an album; Pharrel Williams Happy, a much-loved yet overplayed song that is making me more sad
than happy, kick off CD1. And the A-side truly does have something for everyone;
One Direction’s Story Of My Life and
5 Seconds To Summer’s She Looks SoPerfect aims to please the pre-pubescent teens, while Gary Barlow’s Let Me Go tickles the ears of the
menopausal mums of the country. See, something for everyone!
With both CDs spanning several months, you do come to
realise how quickly the music industry moves on, with Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball featuring on CD1 (Didn’t
that nude-mallet-kissing hype seem like ages ago?!) or X-Factor winner Sam
Bailey’s Skyscraper. Pre-Christmas
hits flitter to the now with Route 94 Feat. Jess Glynne’s My Love and Enrique’s Im AFreak.
Then there’s the usual dose of divas; Perry’s Dark Horse and Gaga’s Do What You Want, as well as those mini
(distinctly more british) divas; Pixie Lott’s Nasty and Katy B Crying ForNo Reason. There’s always at least one artist who features twice over
the duo album, and this time round is (rather surprisingly) Little Mix, with Move and Word Up!. Released to raise money for Sports Relief, Word Up! Isn’t the only charity single
to feature on 87, with Ellie Goulding’s HowLong Will I Love You tunefully teasing the coins from your pocket for Children
In Need.
In terms of Now
Exclusives, even if you purchased John Newman’s album Tribute you wouldn’t have
previously owned Out Of My Head (Club Edit), which is basically the original just sped up. But it does add
something to Newman’s brilliantly soulful vocals.
CD2 has always been the edgier sibling of the album,
generally filled with more club hits and less soft-centred pop. #Selfie by The Chainsmokers leads Timber, Tsunami and Wizard on a CD that at times sounds like an extended remix of Animals. Yet hidden at the end of the second CD after the
‘club-bangers’ are some truly brilliant songs from the likes of Paloma Faith, (Can’t Rely On You), Foxes (Let It Go For Tonight) and London
Grammar (Hey Now). American Authors
close the 87th Now Album with Best Day Of My Life, an upbeat and uplifting ditty that recently was inducted
into the pop world by featuring on an episode of Glee.
So is this a good addition to the Now archives? Yes. Are
there any notable absentees? Yes again, most alarmingly the wonderful UK chart
topping, “fastest selling single of 2014” hit that is Clean Bandit’s Rather Be. Fingers crossed that’s just
being saved for the big summer release of Now 88!
Listen to the full playlist here:
Listen to the full playlist here:
