This is a list of available actual and physical albums belonging to the UK Now That's What I Call Music! series, comprising: compact discs (CD), audio cassettes (AC), vinyl (LP), VHS tape, DVD, and on other short-lived formats. They are categorised by series (country), then ordered by date. United Kingdom and Ireland[edit]Initially only released on vinyl and audio cassette, the first Now That's What I Call Music UK edition to be released on compact disc (CD) was Now That's What I Call Music! 4 in a single-CD format in 1984, although it was a compilation of tracks from all four Now That's What I Call Music vinyl/cassette albums up to that point. Further single-CD versions of Now That's What I Call Music! 8 and Now That's What I Call Music! 9 followed, with full double-disc CD releases starting with Now That's What I Call Music! 10 in November 1987. Phonograph record production ended on the numbered series with Now That's What I Call Music! 35,[1] with special vinyl editions of spin-offs like Now That’s What I Call Punk & New Wave (on a double neon pink vinyl set) editions in the 21st century.[2] Audio cassettes ended with Now That's What I Call Music! 64.[3] Part of the series was also released on the MiniDisc format, beginning with Now That's What I Call Music! 43 and ending with Now That's What I Call Music! 48.[4] Volumes 1 to 18 and Now That's What I Call Music! 20 were released on individual VHS tapes, with the first two albums also issued on LaserDiscs. Every video tape had a typical running time of roughly one hour. From 2001 to 2007, the videos were published on DVD with a frequency of one per year. The DVDs are numbered by year and not linked to album numbers. Now 2006 was released on UMD as well as DVD. The series release dates below represent the date of release in the United Kingdom. Up until the release of Now That's What I Call Music! 90 on 30 March 2015, the release date in Ireland was three days before the UK release. Beginning with the release of Now That's What I Call Music! 91 on 24 July 2015, the release dates in the UK and Ireland have been the same following the announcement of the Global Release Day campaign by IFPI, which became effective on 10 July 2015.[5]
Now re-issues of the original numbered series (2018–present)[edit]For the 30th anniversary of Now 1 in 2013 and the release of Now 100 in 2018, the first Now album was re-compiled and re-issued. Since the release of Now 102, the corresponding Now album from 100 volumes ago has been re-compiled and re-issued on 2-CD sets on the same day. Due to licensing issues, these re-compiled versions often use alternative mixes such as album versions and sometimes tracks are missing where it has not been possible to license the song.
Now Dance series (1985–2016)[edit]The original Now Dance series began in 1985 and has been released in a variety of titles, formats, and release frequency. Originally, the series captured extended 12" mixes of dance hits of the time, but from 1991 onwards, all Now Dance compilations featured 7" edits with only occasional extended versions or mixes included. The first two volumes were not released on compact disc, and all subsequent releases were either single, double, or triple disc sets. Unlike the main series, Now Dance were originally titled and numbered by their year of release (i.e. Now Dance '89). The frequency in which they were released also varied from year to year; initially, and most frequently across the series, there would be one Now Dance volume per year, but in 1994 for example, there were five volumes released, and in 1996, there weren't any Now Dance compilations released. Towards the end of the series, 3-CD digipak sets were issued and often under The Very Best of Now Dance title. In 2010, the long-running title was retired, and all subsequent dance-themed Now collections have been issued under the Special Editions series. In 2021, the original concept of Now Dance was revived with a new series of compilations containing 12" remixes released under the title, Now That's What I Call Music 12" 80s.
Christmas series (1985–present)[edit]
Special Editions (1986–present)[edit]The Special Editions series includes a wide range of Now anniversary collections, different music genres, eras, and decades, as well as commercial tie-ins with Smash Hits, Disney, Eurovision, HMV and the Official Chart Company. They all vary from one to five disc compilations (occasionally six disc), starting in 1986 and continuing to the present day (May 2022). Initially, a special edition of a Now compilation was quite rare, and between 1994 and 2003, there weren't any released at all. After 2003, and until 2010, there was one special edition released each year, covering a decade (80s, 90s and 00s), or a cross section of big hits celebrating the Now series (Now Decades, Now Years) - however, from 2011, they became much more frequent, and in 2017, there were fifteen different titles released. The presentation of each release has evolved notably over time: from 1986 through to 2013, all double and triple CD sets were released in chubby Jewel cases which could hold up to 6 discs. From Now That's What I Call 30 Years, in 2013, all Special Editions were released as gatefold digipak sets (but rare 2-CD set were still issued in Jewel cases during this period). In 2019 and until the end of 2020, Now 100 Hits were all issued in glossy, gatefold "digifile" sleeves (similar to the digipak, but without plastic trays) where the CDs are pushed out from either side of each sleeve; from the 4 CD series sets starting in January 2021, gatefold cardboard sleeves are retained, but each CD is now stored in a slot cut into the card, known as a "wallet", which makes the CDs easier to remove than the previous design. Some of the Special Editions have identical names, although a few of these titles are followed by their year of release. In November 2018, the Now team took over the "100 Hits" brand from Demon Music Group, and in 2019 and 2020, the Special Editions series was effectively rested while 24 different Now 100 Hits compilations were issued in very quick succession, until the end of November 2020. From January 2021, the Special Editions series resumed, albeit with reduced output due to the introduction of two new series; Now Yearbook and the 4-CD series, with these three release variations, along with the reissues of the original Now That's What I Call Music series (up to Now 12 by July 2022) continue to the present day (July 2022).
Now 100 Hits series (2018–2020) [edit]4-CD series (2021–present)[edit]The 4-CD series follows the same general format of the original Special Editions series, with genre, era, and decade collections, but over four compact discs (there is an abridged vinyl version of Punk and New Wave), meaning they contain more tracks than the original special editions, but fewer than the Now 100 Hits, which preceded this series. They are only issued in cardboard gatefold wallets, with a slot cut into each sleeve which stores the discs.
Now Yearbook series (2021–present)[edit]The Yearbook series are 4-CD and 3-LP vinyl sets, each representing a year of music, which launched in June 2021. Each release has a tie-in block of programming on Now 80s. Each release is issued as a limited edition mini-hardback book, with the CDs in sleeves forming the pages of the 'yearbook' which contains an introductory overview of the year, original 7" single artwork, trivia, chart positions and a quiz. The limited edition 3-LP version is released on bright coloured vinyl. A standard 4-CD version is also issued in a gatefold "wallet" design, which retails cheaper than the mini-hardback books. The first collection focuses on hits from 1983, the birth year of the Now That's What I Call Music series. The year 1984 followed, but after this, the series rewound its year of focus, issuing collections that went from 1982 and backwards into the late 1970s. A triple-CD only release, Yearbook Extra: The Collectors Edition, is issued a few weeks later; these include lesser known tracks and more songs by big artists included on the main album and they are released only in standard gatefold wallet packaging. A further release, The Final Chapter, a deluxe 4-CD and 3-LP set, was issued in December 2022, rounding off the Yearbook years 1980 to 1984. The same month, a deluxe 5-LP boxset, Now Yearbook Vinyl Extra: '80 - '84, was released. This was the first time tracks from the Extra CD series had been issued on the vinyl format. Another strand of the Now Yearbook series, in August 2022, is the somewhat experimental release of two limited edition, extended play, 7" vinyl singles, each containing 4 tracks from the corresponding 1983 and 1984 Yearbook. This is the first time the Now That's What I Call Music brand has ever released music commercially on the 7" vinyl format. The Now Yearbook series continues both forwards, with Now Yearbook '85 issued in November 2022, and backwards, with the release of Now Yearbook '79 in September 2022 (an Extra followed in October). The latter contains a new retro-70s Now logo design and artwork which compliments its 80s sister Yearbook series. The tie-in television programmes are a month by month video playlist of tracks, from one year previously featured on a Now Yearbook album, with Bruno Brookes presenting.[232][233]
Now Vinyl series (2021 - present)[edit]The 21st century vinyl revival inspired limited edition vinyl only Now collections. They are not issued on any other format, and are limited to a run of just 1200 copies worldwide.[235] Some of them have unique tracklistings and are not related to similarly themed collections already issued on compact disc, however, more recent releases have been 'selections' taken from a larger CD collection ('Rock, for example). Due to the higher cost of pressing vinyl and the limited time they are available, they are at least three times more expensive than their compact disc counterparts. They are mostly pressed on black vinyl as standard although some are released on coloured vinyl. The Now Yearbook series also releases a vinyl selection of its primary release, with an Extra round-up vinyl boxset featuring tracks from the CD-only series, released at the end of 2022.
10th Anniversary Series (1993–1995)[edit]To commemorate ten years since the release of the first Now That's What I Call Music! album, from June to August in 1993, a series of eleven, 40-track yearly collections were released on CD/Cassette, with an additional volume added in both 1994 and 1995 also released on CD/cassette, 1993 and 1994 were also released on Vinyl.
The Millennium Series (1999) [edit]To commemorate the turn of the millennium, another series of Now That's What I Call Music collections were released in 1999 which all contained 36 tracks, and covered hits from the years 1980 through to 1999.
DVD series (2001–2011)[edit]
United States[edit]
Special editions [edit]
Christmas series[edit]
Country series[edit]
DVD series[edit]
Latino series[edit]
Asian region[edit]
Chinese Best series[edit]
Love series[edit]
Plus Series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Australia[edit]First series[edit]
Second series[edit]
Third series[edit]
Fourth series[edit]
100% series[edit]
Vision series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Benelux[edit]
Canada[edit]Original series[edit]
Current series[edit]
Then series[edit]
Country series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Dance editions[edit]
Denmark[edit]
Big Hits series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Finland[edit]
Special editions[edit]
France[edit]
Greece[edit]
Hungary[edit]Original series[edit]
Current series[edit]
Israel[edit]
Dance series[edit]
Hip hop series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Italy[edit]Original series[edit]
Current series[edit]
All the Hits Italia series[edit]
Story series[edit]
Japan[edit]Original series[edit]
Second series[edit]
Third series[edit]
Best series[edit]
Jazz series[edit]
Classics series[edit]
Reggae series[edit]
Japan series[edit]
Christmas series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
South Korea[edit]
Mexico[edit]
Argentina[edit]
Netherlands[edit]Original series[edit]
Second series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
New Zealand[edit]Original series[edit]
Second series[edit]
Current series[edit]
[A] Special editions[edit]
Norway[edit]Original series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Poland[edit]Original series[edit]
Season series[edit]
Current series[edit]
Portugal[edit]Original series[edit]
Dance series[edit]
Mix series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Saudi Arabia[edit]
South Africa[edit]
Best Of series (1995-2019)[edit]
Now and Then series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
DVD series[edit]
Spain[edit]Original series[edit]
Second series[edit]
Turkey[edit]Original series[edit]
Second series[edit]
The DVD series[edit]
Dance series[edit]
Love series[edit]
Love DVD series[edit]
Special editions[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
Which Now album was out in 2000 UK?United Kingdom and Ireland. What Now album was released in 2000?5 is the fifth edition of the Now! series released in the United States. It was released on November 14, 2000, peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA, to date the only non-Christmas album in the U.S. series to achieve that status.
Which Now album was out in 2001?7 was released on July 31, 2001. The album is the seventh edition of the (U.S.) Now! series.
What Now album was released in 2001 UK?50 or Now! 50 was released on November 19th, 2001 on audio cassette and 2CD, The album is the 50th edition in the Now! series in the United Kingdom.
|