Now That's What I Call Music!

Now That's What I Call Music! (1983–present) (often shortened to Now!) is a series of various artists compilation albums released in the United Kingdom and Ireland by EMI (as EMI TV/Virgin Records/Universal/Sony Music). Spinoff series were later introduced in South Africa (1984) and many other countries worldwide, including the United States in 1998, and expanding into Asia in 1995. Since its launch in the UK in 1983, the series has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.^[1]

Original United Kingdom and Ireland series

The idea for the series was conceived in the office of Virgin Records in Vernon Yard, near Portobello Road, by the head of Licensing and Business Affairs at Virgin records (1979–1990) – Stephen Navin, and General Manager (1983–1988) – Jon Webster.^[2] The concept was taken to Simon Draper (Managing Director at Virgin Records) and then Peter Jamieson (Managing Director of EMI Records (1983–1986)). Jamieson had similar plans to launch such a compilation and he immediately agreed to the partnership. The deal was negotiated and finalised on Richard Branson's boat moored in Little Venice.^[3]

The series took its name from a 1920s advertising poster for Danish bacon featuring a pig saying "Now. That's What I Call Music" as it listened to a chicken singing. Richard Branson had bought the poster for his cousin, Simon Draper, to hang behind Draper's desk at the Virgin Records office. Branson wrote "He was notoriously grumpy before breakfast and loved his eggs in the morning, so I bought him the poster, framed it and had it hung behind his desk.".^[3] The pig became the mascot for the series', making its last appearance on Now That's What I Call Music 5.^[4]

The first Now was released on 28 November 1983^[5] and featured 30 UK hit singles from that year on a double vinyl LP or cassette. Although the compilation of recent hit songs into a single release was not a new concept (K-tel and Ronco, for example, had been issuing various artists' compilations for some years), this was the first time that two major record labels had collaborated on such a venture. Virgin agreed to a deal with EMI, which allowed a greater number of major hits to be included (the first album in the series included a total of "eleven number ones" on its sleeve). The album went to number one, and soon after, CBS/WEA's The Hits Album, adopted a similar format to Now!. The two series co-existed for the rest of the 1980s, but when Universal joined the collaboration the Now! series was more successful commercially. The Out Now series by MCA and Chrysalis was also established as a rival to the series,^[6] but was short lived.

By 1989, Now, Hits, and other various-artist compilation albums were occupying such a high fraction of the UK Albums Chart that a separate UK Compilation Chart was created to restrict the Albums Chart to releases by a single act.^[7]

The rate of release settled very quickly to three per year: one release around late March/early April, another around late July and a third around late November. Over ninety "main series" (not including spin-off and special edition) albums have been released to date. The newest album in the series, Now 95, was released on 18 November 2016. The UK series has followed a double-album format throughout the series (many other foreign franchises of the Now! series are only released on one disc), now exploiting the capacity of the CD to include between 40 and 46 tracks over two discs. Since November 2005 (Now 62), the Now! series have only been released on CD and digital download formats. Previously, the series had been available on vinyl, audio cassette and MiniDisc. As these formats declined in popularity, Now releases are no longer issued on them.

Peter Duckworth and Steve Pritchard, Managing Directors of Now Music, have been managing the Now! brand since NOW 17. Mark Goodier has narrated the Now! adverts since Now 21 in 1992, when he worked for BBC Radio 1. Ashley Abram of Box Music compiled every album from Now 2 in 1984 through to Now 81 in 2012.^[8] Jenny Fisher took over as the compiler beginning with Now 82.

In October 2013, the NOW Music television channel was launched in the UK. Targeting a broad age group, the channel plays current popular music in the daytime and hits from its 30-year back catalog in the evenings.^[9]

Records/achievements

The most successful volume to date is 1999's Now That's What I Call Music! 44, which has sold 2.3 million copies and remains the biggest selling various artists compilation album in the UK.^[10] 2008's Now That's What I Call Music! 70 sold 383,002 units in the first week of sales, the biggest ever first week sale of any Now album.^[11]

Most featured artists

By the 30th anniversary of the Now! series in 2013, the most featured artist was Robbie Williams with 29 singles, followed by Rihanna with 27, Kylie Minogue with 23 and Girls Aloud with 21. This does not include any uncredited appearances in groups or on charity records.^[12]

Formats

Although starting out on only vinyl records and cassette tapes, the formats on which the albums have been released have changed over the years:

• Unabridged (double CD) full versions of Now were first available starting with Now 10 in 1987, although a version of Now 4 was released on CD featuring songs that had appeared on the vinyl and cassette configurations of Nows 2, 3 and 4. Now 8 (17 tracks) and Now 9 (16 tracks) were released as single disc CDs in 1986 and 1987, respectively.
• Vinyl editions ended in 1996 with Now 35.^[13]
• MiniDiscs started with Now 43 in 1999 and ended with Now 48 in 2001.
• The first Now album to be released as a digital download was Now 62 in 2005 across online music stores.
• Cassette tapes ceased in 2006 with the final cassette being Now 63.
• VHS Tapes were released as companions to all the Now! albums from the first volume through Now 20, except for Now! 19. They contained music videos, some of which were for tracks featured on the accompanying album and others for tracks which were not. Some of the earlier volumes were also released on Betamax and for some volumes laserdiscs were also released.

Spin-offs

In addition to the main Now That's What I Call Music series, there have been a number of spin-off compilations in the UK using the name, including:

• Now Dance – a series in its own right, these compilations originally consisted of 12" mixes of current hits. They now focus on 7" mixes of recent dance hits, and a Very Best of Now Dance compilation has been released.
• At least two different series of year-by-year "retrospective" compilations, covering 1983 to 1995, and 1980 to 1999 respectively (the latter known as Now! - The Millennium Editions).
• At least three "best-of" compilations covering the entire Now! series. Now Decades, Now Years and Now 25 Years are these three albums, but there have been other albums like Now No.1's which also cover the entire Now! series.
• At least one tie-up with Smash Hits magazine in 1987, called Now Smash Hits.^[14] (Smash Hits later went on to release their own compilations).
• Christmas releases, including some classic Christmas favourites.
• Sometimes considered a spin-off, video releases, including video cassette editions of many early Now! compilations, and (more recently) yearly DVD video releases.
• Other releases include Now Karaoke and the interactive DVD Now That's What I Call A Music Quiz.
• A series of compilation video games (for the Commodore 64 amongst other home computers) were released in the mid-1980s by Virgin Games with the name Now Games.
• A Wii game was released on 25 November 2011 named Now That's What I Call Music! - Dance and Sing. It features tracks by recent artists, including Alexandra Burke, Jessie J, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Tinie Tempah, Calvin Harris and Plan B. It features a Dance Mode, Sing Mode and Career Mode.^[15]

Record labels

The record labels which make up the UK series have changed over the years but have always been controlled by EMI and Virgin Records, although Virgin Records' logo was last featured on Now! 74.

• Virgin Records were a label from Now 1 to Now 74. Up until Now 61, they used just the "Virgin" logo. From that volume onwards, the "Virgin Records" logo was used.
• EMI were a label on all volumes. Up until Now 75, the logo they used was simply the "EMI" logo. From that volume onwards, "EMI TV"'s logo was used instead.
• Polygram were a label from Now 8 to Now 42.
• Universal Music were a label from Now 43 onwards as a result of acquiring the Polygram label.
• Box Music Ltd. have been a label of all volumes, but it was Now 26 onwards that their logo was used on the packaging.
• Also, the "Music from EMI" logo was used Now 62 until Now 85 when they used the Sony label instead, until Now 90 when they stopped using labels.
• Sony BMG's logo was also used on the special edition of the album, Now! No.1s
• Due to Universals' purchasing of EMI in 2012, EMI will no longer have their share on the Now albums. Those rights were transferred to Sony Music Entertainment.^[16]
• Now That's What I Call Disney was released under the Walt Disney Records label.

Now! series in other countries

Numerous different versions of the Now! brand exist in other parts of the world, including:

Africa

South Africa

Volume one was released in 1984 (a year after the original UK series launched). Now 50, released in November 2008, was issued as a double CD in commemoration of 25 years of Now! albums in South Africa. As of September 2, 2005, there has also been a Now DVD series.

Asia

South East Asia

This edition was released in Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand etc. The first Asian Now That's What I Call Music! was released in 1995.

The series is often called Now Asia since Now 1 and Now 2 are from EMI Hong Kong, Now 3 and Now 4 are from EMI Malaysia, Now 7 is from EMI Taiwan and Now 5, Now 6 and Now 8 are from EMI Asia. The Indonesian versions of the albums are slightly different from the Asian ones.

EMI Asia has also released Now Dance (2000), Now The Essential Collection (2003), Now + volume 1 (2004) and Now + volume 2 (2005).

EMI Indonesia has released Now Jazz (2007) and Now Arabia (2011).^[17]

China

Following its introduction in China, the Now! series has enjoyed great success, with a new compilation released approximately every three to four months. Each album contains current and recent hit singles from Chinese artists signed to EMI or Polydor, and from British and Australian pop acts such as Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sugababes or Robbie Williams.

Israel

Now has been seen in Israel, starting in 1999. The first three albums are double discs. Now 4 was the first single disc and the rest in the series are also single disc.

South Korea

Now will be seen in South Korea starting March 22, 2015. The first three albums are going to be double discs, under the name Now That's What I Call K-Pop.

Europe (in addition to UK & Irish series)

Czech Republic

Now Hity is the Czech version of the Now That's What I Call Music! series. Originally branded under the main family name, it was changed to Now Hity later in the run. There have also been spin-offs like Now! 2006.

Denmark

Now Music is a Danish record label set up especially to release Now That's What I Call Music! albums in Denmark. As well as the Now regular series as of November 2007 they are up to the nineteenth release.. there have also been spin-offs including Now Big Hits, Now Christmas, Now Summer, Now Clubbing, Now Dance and Now Hip Hop.

Robbie Williams is the artist to be featured the most times in the regular Danish Now series, just as he also is in the UK Now! series. He has appeared ten times in the Danish series.

Finland

The first Finnish Now That's What I Call Music was released in 2003 where it replace the Absolute Hits series. The albums are released as double discs. There have also been spin-offs including Now That's What I Call Music Pop Hits and Now That's What I Call Dance Music.

France

In France the Now series is called Now! Hits Référence. There have been released Now! Hits Référence 1-7 and Now! Hits Référence 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Greece

In Greece the Now series is called Now: Αυτά Είναι Τα Hits Σήμερα! ("Now These Are the Hits Today!").^[18] Now 1 was released in 2002 and Now 2010 was released in 2009. In 2015 (early summer), Now that's what i call music 2015 was released as a follow-up to the compilation series. There have also been released some Now Dance albums in Greece.

Netherlands

The Now series started in the Netherlands back in 1987 as Now This Is Music and a couple of spin-offs, such as Now Dance, a Christmas compilation (Now This Is Xmas) and several year-end compilations. The series ran from 1984 to 1989, ending with its 11th installment. The series was released on the EVA label, a joint venture of the Dutch branches of EMI, Sony and Ariola (later: BMG Ariola, a subsidiary of BMG/Warner Music Group). A second series under the same title started in 2000, but only two albums were released.

Norway

The Norwegian series of Now That's What I Call Music! is a joint venture by the Norwegian branches of Universal Music, Sony Music, EMI Music and Warner Music. Prior to 2009 they released two independent series called Absolute Music by EVA Records (EMI and Warner Music) and McMusic (Sony Music Entertainment AS and Universal Music Group AS).

The first issue of Now That's What I Call Music! in Norway was released in November 2009.

Portugal

The Now series in Portugal is a joint-venture between the three major international publishers present in Portugal – EMI, Sony and Universal. In 2010, it was announced that total sales of the series, not counting the extra editions, topped one million copies in Portugal.^[19] Through Volume 21 of the series, the multi-volume sets have included 414 national and international artists and a total of 787 different songs, ranking in an impressive four gold and 19 platinum records.

The first album released in Portugal was NOW 99 and released by EMI on 2 December 1999. From the Now 2 through Now 21, the compilation was always done on a rotation system among the three music companies. In addition to these volumes, the series includes six dance editions, a DVD and the tenth anniversary commemorative edition, NOW 10 ANOS, released by EMI in December 2009. On April 26, 2010, Now Mix 2010 was released, which includes dance versions of popular songs in a non-stop mix format..

The most recent editions, Now Mix 2 and Now 23, were released in October and November 2010, respectively.

Spain

Now has also been seen in Spain under the name of Now Esto si es música ("Now This Is Music"). The original series included six releases from 1984-1989. The compilation album is released as a double CD album. Later the series started over with Now Esto Es Música 1,^[18] which included songs from artists like Juanes, Enrique Iglesias, George Michael, Sheryl Crow, Tiziano Ferro, Alex Ubago, Las Ketchup and U2. Now Esto Es Música 2003 has also been released.^[20] But due to the lukewarm success, no more albums were released since 2004.

However, in late 2009, EMI Music released the album "Now Dance" in Spain, which contains all the biggest dance hits in Spain during 2009, including Lady Gaga, David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland, The Black Eyed Peas and Katy Perry, among others.^[21]

North America

Canada

The first installment of the product line into Canada was released in 1988. The second installment of the product line was released in 1995. Beginning with the second installment of the series, repertoire was licensed from Universal, Warner and EMI. Songs from Sony and BMG was not included on any editions of the series in Canada. Since the second installment of the series, Universal, Warner and EMI have formed a joint venture together and generally take turns to release the series. From the years of 1996 to 2009 the series released an annual compilation usually in the late summer months. However, beginning with Now 15, there have been two editions each year which usually take place in early winter and late summer.

Mexico

Now has also been seen in Mexico, with at least ten releases. The track listings on the Mexican albums are only slightly different from those of the Argentine ones.

United States

The series of Now! albums began in 1998. The most recent album in the series, Now That's What I Call Music! 60, was released on November 4, 2016.

The Now! compilations have sold extremely well in the U.S. Each of the first 29 volumes has received at least a platinum certification, and 18 albums from the series have reached number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart, more than any individual recording artist except the Beatles.^[22] However, recent releases have not sold as well with Now! 34 selling only 88,000 copies in its first week, compared to the 621,000 copies Now! 7 sold in its debut week in July 2001.^[23]

Recent trends in the United States have been releases of "special edition" Now! albums, such as Now Esto Es Musica! Latino, Now That's What I Call Country, and Now That's What I Call Motown; and the inclusion of "bonus tracks" by not-yet-established artists at the expense of additional hit songs.^[24]

Oceania

Australia

The Australian series is a single disc edition and began in 2002, as a replacement for the long-running 100% Hits brand. The series is a joint venture between EMI Music Australia and Warner Music Australia.

Now 01 appeared in July of that year, followed by Now 02 in time for Christmas 2002. 2003's Now 03 came with a bonus DVD; the first standalone DVD release (Now Vision 2004) appeared the following year. After Now 08 the series used seasons and the year instead of numbers for example Now Winter 2005, Now Spring 2005 etc. since 2014 instead of the seasons,"volume" is used for example Now 2014 Vol.1 etc.

In 2006 the Now Summer 2007 was the first double disc edition in the Australian series.

In 1994, four albums were released, all with the title Now That's What I Call Music - 100% then Dance, Ballad, Rap or Alternate.

New Zealand

Now That's What I Call Music! has released 50 albums since 1997, the latest one released on April 15, 2016. The series is compiled in co-ordination with New Zealand's top record companies. The series is one of the highest selling compilations in New Zealand music history (RIANZ) with multi-platinum album sales. Prior to this, there was an unrelated Now That's What I Call Music Series by Warner Bros. Records which only released three albums from 1992 to 1993.

South America

Argentina

Now has been seen in Argentina, with at least nine releases. The track listings on the Argentine Now albums are only slightly different from those of the Mexican ones.

See also

• Now That's What I Call Music! discography

Further reading

References

External links

• Official "Now That's What I Call Music!" website