Now Smash Hits

Last updated
Now That's What I Call Music! Smash Hits
NowSmashHits.jpg
Compilation album by
Various artists
Released3 October 1987
Genre Pop
Label EMI / Virgin / PolyGram

Now That's What I Call Music Smash Hits is a compilation album released on 3 October 1987. [1] [2] [3] The album is part of the (UK) Now That's What I call Music! series and is a collaboration with Smash Hits magazine, a successful pop music-based magazine at the time. It was conceived, written, and designed by the Smash Hits staff, and the liner notes are presented in the magazine's offbeat style.

Contents

The album features popular UK Singles Chart hits from 1980 to 1987, in rough reverse chronological order, starting with more recent songs (four songs for each year) and ending with older ones. Many of the older songs had not been featured on any Now albums before, as the series did not start until 1983 [4]

A companion issue of the magazine was released at the same time, featuring pictures and lyrics to all the songs on the album.[ citation needed ]

The front cover of the vinyl and audio cassette releases feature the words 32 Swingorilliant Hits of the 80's. For the compact disc release the number was changed to 31, as Michael Jackson's "One Day in Your Life" is missing from the CD version. A VHS tape was also released featuring 26 music videos of songs from the compilation.

Neil Tennant, who features on side 1 of the album as part of Pet Shop Boys, worked as assistant editor of Smash Hits magazine in the early 1980s.[ citation needed ]

Smash Hits went on to release their own various artists compilation albums. This is the first album in the UK Now! series with a 1980s theme. Another 3-disc compilation called Now That's What I Call the 80s was released in 2007.[ citation needed ]

Smash Hits is available on Apple Music as a playlist.

Track listing

CD/record/tape 1 (1987–1984)

#TitleArtistYear ReleasedGenre
1Down to Earth Curiosity Killed the Cat 1986 Sophisti-pop
2If You Let Me Stay Terence Trent D'Arby 1987 R&B
3Respectable Mel and Kim 1987 Dance-pop
4Labour of Love Hue and Cry 1987Sophisti-pop
5Rain or Shine Five Star 1986Pop
6West End Girls Pet Shop Boys 1984 Synth-pop
7Happy Hour The Housemartins 1986 Indie rock
8Holding Back the Years Simply Red 1985Sophisti-pop
9Take On Me a-ha 1984Synth-pop
10You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) Dead or Alive 1984Synth-pop
11There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) Eurythmics 1985Pop
12Everybody Wants to Rule the World Tears for Fears 1985Synth-pop
13Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go Wham! 1984 Bubblegum pop
14Smalltown Boy Bronski Beat 1984Synth-pop
15Master and Servant Depeche Mode 1984Synth-pop
16Careless Whisper George Michael 1984Pop

CD/record/tape 2 (1983–1980)

#TitleArtistYear ReleasedGenre
1True Spandau Ballet 1983 [5]
2Red Red Wine UB40 1983 [6]
3Hold Me Now Thompson Twins 1983
4The Lovecats The Cure 1983
5Come On Eileen Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express 1982
6The Look of Love ABC 1982
7Do You Really Want to Hurt Me Culture Club 1982
8Save a Prayer Duran Duran 1982
9 Under Pressure Queen & David Bowie 1981
10One Day in Your Life Michael Jackson (not on CD release)1981
11Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) Haircut One Hundred 1981
12Ghost Town The Specials 1981
13Going Underground The Jam 1980
14Baggy Trousers Madness 1980
15Antmusic

(full version with cold ending)

Adam and the Ants

(previously unreleased)

1980
16Atomic Blondie 1980

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References

  1. "NOW! SMASH HITS – VARIOUS ARTISTS - NOW SERIES". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 2023-09-19. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  2. "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2023-02-20. First Chart Date 03/10/1987.
  3. Now That's What I Call Music!: Smash Hits by Various Artists - RYM/Sonemic , retrieved 2024-02-18
  4. "NowMusic – The Home Of Hit Music » About NOW". 2012-06-27. Archived from the original on 2012-06-27. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  5. "BRIT Certified". BPI . Search "Spandau Ballet". "True" is then listed with its original release date.
  6. Lisi, Brian (January 16, 2017). "The untold story behind UB40's hit reggae song 'Red Red Wine' - NY Daily News". New York Daily News .

See Also