Back catalogue: All genres

Review: You could probably write a dissertation, if not full thesis, on the symbolism of this album. The biggest name in British chart pop compilations, NOW, turns its hand to spotlighting less obvious tracks from the decade that gave birth to the entire franchise. What this reflects, in terms of what constitutes 'popular' music today, and the questionable relevance of the UK Top 40, is a fascinating train of thought.
Musically speaking, the curators have done a decent job in selecting a broad range of artists, bands and sounds from the fertile grounds of the 1980s. Plenty here are household names - The Stranglers, Devo, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Smiths, Eurythmics, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. Nevertheless, you won't find 'Sweet Dreams' on the track list, and instead rarer archive material is allowed to shine: 'Vicious Games' rather than 'Oh Yeah' by Yello, The Cure's stunning 'A Forest' - we could go on.

Review: NOW - Yearbook 1977 takes us back to a diverse and vibrant year in pop with 80 tracks across 4 CDs, presented in a special hardback edition with a 28-page booklet. The collection opens with Queen's iconic anthem 'We Are The Champions' and continues with hits like Status Quo's 'Rockin' All Over The World' and Elvis Presley's posthumous #1 'Way Down'. Punk and new wave shine on Disc Two with The Clash's 'White Riot', The Ramones' 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker' and Elvis Costello's 'Watching The Detectives'. Other highlights include Paul Simon, Santana and the Yes ballad 'Wonderous Stories'. Disco dominates Disc Three, with Donna Summer's groundbreaking'I Feel Love', Boney M's debut 'Daddy Cool' and Chic's infectious 'Dance, Dance, Dance'. Soul classics from Marvin Gaye, Deniece Williams, and The Commodores' "Easy" round out this era-defining section. The final disc features Paul McCartney & Wings' mega-hit 'Mull of Kintyre' alongside smooth pop from Olivia Newton-John, Billy Ocean's 'Red Light Spells Danger' and easy-listening staples like Manhattan Transfer's 'Chanson D'Amour'. The collection closes on a nostalgic note with Mike Oldfield's 'Portsmouth' and the Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band's 'The Floral Dance'. A superb celebration of one of pop music's most exciting years.

Review: Now's ongoing Yearbook series has reached 1973, a 12-month period in which saw an Oil Crisis, the opening of the World Trade Center in New York, and the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam. Musically, as the four-disc set proves, pop was being pulled in different directions, with new stars emerging (David Bowie, Elton John, Roxy Music, David Essex and various members of the Osmond family) former 'Fabs' settling into their new solo careers (John Lennon, Paul Wings), Glam rock increasing in popularity (Mud, Sweet, Wizzard, T-Rex, Slade), and soul beginning to evolve into disco (the Spinners, Michael Jackson, the O'Jays, Diana Ross, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes). Throw in a few massive hits from megastars (Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Elvis Presley), and you have an on-point pop summary of 1973.

Review: NOW's ongoing 'Yearbook' series reaches 1988, a year in which pop music was becoming increasingly influenced by the saucer-eyed rise of dance music culture. The four discs contain a wealth of chart-bothering hits from the period, dashing between 'imperial phase' period Pet Shop Boys ('Heart', 'Left To My Own Devices' and the Seventh Wonder gem they wrote and produced, 'I'm Not Scared'), Hacienda-inspired remakes of classics (New Order's 'Blue Monday '88'), manufactured pop cheeriness (Bros, Bananarama, Rick Astley and Jason Donavan), dancefloor classics (Inner City, S'Xpress, Bomb The Bass, Salt N Pepa), OTT rock and metal (Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi), pop-reggae (Aswad), novelty singles (the KLF's Doctor Who-themed outing as The Timelords), and much more besides.

Review: .NOW's Yearbook series of quadruple CD sets reaches 1990, a year in which the currents of dance music's future dominance of the pop charts became stronger and more pronounced. Of course, this being a pop-focused collection, the musical story told is far more varied. So while there are suitably baggy, bowl haircut-sporting indie-dance numbers from the likes of Candyflip, Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses, as well as crossover club hits from the likes of The KLF, the Adventures of Stevie V and Dee-Lite, you'll also find synth-pop melancholia from the Pet Shop Boys (including 'Being Boring', arguably Neil Tennant's best song), boy band business from New Kids on the Block, a dash of Kylie Minogue, alt-rock hits from Faith No More and Bon Jovi, and a blast of Elton John.

Review: NOW - Millennium 2006-2007 celebrates the brilliance of post-millennial pop with a collection of back-to-back hits. This double album set features 31 unforgettable tracks from these two standout years in music, pressed on stunning opaque orange and white vinyl. LP1 begins with Amy Winehouse's iconic 'Rehab' from her Back To Black album, followed by Gnarls Barkley's massive hit 'Crazy.' Nelly Furtado's collaboration with Timbaland on 'Maneater' and LL Cool J's 'Control Myself' with Jennifer Lopez keep the energy high. The Black Eyed Peas' 'Pump It' and the Scissor Sisters' 'I Don't Feel Like Dancin' lead into tracks by Robbie Williams and the Pet Shop Boys. Other great hits include Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars,' Britney Spears' 'Gimme More,' songs by Keane, The Killers, Fall Out Boy's 'Sugar, We're Goin Down,' and The Zutons' 'Valerie.' P!nk and James Morrison set the stage nicely for the relaxed vibe of Corinne Bailey Rae's 'Put Your Records On.' Hit after hit, enjoy the years most popular tracks of 2006 and 2007.