Various Artists Now Presents The 80S

Release date:
September 13, 2024
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It's time to celebrate an amazing era for pop music - the next in our series of 'NOW Presents' 5-LP boxsets, featuring 78 huge hits, including 40 #1s, over 10 sides of vinyl, pressed in 5 different colours, one for each LP - red, yellow, pink, green and blue. Time to immerse yourself in the decade that never stops: 'NOW Presents... The 80s'. Opening with one of Queen's signature anthems 'I Want To Break Free', and followed by the incredible 'Every Breath You Take' from The Police and Eurythmics with 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)', this massive collection continues with #1s from The Dead Or Alive, Human League, and Soft Cell, and huge hits from Heaven 17 and the side closer 'Vienna' from Ultravox... Over on the other side, the dancefloor beckons with #1s from Whitney Houston with 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody... ', 'I Feel For You' from Chaka Khan and the legendary hip-hop track 'White Lines (Don't Do It)' from Grandmaster Melle Mel. The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris with their superb cover of 'Don't Leave Me This Way' feature along with Donna Summer, Yazz & The Plastic Population and the movie theme monster hit 'Ghostbusters'. The first side of LP2 includes legends Billy Joel, Paul Simon and Dolly Parton, alongside reggae and ska influenced pop #1s from Blondie, UB40, The Specials and Madness with 'House Of Fun'. More legendary performers on Side 2 including Cher with 'If I Could Turn Back Time', the collaboration between Philip Bailey & Phil Collins, 'Easy Lover' and huge rock hits from Survivor and ZZ Top, plus massive all-time airplay hits from Robert Palmer and Simple Minds. LP3 Side A features a stunning line-up of bands that all found massive success in the '80s, including Duran Duran, Culture Club, Adam & The Ants, A-Ha and Spandau Ballet... whilst over on Side 2, electronic pop, opening with the peerless 'Blue Monday' from New Order, and followed by the #1 'Heart' from Pet Shop Boys. Film theme hits 'Together in Electric Dreams' and 'Never Ending Story' follow before electro-pop gems from Kim Wilde, Nena, and '19' from Paul Hardcastle closes the LP. LP4 opens with timeless hits from Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Bonnie Tyler and T'Pau alongside 'Africa' from Toto, and new wave smashes from The Clash, The Jam and the decades' first new #1 'Brass In Pocket' from the Pretenders, while over on the reverse side beautiful ballads from Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie lead into the sublime 'Back To Life' from Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler ahead of floor-fillers from Shalamar, Irene Cara, and Sonia, before closing with pop classics from Billy Ocean and Cliff Richard with 'Wired For Sound'. The final LP in the set gets underway with the massive #1s 'Take My Breath Away' from Berlin and 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth' from Belinda Carlisle. Tears for Fears' worldwide hit 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' leads to the iconic 'Relax' from Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Sinitta's up next, while the remainder of the side celebrates the writing and production team Stock, Aitken and Waterman with #1s from Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Rick Astley. The final side opens with one of Elton John's signature songs 'I'm Still Standing'. Party favourites 'Footloose', 'Come On Eileen' and 'Break My Stride' follow, and the collection moves to it's conclusion with more pop gold from Nik Kershaw and Paul Young whilst the last word is given to the biggest selling single of the 1980s and a truly inspirational Christmas classic; 1984's 'Do They Know It's Christmas' from Band Aid. For all vinyl collectors - 78 amazing pop moments showcasing the magic and diversity of the era for hit singles.

Tracklist:
  • 1. Queen - I Want to Break Free
  • 2. The Police - Every Breath You Take
  • 3. Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
  • 4. Heaven 17 - Temptation
  • 5. Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
  • 6. The Human League - Don't You Want Me
  • 7. Soft Cell - Tainted Love
  • 8. Ultravox - Vienna
  • 9. Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
  • 10. Chaka Khan - I Feel for You
  • 11. Grandmaster Melle Mel - White Lines (Don't Do It)
  • 12. Donna Summer - She Works Hard for the Money
  • 13. The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris - Don't Leave Me This Way
  • 14. Yazz & the Plastic Population - the Only Way Is Up
  • 15. Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters
  • 16. John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over
  • 17. Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
  • 18. Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al
  • 19. King - Love & Pride
  • 20. Dolly Parton - 9 to 5
  • 21. Blondie - the Tide Is High
  • 22. Ub40 - Red Red Wine
  • 23. The Specials - Too Much Too Young
  • 24. Madness - House of Fun
  • 25. Tina Turner - the Best
  • 26. Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time
  • 27. Philip Bailey & Phil Collins - Easy Lover
  • 28. Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
  • 29. ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'
  • 30. Robert Palmer - Addicted to Love
  • 31. Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)
  • 32. Duran Duran - Rio
  • 33. Bananarama - Cruel Summer
  • 34. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
  • 35. Adam & the Ants - Stand and Deliver
  • 36. Haircut 100 - Fantastic Day
  • 37. ABC - the Look of Love
  • 38. A-Ha - Take on Me
  • 39. Spandau Ballet - Gold
  • 40. New Order - Blue Monday
  • 41. Pet Shop Boys - Heart
  • 42. Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey - Together in Electric Dreams
  • 43. Limahl - Never Ending Story
  • 44. Kim Wilde - You Came
  • 45. Nena - 99 Red Balloons
  • 46. Paul Hardcastle - 19
  • 47. Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark
  • 48. Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer
  • 49. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
  • 50. T'pau - China in Your Hand
  • 51. Toto - Africa
  • 52. Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
  • 53. The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go
  • 54. The Jam - a Town Called Malice
  • 55. Paul McCartney - Ebony & Ivory
  • 56. Lionel Richie - Hello
  • 57. Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler - Back to Life
  • 58. Shalamar - a Night to Remember
  • 59. Irene Cara - Fame
  • 60. Sonia - You'll Never Stop Me from Loving You
  • 61. Billy Ocean - When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
  • 62. Cliff Richard - Wired for Sound
  • 63. Berlin - Take My Breath Away
  • 64. Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is a Place on Earth
  • 65. Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
  • 66. Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax
  • 67. Sinitta - So Macho
  • 68. Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky
  • 69. Jason Donovan - Too Many Broken Hearts
  • 70. Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
  • 71. Elton John - I'm Still Standing
  • 72. Kenny Loggins - Footloose
  • 73. Dexys Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
  • 74. Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride
  • 75. Nik Kershaw - the Riddle
  • 76. Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
  • 77. Paul Young - Love of the Common People
  • 78. Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?