2002.&nbsp;The pop culture landscape would never be the same again. No, we’re not talking about Robbie Williams £80m, six album deal (although Rudebox would indeed shift the landscape, if not exactly many copies).We’re not even talking about Pop Idol top ten contestant Jessica Garlick coming (joint) third in Eurovision, although that was pretty good.&nbsp;We could be talking about the arrival of 6Music and BBC Four (TOTP RERUNS!!). But no, all of these memorable highlights take a positively backseat position against the stellar backdrop that was, quite literally, the 2002 Pop World!&nbsp; Boybands!Girl groups!Kylie!Coldplay!Abz! Don’t be fooled listeners, 2002 consisted of twelve months that gave us pop memories like no other. Atomic Kitten rode the Tide! Britney loved Rock (‘n’ Roll)! Daniel Bedingfield loved James Dean (possibly)!&nbsp;And amongst the idols and stars and academy’s of TV talent shows increasingly speedy conveyor belts, the decade they continued to call the ‘noughties’ moved up a gear thanks to Sugababes, Liberty X, Ms Dynamite and countless others. Where could it all end, we collectively asked (quite possibly via MSN messenger, or on a dial-up webchat forum)? And who better to navigate the BEST SELLING compilation of 2002, NOW 53, than senior producer for Listen the award winning premium podcast company David Manero!&nbsp; Taking time away from the Kitchen Disco with Sophie Ellis Bextor, Traitors Uncloaked, and the Pop Top Ten pod with Scott Mills and Rylan Clark, David shares his memories, hits and misses from the 43 Top Chart Hits across his two CDs (and a broken case).&nbsp; And, along the way, rediscover some genuine lost in the vault moments, find out what NOW whiplash is and how to avoid it, consider how the Spanglish Rappers Delight conquered the world, and marvel at how Teutonic techno troublers Scooter really were such a Big Thing. So, put down your Nokia 3310 or your Motorola Razr V3, switch off Big Brother 3, come out of the record department of Sainsbury’s and tune into the best of 2002! I'm seein' stars, I can't believe my eyes…

NOW 53 - Autumn ‘02: David Manero

Can You Feel It? It’s July, 1989 and the temperature is hot!&nbsp; Actually, for a lot of the UK it surprisingly was, but let’s leave meteorological memories aside, we’re talking the dancefloor. The country, the WHOLE nation was completely right on one, matey.&nbsp; Well maybe not the entire nation, but there was no doubt that the BPMs were sweeping the nation much quicker than the BSB squarial was in the last summer of the eighties.&nbsp; As 1988 became 1989, the underground was rapidly moving overground. The house sound of Chicago and Detroit had landed on our sceptred isle and we were making it out own. Artists such as The Beatmasters, Coldcut and Mark Moore’s S-Express had stamped their authority on the charts and across the country as teens were pouring over Smash Hits for the lyrics of Inner City tracks and swapping mixtapes of the latest grooves. And, NOW That’s What I Call Music were THERE! Well, yes they were, but that’s not the whole story. Get on the dancefloor legendary compilers K-tel and new variously compiled whippershappers from Telstar, who (for once) were ahead of the compilation curve. Albums series such as Deep Heat (in those large cassette boxes Discog fans!) were bringing the cool kids a real mix of dance, hip hop and sounds from both sides of the Atlantic.&nbsp; So what did our friends at EMI/Virgin do? What they always do - respond, and then some! Join author, journalist, compiler and all round dance music fanatic Joe Muggs as we revisit the explosive dancefloor culture of summer 1989 though the lens of NOW Dance 89. Rediscover some iconic tracks from Inner City, Soul II Soul and Coldcut. Remember (because you may have forgotten) the VERY 89 sound of Hip House with the likes of The Cookie Crew, Merlin and (awesome super duper) Tyree. Find out how NOW navigated a groove between the mainstream and the emerging underground through some amazing 12” mixes and laid a blueprint for the impending sound of the 90s, and indeed an unavoidable cultural shift into the next century of pop and beyond. And if that wasn’t enough, find out which dance icon Joe sought out an autograph from, how the legendary producer Youth may have missed a chance to be on The Fast Show, which track brings tears to mothers eyes at Big Fish Little Fish discos and why we need the uplifting and uniting experience of house music now more than ever. People, hold on!

NOW Dance '89 - Summer '89: Joe Muggs

In 2025, the iconic NOW series moves into the world of musical theatre with a brand new show ‘NOW, That’s What I Call A Musical’ delivering a storyline that ties friendship and incredible 80s pop music together perfectly. A dynamic cast, a sure fire story from Pippa Evans filled with a rollercoaster of emotions and laughter is coupled by choreography from Craig Revel Horwood for a guaranteed hit night out! And if that wasn’t enough the touring show includes guest appearances from an array of pop icons - Sinitta, Carol Decker, Toyah Wilcox and Sonia! And for this special episode of Back to Now, Sonia exclusively joins us to chat about the show and how this pop nostalgia spectacular is exactly what we need right now.&nbsp; As well as providing details (no spoilers!) about the show, Sonia takes us back to the year it’s set - 1989 - and shares her own memories of becoming one of the decades most successful female chart stars. We go behind the scenes of PWL, how Sonia really convinced Pete Waterman to sign her up to the Hit Factory, who she to borrow clothes from for her debut video and what it meant to move from being a pop fan into the pages of Smash Hits in a very short period indeed! We also can’t spend some time with Sonia and not talk Eurovision - so we do, and it’s a blast of Europop memories. And, exclusively - find out which NOW album played constantly in Sonia’s (and her boyfriends) car!&nbsp; Grab your popcorn, take your seat and tune into big 1989 pop memories and much more with this special episode of Back to NOW!

NOW, That’s What I Call A Musical - Sonia

The United Kingdom in Summer 1998 was an interesting place indeed. In June, the DVD was released for the first time and presumably the first person to ignore random extras, interviews and photo galleries was welcomed with open arms. The Crime and Disorder Act introduces Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOS) was introduced into our vocabulary and the tabloids jumped for joy at the possibility of a plethora of new, stupid headlines about&nbsp;3am parties, alcopop-fuelled teenagers and wheelie bins. Significantly, it was also almost a year since an historic, seismic shift in the country’s cultural and political landscape.&nbsp; The release of Be Here Now. (Checks notes - and Labour’s political landslide victory.) And since the Gallagher Brothers self-obsessed, grandiose and frankly rubbish collection of bloat had detonated Britpop, the music scene in UK had undergone a transformation poptastic proportions.&nbsp; And, let’s be honest, not a moment too soon. As always, the ever trustworthy team at NOW, That’s What I call Music HQ were on hand to deliver a sterling snapshot of the summer’s latest and greatest chart toppers. And the series reached another monumental milestone - volume 40. Pop Life was beginning indeed! Step forward, er, Steps! Fifteen year old Billie (no Piper yet folks) who was setting the charts alight with her debut, Aqua who were proving that they were no doll-sized one hit wonders by heading out into the jungle and the almost-a-four piece Spice girls (Get well soon Geri!) were delivering (quite possibly) their finest moment yet.&nbsp;Viva, girls! Add dance music, DANCE MUSIC - well where to begin? Mousse T (with a little help from Chris Tarrant!), Fatboy Slim, David Morales, Lucid and The Tamperer were delivering slices of high powered BPM perfection.&nbsp;WHAT did the charts look like with a chimney on it? &nbsp; But, BUT, our favourite variously compiled brand were not having it all their way in 1998. Those pesky folks over at HITS had more than something to say about that. And plenty of huge (Fresh? New?) hits were now missing from NOW.Which side were you on?Let the compilation battles commence - AGAIN! &nbsp; Joining myself and Pop Music Activism supremo and saviour of pop streaming Rob Johnson as we revisit summer 1998 and NOW 40! As well as all of the above, find out why the CD single was still the BOSS, explore the seventies disco revival impact on the charts, how Iceland was trending setting, rediscover the incredible adventure of remixing supermos The Trouser Enthusiasts and join us as we begin the search for the Irish Billie, the calypso queen of Aldi (possibly), Kerri-Ann.&nbsp; It is a pop journey that you really don’t want to miss. Let’s Go!

NOW 40 - Summer ‘98: Rob Johnson

Welcome, everyone, to the Back to Now review for 2024! Following in the well-loved festive traditions such as fingering your way through the double edition Radio Times,&nbsp;fumbling your way to the back of the cupboard for the remnants of last year’s Baileys or just thumbing through some nuts next to an open fire, we bring you a finale to another variously compiled year in pop in the company of some wonderful, wintry guests.&nbsp; Author of the year and close friend of Hazell Dean - Ian Wade!Compiler of the year and close friend of Bryan Ferry - Mark Wood! Shake off those snowy boots, grab an eggnog to go and join three ‘wise’ men as we forensically (well, not really, actually) examine twelve months of pop extravaganza including Sabrina, Charli, Billie and probably a few others that may have got a look-in at the charts of 2024. We also pull a cracker to reveal our albums of the year including such delights as the Pet Shop Boys and The Cure.&nbsp; And of course, it wouldn’t be the perennial end of year episode without shining a Christmas star spotlight on another year of stellar NOW releases. What were our highlights, surprises, favourites of the 2024’s FORTY compilations? We celebrate all of our selections from the variously compiled chocolate box - Yearbooks, Vaults, Millenniums, 12”s and much more. We ask the question on everyone’s (possibly) lips - what can 2025 hold for the world’s biggest and best iconic compilation series? Will we see more 70s Yearbooks?How will the iconic numbered series evolve?Can Das Psych-oh Rangers really make it onto a Vault album? And of all of this wasn’t enough of a soundtrack to your present wrapping, we also celebrate Duran Duran’s ongoing brilliance and appearance on NOW, revel in a range of other (there are OTHER?) compilations of 2024 and dip back into 1984 (yes, AGAIN!) as we examine Band Aid Forty and the legacy of Bob and Midge (and Trevor’s!) era-defining clanging chimes of Christmas. Forget the cranberry sauce and turn down all of those other invites - the end (of another pop year) is here! And you are warmly welcomed.&nbsp;

The Back To Now Review - 2024

Ideas, experiments, imagination. So, what was the optimum Britpop™️ year? Academics, thinkers and BBC documentary makers have wrestled over this question for many a year. Possibly even as long as it takes to listen to Be Here Now. 1993 - Yanks, go home?1994 - Maybe, perhaps definitely?1995 - Different class, I’d suggest? So where were we by the spring of 1996? Three years of evolution, trademarked Beatles and Kinks mimicking, and countless cans of Red Stripe had taken it’s toll. Would it be perceived wisdom, or 21st century hallowed hindsight, to suggest the original spark of Britpop was beginning to flicker as the winds of pop change were ‘spicing’ themselves up in the wings? There’s no doubt that the all conquering 94/95 pop of Pulp, Supergrass, blur and Oasis were still casting a huge Union Jack shaded shadow over the charts.&nbsp; But, oh, there was so much more! (We’ve been here before, haven’t we?) Big dance acts! (Some faceless, some disguised as wrestlers!)Big pop acts (Some a bit cheesy, some disguised as Eternal and Lighthouses!)Big legacy acts (Some a bit past it, some disguised as Queen, some having soap stars being sick in their hair!) But lest we forget, as 1996 got underway and the first BIG NOW of the year presented 4o Top Chart Hits for our delectation - whether your ‘flava’ was pop, rock, dance or hippy -&nbsp;there was an unbridled swagger and confidence to the music. The decade had shaken off any allusions of baggy or grunge and was telling us we could indeed live forever.&nbsp;Viva Forever, as some might (and indeed will) say!&nbsp; Join author and all round 90s pop kid Neil Collins as we revisit NOW33 and the spring of 1996. 'Neil's new book International Velvet: How Wales Conquered the 90s Charts revisits the unforgettable Cool Cymru era when the Manics, Catatonia, Stereophonics, Super Furry Animals, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and many more won over the masses! Along the way rediscover how TV adverts were still providing a soundtrack to our denim purchases and drink breaks. How dads were very well catered for in the mid 90s (rock bands, not Louise!), what cassettes were in Neil’s parents car as they attempted to break the traffic system of Paris, and why NOW33 has the best ending of ANY compilation EVER.&nbsp; And there’s even honourable mentions for the Smurfs and Robson &amp; Jerome!&nbsp;Don’t look back in (too much) anger!&nbsp;

NOW 33 - Spring ‘96: Neil Collins

Dylan Jones once described the Eighties as being shaped by ‘a new type of bohemianism, one empowered by a certainty and an optimism that was only fleeting back in the sixties.’ * Moreso, K.Tel records importantly reminded us that home taping was killing music.&nbsp; So, it’s November 1981, and this young music fan is feverishly taking ownership of two cassettes in his local Woolworths. One blue, one red. One bought, one free. Together this maiden compilation purchase - from the aforementioned compilation giant K.Tel, Charthits ‘81 - as kicked off by the ever so eighties drum crash from Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin – was the start of a lifelong love for variously compiled pop.&nbsp;One that would lead to, well, NOW.&nbsp; Forty years later and the superlative team at NOW HQ delivered their Yearbook for 1981.&nbsp;85 of the biggest, brightest and best hits (thank you Mr. Mulligan for that very nice tagline).&nbsp; A year that started tragically with the death of John Lennon, and ended with Susanne and Joanne from the Human League with spray foam in their mouths amidst highly flammable Christmas trees in BBC Television Centre. And inbetween, a dazzling twelve months where the decade began to take shape and form an identity that remains with us today.&nbsp;Pop, soul, disco, funk, rock, reggae and metal. All present and correct.&nbsp;But, as Thursday nights on BBC1 would testify through those iconic theme tunes of Tomorrow’s World and the newly christened TOTP Yellow Pearl in July, electronica was elbowing its way through the queue at the Blitz club to make a defining mark on the sights and sounds of 1981. With the able assistance of guests Chi and Ian from <a href="http://ElectricityClub.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ElectricityClub.co.uk</a>, this episode revisits the NOW Yearbook 1981 (and it’s stellar accompanying extra volume!). An iconic line up of music and memories awaits including Duran, Duran, Ultravox, Soft Cell, Kim Wilde, The Human League and ABBA.&nbsp; We explore how the year saw some seventies survivors glam up and mobilise for this new decade with assistance from the new video pioneers such as Russell&nbsp;Mulcahy and David Mallet.&nbsp; We also consider how retro never sounded so good, what made a good (and bad) medley hit, how tribal factions and cultural identity shaped our school days (and the streets across the UK), how news and popular culture were living under the ever present threat of global destruction and how pop saved us all once again. Grab some blank tapes, switch off one of the three channels on your TV and join us as we head back to a glorious year in pop, 1981. Ridicule is, as you know, nothing to be scared of.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571353439-sweet-dreams/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">* Sweet Dreams: The Story of the New Romantics: Dylan Jones (2020)</a>

NOW Yearbook ‘81: ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK 

We’re going where the sun shines brightly,We’re going where the sea is blue… 1986 really was very Cliff. He had celebrated his first No1 of the 80s with the cast of The Young Ones, featured in some devastating billboard action in the (rerun) finale of the aforementioned BBC comedy show, been covered by the TVam rat and gerbil, and even had one of his most famous songs feature on a rather unique (and quite frankly ghastly) novelty Euro hit. And in July of the very same year, this very prominent track (it’s Summer Holiday folks!), Cliff’s ubiquitous seasonal anthem to double decker buses and Una Stubbs, was sitting proudly as track 1 side 2 on the latest NOW, That’s What I Call Music album. But wait! The gloriously designed blue sky and beach umbrella that housed the latest variously compiled pop selection was not to feature such 1986 chart toppers as Wham!, Dr and the Medics and Chris De Burgh(!). This wasn’t the impending 7th volume of the (rapidly becoming) world famous series of compilations, this was NOW - The Summer Album, and it was…well, different. Just as the wonderful team had done in November 1985 with NOW - The Christmas Album, here was the brand’s second venture into a ‘theme’. And what a theme it was! Four decades of summer anthems, summer hits, sizzling memories - phew what a scorcher! But as it transpires, with guest Tim Worthington, we discover that the album announced from the pages of Smash Hits in July 1986 (featuring the most summery of acts, The Jesus and Mary Chain!) was much more than that just sun loungers and factor 30. Because growing up in the 70s/80s in the UK summer was often quite different indeed! What NOW - The Summer Album perhaps did do, was provide a template of summers we all wished we’d known; a sixties summer of love, a fifties summer of rock n roll, a seventies summer of…cricket (?) and of course an eighties summer of Radio One roadshows, and quite probably, traffic jams.It was an album that also provided a range of genres, new bands from the past to discover and a template for all summer soundtracks to come. So, dive back into an iconic chapter in the NOW series. Find out how some VERY big pop names appeared (TWICE!), why sound effects always make summer songs better, how some songs were longer (and shorter!) than others and why John Menzies probably didn’t anticipate how well this summer set would sell. And importantly, remember your Plymouth dealer is, indeed, a dealing man.

NOW - The Summer Album - July ‘86: Tim Worthington

“What we’re gonna do right here is go back, way back!” If you were really down with the cool kids in 1984, you would have most definitely have been passing around the school prized C90 cassettes featuring much copied Streetsounds compilations. And somewhere in there was Kurtis Blow’s AJ Scratch track with those immortal sampled words from the Jimmy Castor Bunch in 1972. Straight out onto The BMXs and down to throw some funky worm shapes on that strip of lino! Or, in this writer’s case, 1984 was mainly spent in a bedroom hovering over the play and pause button to catch a clean edit (without Simon Bates) of Two Tribes, still at number one after 5 weeks! But which mix would we get this week? Now, THIS was anticipation, pop kids! 1984. A pop year of decadence, contradictions, conflict, controversy and coming of age. A year that authors (and the BBC) told us would feature impending, inevitable Armageddon. Annihilation, it turned out, came in the shape of a plethora of 12” mixes, plastic smiles, snoods, 808 drum machines, hairspray, neon and (red) balloons. How was it for you? In the third decade of the 21st century, a time surely we wouldn’t (a) remember 1984 or (b) still be around to remember 1984, the team at NOW Music HQ presented the second in a (now) glorious series of curated Yearbooks. And what an album (and accompanying extra volume!) we have to rediscover. The sun is most definitely shining brighter than Doris Day! So for this special episode we’re joined by two poptastic friends of the show to take a deep dive into 1984. Journalist, DJ and author Ian Wade and journalist, author and broadcaster Jude Rogers. Jude can be found contributing musings and writing about music, culture and much more in The Guardian, Observer and The Quietus amongst many others. Her first (best selling!) book, The Sound of Being Human: How Music Shapes Our Lives is available through White Rabbit books. Ian has written for Classic Pop, Record Collector, The Quietus, Official Charts, Sunday Times Culture as well as doing time at such titles as Smash Hits and The Face many years ago. He has worked as a PR on BBC’s Later… with Jools Holland and occasionally DJs at Spiritland and Duckie. And his debut book 1984: The Year Pop went Queer is published by NineEight Books in July 2024. And whilst we don’t take a forensic look at every one of the 80 tracks on the 1984 Yearbook (and the further 60 on the extra volume) we instead provide you with an opportunity to explore the sights, sounds, culture, music, genres, tribes and (school!) fashion that makes this year so thoroughly iconic for so many reasons. Join us then, as we turn up the neon and dance through mutually agreed destruction in celebration of 1984!&nbsp;