Multiple sets are due this fall

Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment are celebrating 40 years of their joint album series, Now That’s What I Call Music. Several releases are planned for November 24th featuring some of the biggest hits over the past 40 years.

Now That’s What I Call 40 Years features 100 tracks across 5 CDs, honoring the legacy with a selection of the best from 40 years of Now. Take the journey from the first edition back in 1983, right up to the present day – making at least one stop every year in between.

Opening with 1983’s biggest-selling single “Karma Chameleon” from Culture Club, before No. 1’s from UB40 and Bonnie Tyler, and the huge hit “Radio Ga Ga” by Queen. Signature smashes from Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Tina Turner, and Wham! follow ahead of mid-80s gold from Eurythmics, Peter Gabriel, Bananarama, and The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris. The collaboration between Run DMC & Aerosmith and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” are both legendary rock anthems, and the first disc closes with No. 1’s from T’Pau, Pet Shop Boys and S’Express.

Disc two presents floor-fillers from Yazz & The Plastic Population and Womack & Womack plus “Back To Life…” from Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler. The timeless version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinéad O’Connor ushers in the ‘90s and is followed by No. 1’s from Elton John, Shakespears Sister and Snap! The smash-hit collaboration between The KLF and Tammy Wynette features along with sophisticated ballads from Duran Duran, The Pretenders and Sade. Massive No. 1’s from Freddie Mercury, Meat Loaf, Wet Wet Wet and Coolio & L.V. follow before Oasis close the disc with “Don’t Look Back In Anger.”

1996’s No. 1’s included “Wannabe” by Spice Girls, and “Fastlove” by George Michael – and they open the third disc – ahead of a run of pure pop gems from Eternal featuring Bebe Winans, All Saints, Boyzone, Steps, Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” and from 1999, the debut “…Baby One More Time” from Britney Spears. Other superstar smashes on this disc include “Angels” by Robbie Williams, “Believe” by Cher and Kylie Minogue’s biggest hit “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.” Incredible R&B from Mary J. Blige, and The Black Eyed Peas are included alongside artists who launched from TV talent shows to achieve massive success; Girls Aloud, and closing the disc, Will Young.

Disc four kicks off with a run of huge selling No. 1’s from James Blunt, Westlife, Gnarls Barkley and Mika, before the amazing vocals of Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis. Pop royalty Take That feature with “Rule The World” and Coldplay enjoyed their first No. 1 in 2008 with “Viva La Vida.” Pop gold from Pink and The Killers, and the huge dance-pop hits “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, and “On The Floor” by Jennifer Lopez follows with the 2011 Lana Del Rey debut “Video Games,” and One Direction with “What Makes You Beautiful.” Psy had a global sensation, Pharrell Williams went to No. 1 with “Happy,” and the disc wraps with the anthemic “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel from Frozen.

The final disc opens with “Sing,” the first No. 1 for Ed Sheeran, leading a line-up of stellar chart-toppers from Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars, Little Mix, Justin Bieber and George Ezra. There’s huge dance-pop from Dua Lipa, “Promises” by Calvin Harris with Sam Smith along with Keala Settle’s “This Is Me” from the movie and soundtrack mega-hit The Greatest Showman. Huge era-defining songs from Lewis Capaldi, Billie Eilish, and The Weeknd bring the collection into the 2020s. Up next are introductory hits from Glass Animals and Olivia Rodrigo, along with more No. 1’s from Lil Nas X, Elton John & Dua Lipa and David Guetta & Bebe Rexha. The Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 provided a huge hit for Sam Ryder, and in 2023 for Loreen. The final track, taken from the summer of 2023 is “Padam Padam” from Kylie Minogue, an artist who has enjoyed, much like Now That’s What I Call Music!, continued success during five decades from the ‘80s to the ‘20s.

A slimmed version featuring 43 tracks will be released as 3 LP colored vinyl, reflecting the artwork in stunning blue, white and violet.

Each decade will also be available as separate 3 CD and 3 LP versions. Now That’s What I Call 40 Years: Volume 1 – 1983-1993 features 60 tracks across 3 CDs with 42 across 3 white LPs that span the first 10 years of the Now releases, including tracks from all of the first 25 numbered Now albums. Now That’s What I Call 40 Years: Volume 2 – 1993-2003 features 60 tracks on 3 CDs with 42 on 3 red LPs, spanning Now 26 to Now 54. Now That’s What I Call 40 Years: Volume 3 – 2003-2013 features 63 tracks across 3 CDs and 43 across 3 blue LPs from Now 55 to Now 85. Now That’s What I Call 40 Years: Volume 4 – 2013-2023 features 67 tracks across 3 CDs and 48 across 3 green LPs from Now 86 to Now 115.