NOW - Yearbook 1987: Translucent Orange 3LP

NOW is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and takes a look back to 37 years ago – with 43 tracks on 3 LPs, pressed on Translucent Orange Vinyl, to celebrate a stellar year of Pop singles. NOW – Yearbook 1987.

Kicking off with a run of huge hits that truly underline just how stellar a year for the singles chart 1987 was: George Michael opens the collection with the title track from his debut solo album ‘Faith’, and is followed by the years’ Christmas #1, Pet Shop Boys with their version of ‘Always On My Mind’, and ‘True Faith’, a defining single in the rich discography of New Order. Dance music was evolving and M/A/R/R/S with their #1 ‘Pump Up The Volume’ was one of the first sample-led club tracks to become a mainstream hit and would be instrumental in paving the way for how dance music was often constructed going forward. In their fifth year of hits Eurythmics continued to deliver stunning singles and ‘Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)’ still sounds breathtakingly original today… Established hitmakers Duran Duran, and the Pretenders complete the side….Turn the LP over for hits that produced continued success for ABC, Level 42, The Blow Monkeys, Swing Out Sister and a well-chosen cover for Fine Young Cannibals, as well as a chart debut for Curiosity Killed The Cat with ‘Down To Earth’, and a big hit on re-release for ‘Wonderful Life’ from Black.

A second appearance for George Michael opens LP2 – this time in partnership with Aretha Franklin on their #1 ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’ ahead of Whiney Houston’s floor-filler and second #1 ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)’, plus  Donna Summer continued her massive run of hits with ‘Dinner With Gershwin’, and ‘Criticize’ gave Alexander O’Neal a dance-floor smash. A superb debut from Rosie Vela with ‘Magic Smile’ leads into the side closer from Suzanne Vega with ‘Luka’.

The other side of LP2 celebrates an amazing year of success for the Stock, Aitken & Waterman team: They wrote and produced

‘87’s biggest selling single – ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, the debut for Rick Astley, and the #1 ‘Respectable’ for Mel & Kim, they co-wrote and produced Bananarama’s ‘Love In The First Degree’, and produced Dead Or Alive’s ‘Something In My House’.

Man 2 Man had a huge HI-NRG hit with ‘Male Stripper’, the charts welcomed debuts from Living In A Box and Sananda Maitreya, here with his second hit ‘Wishing Well’ – whilst the disc closes with the first solo single and #1 for Boy George with his cover of ‘Everything I Own’.

LP3 opens celebrating the gothic rock and huge Jim Steinman production on ‘This Corrosion’ from The Sisters Of Mercy, before a stunning run of legendary artists and timeless songs including Iggy Pop, Paul Simon, Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi before Crowded House close the side with their UK chart debut, the timeless ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’. The final side presents an exceptional run of pure pop, starting with a second appearance on this Yearbook for Pet Shop Boys, this time with Dusty Springfield on the sophisticated pop of ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This’, ahead of  A-Ha with ‘Cry Wolf’, ‘Is This Love?’ from Alison Moyet, and first hits in 1987 for Johnny Hates Jazz and Wet Wet Wet. The beautiful ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’, the single release from Paul McCartney’s ‘All The Best’ collection leads into a track that, in recent years makes an appearance in the charts every Christmas - 1987 was the release year for ‘Fairytale Of New York’ – and so, the Yearbook for 1987 closes on this truly timeless classic from The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl.

NOW – Yearbook 1987 – A celebration of the diversity and wonderful creativity of a truly magnificent year in Pop.