NOW – Yearbook 1979 (4CD)

Since June 2021 we have presented five editions of the NOW – Yearbook series that span the first half of the 1980s. NOW Music is proud to present the newest edition to our ‘Yearbook’ family: NOW – Yearbook 1979. With a re-imagined look that reflects the era, 85 tracks over 4-CDs celebrate a truly spectacular year of chart magic.

Kicking off with one of Queen’s most popular songs ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, Disc 1 includes #1’s from The Police, The Boomtown Rats, Ian Dury & The Blockheads and the defining ‘Heart Of Glass’ from Blondie, as well as timeless hits from Kate Bush, Roxy Music and the debut from Pretenders. There’s early Synth-Pop hits from The Flying Lizards, one of two #1s in 1979 from Gary Numan, and the Top 10 return of Sparks with ‘Beat The Clock’ produced by Giorgio Moroder – who also co-produced ‘Hot Stuff’ for Donna Summer – which is included alongside massive Disco-Floor-Fillers from Chic, Sister Sledge, ABBA’s ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)’ and two further iconic #1s from Gloria Gaynor with ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘YMCA’ from Village People.

Disc 2 opens with three Ska/Pop crossover hits from Madness, The Selecter and The Specials, leading into sublime ‘Lovers-Rock’ from Janet Kay with ‘Silly Games’, before taking in some Classic Rock including Meat Loaf, Electric Light Orchestra and the collaboration between Gary Moore and Phil Lynott. Next up is an astonishing run of New Wave and Post-Punk hits including Squeeze, The Jam, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Cure, Siouxsie And The Banshees, The Clash and Sex Pistols, before closing with two of the year’s most unforgettable chart debuts: ‘Lucky Number’ from Lene Lovich and ‘Rock Lobster’ from The B-52’s.

Four of 1979s most beautiful songs open Disc 3 from ABBA with ‘Chiquitita’, ‘Every Day Hurts’ from Sad Café, Elton John’s ‘Song For Guy’, and the best-selling single of the year: ‘Bright Eyes’ by Art Garfunkel, before presenting a stellar line-up of dance-floor gold including massive hits from Amii Stewart, The Crusaders, The Real Thing, Eruption and Earth, Wind & Fire With The Emotions on the epic ‘Boogie Wonderland’, before finishing with one of the most influential singles of all time: ‘Rapper's Delight’ from The Sugarhill Gang.

The final disc in this collection features four more of the year’s #1s and opens with one of them – Cliff Richard’s ‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’, before further pop brilliance from Wings, Olivia Newton-John, Neil Diamond, Suzi Quatro, Boney M. and the winner of 1979’s Eurovision Song Contest – the Top 5 hit ‘Hallelujah’ from Milk & Honey. Smooth Soul ballads from Commodores, Peaches & Herb and The Three Degrees follow, as does a Country Pop #1 from Dr. Hook. The disc concludes with three Synth-Pop smashes that pointed the way to the upcoming decade – ‘Pop Muzik’ from M, and the two final #1s featured: ‘Are Friends Electric?’ – the first of the aforementioned two chart-toppers for Gary Numan in 1979 – and closing with ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ by The Buggles. This track was co-written, produced and performed by Trevor Horn whose work would define the Pop landscape over the next few years – whilst the song would be the first to be played on MTV in the US when it launched in 1981. NOW – Yearbook 1979 – A celebration of the diversity of the charts, and the creative brilliance of the year in pop.