NOW – Yearbook 1986: 4CD

NOW Music is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series, NOW – Yearbook 1986; 80 tracks from a fantastic year in pop!

Opening with two stellar #1s, ‘A Different Corner’ from George Michael and ‘The Sun Always Shines On T.V.’ from a-ha, before leading into huge hits from Duran Duran (‘Notorious’), Kate Bush (‘Hounds Of Love’) and ‘Thorn In My Side’ from Eurythmics. A top year for pure Pop magic is showcased in the next run of hits, including the #1 from Falco, plus Level 42, Kim Wilde, Nick Kamen, Owen Paul, and The Bangles, before timeless radio friendly Pop from the Pretenders, and the lead single from one of the year’s biggest albums (‘Graceland’) from Paul Simon with ‘You Can Call Me Al’. Reggae-Pop from UB40 and another #1 from Boris Gardiner give way to two of the year’s most enduring ballads from Simply Red and Spandau Ballet.

The second disc is all about Pop-Dance energy – kicking off with Wham!’s final hit and #1 ‘The Edge Of Heaven’ and 1986’s biggest seller ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’ from The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris. Bananarama scored a huge hit (and a US #1) with ‘Venus’, and Stock Aitken & Waterman achieved a further huge hit with Mel & Kim’s debut ‘Showing Out…’

Sophisticated Pop gems from Debbie Harry, Belouis Some, The Blow Monkeys and the sublime ‘Breakout’ from Swing Out Sister lead into a fabulous run of Soul and Dance floor-fillers from Aretha Franklin, Gwen Guthrie, Cameo, Jermaine Stewart, Whitney Houston’s ‘How Will I Know’, and closes with Lionel Richie’s international smash ‘Dancing On The Ceiling’.

Alternative Pop takes the spotlight on Disc three with 1986 a vintage year for the sheer diversity of its chart music. The Smiths peerless ‘Panic’ opens, followed by Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Sigue Sigue Sputnik, with the disc also featuring New Order, Furniture, Public Image Limited, It’s Immaterial, and Big Audio Dynamite. Landmark hits from Talk Talk, Simple Minds and The Psychedelic Furs re-version of ‘Pretty In Pink’ were among the year’s highlights of Alt-Rock, and Red Box, Culture Club, Howard Jones, and well-chosen covers from The Damned and Doctor & The Medics with their #1 take on ‘Spirit In The Sky’ produced yet more classic Pop.

The final disc starts in epic cinematic style with the iconic #1 ‘Take My Breath Away’ (taken from the film ‘Top Gun’) by Berlin, with huge global Rock smashes from Bon Jovi and a #1 from Europe, plus one of the best ever collaborations between Run DMC and Aerosmith on ‘Walk This Way’. Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted To Love’ would become a timeless radio staple, and the year saw new hits from Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, a new version of a classic from The Police, and a huge hit for Status Quo with ‘In The Army Now’. #1 ballads from Chris De Burgh and Nick Berry are joined by a #1 re-release from Jackie Wilson, and another movie theme going to the top – this time from Billy Ocean with ‘When The Going Gets Tough…’ from ‘The Jewel Of The Nile’.

Three of the year’s biggest Pop-Dance hits are up next from Steve Winwood, The Human League and Nu Shooz, before Five Star’s biggest hit ‘Rain Or Shine’ - and to finish, two huge ballads; Whitney Houston’s cover of ‘Greatest Love Of All’ and a December #1 for the Housemartins with their a cappella version of ‘Caravan Of Love’.

NOW – Yearbook 1986 - A celebration of the diversity and creative magic of the year in pop.