Overview

Celebrating the first year of ‘NOW That’s What I Call Music’ – 1983.

‘Now Yearbook’ presents a stellar selection of 1983’s biggest and best hits… 80 huge chart hits from the year, alongside enduring and well-loved classics on 4 CDs.



1983 saw British artists achieving unprecedented success across the world with ‘Every Breath You Take’ from The Police being the year’s biggest seller in the U.S., and ‘Karma Chameleon’ from Culture Club being the top seller in the U.K.

Breakthrough acts, achieving their first big hits – all here – include a staggering line-up of future superstars: U2, Eurythmics, Wham!, Paul Young, The Style Council, Marillion and Thompson Twins, to name a few..



A large number of established artists also scored their biggest ever hits in 1983: Bonnie Tyler produced a global smash with ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’, Billy Joel’s ‘Uptown Girl’ introduced his biggest selling album in the U.K., Lionel Richie’s ‘All Night Long’ was the year’s feel-good track, Elton John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’ was an instant classic on release, and Tina Turner hit big with ‘Let’s Stay Together’, which would lead to the huge success of the ‘Private Dancer’ album the following year….and not forgetting Genesis, Donna Summer, Mike Oldfield, Joan Armatrading, Robert Plant, and three superstar duets – all of which achieved massive sales : Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes’ theme from ‘An Officer And A Gentleman’ , ‘Up Where We Belong’, the stunning collaboration between Robert Flack & Peabo Bryson on ‘Tonight I Celebrate My Love’… and the Bee Gees penned ‘Islands In The Stream’ from Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers…



1983 also saw a number of artists who had seen previous releases on the fringes of the chart achieve mainstream success including The Cure and Echo And The Bunnymen, and former punk and new-wave chart regulars saw renewed success including Siouxsie And The Banshees, The Stranglers, Public Image Limited, and Elvis Costello…

Synth Pop continued to dominate and Howard Jones, Tears For Fears, The Human League, Heaven 17 and Simple Minds all enjoyed a hit packed year…alongside electro-dance smashes from Freeez, Malcolm McLaren, Rock Steady Crew and Laura Branigan… whilst New Order delivered a genre defining classic and a truly iconic 12” single.



…and not forgetting the artists that had been the break-out stars of 80-82: Madness, Adam Ant, Altered Images, Bananarama, and Nick Heyward… alongside some of the most enduring tracks ever including Toto’s ‘Africa’, UB40’s ‘Red Red Wine’ and Luther Vandross’ ‘Never Too Much’…



Bringing the year to a close, we feature the Christmas #1 from The Flying Pickets with their cover of ‘Only You’ – and ‘2000 Miles’ from Pretenders, which nearly 40 years later has long established itself as one of the all-time classic Christmas songs….



‘NOW Yearbook 1983’: 80 songs that reflect the charts in the year that ‘NOW’ began… and celebrates the diversity of those charts – from the huge hits that are still played on the radio today alongside lesser compiled but equally cherished tracks.



Tracklist

CD 1:

1. Wham! - Club Tropicana

2. Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

3. Duran Duran - Is There Something I Should Know?

4. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon

5. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy

6. Spandau Ballet - True

7. Paul Young - Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)

8. Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers - Islands In The Stream

9. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart

10. Elton John - I'm Still Standing

11. Billy Joel - Uptown Girl

12. Electric Light Orchestra - Rock 'N' Roll Is King

13. Madness - Wings Of A Dove

14. The Belle Stars - Sign Of The Times

15. Bananarama - Cruel Summer

16. Men At Work - Down Under

17. Joan Armatrading - Drop The Pilot

18. Nick Heyward - Whistle Down The Wind

19. The Style Council - Long Hot Summer

20. Tracey Ullman - They Don't Know

21. UB40 - Red Red Wine



CD 2:

1. Irene Cara - Flashdance…What A Feeling

2. Lionel Richie - All Night Long (All Night)

3. KC & The Sunshine Band - Give It Up

4. Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together

5. Donna Summer - She Works Hard For The Money

6. Laura Branigan - Gloria

7. Freeez - I.O.U.

8. Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew

9. Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch

10. Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out

11. Ryan Paris - Dolce Vita

12. Forrest - Rock The Boat

13. Modern Romance - High Life

14. Shalamar - Dead Giveaway

15. Luther Vandross - Never Too Much

16. Billy Griffin - Hold Me Tighter In The Rain

17. Mary Jane Girls - All Night Long

18. Dionne Warwick - All The Love In The World

19. Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong - From "An Officer And A Gentleman" Soundtrack

20. Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson - Tonight I Celebrate My Love



CD 3:

1. New Order - Blue Monday

2. Heaven 17 - Temptation

3. The Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination

4. Howard Jones – New Song

5. Tears For Fears – Pale Shelter

6. China Crisis - Christian

7. U2 - New Year's Day

8. Simple Minds - Waterfront

9. The Stranglers - European Female

10. Echo And The Bunnymen - The Cutter

11. Public Image Limited - This Is Not A Love Song

12. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Dear Prudence

13. The Cure - The Lovecats

14. Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance

15. ABC - That Was Then But This Is Now

16. Fun Boy Three - The Tunnel Of Love

17. Aztec Camera – Oblivious

18. (The Mighty) WAH! - The Story Of The Blues (Part 1)

19. Carmel - Bad Day

20. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Pills & Soap



CD 4:

1. The Police - Every Breath You Take

2. Toto - Africa

3. Robert Plant - Big Log

4. Genesis - Mama

5. Marillion - Garden Party

6. Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow

7. Spandau Ballet - Gold

8. Duran Duran - Union Of The Snake

9. Adam Ant - Puss 'n Boots

10. Altered Images - Don't Talk To Me About Love

11. Marilyn - Calling Your Name

12. Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny

13. Toyah – Rebel Run

14. The Lotus Eaters - The First Picture Of You

15. Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now

16. Paul Young - Love Of The Common People

17. Culture Club – Victims

18. The Flying Pickets - Only You

19. Pretenders - 2000 Miles