Now That's What I Call Music Smash Hits is a compilation album released on 3 October 1987.[1][2][3] The album is part of the (UK) Now That's What I call Music! series and is a collaboration with Smash Hits magazine, a successful pop music-based magazine at the time. It was conceived, written, and designed by the Smash Hits staff, and the liner notes are presented in the magazine's offbeat style.

Now That's What I Call Music! Smash Hits
Compilation album by
Various artists
Released3 October 1987
GenrePop
LabelEMI / Virgin / PolyGram

The album features popular UK Singles Chart hits from 1980 to 1987, in rough reverse chronological order, starting with more recent songs (four songs for each year) and ending with older ones. Many of the older songs had not been featured on any Now albums before, as the series did not start until 1983[4]

A companion issue of the magazine was released at the same time, featuring pictures and lyrics to all the songs on the album.[citation needed]

The front cover of the vinyl and audio cassette releases feature the words 32 Swingorilliant Hits of the 80's. For the compact disc release the number was changed to 31, as Michael Jackson's "One Day in Your Life" is missing from the CD version. A VHS tape was also released featuring 26 music videos of songs from the compilation.

Neil Tennant, who features on side 1 of the album as part of Pet Shop Boys, worked as assistant editor of Smash Hits magazine in the early 1980s.[citation needed]

Smash Hits went on to release their own various artists compilation albums. This is the first album in the UK Now! series with a 1980s theme. Another 3-disc compilation called Now That's What I Call the 80s was released in 2007.[citation needed]

Smash Hits is available on Apple Music as a playlist.

Track listing

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CD/record/tape 1 (1987–1984)

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# Title Artist Year Released Genre
1 Down to Earth Curiosity Killed the Cat 1986 Sophisti-pop
2 If You Let Me Stay Terence Trent D'Arby 1987 R&B
3 Respectable Mel and Kim 1987 Dance-pop
4 Labour of Love Hue and Cry 1987 Sophisti-pop
5 Rain or Shine Five Star 1986 Pop
6 West End Girls Pet Shop Boys 1984 Synth-pop
7 Happy Hour The Housemartins 1986 Indie rock
8 Holding Back the Years Simply Red 1985 Sophisti-pop
9 Take On Me a-ha 1984 Synth-pop
10 You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) Dead or Alive 1984 Synth-pop
11 There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) Eurythmics 1985 Pop
12 Everybody Wants to Rule the World Tears for Fears 1985 Synth-pop
13 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go Wham! 1984 Bubblegum pop
14 Smalltown Boy Bronski Beat 1984 Synth-pop
15 Master and Servant Depeche Mode 1984 Synth-pop
16 Careless Whisper George Michael 1984 Pop

CD/record/tape 2 (1983–1980)

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# Title Artist Year Released Genre
1 True Spandau Ballet 1983[5]
2 Red Red Wine UB40 1983[6]
3 Hold Me Now Thompson Twins 1983
4 The Lovecats The Cure 1983
5 Come On Eileen Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express 1982
6 The Look of Love ABC 1982
7 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me Culture Club 1982
8 Save a Prayer Duran Duran 1982
9 Under Pressure Queen & David Bowie 1981
10 One Day in Your Life Michael Jackson (not on CD release) 1981
11 Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) Haircut One Hundred 1981
12 Ghost Town The Specials 1981
13 Going Underground The Jam 1980
14 Baggy Trousers Madness 1980
15 Antmusic

(full version with cold ending)

Adam and the Ants

(previously unreleased)

1980
16 Atomic Blondie 1980

References

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  1. ^ "NOW! SMASH HITS – VARIOUS ARTISTS - NOW SERIES". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 2023-09-19. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  2. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2023-02-20. First Chart Date 03/10/1987.
  3. ^ Now That's What I Call Music!: Smash Hits by Various Artists - RYM/Sonemic, retrieved 2024-02-18
  4. ^ "NowMusic – The Home Of Hit Music » About NOW". 2012-06-27. Archived from the original on 2012-06-27. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  5. ^ "BRIT Certified". BPI. Search "Spandau Ballet". "True" is then listed with its original release date.
  6. ^ Lisi, Brian (January 16, 2017). "The untold story behind UB40's hit reggae song 'Red Red Wine' - NY Daily News". New York Daily News.

See Also

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