When Nirvana’s Bleach was initially released in 1989, the first printing was limited to 1000 copies, which were sold to music fans at Lamefest in Seattle. Outstanding value and a great snap shot year by year of the best pop records through these four great decades of music. When Kayleigh in Peter Kay’s BBC sitcom Car Share declared Now 48 was her favourite, it prompted a surge in sales of the 2001 release. Previously, the series had been available on vinyl, cassette and MiniDisc, until these formats declined in popularity.

Volume 1 is 1983-1993, Volume 2 is 1993-2003, Volume 3 is 2003-2013 and the fourth volume is 2013-2023.albums in South Africa, and double compact discs are every 3 albums through Now 80 released in November 2018 as the series switched to 2 in 2019, then one in 2020, the most recent Now Album to include a double disc was Now 83 this was also the last physical album to be released as further volumes are only available on streaming platforms. The two series co-existed for the rest of the 1980s, and when Universal (formerly PolyGram from Now 8 in 1986 through to Now 42 in 1999) joined the collaboration, the Now! Flip the vinyl over for the mega-selling ‘Believe’ from Cher, Britney Spears’ debut ‘…Baby One More Time’ and Kylie Minogue’s biggest hit ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’.

Starting with 1983, the series will cover each year in depth via compilations released on a four-CD boxset and 3 disc coloured vinyl LP set by Now Music, with a tie-in programme (featuring videos from the year in question) appearing on their Freeview TV channel. First pressings by big acts like The Beatles or Bruce Springsteen and finds like misprints and pressings with alternate covers can greatly increase the value of vinyl if the copies are kept in pristine condition.

Later the series started over with Now Esto Es Música 1, [31] which included songs from artists like Juanes, Enrique Iglesias, George Michael, Sheryl Crow, Tiziano Ferro, Alex Ubago, Las Ketchup and U2. Although the compilation of recent hit songs into a single release was not a new concept ( K-tel and Ronco, for example, had been issuing various-artist compilations for some years), this was the first time that two major record labels had collaborated on such a venture.

Through Volume 21 of the series, the multi-volume sets have included 414 national and international artists and a total of 787 different songs, ranking in an impressive four gold and 19 platinum records. With the cost of the Nows 10 to 23, some are sky high and I need them, but if the discs are scratched I'd be devastated. I know it's a bit too much to ask really as one of the tracks was a Gary Glitter track (Oops, Sorry!From the years of 1996 to 2009 the series released an annual compilation usually in the late summer months. However, beginning with Now 15, there have been two editions each year which usually take place in early winter and late summer. The very first pressing features gold lettering on a black label and is considered the “holy grail” for Beatles fans. The 3 discs are pressed on white vinyl and the collection is presented in a special tri-fold sleeve with track by track notes. The soon sought-after Track 1 spot was filled by Phil Collins and his cover version of the Supremes’ You Can’t Hurry Love.