The Now That’s What I Call Music team are effectively issuing a companion 3CD set to Now Yearbook 1980-1984: The Final Chapter, itself a companion to the ten previous Yearbook releases covering those five years. This is a 3CD set in a six-panel card sleeve. As always there’s no ‘deluxe’ option (that only applies to the full 4CD Yearbooks) and there’s no vinyl. The final disc finds its feet with huge floor-fillers from Lionel Richie, Donna Summer, Flash & The Pan, Patrice Rushen, and Shalamar before club hits from Linx and Animal Nightlife and a closing selection of Pop gold including Stars On 45, F.R. David, Sheena Easton – and three #1s from Kenny Rogers, Goombay Dance Band and the unforgettable 1982 year-end chart topper ‘Save Your Love’ from Renée & Renato.

The ‘Extra’ version of Yearbook 1980-1984 is, as usual, a 3CD set in a card sleeve and this one features 63 “essential hits” from the period. Remarkably, the early 1980s can handle what is in effect a ‘fourth level’ of examination (Yearbook > Yearbook Extra > Final Chapter > Final Chapter Extra) and this is far from ‘the dregs’ of the era with loads of classic pop hits from Queen, Eurythmics, Pretenders, Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Japan, Heaven 17, Level 42, Nik Kershaw, XTC, Elton John and more. As sure as night follows day, a welcome NOW Yearbook‘Extra’ follows an original Yearbook release. The latest to be announced is a companion to the excellent Now Yearbook ’80 4CD/3LP set. The bread, if you will, dipped in a gravy of hits, mopping up big singles and other gems, from the beginning of a new decade.In January 1980 the iconic ‘London Calling’ from The Clash reached its chart peak – and opens Disc 3 which features an incredible line-up of New Wave, Post Punk and Ska classics that helped make 1980 a fantastically diverse year in the singles charts: #1s from The Jam (again!) and The Specials (as The Special AKA) alongside Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Joy Division, Ramones, Hazel O’Connor, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Martha And The Muffins, UB40, and The Selecter. Andrew Lloyd Webber & Marti Webb : "Take That Look Off Your Face" ("Tell Me on a Sunday" Original Cast Recording) UK Collectors edition 3 CD compilation in a 6-panel digifile, subtitled, 66 More Essential Hits From 1980.

The Gap Band : "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops, Upside Your Head)" (7" Single Version) NOW is proud to present 63 more essential pop memories: ‘NOW - Yearbook Extra 1980 - 1984: The Final Chapter’ – an epilogue to the recent ‘Final Chapter’ collection.

Notes

Cupid / I've Loved You For A Long Time (Medley) , incorrectly printed as Cupid / I've Loved You For A Long Time This new set presents much to enjoy, including two –count ’em –singles from Kate Bush’s Never For Ever album (‘Army Dreamers’ and ‘Breathing’), Robert Palmer’s sublime ‘Johnny and Mary’, which wasn’t really a hit, but deserves its inclusion just for being really good. Familiar 45s of the era include Blondie’s‘Call Me’, The Police’s‘De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da’, Queen’s‘Flash’ and Cliff Richard’s‘Carrie’. And The Birds Were Singing (Et Les Oiseaux Chantaient), printed as And The Birds Were Singing (...Et Les Oiseaux Chantaient) (Instrumental)