Album Review: NOW - 100 Hits 80s - No 1s (Sony/Universal)

You have to admit that the 1980s were a great time for good music. The decade is fondly remembered for the time when the music was as colourful as some of the acts who actually sang the songs.

Most of the artists on this five CD compilation are still recording and a lot will still tour (when touring is allowed again).

You can now gorge yourself on 100 Number 1s from the decade that brought you shoulder pads, ra ra skirts and the Sony Walkman.

George Michael starts the journey off with 'Careless Whisper,' before Whitney Houston informs us that 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody,' which leads into 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson - all three artists are huge talents we lost far too soon.

1981 was a vintage year for pop music as witnessed here with 'Tainted Love' by Soft Cell and 'Don’t You Want Me' from The Human League. Adam Ant's poster was on many a teenage girls bedroom wall and 'Stand and Deliver' might be nearly 40 years old but still sounds good.

'This Ole House' by Shakin Stevens was already
a vintage track when he recorded it in 1981, but he had a knack of recording old tracks and making them his own.

The New Romantic period is covered with Number 1s from Duran Duran with 'Reflex', Spandau Ballet with 'True,' and 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me' by Culture Club.

It was also a big decade for the one hit wonders such as Aneka with 'Japanese Boy', the trained opera singer put on a wig, released a novelty track and bagged herself a Number 1. Germany gave us Goombay Dance Band with the 1982 hit, 'Seven Tears', another one hit wonder, in this country at least.

It is hard to think now that a rock track would get to Number 1 these days, but Europe did it with 'The Final Countdown' in 1986, and Survivor did too with 'Eye of the Tiger'.

Of course it would not be an 80s album without tracks from the production team of Stock, Aitken and Waterman: amongst others are Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan with 'Especially For You', Sonia with her 1989 Number 1, 'You'll Never Stop Me From Loving You' and of course Rick Astley with 'Never Gonna Give You Up'. Great songs from the production trio who were vastly under-rated at the time.

As Frankie Goes To Hollywood says here, 'Relax' - and this is the perfect album to get you through any lockdown and beyond.

I rate the album 5 out of 5