Almost everyone who was born from 1970 to the present day will have heard at least one - and today the 100th NOW That's What I call Music was released.
Since the first NOW compilation was released in 1983, the albums have featured more than 2,100 artists and more than 100 million have been sold.
The albums are as much part of pop music culture as Top of the Pops and Smash Hits, but have since found global success in more than 60 countries including the USA, South Korea and New Zealand.
The latest album, NOW100, features two discs; the first with the usual selection of the biggest pop tunes of the moment and the second drawn from the best of the past 99 albums, with classic tracks from UB40, Phil Collins, Oasis, Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child.
NOW1 has also been reissued on CD, cassette and vinyl to celebrate this momentous occasion and reflect how NOW has evolved over 35 years.
Modern listeners, who may never have put a record on or listened to a cassette in the car, can download and listen to all 100 NOW albums using the NOW music app.
Singers on the latest album spoke about being on NOW100.
Former One Direction singer Liam Payne said: "That was the world’s first playlist almost, which now is the theme of the music industry. So they kind of kicked that off."
Singer George Ezra said: "As a teenager, I wasn't very up-to-date with pop culture - but Now was one thing that I did know. So when my manager told me I was going to be on one, it was very exciting.”
Jess Glynne said: "As a kid you buy those albums and it's your everything. I remember when I got one with the Spice Girls and all of that and I was like, Oh my God, it's like gold!"
And Kylie Minogue, who appeared on her first NOW compilation back in the 1980s, said: "Wow, 100 editions of NOW! It’s amazing to think that these compilations have been around for 35 years. They’ve been a big part of my career right back to when ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ was on NOW 11, all the way up to 2018 with ‘Dancing’ being on NOW 99. So, thank you very much NOW for having me on so many of the albums – 23 of them in fact – so here’s to the next 100 editions. I hope to see you there!"
Here is the NOW100 tracklisting in full:
CD 1 - Hits
01. Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa - One Kiss
02. George Ezra - Shotgun
03. Clean Bandit feat. Demi Lovato - Solo
04. Ariana Grande - no tears left to cry
05. Anne-Marie - 2002
06. Jess Glynne - I'll Be There
07. Years & Years - If You're Over Me
08. David Guetta & Sia - Flames
09. Post Malone - Better Now
10. Jonas Blue feat. Jack & Jack - Rise
11. Liam Payne & J. Balvin - Familiar
12. Banx & Ranx & Ella Eyre feat. Yxng Bane - Answerphone
13. M.O, Lotto Boyzz & Mr Eazi - Bad Vibe
14. Tiësto & Dzeko feat. Preme & Post Malone - Jackie Chan
15. M-22 feat. Medina - First Time
16. 5 Seconds of Summer - Youngblood
17. Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line - Meant To Be
18. Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey - The Middle
19. Khalid & Normani - Love Lies
20. Jax Jones & Mabel feat. Rich The Kid - Ring Ring
21. Cheat Codes x Little Mix - Only You
22. Shawn Mendes - In My Blood
Bonus track:
23. MU4 - You Can't Hurry Love (GMB competition winners)
CD2 - Classics
01. UB40 - Red Red Wine
02. Phil Collins - Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)
03. Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
04. Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around
05. Spice Girls - Wannabe
06. Oasis - Wonderwall
07. Robbie Williams - Angels
08. Cher - Believe
09. Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time
10. S Club 7 - Reach
11. Destiny's Child - Survivor
12. Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head
13. Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River
14. James Blunt - You're Beautiful
15. Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie
16. Take That - Rule The World
17. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
18. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl
19. Ed Sheeran - Sing
20. Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
21. Justin Bieber - Love Yourself
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