Since June 2021 we have presented five editions of the NOW – Yearbook series that span the first half of the 1980s, and six including the Yearbook 1979 edition. NOW Music is proud to present the newest edition to our ‘Yearbook’ family: NOW – Yearbook 1985 – 44 tracks pressed on a translucent green vinyl.
LP1 kicks off with Queen’s anthemic ‘One Vision’ before featuring four of 1985’s #1’s: ‘Easy Lover’ from Philip Bailey & Phil Collins, Eurythmics’ ‘There Must Be An Angel’ , Midge Ure’s ‘If I Was’ and the collaboration between UB40 and Chrissie Hynde on ‘I Got You Babe’, plus Sting’s first single from his solo album debut and the huge trans-Atlantic hit ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ from Tears For Fears.
1985’s singles chart included debuts from a-ha with ‘Take On Me’, Go West, Red Box, Stephen Duffy and King – all featured here on the second side.
LP2 opens with the breath-taking ‘Cloudbusting’ from Kate Bush, and the Indie anthem ‘How Soon Is Now?’ from The Smiths and continues with ‘alternative’ Pop from The Cure, The Cult and the iconic ‘Duel’ from Propaganda alongside Scritti Politti and ‘Election Day’ from Duran Duran side project Arcadia. Flip the record over for a run of dance-floor fillers, including the Electro-Pop #1 from Paul Hardcastle ‘19’ and HI-NRG classics from Dead Or Alive with the #1 ‘You Spin Me Round’ and Bronski Beat with Marc Almond, as well as Soul-Dance crossover smashes from Princess, Ashford & Simpson and Loose Ends.
The final LP gets underway in epic style with ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ from U2, and massive movie soundtrack singles from Simple Minds, Huey Lewis & The News, Tina Turner and Bonnie Tyler, along with U.S. radio Rock smashes from Pat Benatar and ZZ Top.
The final side features a run of timeless and sophisticated ballads from Lionel Richie, Elton John, Bryan Ferry, and Marillion with ‘Kayleigh’ – plus three of 1985’s biggest #1s – Foreigner with ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’, the peerless debut hit for Whitney Houston, ‘Saving All My Love For You’ – and closing with the year’s biggest seller, ‘The Power Of Love’ from Jennifer Rush.
NOW – Yearbook 1985 – A celebration of the diversity and creative magic of the year in Pop.
