Now That's What I Call Music! 45

I love the Now Thats What I Call Music range of CDs. Across the disks you always find a mixed bag of songs, and usually about a quarter of them appeal. I own quite a lot of them, but not all of them have been bought by me. Some were owned by my Dad during his DJ days, and much to my delight he decided to pass them on to me once he gave up DJing. One of the CDs I received was Now 45. Now 45 was released in back in 2000. Now that seems like forever ago when you look at it like that, but when you look at the songs, it seems even further back! The cover of the CD itself is nothing exciting. The Now logo is written in a shocking yellow gold colour which certainly ...  Read the complete review

This album brings back some fond memories and some I would rather banish. Let us inspect the highs and lows of this Now album. The Highs Melanie C's 'Never Be The Same Again' is a classy move away from the sound of the Spice Girls, helped along by a meaningful rap from the late Lisa Lopes, the song has some profound lyrics and a charming melody to wash over you. Aqua's 'Cartoon Heroes' is all rather good fun, as Lene and Rene battle it out on lead vocals and invigorate the song with some playful lyrics and the usual selection of Aquaisms, expect catchy hooks, an upbeat chorus and lavish production, an under rated and annoying pop song it ...  Read the complete review

Now 45 was the first of three Now That's What I Call Music compilations to be released in the year 2000. The first year of the Noughties, as we know them, follows the usual mold of the Now releases, with the first disc containing the more poppy numbers and the second containing most of the dance tracks involved in the album. Disc 1 (22 tracks) kicks off with a number of relaxing ballads, such as Gabrielle's Rise and Craig David's Fill Me In. I like the majority of the tracks on here, but I do question the inclusion of tracks such as Montell Jordan's Get It On Tonite and Precious' Rewind. A lot of the music on this album brings back fond memories from the time, ...  Read the complete review

It started out well - since 1983 Now has been producing consistent compilations of the chart's biggest songs. But as the years rolled on, the compilation market has been growing dramatically and tailoring it's output to certain genres: there are now specific albums for indie, rock etc. As a consequence, Now 45 seems more intent on focusing purely on pop. This is a shame since this album lacks the diversity of previous additions to the series. Also, it excludes some of theis year's best single releases such as All Saints' 'Pure Shores', the Manics' 'The Masses Against the Classes' and Madonna's rendition of 'American Pie'. ...  Read the complete review

The familiar "Now" series brings to us, another release. For me, the first CD was a disappointment, with songs by artists such as "Aqua", "Honeyz" and "S Club 7". Where as CD 2 has songs such as "Toca's Miracle" and "Movin' Too Fast". It definately offers something for everyone, from Mel C to John Lennon. Apart from the many well-known songs on the CDs, there are a few obscure and less well known songs. Check the listings before you purchase to avoid disappointment, and look around for other compilations. ...  Read the complete review