1. Gabrielle Rise3:39{1} 2. Melanie C feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Never Be The Same Again4:15{1} 3. Craig David Fill Me In3:51{1} 4. Britney Spears Born To Make You Happy4:04{1} 5. Backstreet Boys Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely 3:55{3} 6. Lene Marlin Sitting Down Here 3:53{5} 7. Tom Jones & The Stereophonics Mama Told Me Not To Come 2:59{4} 8. Shania Twain Man! I Feel Like A Woman! 3:54{3} 9. Geri Halliwell Bag It Up3:45{1} 10. S Club 7 You're My Number One 3:23{2} 11. Aqua Cartoon Heroes 3:39{7} 12. Vengaboys Shalala Lala 3:34{5} 13. Daphne & Celeste Ooh Stick You 3:26{8} 14. Atomic Kitten See Ya 2:54{6} 15. Madison Avenue Don't Call Me Baby3:44{1} 16. Martine McCutcheon Love Me 3:36{6} 17. Steps Say You'll Be Mine 3:32{4} 18. Honeyz Won't Take It Lying Down 3:31{7} 19. Precious Rewind 3:38{11} 20. Montell Jordan Get It On Tonite 3:28{15} 21. Fierce Sweet Love 2K 3:26{3} 22. Boyzone Every Day I Love You More 3:30{3} 23. Chicane feat. Bryan Adams Don't Give Up3:33{1} 24. Fragma Toca's Miracle3:22{1} 25. Moloko The Time Is Now 4:27{2} 26. Artful Dodger feat. Craig David Re-Rewind When The Crowd Say Bo Selecta 4:01{2} 27. DJ Luck & MC Neat A Little Bit Of Luck 3:40{9} 28. Sisqσ Thong Song 3:27{3} 29. Jamelia feat. Beenie Man Money 3:59{5} 30. Kelis Caught Out There 3:37{4} 31. Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson Movin' Too Fast 3:57{2} 32. Nu Generation In Your Arms (Rescue Me) 2:23{8} 33. Basement Jaxx Bingo Bango 3:45{13} 34. ATB Killer 2000 3:25{4} 35. Sash! Adelante 3:34{2} 36. Watergate Heart Of Asia 3:06{3} 37. Progress Presents The Boy Wunda Everybody 3:39{7} 38. Lock 'N' Load Blow Ya Mind 2:47{6} 39. Precocious Brats feat. Kevin & Perry Big Girl 2:53{16} 40. The Tamperer feat. Maya Hammer To The Heart 3:31{6} 41. Cuban Boys C vs I 3:13{4} 42. Robbie Williams It's Only Us2:51{1} 43. Blink 182 All The Small Things 2:48{2} 44. Moby Natural Blues 3:01{11} 45. John Lennon Imagine 3:03{3}
Key Tracks highlighted red were official UK #1s. Tracks with an asterisk (*) next to their title have also been included in special releases from the series. The track duration has been highlighted cyan. Bracketed numbers refer to highest chart position reached.
Miscellaneous Facts
Track Most Weeks At #1:Gabrielle Rise / Fragma Toca's Miracle (2 weeks) Lowest Charting Track:Precocious Brats feat. Kevin & Perry Big Girl {16} Longest Song:Moloko The Time Is Now 4:27 Shortest Song:Nu Generation In Your Arms (Rescue Me) 2:23 Edited Tracks:Unknown Unedited Tracks:Unknown Inlay Mistakes:None Other Facts:None
Now That's What I Call Music! 45 or Now 45 was the first volume to be released in the 21st century. By this point in the series there had been well over 1,500 songs featured since 1983. Now 45 featured 45 tracks the most any volume had featured until then. 9 UK #1 singles were chosen. Series debuts were given to Craig David, Atomic Kitten, Madison Avenue, Fragma, Artful Dodger, DJ Luck & MC Neat, Sisqσ, Jamelia, Kelis and Blink 182.
A possible 7 further #1 singles could have been included. They were Cliff Richard The Millennium Prayer, Westlife I Have A Dream / Seasons In The Sun, Manic Street Preachers The Masses Against The Classes, Oasis Go Let It Out, All Saints Pure Shores (although this would feature on a later volume), Madonna American Pie and another #1 from Westlife Fool Again. Other hits omitted included the double A side track Two In A Million by S Club 7, What A Girl Wants from Christina Aguilera, Vengaboys Kiss (When The Sun Don't Shine), Donell Jones feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes U Know What's Up, Eiffel 65 Move Your Body along with some other noteworthy hits too.
One hit wonders this time were Lene Marlin, Daphne & Celeste, Nu Generation, Watergate, Progress Presents The Boy Wunda, Cuban Boys and ex-Beatle John Lennon.
Artwork Rating: 7/10 Very Good A bright sparkling cover. I've always thought it to be a goal net and the logo has scored a goal! There are also what seems to resemble fireworks in the background too. Certainly a very good cover with a nice use of colour.
Disc 1 Favourite: Melanie C feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Never Be The Same Again I think this was the song which put Melanie C on the radar as the best solo Spice Girl. Sure, Geri had bagged some hits already, but Melanie C had now distinguished herself as a force to be reckoned with. Lisa Lopes (aka Left Eye from TLC) provides some good lyrical content too before sadly passing away prematurely a couple of years later at the age of just 30.
Disc 2 Favourite: Fragma Toca's Miracle Kind of an obvious choice really, Fragma were electric during the first couple of years of the millennium. This #1 single was the result of mixing two singles together; Fragma's #11 single Toca Me with Coco Star's #39 flop I Need A Miracle. Merging these together created one of the best dance anthems of all time.
Disc 3 Tracklist: (A concept of what a third disc might look like if other hits from the era were used)
1. Oasis Go Let It Out4:39{1} 2. Andreas Johnson Glorious 3:29{4} 3. Travis Turn 4:24{8} 4. Len Steal My Sunshine 4:01{8} 5. Christina Aguilera What A Girl Wants 3:13{3} 6. S Club 7 Two In A Million 3:31{2} 7. Scooch More Than I Needed To Know 3:54{5} 8. Steps Better The Devil You Know 3:49{4} 9. Atomic Kitten Right Now 3:30{10} 10. Vengaboys Kiss (When The Sun Don't Shine) 3:31{3} 11. Eiffel 65 Move Your Body 3:31{3} 12. Scanty Sandwich Because Of You 2:59{3} 13. Hi-Gate Pitchin' (In Every Direction) 3:17{6} 14. Mario Piω Communication (Somebody Answer The Phone) 2:40{5} 15. Des Mitchell Welcome To The Dance 3:47{5} 16. William Orbit Barber's Adagio For Strings [Ferry Corston Remix] 3:38{4} 17. Bob Marley vs. Funkstarr De Luxe Rainbow Country 3:33{11} 18. Mint Royale feat. Lauren Laverne Don't Falter 4:13{15} 19. Madasun Don't You Worry 4:02{14} 20. Destiny's Child Bug A Boo 3:32{9} 21. Sisqσ Got To Get It 2:43{14} 22. Donell Jones feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes U Know What's Up 4:03{2} ---------- Total time: 1:19:59
Overall Rating: 8/10 Extremely Good I'm quite impressed with this volume, especially considering the very high standard set by its predecessor. There are many big hits, and they all charted within the Top 20. With 45 hits across the two discs, this was certainly an indication of quality as well as quantity, and the result was extremely good.
Andrew's Best 5 (as of June 2017) 1. Fragma Toca's Miracle 2. Chicane feat. Bryan Adams Don't Give Up 3. Sash! Adelante 4. Melanie C feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Never Be The Same Again 5. Artful Dodger feat. Craig David Re-Rewind When The Crowd Say Bo Selecta
Andrew's Worst 5 (as of June 2017) 1. Daphne & Celeste Ooh Stick You 2. Cuban Boys C vs I 3. Precocious Brats feat. Kevin & Perry Big Girl 4. Boyzone Every Day I Love You More 5. Precious Rewind
Posted by: ThePensmith Jun 11 2017, 11:38 PM
A fine follow up to Now 44 indeed this one! Whilst I love "You're My Number One" I agree that I'm baffled why "Two in a Million" wasn't on there when that was the more pushed and promoted of the two tracks from S Club's double-a-side.
Likewise why they went with "Say You'll Be Mine" and not "Better the Devil You Know" for Steps. Annoyingly they also used the album version and not the single mix of You're My Number One (or the 'Miami 7 Version' as it was dubbed).
Still...S Club quibbles aside, an awesome edition indeed. My top 5 from both discs:
CD1 1. Gabrielle (I don't know why but I really loved her during this period of her career. A well deserved number one this) 2. Melanie C (the high watermark of her solo ventures. Lisa Left Eye Lopes' rap was stunning too) 3. Honeyz (AMAZING single, their last top 10 but if Whitney Houston or Toni Braxton had recorded this it would be hailed a classic) 4. Craig David (I was all over his debut album in 2000) 5. Britney Spears (probably the least remembered of her number ones, but my personal favourite after the debut. She sounded awesome on this)
CD2 1. Moloko (classic to this day, lost none of its charm) 2. Fragma (I had 'I Need a Miracle' on a free CD from Smash Hits for a good year and a half before it became a hit in this form. Sounded like a number one then and I was happily proved right) 3. Watergate (loved this largely for the "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" sample) 4. Artful Dodger and Craig David (the classic that started my love affair with UK garage for a brief but beautiful 18 months) 5. Cuban Boys (bit of a guilty pleasure this. Loved all the mad snatches of dialogue on it. One of the more unusual Christmas number one contenders!)
Great disc 3 choices, awardinary. Some others from this time that I reckon could have gone on there:
- B*Witched - I Shall Be There / Jump Down - True Steppers and Dane Bowers - Buggin' - Five - Don't Wanna Let You Go - A1 - Like a Rose - Lolly - Rockin' Robin - Destiny's Child - Say My Name - Toni Braxton - He Wasn't Man Enough
Posted by: awardinary Jun 11 2017, 11:45 PM
QUOTE(ThePensmith @ Jun 12 2017, 12:38 AM)
Great disc 3 choices, awardinary. Some others from this time that I reckon could have gone on there:
- B*Witched - I Shall Be There / Jump Down - True Steppers and Dane Bowers - Buggin' - Five - Don't Wanna Let You Go - A1 - Like a Rose - Lolly - Rockin' Robin - Destiny's Child - Say My Name - Toni Braxton - He Wasn't Man Enough
Thanks Pensmith!
A couple of those songs were released after Now 45 was, so they may be suited to the next volumes omissions!
Posted by: ThePensmith Jun 12 2017, 03:48 PM
QUOTE(awardinary @ Jun 12 2017, 12:45 AM)
Thanks Pensmith!
A couple of those songs were released after Now 45 was, so they may be suited to the next volumes omissions!
I've just consulted my copy of the release schedules from 2000 and you're absolutely right re: True Steppers and Toni Braxton! They would indeed be Now 46 inclusions. Having said that, Madison Avenue's "Don't Call Me Baby" wasn't a number one until a whole month after this Now came out. Nor was Watergate a top 3 hit until that time either!
Posted by: Jester Jun 12 2017, 06:56 PM
Not a classic Now, but not bad.
I went for Melanie C feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Never Be The Same Again (by far the best Solo Spice song) and the rather fab Moloko - The Time Is Now.
Posted by: danG Jun 12 2017, 07:07 PM
disc 1: Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby disc 2: Fragma - Toca's Miracle
other faves: Chicane - Don't Give Up Moloko - The Time Is Now Artful Dodger & Craig David - Re-Rewind Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson - Movin Too Fast Sash! - Adelante Watergate - Heart of Asia Lock N Load - Blow Ya Mind
Posted by: awardinary Jun 12 2017, 07:59 PM
Has anybody noticed that a number of artists on this volume have made a resurgence in the last year or so?
Craig David, Steps, Geri Halliwell, Martine McCutcheon, Vengaboys, Sisqσ and soon Shania Twain are all trying to be current in 2027!
The Now 45 Effect!
Posted by: ThePensmith Jun 12 2017, 08:36 PM
QUOTE(awardinary @ Jun 12 2017, 08:59 PM)
Has anybody noticed that a number of artists on this volume have made a resurgence in the last year or so?
Craig David, Steps, Geri Halliwell, Martine McCutcheon, Vengaboys, Sisqσ and soon Shania Twain are all trying to be current in 2027!
The Now 45 Effect!
Sisqo is making a comeback? I take it someone has done a tropical house mix of Thong Song
Posted by: awardinary Jun 12 2017, 09:36 PM
QUOTE(ThePensmith @ Jun 12 2017, 09:36 PM)
Sisqo is making a comeback? I take it someone has done a tropical house mix of Thong Song
Artwork 6/10 - not bad but not amazing either Disc 1 - Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby - What a Jam was so hard picking from this disc so many jams I loved Disc 2 - Blink 182 - All The Small Things - Punk rock classic
Overall - Ill give it a 9/10
Posted by: Hide&Seek Jun 30 2017, 07:51 PM
Disc 1 faves : Precious - their album is one of my all time faves. Gone too soon ! Honeyz - totally what ThePensmith said !! Fierce - Gone too soon ! Vengaboyz - sha lalalala *slap*slap*slap ! Must do the slaps, you just have to. Geri - bonkers lyrics, but fab.
Disc 2 faves : Kelis - aaaaaargh ! And then a lot of songs I don't like or don't even know on disc 2.
Fantasy Disc 3 faves : 1 Atomic Kitten shoulda been a number one. For months. 2 Scooch Steps clones, only this is better than a lot of Steps singles. 3 Madasun - gone too soon ! 4 Vengaboyz 5 Andreas Johnson
Posted by: Dobbo Jul 1 2017, 08:24 PM
Artwork: Amazing again, very spectacular design. 9/10.
Disc 1 Fave: Not a very great side actually, a bit TOO much on the cheesy pop side. That said, my fave certainly fits that bill, it's Shania Twain! I can't deny loving it as soon as that first riff plays. Edit: just noticed Madison Avenue, could be that but nah I'll go with my first instinct!
Disc 2 Fave: SO much better. Absolute fave is Fragma but shout out to these as well: Re-Rewind, A Little Bit Of Luck, Thong Song, Movin' Too Fast, Bingo Bango, Adelante, Heart Of Asia and the AMAZING vs I
Overall: Disc 1 is about a 6 but Disc 2 is a clear 9 so I'll give an 8/10 overall.
Posted by: vicror72 Jun 25 2021, 11:11 PM
QUOTE(awardinary @ Jun 11 2017, 11:45 PM)
Thanks Pensmith!
A couple of those songs were released after Now 45 was, so they may be suited to the next volumes omissions!
Wasn't "Walk of life" by Billie Piper released in December 2000 yet it still made it onto NOW 47?
I get really confused when it comes to how they choose the songs.
Posted by: Colm Jul 4 2021, 06:50 PM
This is absolutely one of my favourite Nows. At the time I only really missed Pure Shores. I couldn't figure out why it wasn't included.
I bought it twice. Back in 2000 and then again this year.
The first half of the second disc is possibly the most solid first halves of any Now second disc.
Posted by: Bjork Jul 4 2021, 08:56 PM
best track: Lene Marlin - Sitting down here <3
followed by Moby - Natural Blues and Chicane - Don't give up
Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn Jul 5 2021, 06:00 PM
This is such a classic NOW, it was around the exact time I started religiously following the charts and has so many memories tied up in it.
Posted by: Doctor Blind Jul 6 2021, 11:18 PM
QUOTE(Colm @ Jul 4 2021, 07:50 PM)
This is absolutely one of my favourite Nows. At the time I only really missed Pure Shores. I couldn't figure out why it wasn't included.
It was added on Now 47 - maybe it was saved for the Christmas market? There were so many number 1s in 2000 that the compilers were kind of spoilt for choice but it meant that 'Black Coffee' was cruelly bumped and I loved that just as much!
Incidentally Now 45 is pretty much the only place to find 'Toca's Miracle' because of all the legal wrangling...
QUOTE
Nottingham's DJ Vimto who first thought to combine them, putting out a mashup of the two songs as a bootleg that picked up traction in clubs throughout '99 and early 2000 (as half-decent mash-ups often did at the time); the record label Positiva, who had released both original songs, pounced on this, having Fragma produce an official version. That story not only explains how this song came into existence, but also why it's surprisingly tricky to find these days: Coco wasn't consulted prior to this version's release, and therefore no compensation was agreed. Her royalty payments (or lack thereof) have resulted in a protracted legal battle that could have ramifications for the industry as a whole. The details of the case cover neither Positiva nor Fragma in any glory; most gallingly, the latter are alleged to have hired an imposter to tour with them posing as Coco, a ruse that has extended to fraudulently claiming airplay royalties on Coco's behalf.
Posted by: Popchartfreak Jul 7 2021, 07:49 AM
Fragma and Positiva coming out of that smelling of greed....seems they also allegedly "accidentally" sampled an earlier version from a different label rather than the one on Positiva.
Posted by: Roba. Aug 20 2023, 12:49 AM
Good Gabrielle Fragma Very Good
Both tracklistings look very solid here especially disc 1 which has a lot of songs I like filling up!