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DetailsReleased: 26th November 1984

Origin: United Kingdom

Label: Virgin / EMI

Format: CD / Vinyl / Double Cassette / Video

Duration: 02:03:00 (123 Minutes)

Tracks: 32 (15 on CD)

#1’s: 1

Chart Peak: #2 (Kept off the top spot by the newly premiering "HITS" series)

Sales: 300,000 (1x Platinum)

Tracklisting1. Paul McCartney – No More Lonely Nights* 4:30 {2}

2. Giorgio Moroder With Philip Oakley – Together In Electric Dreams* 3:55 {3}

3. Bronski Beat – Why? 4:05 {6}

4. Limahl – The Never Ending Story 3:35 {4}

5. Nick Heyward – Warning Sign 4:05 {25}

6. John Waite – Missing You* 4:15 {9}

7. Michael Jackson – Farewell My Summer Love 3:50 {7}

8. Lionel Richie – Hello* 4:15 {1}

9. Culture Club – The War Song 4:00 {2}

10. Elton John – Passengers* 3:25 {5}

11. Julian Lennon – Too Late For Goodbyes* 3:40 {6}

12. Style Council – Shout To The Top 3:30 {7}

13. Thompson Twins – Doctor! Doctor! 4:40 {3}

14. Heaven 17 – Sunset Now 3:45 {24}

15. Kane Gang – Respect Yourself 4:10 {21}

16. Tina Turner – Private Dancer 4:05 {26}

17. Queen – It's A Hard Life 4:15 {6}

18. Status Quo – The Wanderer 3:30 {7}

19. Big Country – East Of Eden 4:35 {17}

20. U2 – Pride (In The Name Of Love)* 3:50 {3}

21. Feargal Sharkey – Listen To Your Father 3:20 {23}

22. O.M.D. – Tesla Girls 3:35 {21}

23. Kim Wilde – The Second Time 3:50 {29}

24. Nik Kershaw – Human Racing 4:30 {19}

25. Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters (Searchin' For The Spirit) 4:10 {2}

26. UB40 – If It Happens Again 3:50 {9}

27. Pointer Sisters – Jump (For My Love) 4:05 {6}

28. Level 42 – Hot Water 3:35 {18}

29. Eurythmics – SexCrime (Nineteen Eighty Four) 4:05 {4}

30. Rockwell – Somebody's Watching Me* 3:59 {6}

31. Malcolm McLaren – Madam Butterfly 6:30 {13}

32. Eugene Wilde – Gotta Get You Home Tonight 3:40 {18}

CD Tracklisting1. Duran Duran – The Reflex* {1}

2. Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters* {2}

3. Culture Club – The War Song {2}

4. John Waite – Missing You* {9}

5. O.M.D. – Locomotion* {5}

6. UB40 – If It Happens Again {9}

7. Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It* {3}

8. Bronski Beat – Why? {6}

9. Style Council – Shout To The Top {7}

10. Phil Collins – Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)* {2}

11. Giorgio Moroder with Philip Oakley – Together In Electric Dreams* {3}

12. Julian Lennon – Too Late For Goodbyes {6}

13. Status Quo – The Wanderer {7}

14. Thompson Twins – Doctor! Doctor! {3}

15. Queen – Radio Ga Ga* {2}

 

Key

Tracks highlighted red were official UK #1’s.

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 FactsTrack Most Weeks At #1: Lionel Richie – Hello (6 weeks)

Lowest Charting Track: Kim Wilde – The Second Time {29}

Longest Song: Malcolm McLaren – Madam Butterfly 6.30

Shortest Song: Feargal Sharkey – Listen To Your Father 3.20

Edited Tracks: Unknown

Unedited Tracks: Unknown

Inlay Mistakes: None

Other Facts: First ever Now compilation recorded on CD (15 tracks).

On This Day In HistoryNo music news to declare for 26th November 1984.

Other ResourcesOfficial Now Music Website

Wikipedia

TV Cream

Everyhit

Andrew's Review Well this truly is one to be remembered. A real landmark in the history of the Now series - the first time we ever saw a release on compact disc, and as the images above show, it came in the form of one CD with a mix of songs from Now II, Now 3 & Now 4. It is the rarest collectible item in the series!

Now That's What I Call Music! 4 aka Now 4 offered us an additional 2 tracks compared to the first 3 releases which claimed 30 tracks. Yet, only one UK #1 was included in the tracklisiting - the lowest number of #1's any release has seen until the release of Now 94 in 2016 which claimed 0 #1 singles. That's 10 less than the debut compilation!

Other UK #1's excluded from the tracklisting were George Michael - Careless Whisper; Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You; Chaka Khan - I Feel For You; Jim Diamond - I Should Have Known Better & Frankie Goes To Hollywood - The Power Of Love.

Amongst the tracklist for the compilation were artists like Michael Jackson, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Lionel Richie, U2 and Tina Turner to name but a few. This was in fact the debut volume for many of these big artists to make the series.

It was also the only time in the entire series we heard from Kane Gang, Nick Heyward, Eugene Wilde, Pointer Sisters & Ray Parker Jr.

Despite this amazing 32-piece offering, it was kept off the #1 spot by the newcoming compilation series best known as "HITS" so Now 4 had to settle for #2 which might have caused some controversy.

The cover was very similar to Now 3, and of course included the pig mascot looking cool.

I think Now 4 is a very good compilation, and unique in many different ways, and despite only carrying one #1 hit, I would still want a copy for myself!

 

Artwork Rating: 6/10 Good

What I quite like about this artwork is that there is a mascot (aka "The Pig"), some artist photography, as well as animated instruments surrounding the cover. This shouts quite a lot at me, and it would certainly grab my attention amongst the CD chart.

 

Side 1 Favourite: Giorgio Moroder With Philip Oakley – Together In Electric Dreams

I think this one is the highlight for me on this side. I do like the electronic sounds and the chorus is a delight to listen to.

 

Side 2 Favourite: Tina Turner – Private Dancer

What becomes apparent listening to this volume is the sheer lack of female singers. Tina Turner is one of about 3 or 4 in total across the whole compilation. This is a major overlook in my opinion, and I think Tina deserves to represent here.

 

Side 3 Favourite: U2 – Pride (In The Name Of Love)

The popular choice here would likely be U2 for this was one of the singles that propelled them into the charts for a succession of years thereafter, and it's a pretty decent effort. A great track to feature on this compilation.

 

Side 4 Favourite: Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters

My favourite from Now 4. Such a feel good tune which gets you wanting to dance every time. This song has definitely sustained a good fan base for the decades that followed, and it is in my opinion one of the best 80's tracks.

 

CD Favourite: Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters

A variety of songs here, including belters from Duran Duran and Queen, but I still love Ghostbusters more.

 

Overall Rating: 7/10 Very Good

I like this volume quite a bit, and despite only carrying one #1 single, it still sounds quite good overall, with a few songs at the end which let it down slightly. But it is the best release of 1984 for me.

 

Andrew's Best 5 (as of August 2016)

1. Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters

2. Giorgio Moroder With Philip Oakley – Together In Electric Dreams

3. Lionel Richie – Hello

4. U2 – Pride (In The Name Of Love)

5. Rockwell – Somebody's Watching Me

 

Andrew's Worst 5 (as of August 2016)

1. Eurythmics – SexCrime (Nineteen Eighty Four)

2. Malcolm McLaren – Madam Butterfly

3. Feargal Sharkey – Listen To Your Father

4. Nik Kershaw – Human Racing

5. Eugene Wilde – Gotta Get You Home Tonight

Edited August 29, 20168 yr by awardinary

Artwork Rating:

Well at least I can see who the artists are on this one! Still looks really clunky though with the angled pics but I like the black/yellow lightning theme going on here. Don't like the large gaps still & Lionel Richie looks possessed. 6/10.

 

Side 1 Favourite:

Definitely Together In Electric Dreams. This, along with Take On Me, are among the songs no one is legally allowed to dislike right?

 

Side 2 Favourite:

I haven't got a clue about a single one of these. Doctor! Doctor! Cos it's got the funniest name...

 

Side 3 Favourite:

Pride - best of a bad bunch.

 

Side 4 Favourite:

So THIS is where they've crammed all the goods songs?! Tempted by Ghostbusters for the lol factor but Rockwell for me here!

 

CD Favourite:

Well isn't this a pleasant surprise? Had no idea they did this for the fourth instalment. Gotta be Radio Ga Ga.

 

Overall Rating:

Yeah... disregarding the CD to keep it fair game this is a very poor Now edition. Only 1 song in that I myself would consider an 80s classic & a load of average to poor tracks means this sadly gets a 3/10 from me.

Cover looks really ugly. 3/10

Side 1/CD: Together In Electric Dreams

Side 2: Shout To The Top

Side 3: Pride (In the Name of Love)

Side 4: Jump (For My Love)

Overall very poor, lots I don't know or particularly care for. 3/10

Cover art 6/10 looks a bit good but also really ugly too oops

Side 1: Michael Jackson - Farewell My Summer Love - love a bit of MJ

Side 2: Elton John - Passengers - a big fan of Elton so went for him :lol:

Side 3: U2 - Pride (In The Name Of Love) - tune tbh

Side 4: Ray Parker JNr - Now this what I am talking about :wub:

Cd fave: Phil Collins - Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) :wub:

Overall rating: 6/10 not meh just good

Artwork rating: 8/10 - I find this cover really striking! By no means perfect and I would make a couple of tweaks (not huge on the angled pictures) but it's memorable and a lot of fun.

 

Side 1 Favourite: Giorgio Moroder With Philip Oakley – Together In Electric Dreams - What an absolute classic! This is a real standout due to the wondrous production in particular. I'm not 100% sure what the song is actually about, but being in a long distance relationship the lyrics strike a chord for me in that way even if they were not intended to be interpreted like that. So the song is special to me in that way. A true gem of the 80s!

 

Side 2 Favourite: Julian Lennon - Too Late For Goodbyes - I am a huge fan of The Beatles/some of their solo stuff but had not heard any Julian material until getting these early Now records. His voice is pretty reminiscent to that of his father's (a very good thing!) and this song is the highlight of an otherwise pretty poor disc.

 

Side 3 Favourite: Status Quo - The Wanderer - One of those really famous bands that I do not know that much about. BUT this song is an exception. The chorus has stuck with me enough to pip some of the others on another poor disc.

 

Side 4 Favourite: Pointer Sisters - Jump (For My Love) - I was introduced to this song through the Girls Aloud version but I enjoy this original a lot too. Ray Parker Jr. and Rockwell were contenders here but this song beat those due to the sheer fun factor.

 

CD Favourite: Duran Duran - The Reflex - It was SO tough choosing between this and 'Together In Electric Dreams' and both are leagues ahead of the rest. Went for 'The Reflex' though as I've known and loved it for longer. (This CD though *.* have seen them go for so much on eBay. Would be tempted if I didn't already have it on vinyl).

 

Overall rating: 5/10 - 'Together In Electric Dreams' is the only WOW 10/10 moment here really. That and a handful of 8/10 worthy songs are what I'm here for but otherwise WAY too much stuff that I'm not keen on. Not quite enough good to counteract the bad but I've taken it up to an average 5 considering the artwork as well. Giorgio and Philip really did save this one!

For side 1 I went with Bronski Beat – Why? Excellent electronic dance tune, sounds quite dancey for the time imo, not too cheesy or poppy unlike a lot of 80s Hi-NRG songs!

 

Love Together In Electric Dreams too.

 

For side two I went for Style Council – Shout To The Top, my favourite song of the Style Council of the ones I know.

 

For the third CD I went with Kim Wilde – The Second Time, another example of Hi-NRG done well and not too cheesy. The key changes in this :o Makes it dramatic!

 

For side 4 I went with Somebody's Watching Me by Rockwell, knew it from the Beatfreakz remix first iirc but the original is brilliant too and very fun.

Yet, only one UK #1 was included in the tracklisiting - the lowest number of #1's any release has seen until the release of Now 94 in 2016 which claimed 0 #1 singles.

 

Now 16 also didn't have any number ones.

 

This is another that I grew up listening to, and its fab!

 

So many good tracks on side 1 but I chose Never Ending Story.

The Thompson Twins were great in this period so I decided to pick Doctor! Doctor! for side 2.

Pride (In the Name of Love) is by far the standout track of side 3

For side 4 I really love Rockwell, but I love the eccentricity of the Malcolm McClaren track even more!

 

For the CD version - well I couldn't really NOT pick Radio Ga Ga, could I?! Queen are one of my favourite groups and this is one of their very best!

 

I love this more than volume 3 so of course it had to get the 9/10 again. Oh...the artwork! It's better then now 3, I would say. I think I went for 5.