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DetailsReleased: 7th April 2017

Origin: United Kingdom

Label: Sony Music Entertainment / Universal

Format: Double CD, Digital Download

Duration: 2:32:46 (152 minutes 46 seconds)

Tracks: 43

#1’s: 0

Chart Peak: #1 (9 weeks)

Sales: TBC (Platinum)

Tracklisting1. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill 4:21 {2}

2. Rag'n'Bone Man – Human 3:17 {2}

3. Little Mix – Touch 3:31 {4}

4. The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk – Starboy 3:49 {2}

5. The Chainsmokers – Paris 3:35 {5}

6. Starley – Call On Me (Ryan Riback Remix) 3:15 {6}

7. Anne-Marie – Ciao Adios 3:19 {9}

8. Bruno Mars – 24K Magic 3:45 {5}

9. Zara Larsson – I Would Like 3:43 {2}

10. Katy Perry feat. Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm 3:55 {5}

11. Sean Paul feat. Dua Lipa – No Lie 3:40 {10}

12. Martin Jensen – Solo Dance 2:54 {7}

13. Zedd & Alessia Cara – Stay 3:30 {8}

14. Sigrid – Don't Kill My Vibe 3:01 {62}

15. Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson – Just Hold On 3:17 {2}

16. Dua Lipa – Be The One 3:21 {9}

17. Jonas Blue feat. RAYE – By Your Side 3:18 {15}

18. Coldplay – Hypnotised 5:53 {70}

19. John Legend – Love Me Now 3:29 {17}

20. Robbie Williams – Love My Life 3:25 {22}

21. George Michael – Fastlove, Pt. 1 5:24 {DNC}

22. Jax Jones feat. RAYE – You Don't Know Me 3:32 {3}

23. The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk – I Feel It Coming 4:27 {9}

24. Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa – Scared To Be Lonely 3:40 {14}

25. Kygo & Selena Gomez – It Ain't Me 3:40 {7}

26. Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane – Black Beatles 4:51 {2}

27. Machine Gun Kelly feat. Camila Cabello – Bad Things 3:58 {16}

28. Sage The Gemini – Now And Later 3:11 {17}

29. Tinie Tempah feat. Tinashe – Text From Your Ex 3:07 {23}

30. Stormzy – Big For Your Boots 4:00 {6}

31. Tom Zanetti feat. Sadie Ama – You Want Me 3:07 {22}

32. Martin Solveig feat. Ina Wroldsen – Places 3:22 {27}

33. Robin Schulz & David Guetta & Cheat Codes – Shed A Light 3:11 {24}

34. M.O feat. Kent Jones – Not In Love 3:17 {42}

35. Rag'n'Bone Man – Skin 3:57 {13}

36. Train – Play That Song 3:21 {21}

37. The Vamps & Matoma – All Night 3:11 {24}

38. Ariana Grande feat. Future – Everyday 3:11 {DNC}

39. Major Lazer feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR & Nicki Minaj – Run Up 3:22 {20}

40. Post Malone feat. Quavo – Congratulations 3:40 {28}

41. Julia Michaels – Issues 2:54 {10}

42. Lorde – Green Light 3:53 {20}

43. Calvin Harris feat. Frank Ocean & Migos – Slide 3:52 {10}

 

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: N/A

Lowest Charting Track: George Michael – Fastlove, Pt. 1 / Ariana Grande feat. Future – Everyday {DNC}

Longest Song: Coldplay – Hypnotised 5:53

Shortest Song: Martin Jensen – Solo Dance / Julia Michaels – Issues 2:54

Edited Tracks: Unknown

Unedited Tracks: Unknown

Inlay Mistakes: None

Other Facts: None

On This Day In HistoryNo music news to report for 7th April 2017.Other ResourcesOfficial Now Music Website

Wikipedia

Polyhex

Brandt Animation Archive

Andrew's ReviewNow That’s What I Call Music! 96 also known as Now 96 was the Spring release of 2017 which contained 43 tracks but no UK #1 singles. It was the first volume in the series to showcase music from Rag’n’Bone Man, Zedd (as a lead artist), Sigrid, Jax Jones (as a lead artist), Stormzy and Post Malone.

 

During this era there was the notable death of British singer George Michael. He did appear on this volume with a posthumous appearance, but with a single that did not chart during this time, and which was previously featured on Now 35, whilst other songs of his that charted following his death, such as Careless Whisper (which had not previously been used in the main series) was overlooked. Ed Sheeran also had a huge chart spree with all of the album tracks from Divide being in the Top 40 simultaneously, the main single Shape Of You was one of the biggest charting omissions of the whole series. Elsewhere the likes of Maroon 5, Olly Murs, Drake, Lady GaGa, Migos, James Arthur, Zayn and Steps all got omitted.

 

This has been the only volume in the series so far to include music from Starley, Martin Jensen, Steve Aoki, Rae Sremmurd, Machine Gun Kelly (as a lead artist), Sage The Gemini, Tom Zanetti and Julia Michaels (as a lead artist).

 

Artwork Rating: 7/10 Very Good

I like the concept used for this artwork, the clever use of various smokey colours all mixing together is very aesthetically pleasing. It is very good and colourful. I like the white logo on this cover too as it seems to stand out better than if another colour was used.

 

Disc 1 Favourite: Zara Larsson – I Would Like

A catchy remake of an older pop song which Zara adds some great vocals to and some original lyrics too. Probably my favourite Zara Larsson song to date. This is the kind of music I hope to hear more of from her in the future.

 

Disc 2 Favourite: Jax Jones feat. RAYE – You Don’t Know Me

This song really put Jax Jones on the map of great dance music producers of the 21st century. It was a few weeks after the impact of RAYE who featured on a Jonas Blue single also on this volume. This Disc 2 opener is a great song and really showcased the potential of Jax Jones.

 

Disc 3 Tracklist:

(A concept of what a third disc might look like if other hits from the era were used)

 

1. Drake feat. Rihanna – Too Good 4:23 {3}

2. Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert – Bad And Boujee 3:27 {30}

3. The Weeknd – Party Monster 4:09 {17}

4. Maroon 5 feat. Future – Cold 3:54 {24}

5. Zayn & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker) 4:05 {5}

6. Snakehips & MØ – Don’t Leave 3:34 {27}

7. Sia – Move Your Body (Single Mix) 4:12 {59}

8. Steps – Scared Of The Dark 3:46 {37}

9. Olly Murs – Grow Up 3:44 {25}

10. AJR feat. Louisa Johnson – Weak 3:19 {58}

11. The xx – On Hold 3:44 {34}

12. Lady GaGa – Million Reasons 3:25 {39}

13. Vaults – One Day I’ll Fly Away 3:27 {53}

14. Alessia Cara – Scars To Your Beautiful 3:50 {55}

15. James Arthur – Safe Inside 3:42 {31}

16. Imagine Dragons – Believer 3:24 {42}

17. Lana Del Rey – Love 4:39 {41}

18. Louisa Johnson – Best Behaviour 3:35 {48}

19. Naughty Boy feat. Kyla & Popcaan – Should’ve Been Me 4:04 {61}

20. Sigala & Digital Farm Animals – Only One 3:22 {53}

21. Galantis – Rich Boy 3:03 {60}

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Total time: 1:18:48

 

Overall Rating: 3/10 Extremely Poor

What makes this volume extremely poor is the lack of the most talked about and listened to single of this era, and in fat the year 2017, and that was Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran. Admittedly, there were no other UK #1 singles to choose from this era, which is why the song was essential, but it was not included. The choice of adding tracks that failed to chart such as that George Michael track and Ariana Grande also let it down, as did the longest track on this volume that did not deserve a place from Coldplay. It was very disappointing to see Steps get overlooked too for their comeback, especially when their single spent a brief period at #1 on iTunes. There is an awful lot wrong with this volume, and it’s certainly not one of my favourites.

 

Andrew's Best 5 (as of September 2018)

1. Jax Jones feat. RAYE – You Don’t Know Me

2. Zara Larsson – I Would Like

3. Martin Jensen – Solo Dance

4. Jonas Blue feat. RAYE – By Your Side

5. Major Lazer feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR & Nicki Minaj – Run Up

 

Andrew's Worst 5 (as of September 2018)

1. Ariana Grande feat. Future – Everyday

2. Sage The Gemini – Now And Later

3. Train – Play That Song

4. Coldplay – Hypnotised

5. Post Malone feat. Quavo – Congratulations

Other OmissionsEd Sheeran – Shape Of You {1} (saved for Now 97 Disc 3)

Matt Terry – When Christmas Comes Around {3}

Drake – Fake Love {10}

Zayn feat. Partynextdoor – Still Got Time {24}

Nathan Sykes – Famous {28}

J Cole – Deja Vu {30}

The Dave Clark Five – Glad All Over {31}

Adele – Water Under The Bridge {39}

Little Mix feat. Charlie Puth – Oops {41}

George Michael – Careless Whisper {44}

Zara Larsson feat. Ty Dolla $ign – So Good {44}

Sia – Helium {45}

Inspiral Carpets – Saturn 5 {48}

Alessia Cara – How Far I’ll Go {49}

J Cole – Immortal {49}

Nicki Minaj feat. Drake & Lil Wayne – No Frauds {49}

Dave feat. Drake – Wanna Know {51}

Ariana Grande & John Legend – Beauty And The Beast {52}

Giggs feat. Donaeo – Lock Doh {52}

Linkin Park feat. Kiiara – Heavy {53}

Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone – City Of Stars {53}

Mic Lowry – Oh Lord {54}

Big Sean feat. Eminem – No Favors {56}

Izzy Bizu – Talking To You {56}

London Grammar – Rooting For You {58}

Mura Masa feat. A$AP Rocky – Lovesick {59}

The xx – Say Something Love {60}

Stargate feat. P!nk & Sia – Waterfall {61}

Dave & J Hus – Samantha {63}

Childish Gambino – Redbone {64}

David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne – Light My Body Up {64}

Nathan Sykes – There’s Only One Of You {65}

Chris Brown feat. Usher & Gucci Mane – Party {68}

DJ Khaled feat. Beyoncé & Jay-Z – Shining {71}

Alesso – Falling {72}

Axwell Λ Ingrosso feat. Kid Ink – I Love You {72}

London Grammar – Big Picture {73}

Double Daft Punk for me.

Double Daft Punk for me.

I did exactly the same - The Weeknd & Daft Punk combo worked brilliantly both times.

A poor edition with plenty of filler that I can't see me coming back to in years to come.

 

Here's my Top 5:-

 

1. Martin Solveig - Places

2. Robin Schulz feat. David Guetta and Cheat Codes - Shed A Light

3. Calvin Harris - Slide

4. The Weekend feat. Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming

5. Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

Before I bought the album, I had a bad feeling about the album. Strangely for me, it's actually up there with my favourites. Some great hits particularly on disc 1.

 

My favourite 7:

Be The One

You Don't Know Me

Chained To The Rhythm

No Lie

I Feel It Coming

Skin

Ciao Adios

 

Wouldn't say there are any songs I particularly disliked. Robbie and John Legend are quite boring additions however.