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AdvertDetailsReleased: 23rd March 2018

Origin: United Kingdom

Label: Sony Music Entertainment / Universal

Format: Double CD, Digital Download

Duration: 2:36:46 (156 minutes 46 seconds)

Tracks: 45

#1’s: 1

Chart Peak: #1 (8 weeks)

Sales: 400,623 (Platinum)

Tracklisting1. Rudimental feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen – These Days 3:32 {1}

2. Dua Lipa – IDGAF 3:36 {3}

3. Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still 2:43 {3}

4. Justin Timberlake feat. Chris Stapleton – Say Something 4:38 {9}

5. Taylor Swift – …Ready For It? 3:28 {7}

6. Marshmello & Anne-Marie – FRIENDS 3:24 {4}

7. Bruno Mars feat. Cardi B – Finesse (Remix) 3:37 {5}

8. Sigala & Paloma Faith – Lullaby 3:24 {6}

9. Craig David feat. Bastille – I Know You 3:35 {5}

10. Jason Derulo feat. French Montana – Tip Toe 3:05 {5}

11. Jax Jones feat. Ina Wroldsen – Breathe 2:56 {7}

12. George Ezra – Paradise 3:42 {2}

13. Kylie Minogue – Dancing 2:59 {38}

14. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same 3:47 {7}

15. Mabel & Not3s – Fine Line 3:40 {11}

16. Sigrid – Strangers 3:53 {10}

17. Paloma Faith – Guilty 4:20 {DNC}

18. P!nk – Beautiful Trauma 4:11 {25}

19. James Arthur – Naked 3:53 {11}

20. Tom Walker – Leave A Light On 3:06 {7}

21. Calum Scott – You Are The Reason 3:24 {43}

22. Sam Smith – One Last Song 3:15 {27}

23. Stormzy feat. MNEK – Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 2 3:52 {7}

24. Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign – Psycho 3:41 {4}

25. BlocBoy JB feat. Drake – Look Alive 3:02 {17}

26. Khalid – Location 3:38 {67}

27. NF – Let You Down 3:29 {6}

28. Ramz – Barking 3:16 {2}

29. J Hus – Bouff Daddy 3:25 {26}

30. CliQ feat. Alika – Wavey 2:46 {44}

31. Dave feat. MoStack – No Words 3:31 {17}

32. B Young – Jumanji 2:44 {13}

33. RAYE & Mr. Eazi – Decline 3:08 {15}

34. Not3s x Mabel – My Lover 3:12 {14}

35. Rak-Su feat. Wyclef Jean & Naughty Boy – Dimelo (X Factor Recording) 3:02 {2}

36. G-Eazy & Halsey – Him & I 4:28 {22}

37. SZA x Calvin Harris – The Weekend (Funk Wav Remix) 2:53 {55}

38. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso feat. Florida Georgia Line & watt – Let Me Go 2:56 {30}

39. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Want You Back 2:53 {22}

40. Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me 3:58 {DNC}

41. Maroon 5 – Wait 3:11 {DNC}

42. James Bay – Wild Love 3:18 {39}

43. Rag'n'Bone Man – As You Are 3:48 {DNC}

44. U2 – You're The Best Thing About Me 3:45 {DNC}

45. Oasis – Live Forever 4:39 {45}

 

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: Rudimental feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen – These Days (1 Week)

Lowest Charting Track(s): Paloma Faith – Guilty / Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me / Maroon 5 – Wait / Rag'n'Bone Man – As You Are / U2 – You're The Best Thing About Me {DNC}

Longest Song: Oasis – Live Forever 4:39

Shortest Song: Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still 2:43

Edited Tracks: Unknown

Unedited Tracks: Unknown

Inlay Mistakes: Unknown

Other Facts: Live Forever by Oasis originally appeared on Now 33 in 1996.

On This Day In HistoryNo music news to report for 23rd March 2018.Other ResourcesOfficial Now Music Website

Wikipedia

Polyhex

Brandt Animation Archive

My ReviewNow That’s What I Call Music! 99 or Now 99 was released in the spring of 2018 and marked the penultimate volume to reach a centenary of this compilation series. The volume contained 45 tracks and just a single #1 song which reached that peak after the volume's release date. Now 99 was responsible for introducing us to such artists as Tom Walker, Dave and B Young who would all feature again on future volumes.

 

The era's omissions are once again headlined by Ed Sheeran and also Drake for chart dominance. Elsewhere hits for the likes of Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Liam Payne & Rita Ora, Bazzi, Justin Timberlake and Steel Banglez all got overlooked.

 

The following artists have not yet appeared again in the series, and this volume remains their only appearance; Portugal. The Man, BlocBoy JB, NF, CLiQ, Not3s (as a lead artist), Rak-Su and SZA (as a lead artist).

 

Artwork Rating: 6/10 Good

It isn't much to shout about, but it is simplistic which in graphic terms is sometimes a good thing. The liquid bubbles surrounding the yellow font works well with various hues of blue and purple. As the final artwork to be shown in double digits, it did a good enough job without being too elaborate.

 

Disc 1 Favourite: Craig David feat. Bastille – I Know You

There really isn't anything on this disc that really jumps out at me as being a favourite, but as I always have chosen one for every disc so far, I've decided to go with the collaboration between Craig David and Bastille, showcasing two of Britain's finest recording artists.

 

Disc 2 Favourite: Oasis – Live Forever

This disc is truly awful, and it took a song from 1996 tagged onto the end of this disc to determine a favourite. One of Oasis signature tracks which made a welcome comeback at this time.

 

Disc 3 Tracklist:

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

 

1. Ed Sheeran – Perfect 4:23 {1}

2. Drake – God's Plan 3:19 {1}

3. Kendrick Lamar & SZA – All The Stars 3:52 {5}

4. Liam Payne & Rita Ora – For You (Fifty Shared Freed) 4:05 {8}

5. Justin Timberlake – Filthy 4:54 {15}

6. David Guetta & Afrojack feat. Charli XCX & French Montana – Dirty Sexy Money 2:53 {35}

7. Steel Banglez feat. Yungen, MoStack, Mr Eazi & Not3s – Bad 3:25 {29}

8. RAYE, Mabel & Stefflon Don – Cigarette 3:08 {41}

9. Yungen feat. Jess Glynne – Mind On It 3:11 {47}

10. Bazzi – Mine 2:11 {21}

11. Hardy Caprio – Rapper 2:53 {34}

12. Kojo Funds feat. RAYE – Check 3:36 {26}

13. Luis Fonsi feat. Demi Lovato – Echame La Culpa 2:54 {46}

14. Sean Paul & David Guetta feat. Becky G – Mad Love 3:20 {22}

15. Calvin Harris feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR – Nuh Ready Nuh Ready 3:04 {48}

16. Years & Years – Sanctify 3:10 {25}

17. Troye Sivan – My My My 3:25 {38}

18. Charlie Puth feat. Kehlani – Done For Me 3:00 {45}

19. Hailee Steinfeld & BloopPop® – Capital Letters 3:39 {39}

20. The Chainsmokers – Sick Boy 3:13 {35}

21. Louis Tomlinson – Miss You 3:02 {39}

22. Matt Terry – The Thing About Love 3:15 {51}

23. Jorja Smith feat. Stormzy – Let Me Down 3:08 {34}

24. Elbow – Golden Slumbers 2:24 {29}

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Total time: 1:19:24

 

Overall Rating: 2/10 Awful

It is not often I have gone so low in my estimations of a volume in this series, but having given it some time since it's release, looking back at many of these forgotten tracks they are really not showcasing the best of what the artists had to offer. The lack of #1 singles licenced for this album, together with far too much filler on Disc 2, along with 5 tracks that failed to chart in the UK, all makes for a dismal appearance, and that is why I have rated this so low.

 

My Best 5 (as of March 2022)

1. Oasis – Live Forever

2. Craig David feat. Bastille – I Know You

3. Jax Jones feat. Ina Wroldsen – Breathe

4. CliQ feat. Alika – Wavey

5. Kylie Minogue – Dancing

 

My Worst 5 (as of March 2022)

1. BlocBoy JB feat. Drake – Look Alive

2. Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign – Psycho

3. Maroon 5 – Wait

4. Khalid – Location

5. James Bay – Wild Love

Other OmissionsEminem feat. Ed Sheeran – River {1}

Eminem feat. Beyonce – Walk On Water {7}

Sam Smith – Pray {26}

Katie Melua – Fields Of Gold {29}

Migos feat. Drake – Walk It Talk It {31}

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Holy Mountain {31}

MIST – Game Changer {35}

Camila Cabello – She Loves Control {40}

Cardi B feat. 21 Savage – Bartier Cardi {40}

The Cranberries – Zombie {45}

Logic & Marshmello – Everyday {46}

Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran & Future – End Game {49}

Fuse ODG feat. Ed Sheeran & Mugeez – Boa Me {52}

HRVY – Personal {62}

Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors & Bebe Rexha – Home {64}

Bastille – World Gone Mad {66}

Kygo feat. Miguel – Remind Me To Forget {69}

Probably agree it is the worst Now ever. Don't think I even bought this, though will pick it up cheap in a charity shop if I see it.

 

Top 5 for me is:-

 

1. Oasis - Live Forever

2. Sigala & Paloma Faith - Lullaby

3. Tom Walker – Leave A Light On

4. Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still

5. George Ezra – Paradise

 

Worst 5

 

1. Rak-Su feat. Wyclef Jean & Naughty Boy – Dimelo (X Factor Recording)

2. U2 – You're The Best Thing About Me

3. G-Eazy & Halsey – Him & I

4. NF – Let You Down

5. B Young – Jumanji 2

I remember getting very excited when I saw Kylie appear with Dancing. But looking back that was probably NOW 99's only decent thing (apart from getting a Taylor Swift song).

 

Top 5:

01: Kylie Minogue - Dancing // Genuinely thought Kylie would never appear again thanks to 'Into the Blue' not being on NOW 87. But now she's on quite a few of them.

02: Taylor Swift - ...Ready For It? // Was shocked they finally licensed a Taylor song as well. Shame it wasn't her (so far) only UK No. 1

03: SZA x Calvin Harris - The Weekend (Funk Wav Remix) // Just so good!

04: Dua Lipa - IDGAF // Love a bit of Dua

05: George Ezra - Paradise // What a bop

 

Bottom 5:

Anything from Disc 2 really.

Dancing is my overall favourite here too - it deserved to be and felt like a much bigger hit than it was.

 

Disc 2 is indeed terrible - my favourite song on there though is Dimelo by Rak-Su, one of the better X Factor winner's singles for me.

Disc 1 favourite: Taylor Swift – …Ready For It?

Disc 2 favourite: Oasis - Live Forever