15 hours ago, Hadji said:

iTunes still have it down as 28th August which a lot of other places do so hopefully, it goes ahead

Rarewaves still has it down for the 28th August. In fact, my copy on Rarewaves has been confirmed as being prepared for shipping.

12 hours ago, awardinary said:

I know it's just August but these last 12 months or so have really seen a significant slowdown of UK Chart music to the point where it's almost as expensive to licence hits as it is to release a 2 Disc compilation of 40+ songs from the current era since the last volume. The lack of new UK #1 singles together with multiple recharting hits of yesteryear are the reason why new music fails to make any impact unless it goes significantly viral on TikTok or the next big social media platform. To continue putting out compilations of 120+ songs a year is challenging and virtually impossible to do with such little movement in the charts. As trends change, so does the popularity of genres. Very little R&B or rap music inside the Top 40, same for any indie or rock music. These are fundamental genres that have served the Now series well for decades. Not only that, but the majority of artists that have success these days are solo artists. There's no room for bands or groups in the charts like there once was.

The only resort is to go for songs from artists and genres that barely see the singles charts ever again. It means there is a lot of "filler" and this often gives the series a perceived look of poor value, especially when they have two discs of 20+ songs per disc, three times a year.

In a digital world of streaming, there really is little point in the series continuing under the current premise, it just feels like they are prolonging the inevitable by continuing the release of compilations that offer little value overall, often with major artists absent such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Madonna and more.

As we look towards Q4 of 2026, there is little sight of a major artist releasing new material that could really trouble the charts and so the narrative will continue right up until the Christmas rush when we know what happens. More chart stagnation and re-peaking festive songs from yesteryear denying any new festive releases from making a serious impact.

It's very early to be making a prediction for the next volume, but given what we do know already, these are the songs I could see being considered;

CD1

1. Olivia Rodrigo – the cure

2. STELLA LEFTY – Boston

3. Ella Langley – Be Her

4. Alex Warren – FINE PLACE TO DIE

5. SIENNA SPIRO – Great Expectation

6. Ariana Grande – petal

7. Tame Impala – Loser

8. Temper City – Self Aware

9. Fontaines D.C. – Marianne

10. Noah Kahan – Orbiter

11. Phoebe Bridgers – Lost Weekend

12. Gracie Abrams – Look At My Life

13. Teddy Swims – Break Up In Reverse

14. Myles Smith – My Mess

15. Take That – Sweet July

16. Snow Patrol & Kylie Minogue – These Alarms

17. Jessie Ware – Sauna

18. KATSEYE – Animal

19. Steve Lacy – oh yeah?

20. Alex Warren – PASSENGER

21. Benson Boone – The Time Of My Life

CD2

1. Shakira x Burna Boy – Dai Dai

2. HUGEL, Imael Angel & Ultra Naté – Movin' To The Sun

3. Silva Bumpa – On 2nite

4. ANOTR feat. 54 Ultra – Talk To You

5. Prospa feat. Cloonee – Free Your Mind

6. Josh Baker & Poppy Baskcomb – My Place

7. Jonas Blue feat. Malive – Edge Of Desire

8. MK feat. Poppy Baskcomb – Zone

9. Sonny Fodera feat. Becky Hill – Say Something

10. Jazzy & Chris Lorenzo – Invisible

11. Bruno Mars – Risk It All

12. Olivia Rodrigo – stupid song

13. Audrey Hobert – Sue me

14. Belly Kay – iloveitiloveitiloveit

15. ADÉLA – Ain't It L.A.

16. KATSEYE – Hootie Frutti

17. Aitch – RMB (Ring My Bell)

18. Morgan Wallen – Been By Now

19. Alyssa Grace – bloodstream

20. Sam Smith – When He's Gone

I don't know what to think anymore. I know a lot can change in three months but will the quality of what is offered anything better than this example of what could happen?

I think @gooddelta has said it before, but I think they're just going to finish the Yearbook series and then they will be done. There's nowhere left for them to go after that, they've overly exhausted the 80s and it's pretty clear that apart from this Yearbook series that anything from the 90s is now off limits and there's just no point splashing the money on any compilations from music from the 00s or the 10s.

So make the most of it while we can because we won't know what we've lost until it's gone.

100% this. The official UK charts as a whole are now a niche that only chart followers appreciate rather than the general public, as listening to music has become more democratised where everyone has access to almost everything 24/7, thanks in part to streaming. A byproduct of that is the numbered NOW albums, who - let's be honest - are more or less for the collectors these days. Unless the youth of today decide that they are now into chart music again, and care about it, the numbered NOWs will only be purchased by the collectors. The Yearbooks are evidence of that.

However, if NOW Towers are truly oblivious to what's really going on, they will continue to sell those pointless spin-offs that used to be a fun grab for grandmothers at their local Tesco or other supermarkets that stocked CDs. However that's all dying too, and the product of the CD is now only for collectors - either fans of a particular artist who will get all the merchandise, or truly hardcore NOW collectors who will get every copy each week from HMV, online or other record shops who may or may not stock them. That could financially ruin them.

I wouldn't be surprised if they slowly reduced themselves to Collectors-only products, like the Yearbooks, before going as a profile on Spotify where they create playlists only. The NOW brand could very well die that way. But as it's a brand under a label, it's no real skin off the noses of EMI, who can keep producing artist albums and the like.

Now have confirmed the vinyl of Yearbook '71 is delayed to 2nd October but the CD is coming out still this Friday.

It doesn't affect me as I don't buy the vinyl editions of the 70s releases. It will be interesting to see how the chart position is affected as I'm not sure what the CD/vinyl breakdown is. It needs just over 3.5k to get to No.1.

6 minutes ago, gooddelta said:

Now have confirmed the vinyl of Yearbook '71 is delayed to 2nd October but the CD is coming out still this Friday.

It doesn't affect me as I don't buy the vinyl editions of the 70s releases. It will be interesting to see how the chart position is affected as I'm not sure what the CD/vinyl breakdown is. It needs just over 3.5k to get to No.1.

Then why is the website still saying the vinyl's coming out this Friday?

Just now, geraintlewis268 said:

Then why is the website still saying the vinyl's coming out this Friday?

Never mind. Just saw it on Facebook.

And once again, Tyler Wallis complaining about one simple delayed release, crying for a release of NOW Halloween? Hah! Fat chance!

Shame it’s only up to Now to remove him from the group to stop him from spouting this nonsense. I’m glad I only buy the yearbooks on CD

14 minutes ago, Hadji said:

I’m glad I only buy the yearbooks on CD

Yeah, I only pre-order the Yearbook CDs, because of the numbered prints.

Edited Tuesday at 16:232 days by geraintlewis268

We have another heartbreaking passing recently.

Dolly Parton 💔

13 hours ago, Harrison FB said:

We have another heartbreaking passing recently.

Dolly Parton 💔

Did a quick check and it's surprising how few of her iconic songs have been included in the Yearbook series given her legendary status. 9 To 5 is a missed opportunity from the 80s.

I hope they include Dolly Parton on Now 125 like they did with Tina Turner on Now 115

I just checked the NOW website, and the message about shipping delays is no longer visible on the page. That means there'll be a good chance that some of you may receive Yearbook 1971 tomorrow (the CD version that is).

3 minutes ago, geraintlewis268 said:

I just checked the NOW website, and the message about shipping delays is no longer visible on the page. That means there'll be a good chance that some of you may receive Yearbook 1971 tomorrow (the CD version that is).

The CD version is going ahead as usual. It’s only the vinyl version that got postponed

16 minutes ago, Hadji said:

The CD version is going ahead as usual. It’s only the vinyl version that got postponed

I know. It's just for those who have pre-ordered the CD version.

seeing as there was no announcement this week, here’s how I reckon the release schedule for October will go

2nd October - 1971 yearbook vinyl

9th October - extra 1971

16th October - 12" 1987 part 2

23rd October - empty

30th October - 90s yearbook (which I hope is 1995 or 1996 but more preferably the former)

If they plan to release Now Christmas 2026, they should release it on the 23rd October which will more likely be empty instead of 30th October to clash with the 90s yearbook like when Now Christmas 2024 clashed with the 1977 yearbook