gooddelta

Returning to All American Rejects, not one I enjoy really.

Thanks Julian, interesting to see all the info including year and show. A very wide spread of artists and shows, I look forward to getting stuck in. The artist I originally had confirmed is here, albeit with a different (but also excellent) song.

In the 90s there were still loads of vinyl plants in the UK, now there are not, so that's why they could be released at speed back then and put out at the same time as the CD. Nowadays they would need to be produced abroad where the demand far outstrips the supply. So it would be completely impossible to have a set of current hits pressed on vinyl to release on the same day as the CD (anything newer than two months wouldn't get on). At absolute best it might follow the CD six weeks later, by which time very few people would buy it. What might work, and like what Bravo in Germany did last year, is to just release one best of the year vinyl at the end of every year. Get it pressed in October (as most hits of the year have already happened by then) and have it ready for release in early December. The spin-offs and Yearbooks will be planned and sent to the vinyl production plants several months ahead of time, we just don't find out about them until 4-5 weeks before. They don't include current hits so Now don't have to be as reactive with getting them into production. It doesn't mean they are not already in production when they are announced 4-5 weeks before, people will just sign non-disclosure agreements so that nobody finds out about it outside the Now team until they are ready to announce it.

I like Olly's version of It's A Sin (which he later made an inferior version of for Eurovision under the name Dizzy oop). So gone for that. Not very keen on the other one.

Reconfirmed. A self veto as I remembered that the song I'd confirmed originally was sent to a BJSC spin-off within the last decade that at least five of the confirmed participants here were part of. So it didn't feel particularly inspired once I'd remembered that. Quite happy with my new choice, it's another song I've loved for years.

I bought the CD and the clear disc doesn't play in my CD player? Genius. First the no disc thing last time and now a disc I can't get to work. I listened to it earlier on Spotify anyway and thought it sounded really strong on first listen.

I did check the Thank U cover in full to ensure I was being fair, as I do like Steven Wilson, but yeah, Invited is the more interesting cover in this instance.

Going to stick with Miss Independent as I prefer the last four songs that have gone out to it.

Will go with Hear'say too, I don't really care for it and prefer other singles by them (but was never a huge fan anyway).

I prefer Womanizer I think, always have enjoyed that. Stronger is great too though, although the double a isn't.

Lead single Better Broken. Beautiful late 90s chilled production, somewhere between TLC's Waterfalls and the stuff Simply Red were pushing around 1998. The lyrics are good, she sounds great, and it's a lovely melody, my favourite Sarah single for a long time! I can see it having a lot of replay value for me, unlike her last couple of albums.

It's a strong melody and vocal, albeit not really my thing on the whole. Sounds like a big radio hit so I'm sure it will catch on. It has the same power and passion as the stuff from his debut that was missing a bit from his second album imo (with some similarity to Hoobastank's The Reason in the chorus melody).

Lorde definitely would have been a nice addition. Anxiety, Show Me Love and Shake It To The Max are the biggest misses I think, as the other big hits not here will either appear later or the artists have bigger songs on here already. Anxiety is the only one of those that showed up on Bravo in Germany (so far), and it is a curious miss when she was on Now 120.

Don't you think it's a good selection of hits overall though considering the last one was only out three months ago and the charts have been slow since? I think there are more positives than negatives to draw on here. Considering how bad it could have been, to have 14 (?) top 10 hits and a No.1 and several other viral songs is more hits than I think I expected. Headphones On is no short straw, it's one of the best songs of the year.

😄

I did say I thought Calvin would open! I think it's some sort of contractual obligation that maybe doesn't stand 100% of the time like George and Queen, which is why that Sam Smith collab opened the one after Miracle and he opens every Bravo Hits album he features on in Germany with any flop going, as I mentioned. Manchild would have made more sense but I'm glad we got it, it's nice to have a No.1 on here. Good also to see a couple of Eurovision songs, including the UK entry. JJ I guess has to be there but I'd have preferred Baller. This is a good tracklist considering the dearth of hits recently, Disc 1 is strong! Surprised at double JADE but not complaining. Disc 2 is a mixed bag but I'm pleased to see Headphones On made it.

Going for HEALTH, it changes the song up more than Wombats which is quite a straight retread.

HMV near us sometimes only stocks up two copies of the deluxe versions and Extras, so you do have to get there early. I always wonder how profitable things like Extras and Vault releases are for Now, but perhaps as the hits are a lot smaller the songs are easier to license.

I tried HMV once before and ended up getting it on Monday, but yeah a lot of people do seem to get stuff a day early. I will buy the deluxe too, even though they are getting expensive for what is essentially a few pages of info and a hardback cover.

This upcoming German compilation has been allowed to use Manchild, so hopefully Now will get the same treatment and we won't be left with no No.1s featuring on Now 121: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/MegaHits-2025-Zweite-Various-Artists/dp/B0F8LFLHR1/ref=zg_bsnr_g_21436136031_d_sccl_19/258-9023263-4395206 I suppose there is also the chance anyway that they will get stuff like Dior by MK and Chrystal which could climb to No.1.

And Lola Young.

Only two days until Now Yearbook 1997, looking forward to listening to that at the weekend, as long as I can get near a stockist. HMV tends to be a bit hit and miss with deliveries for me and Amazon's Prime is much less reliable for release day delivery than it used to be. I'll check the supermarkets.

Both crap, but Sean Kingston makes me cringe (slightly) less, so he wins.

Ellie Goulding - Figure 8 Avril Lavigne - Losing Grip Pet Shop Boys - Suburbia Louise - 2 Faced CHVRCHES feat. Hayley Williams - Bury It Christina Aguilera - Infatuation The Saturdays - Notorious A-ha - I’ve Been Losing You Mary J. Blige - Just Fine Little Mix feat. Charlie Puth - Oops

Thank you for all the lovely comments on this, I've loved reading them all and it's been cool to see other people's ranks too. Quite a few general similarities but for a few songs a lot of people differ on, like Rock DJ. Glad to see some belated love for Don't Call Me Baby. I can't even really explain why I love it so much, it just scratches an itch in my brain I suppose 😆