SuperWooper

Labels will probably want to prioritise their own studio album releases before licensing things out. So that’s probably why RAYE isn’t on 123. When I studied in music management we discussed why certain songs don’t appear on things right away. Album releases, whether a song is still getting a lot of radio play, if a song is still getting sales of its own course, and also just waiting for labels to say yes. Granted this was in 2012, but I think a lot of these reasons stay the same. My teacher worked for Universal Records, and she was in charge of Young Money distribution in the UK (and Big Machine - Taylor’s old label), and she denied Starships on NOW 81 because the song was still getting big radio and streaming numbers - and a physical appearance on something other than her album might’ve diluted things.

Me going from all those ballads to Aretha’s “Pride”: What fabulous albums @nowmusic1993 it’s such a blast to see what hits were out there and not on a NOW. These are amazing little nostalgia packets, just like the real NOWs. Fingers crossed for you do give us NOW 60 onwards as well.

Love this cover. Giving Scary Spice-Realness. Also these albums make me realise how badly Janet is represented on these albums. Noting between NOW 8 through to 26, and then odd bits in between. Then nothing past NOW 49. Tragic!

Perhaps they’re scared to announce it because of your scathing iTunes reviews.

I'd buy a copy of that for sure! Anything that features First Aid Kit, Agnes, Natasha Hamilton, Slayyter, and A*Teens is an instant winner in my book!

I do wonder how NOW are gonna fill two discs with songs. The hits are sparse, and so are the releases in general. Then throw in a larger selection of artists now saying “No” to compilations, and we’re slim on the ground. It could give a chance for more under appreciated tracks and artists to fill the space. Melanie C, Jessie Ware, MEEK, Robyn, Blue, and Hilary Duff would be fabulous inclusions.

Waterfalls, Human Nature, Fantasy, and Runaway back to back?! That’s gay rights!

Love this! I’d like to imagine if HITS still kept the Numbers and this was Volume 35 they’d still be around today. Also, props to you finding a way to add Madonna’s Evita single without it sticking out like a saw thumb. Regarding NOW 123 - I would LOVE Zara to appear with Midnight Sun and also with Stateside. All her singles deserve an appearance really

I’ve been obsessed with “Fabulous” by Meek since she played a snippet on TikToK last year. Didn’t think it was ever gonna arrive, and here it is! What a tune! Hope this is a big hit for her.

I would be very happy if you went past 60! No need to worry about filler, that’s part of the NOW DNA. These have been such fun to look at, I can’t tell you how excited I get when I see the thread has new posts! You’ve made this thread such fun to be in @nowmusic1993 ! Keep doing what you’re doing!

Wow wow wow! This is brilliant, I also love the artwork. Is it a nod to Gabrielle’s Rise which starts off the real NOW 45 or is it just coincidence?

Wow @nowmusic1993 these albums are bringing back such nostalgic memories of my mixtapes I used to make. These track listings are just so good. (I would replace “This Groove” on 57 with “Let Your Head Go” though). It’s also amazing that you did a better job rounding up the rest of the chart hits, when the compilation big wigs at “Hits” struggled so badly. I hope we get to see more!

The Pitbull version also appears on NOW 39 (US). As does the B.o.B version of Price Tag. It is odd that in the UK the collabs hit a bit of a snag for licensing.

That line up of the first 7 tracks on Disc 1 is so flawless!

Seeing these are fabulous, and makes me realise how little Kylie appeared pre-2000. Those PWL compilations really took away a lot of banging tracks from her.

It’s weird ‘cos the digital artwork is less zoomed in. It’s suppose to be a speaker system right? I’ve never been a fan of 52’s artwork. It doesn’t scream summer to me.

A lot of Pop Forums (and parts of Reddit/Twitter) have a large LGBTQ+ following, mainly gay men, who gravitate to female pop stars as icons. Women in pop are often seen as embodiments of empowerment, escapism, and theatricality. Female artists also tend to embrace camp, glamour, reinvention, and melodrama, which resonates with fan communities who love dissecting eras, aesthetics, and narratives. And as a gay, I eat that up so much! Female pop stars are also much more relatable, often positioned as underdogs or innovators fighting against industry pressures (misogyny, ageism, controlling labels, etc.). Which can reflect struggles the LGBTQ+ community fight against with homophobia, transphobia, and the government controlling our rights. Male pop acts are rarely discussed with that same lens; they’re often marketed as mainstream-safe, which can feel less exciting (especially for someone like me). Then if you throw in fan behaviour and "Stan Culture" it adds a whole new dramatic element to it all, with each fanbase fighting for it's side - adding more fuel traffic to the forums. Then (and this is most important part) the music itself. Female-led pop often leans into melodic hooks, dance beats, and emotional themes (heartbreak, empowerment, drama) that fans love to analyse, remix, and celebrate. Male pop tends to be less sonically adventurous in the mainstream (with exceptions), or it’s tied to bands marketed at teens (One Direction, BTS) where fandoms cluster elsewhere (Twitter, TikTok, Discord). Plus the forums like BuzzJack, PopJustice, and UKMix were built on Pop Music to begin with, and back then there were a plethora of male pop stars that used to dance, sing pop bangers, be colourful, and perform like there life depends on it - but now there's only a small amount compared to the girls output - it's not gonna generate a lot chit chat. It's a shame, because a lot of male singers in the LGBTQ+ community still deliver is, but that also doesn't bring in much traffic (besides artists like Troye Sivan, and Conan Gray), but that's a whole other topic.

I’d love that, but I’m just worried about the lack of tracks that have become harder to license or can’t be licensed at all anymore. For example: Yearbook 2000 could be missing Spiller, Fragma, Geri Halliwell, Darude, Tom Jones Yearbook 2001 could be missing Gorillaz, Jennifer Lopez, Destiny’s Child, iiO, D12, Daft Punk This is just based on what artists I don’t really see appear on Comps anymore. But again, I’d love 00s Yearbooks, and the Extras that’d come with them.

I wonder if we’ll get another “Massive Party” album this year, if so I hope it’s a 90s one. Macarena, Saturday Night, and 5,6,7,8 all back to back? Yes please.

I remember really getting into Riot and not even realising they had an album before it! Took me a couple of years to finally know it existed and it was like discovering treasure. Such a good album.

It’s so odd not to see ABBA. Especially Dancing Queen. But apart from that, this such a strong track listing.

Dido - Sand In My Shoes Lana Del Rey - High By the Beach Belinda Carlisle - Circle in the Sand Darude - Sandstorm York - O.T.B. (On the Beach) Nicki Minaj - Starships T-Spoon - Sex On the Beach Carly Rae Jepsen - Beach House Vengaboys - We're Going To Ibiza! AQUA - We Belong To The Sea That's the first ones I can think of

Miley always has a delayed appearance on the Numbered NOWs, so I hope one of her singles appears on 122. My pick would be "Walk of Fame" (obviously the Edit). Based on the latest NOW, Universal could easily pump out a Pop Princesses album. 01: Sabrina Carpenter - Manchild 02: Tate McRae - Sports Car 03: Lady Gaga - Abracadabra 04: Chappell Roan - The Giver 05: Ravyn Lenae - Love Me Not 06: Ariana Grande - Twilight Zone 07: JADE - FUFN 08: Skye Newman - Hairdresser 09: Lola Young - One Thing 10: Olivia Dean - Nice To Each Other 11: Lana Del Rey - Henry, Come On 12: Charli XCX - Party 4 U 13: HAIM - Relationships 14: Addison Rae - Headphones On 15: Jessie J - Living My Best Life 16: Ella Henderson - Me & You 17: Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Taste 18: Remember Monday - What The Hell Just Happened? 19: Mimi Webb & Meghan Trainor - Mind Reader* 20: Lizzo - Still Bad* 21: Ava Max - Losing Myself* 22: PinkPantheress - Illegal* 23: Zara Larsson - Pretty Ugly* *From Bravo Hits 130

On this day last year the song of the summer was released! JOYRIDE by Kesha

Oh this is giving me pure 90s Dance Compilations nostalgia! It's "Clubmix 99" meets the early MOS Annuals, with "Fat Dance Hits" thrown in for good measure! Amazing job @gooddelta And props on trying to find all the correct UK edits for the spotify playlists! That takes so much effort.