In celebration of one of the most dynamic and diverse periods ever in the singles charts, NOW are proud to present ‘NOW That’s What I Call An Era: The Sound Of The Suburbs’ – out January 31st! Available as a 3-LP vinyl (pressed as x1 Black, x1 White and x1 Red vinyl) in a tri-fold sleeve that features notes about all of the 51 featured tracks!
Spanning multiple genres that contributed to the rich diversity of the era – including punk, new wave, reggae, ska, mod and electronic – between 1977 and the end of 1980, and all of which would inspire the wave of new art and club influenced pop that would come to define the musical landscape of the early 80s…
Kicking off with punk & new wave classics from The Clash with the iconic ‘London Calling’, the Ramones, Iggy Pop, The Jam and The Boomtown Rats who were the first punk/new wave band to have a #1 single, with ‘Rat Trap’. The Undertones and XTC created defining tracks, and the first side includes two bands that would rate amongst the most influential of all time; The Cure and Joy Division… Flip the LP over for Blondie’s ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ and Siouxsie And The Banshees ‘Hong Kong Garden’ which began a run of hit singles that would last for more than fifteen years! Unforgettable Top 40 debuts from The Rezillos, Plastic Bertrand and The Dickies feature alongside huge hits from Squeeze and the Skids – before the first LP closes with legendary tracks from Magazine and Public Image Limited…
The collection’s subtitle, ‘The Sound Of The Suburbs’, opens LP2 from The Members, along with punk anthems from The Stranglers, The Ruts and The Runaways, and new wave classics from The Only Ones, The Tom Robinson Band and the Patti Smith Group. Plus, Elvis Costello and Jonathan Richman both also feature with signature self-penned songs. Side 2 opens with the first #1 of the ‘80s from the Pretenders, and features massive hits from The Police, Roxy Music, Joe Jackson and ‘Geno’, #1 in 1980 for Dexys Midnight Runners alongside the chart debuts from Secret Affair, The Motors and Martha And The Muffins…
Fusing traditional ska, reggae, rocksteady and new wave, The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, and The Beat open LP 3 with an amazing run, ahead of UB40 with their reggae/new wave fusion ‘Food For Thought’. Japan and Sparks provide some early and influential electronic new wave and The B-52’s close the side with their peerless new wave classic ‘Rock Lobster’… whilst the final side features new wave pop gems from Adam & The Ants and Bow Wow Wow along with more synth driven new wave that would set the direction for the new decade, featuring a stellar line-up including Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, The Human League, John Foxx and #1’s from Tubeway Army with ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ and The Buggles with their 1979 chart topper ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ – which in 1981 would become the first music video shown on MTV…
Whether you were there at the time or have discovered this incredible music since – we are delighted to present the sounds of an ERA….
