Now vs Now Millennium
Printed From: Top 40 Music on CD
Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
Forum Name: Chat Board
Forum Description: Chat away but please observe the chat board rules
URL: https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7012
Printed Date: 07 May 2025 at 10:21am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Now vs Now Millennium
Posted By: Fetta
Subject: Now vs Now Millennium
Date Posted: 19 August 2012 at 7:37am
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I feel like this topic was discussed somewhere on the thread but can't seem to find it.
Are the versions on the Now import CD's the same as the versions on the Now Millennium series? If the 45 version of "Another Day in Paradise" is on the Now 1989, does that mean that the 45 version is also on the Now 1989 Millennium edition? |
Replies:
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 19 August 2012 at 9:08am
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I don't recall where that is either, and since I was the one who posted it, I'll re-post here.
Now That's What I Call Music started as a series of LPs in the UK in 1983. The first volume to appear on CD was Now 4, which I've never seen with my own eyes, and I'm kinda skeptical that it's a legit CD release. (I could be wrong.) I myself have single-CD releases of Now That's What I Call Music '86 (1986) (featuring the only CD release I know of for Tears For Fears's "Everybody Wants To Run The World"), Now 8 (1986) and Now 9 (1987). From Vol. 10 onwards, they were double-CD releases. When Now turned 10 years old in 1993, they released a series of 2-CD collections Now 1983, Now 1984, ..., Now 1993. These 2-CD sets are really phenomenal, with terrific sound quality overall - perfect EQ, and no excessive compression/limiting. Most, but not all, are the 45 versions. Since I wrote everything up last time, I've discovered that a sizable percentage of the tracks are digital clones of existing CDs or of the original Now CDs, which is interesting. I've also discovered that there are many, many early fades on these discs. Some just speed up the fade by a few seconds, others fade as much as 30 seconds early. If you can live with early fades, these discs are a godsend. I still highly recommend them, even with the early fades. In 1999, Now released the The Millennium Series , with 2-CD sets from Now 1980 to Now 1999. These are entirely different beasts from the 1993 sets. I was not impressed with the sound overall, with a slightly brassy, aggressive EQ on most tracks, and a lot of clipping and/or excessive compression because most are mastered too loud. Track selection is similar to the 1993 releases but decidedly different. Both are representative of UK pop for the particular year, but I prefer the 1993 releases. For the Millennium Series years I had (1980, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1989), I never did A/B comparisons with the 1993 releases, so I can't specifically answer if the versions were the same. I just wasn't impressed with the sound on the Millennium Series discs, so I avoided using them when I could. ------------- There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one http://www.crapfromthepast.com" rel="nofollow - Crap From The Past . |
Posted By: NightAire
Date Posted: 03 October 2022 at 2:47pm
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Regarding the early NOW albums on CD, I thought this website documenting "errors" (differences between LP ad CD) was pretty interesting.
https://apopfansdream.wordpress.com/words/now-cd-errors/ - https://apopfansdream.wordpress.com/words/now-cd-errors/ "The purpose of this page is to document the errors with Now That’s What I Call Music 1-9 CD releases. While it’s great to see these early albums emerge on CD at last, the quality control has been slipshod with numerous mistakes. It’s clear that the best time to do this would have been in late 1987 or early 1988 – just after Now 10 came out, the first one to have the same number of tracks on LP, cassette and CD. While impossible to know for sure, these releases could have come in a chunky fatbox, there would have been few or no licensing issues & they probably would have exactly matched the originals." ------------- Gene Savage http://www.BlackLightRadio.com - http://www.BlackLightRadio.com http://www.facebook.com/TulsaSavage - http://www.facebook.com/TulsaSavage Tulsa, Oklahoma USA |
Posted By: PopArchivist
Date Posted: 03 October 2022 at 3:56pm
It was my understanding that certain releases on NOW 1-9 could not be cleared for licensing or specific versions on the old NOW 1-9 that were exclusive to that disc as well meaning they either were replaced or replaced with alternative versions as best licensing rights allowed.... ------------- Favorite two expressions to live by on this board: "You can't download vinyl" and "Not everything is available on CD." |
NightAire wrote:Posted By: nlgbbbblth
Date Posted: 07 November 2022 at 1:06am
That's my website. For the CD releases, a number of tracks have been omitted due to licensing issues. Either the price was too high or else they were unavailable. In terms of alternative versions, the majority of these could be classified as avoidable errors caused by sloppiness. Including the segued album versions of Marillion's Kayleigh & Lavender on Now 5 and Now 6 respectively was probably the nadir. Almost every other compilation uses the single mixes. That's just somebody not paying attention. A lot of this is probably down to: the Now Team requesting the track without specifying which mix, the label providing the first version that comes to hand and neither party knowing or caring enough that it doesn't match the original LP. The current Now Yearbook series while not perfect is getting a lot more right. The 7" mix of David Sylvian's Red Guitar (which appeared on the original Now 3 LP but in album version guise on the CD) was correctly included on Now Yearbook 1984. |
Posted By: AndrewChouffi
Date Posted: 07 November 2022 at 5:12am
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Thank you for your information and perspective!
Welcome aboard! I noticed you just signed on the forum. Nlgbbbblth is a tricky to address moniker. How would you prefer to be referred to? Andy |
Posted By: nlgbbbblth
Date Posted: 07 November 2022 at 10:45am
Thanks Andy. nlgbbbblth is Analogue Bubblebath without vowels and a misplaced b. Happy to be addressed as Paul |
Posted By: nlgbbbblth
Date Posted: 12 November 2022 at 7:19am
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Just playing Now Yearbook 1985. Tracks like Marillion's Kayleigh, Brian Ferry's Slave To Love & Paul Young's Every Time You Go Away
which were wrong on the Now 5 CD (album versions whereas the original Now 5 LP used single mixes) are now correct on the Yearbook release. All it takes is a little more care & attention to detail. |
Posted By: PopArchivist
Date Posted: 12 November 2022 at 4:53pm
Paul Thanks for letting me know it came out! ------------- Favorite two expressions to live by on this board: "You can't download vinyl" and "Not everything is available on CD." |