Now That’s What I Call Music 9
Full compilation on 2CD for the first time

The Now team continue to reissue the original compilations and have announced that Now That’s What I Call Music 9 is to be released, in full, on CD for the first time later this month.
Originally issued in March 1987, the 30-track various artists collection knocked U2‘s mighty The Joshua Tree from the top spot of the UK albums chart and spent five weeks at number one.
Now 9 was actually released as a 15-track, abbreviated, single CD back in the day, but this is the first time it has been available in its entirety across two CDs, and there are no tracks missing!
The selection is very ‘1987’ and it includes some brilliant pop songs like Simply Red‘s ‘The Right Thing’, Curiosity Killed The Cat‘s ‘Down to Earth’, Erasure‘s ‘Sometimes’, Robbie Nevil‘s ‘C’est La Vie’, Mental As Anything‘s ‘Live It Up’, The Blow Monkeys‘ ‘It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way’, a-ha‘s ‘Manhattan Skyline’, the Pretenders‘ ‘Hymn to Her’ and Berlin‘s ‘Take My Breath Away’, to name but a few.
But the compilation also signposts the shifting musical landscape. Ben E King‘s ‘Stand By Me’ and and Jackie Wilson‘s ‘Reet Petite’ reminds us of the British public’s penchant for putting old songs at the top of the charts (Boris Gardener‘s ‘I Want To Wake Up With You’ was on Now 8) and the power of TV/advertising. Meanwhile, Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley’s ‘Jack Your Body’ paved the way for House/Acid House scene. Perhaps surprisingly, given this is 1987, there are no Stock Aitken Waterman-produced songs on this collection.
Now That’s What I Call Music 9 is released as a two-CD set on 23 July 2021.
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Various Artists
Now 9 - 2CD set
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Tracklisting

Now That’s What I Call Music 9 Various Artists / 2CD reissue
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CD 1
- Jackie Wilson – Reet Petite
- Mental As Anything – Live It Up
- Simply Red - The Right Thing
- Erasure – Sometimes
- Robbie Nevil – C’est La Vie
- Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing
- The Blow Monkeys – It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way
- The Housemartins – Caravan Of Love
- Boy George – Everything I Own
- UB40 – Rat In Mi Kitchen
- The Gap Band – Big Fun
- Five Star – Stay Out Of My Life
- Pepsi & Shirlie – Heartache
- Bananarama – A Trick Of The Night
- Berlin – Take My Breath Away (Love Theme From “Top Gun”)
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CD 2
- Freddie Mercury – The Great Pretender
- Ben E. King – Stand By Me
- Curiosity Killed The Cat – Down To Earth
- The Communards – So Cold The Night
- Steve “Silk” Hurley – Jack Your Body
- Taffy – I Love My Radio
- Nick Kamen – Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
- a-ha – Manhattan Skyline
- Westworld – Sonic Boom Boy
- Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer
- Genesis – Land Of Confusion
- Europe – The Final Countdown
- Gary Moore – Over The Hills And Far Away
- The Ward Brothers – Cross That Bridge
- Pretenders – Hymn To Her
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CD 1
Although not the version that was on the original album, not a bad version of Taffy’s Midnight Radio. It was a stand out at the time that it was Midnight Radio as opposed to Deejay’s radio on the original Now 9. I don’t think the single versions are that easy to find on CD so no surprise that we ended up with the version we did which I see the one that was chosen is available on Spotify.
Enjoyed hearing Ward Brothers Cross That Bridge after so many years. It’s the lesser known songs that are the most interesting on these reissues.
I’ve yet to determine if there are any other wrong versions. I suppose we’ve caught up with the reissues now. Can’t see it continuing into the old fat case Now 10
It’s a shame that on the CD release they took the MIDNIGHT RADIO Version. I remember that Sky and Musicbox always played the video with that Deejay-Version. The DJ-Version is available here. I got this item last year :-) https://www.discogs.com/de/Various-The-Greatest-Hits-Of-1987/release/724454
Just two incorrect versions this time round.
Taffy – I Love My Radio (The version here is 4:07 and matches the one used on Now More Forgotten ’80s. It is listed as Radio Version on Spotify and looks like it dates from 1985. It’s worth noting that the original Now 9 LP did not contain the spring 1987 hit version – you know the one that goes “my DeeJay’s radio” – but instead gave us I Love My Radio (Midnight Radio) (US Remix) which was also released in 1985 and runs for 3:22)
Gary Moore – Over The Hills And Far Away (The original Now 9 LP contained the 7″ mix which was timed at 4:38. Here we get an slightly shorter version – 4:24 in length – that also featured on the CD single of Wild Frontier & subsequent Various compilations)
If you wish to partially re-create the original Now 9 experience, you can get I Love My Radio (Midnight Radio) (US Remix) on the West German CD Super Power Hit Sensation
How long will they go on for? I am desperately hoping for 10 so I will have replaced all my vinyl. Would be quite happy to carry on till 20 if possible. After that not so fussed as have the majority of the originals.
Anyone know of what the plans are?
Just received Now 7. Damn, that’s a great compilation!
I hope they include the correct version of ‘I love my radio’. Most compilations use the version that goes “I love my radio, my DJs radio” whereas Now9 used what I think was the original: “I love my radio, my midnight radio” – I haven’t been able to track that version down on CD…
Not sure why my two earlier comments are not showing (one of which answers this question) but the version on Now 9 is the 1985 mix and can be found on Super Power Hit-Sensation https://www.discogs.com/Various-Super-Power-Hit-Sensation/release/2253221
Yeah, apparently that change was requested by the BBC because Radio 1 would have closed down before midnight.
Pepsi & Shirlie’s Heartache was produced by SAW although they were not credited.
Heartache was produced by Phil Fearon and Tambi Fernando. Pete Hammond and Phil Harding / Ian Curnow of PWL did the remixing for the single issue.
Although I’m 100% U.S., I’ve always preferred British pop. But I guess not British charts because this is a very different 1987 than I remember. No Madonna (not surprised), no Depeche Mode, no Pet Shop Boys, no Rick Astley, no Kylie. Just as well because it seems Amazon UK is blocking me from ordering anything new lately.
I think Amazon lets you order them closer to release date. I am having the same issues ordering from outside the UK.
Kylie’s first appearance was on Now 11, I remember buying it in 1988. She wasn’t really know in 87.
You might try rarewaves.com or importcds.com. I’ve successfully ordered Now 6, 7 and 8 from them in recent weeks.
There are a few SAW/PWL related songs on here…their presence was subtle at this point Pepsi & Shirlie and Five Star both had PWL mixes for their singles and Bananarama got a SAW remix for Trick Of The Night, although i assume the Now version is the album mix
I’m a bit unsure of the reference to Boris Gardiner as his recording was a contemporary cover version of an older song, no different in that sense to Boy George’s contribution here. Jackie Wilson and Ben E King were old recordings of original songs.
Okay, so I must eat humble pie as I swore that Now 8 was the last of the series that I’d buy as they petered off after that. Well, I was wrong and stand corrected. Now 9 is definitely the last one I’ll be buying.
I’m with you. Just checked out the track list for Now 10. After 9, I’m hopping off the bus.
Now 10 is worth owning though purely for the bizarre ‘Hey Matthew’ by Karel Fialka!
Dammit. 10 is the last one! I swear!
I’m sure you’ll be getting 11-20 as well. ;)
I loved that track. Can’t wait to have it on CD.
Didn’t this also keep PSB off number one with their debut album?
When were comp albums “barred” from the official album chart and given their own league table ?
January 1989.
Now I’ll have all “Nows” on CD once I get “Now 9” in my hands.
Roll on July 23rd!
Can I just say that from 1986 – 87 onwards pop as we knew it (New Wave) started going down the dumper.
But oh how magnificent “Trick of the Night” was… WHAT a song. And what FANTASTIC producers Jolley & Swain were, I hate Bananarama for having moved to the SAW stables.
And even though I felt embarrassed to say it at the time, Nick Kamen’ s version of Loving You… is very sweet and nice. I liked it a lot. Poor boy I am sorry for him.
Jolly and swain did a brilliant job of the true album,one of my all time favourite,so glad Trevor horn didn’t get the job.(he wanted to get rid of John keeble and Gary hunted him!pity jolly let himself down later in life!
It wasn’t long after this era that I lost all interest in the top 40 – and that was due in large part to Stock Aitken Waterman making everything sound exactly the same. Hated them so much. And I haven’t warmed to them one bit in the years since.
I agree. Looking back with historical perspective music changed around early 87. I’ve been watching the reruns of old Top of the Pops and watching the early 80s to mid 80s shows were often a treat. It starts to become a chore from 87 onwards. Watching the 1991 reruns I find I just fast forward through most shows.
Taffy – I love my radio!! Love this. Need to listen to it now. Does anyone know what happened to her? Almost no info online. Also according to some sources she’s English and according to others she’s American.
Oh yes rest of complilation is ok.
Especially this run is delicious:
But i don’t particularly like the inclusion of songs that belong in another decade but just happened to be re-issued and a hit again. Probably makes sense when the album came out, but not many years later.
Used to have this on vinyl 7”.
I thought she was English and I’m sure had a surname (if memory serves) of Quaye. Wonder if related to Finley Quaye.
I agree she is British. Worked in Italy as a model and then a singer.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taffy_(singer)
Manhattan Skyline – what a track.
Roll on Now 10, which is one of favs.