NewsNow Yearbook: The Vault 1980
Lesser compiled hits from 1980
NOW That’s What I Call Music will issue the third in their new-ish Vault series with one that focuses on the year 1980.
If you recall, these collections are about “lesser compiled tracks”. Therefore some songs included here were Top 40 hits, some missed the chart entirely, some were representative of massive-selling albums, and some were big hits across The Atlantic and not in the UK. The formats remain the same: 80 tracks on deluxe and standard 4CD formats and 45 tracks on the 3LP which is pressed on transparent clear vinyl.
I think the Vault series may well be my favourite from NOW for the very reason that you’re not being hit over the head with massive – and familiar – hits every three or four minutes.
This 1980 set opens with established American superstars with big U.S. hits, including Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Hungry Heart’, Billy Joel with ‘You May Be Right’, and ‘The Hardest Part’ by Blondie, which was a single in the U.S. but not in the U.K. The first disc also features music from The Ramones and The Revillos, singles from Echo & The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes as well as cuts from Ultravox, The Human League, and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, all of whom would be amongst the most successful of the next five years. Robert Palmer’s Looking For Clues is a welcome inclusion as is music from The Buggles, Sparks, The B-52’s and the legendary ‘The Bucket Of Water Song’ from the UK TV show ‘Tiswas’.
CD2 includes Dexys Midnight Runners, Squeeze, The Stranglers, The Ruts and The Clash, as well as reggae and ska from Junior Murvin and The Bodysnatchers, alongside the influential early hip-hop single from Kurtis Blow – ‘The Breaks’.
Dance-pop adorns the third disc with Donna Summer’s ‘Sunset People’, Amii Stewart’s cover of ‘The Letter’, Shalamar’s ‘Right In The Socket’ plus a Top 10 single and dancefloor smash in the U.S., ‘Dynamite!’ by Stacy Lattisaw. Phil Lynott’s first solo hit ‘Dear Miss Lonely Hearts’ is included before an explosive run of 1980’s rock from Judas Priest, Saxon, Girlschool, and Iron Maiden’s major label debut ‘Running Free’.
The final CD is rather US-themed and includes Paul Simon’s ‘Late In The Evening’, Linda Ronstadt’s ‘Hurt So Bad’ and ‘Jesse’ by Carly Simon. Kim Carnes, Pat Benatar and Journey features ahead of slick soul cuts from Jermaine Jackson and Aretha Franklin’s cover of ‘What A Fool Believes’, along with Daryl Hall & John Oates, Christopher Cross, Boz Scaggs and Kenny Loggins, who all had huge success in the U.S. with soft rock classics.
NOW Yearbook – Vault: 1980 will be released on 28 February 2025.
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Various Artists
NOW vault 1980 - 4CD deluxe in hardcover book
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Now vault 1980 - 3LP clear vinyl
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Various Artists
NOW Vault 1980 - 4CD standard
Tracklisting
The Vault 1980 Various Artists /
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CD 1
- Bruce Springsteen – Hungry Heart
- Billy Joel – You May Be Right
- Blondie – The Hardest Part
- Ramones – Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio?
- The Revillos – Motorbike Beat
- Echo & The Bunnymen – Rescue
- The Teardrop Explodes – When I Dream
- Bill Nelson – Do You Dream In Colour
- Karel Fialka – The Eyes Have It
- The B-52’s – Give Me Back My Man
- Robert Palmer – Looking For Clues
- Sparks – When I’m With You
- Ultravox – Passing Strangers
- Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Red Frame / White Light
- John Foxx – Burning Car
- The Human League – Only After Dark
- The Buggles – Clean, Clean
- New Musik – This World Of Water
- M – That’s The Way The Money Goes
- The Flying Lizards – TV
- Tiswas Presents The Four Bucketeers – The Bucket Of Water Song
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CD 2
- Dexys Midnight Runners – Dance Stance
- Secret Affair – My World
- Squeeze – Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)
- The Stranglers – Bear Cage
- The Ruts – Staring At The Rude Boys
- The Clash – The Call Up
- Junior Murvin – Police & Thieves
- The Bodysnatchers – Let’s Do Rocksteady
- Kurtis Blow – The Breaks
- Billy Ocean – Are You Ready
- The Manhattan Transfer – Twilight Zone / Twilight Tone
- Earth, Wind & Fire – In the Stone
- Tom Browne – Thighs High (Grip Your Hips And Move)
- Wilton Felder & Bobby Womack – Inherit The Wind
- Shakatak – Feels Like The Right Time
- Level 42 – Love Meeting Love
- Kool & The Gang – Too Hot
- Brenda Russell – In The Thick Of It
- The Manhattans – Shining Star
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CD 3
- Donna Summer – Sunset People
- Amii Stewart – The Letter
- Shalamar – Right In The Socket
- Stacy Lattisaw – Dynamite!
- Chic – Rebels Are We
- Gladys Knight & The Pips – Bourgie’, Bourgie’
- Joan Armatrading – Rosie
- Phil Lynott – Dear Miss Lonely Hearts
- UFO – Young Blood
- Judas Priest – United
- Girlschool – Race With The Devil
- Iron Maiden – Running Free
- Saxon – Wheels Of Steel
- The Chords – Maybe Tomorrow
- Hazel O’Connor – Give Me An Inch
- Skids – Circus Games
- XTC – Generals And Majors
- The Tourists – Don’t Say I Told You So
- Sad Café – Strange Little Girl
- Gerry Rafferty – The Royal Mile
- Elton John – Sartorial Eloquence
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CD 4
- Paul Simon – Late In The Evening
- Linda Ronstadt – Hurt So Bad
- Carly Simon – Jesse
- Rupert Holmes – Him
- Kim Carnes – More Love
- Pat Benatar – We Live For Love
- Journey – Any Way You Want It
- The Cars – Touch And Go
- The Motels – Whose Problem?
- The Pointer Sisters – He’s So Shy
- Jermaine Jackson – Burnin’ Hot
- Aretha Franklin – What A Fool Believes
- Daryl Hall & John Oates – Running From Paradise
- Christopher Cross – Ride Like The Wind
- Boz Scaggs – Breakdown Dead Ahead
- Kenny Loggins – I’m Alright (Theme From ‘Caddyshack’)
- Eddie Rabbitt – Drivin’ My Life Away
- Joe Walsh – All Night Long
- ZZ Top – Cheap Sunglasses
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CD 1
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By Paul Sinclair
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