NOW is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and looks back to 37 years ago – with 80 tracks on 4 CDs, to celebrate an incredible year of Pop singles… NOW – Yearbook 1987.
Kicking off with a run of huge hits that truly underline just how stellar a year for the singles chart 1987 was: George Michael opens the collection with the title track from his debut solo album ‘Faith’, and is followed by the years’ Christmas #1, Pet Shop Boys with their version of ‘Always On My Mind’, and ‘True Faith’, a defining single in the rich discography of New Order. Dance music was evolving and M/A/R/R/S with their #1 ‘Pump Up The Volume’ was one of the first sample-led club tracks to become a mainstream hit and would be instrumental in paving the way for how dance music was often constructed going forward. In their fifth year of hits Eurythmics continued to deliver stunning singles and ‘Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)’ still sounds breathtakingly original today… Established hitmakers Duran Duran, A-ha and ABC were sharing the charts in 1987 with a great line-up of new pop bands, including here, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Johnny Hates Jazz and Wet Wet Wet – all enjoying their first hits. With use in tv ads for jeans, soul classics originally released in the ‘60s became even bigger hits in 1987: Ben E. King with ‘Stand By Me’ and Percy Sledge with ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’. The year saw continued success for the Pretenders and Alison Moyet, whilst Suzanne Vega and Swing Out Sister consolidated chart success from the previous year, the superb ‘Wonderful Life’ from Black was a hit on re-release, Rosie Vela debuted with ‘Magic Smile’ – and closing the disc, T’Pau’s second hit ‘China In Your Hand’ became the UK’s 600th #1 single.
A second appearance for George Michael opens Disc 2 – this time in partnership with Aretha Franklin on their #1 ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’ ahead of Whiney Houston’s floor-filler and second #1 ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)’ and the lead track from the hugely popular film ‘Dirty Dancing’ – ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’ by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes. Next up ‘87’s biggest selling single – ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, the debut for Rick Astley, and another huge hit for writers and producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman….roles they also performed on Mel & Kim’s #1 ‘Respectable’ and ‘Toy Boy’ from Sinitta, and who were also producers on Bananarama’s ‘Love In The First Degree’, and Dead Or Alive’s ‘Something In My House’. Man 2 Man had a huge HI-NRG hit with ‘Male Stripper’, The Communards continued their run of hits with a cover of ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ and Boogie Box High took disco classic ‘Jive Talkin’ into the Top 10. 1987 saw Top 40 debuts for Living In A Box, Jellybean (& Elisa Fiorillo) and the first solo track from Shalamar singer Jody Watley. Donna Summer continued her massive run of hits with ‘Dinner With Gershwin’, and one of the most successful debuts was from Sananda Maitreya with his album ‘Introducing The Hardline…’ which included Disc 2 closer ‘Wishing Well’.
Disc 3 opens celebrating the gothic rock and huge Jim Steinman production on ‘This Corrosion’ from The Sisters Of Mercy, before a stunning run of legendary artists and timeless songs including Paul Simon, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Iggy Pop and the #1 cover of ‘La Bamba’ from Los Lobos that topped the charts in 15 countries including the UK and the US. Beastie Boys debuted with an anthem that fused rock and rap, and The Cure and Siouxsie And The Banshees continued to add new hits to their already impressive track record, whilst The Jesus And Mary Chain enjoyed their biggest chart hit to date with ‘April Skies’. Steve Winwood had a hit with the remix of ‘Valerie’, Crowded House scored their UK chart debut, Elkie Brooks was back in the Top 10 for the first time in 10 years, and taking the disc to its’ close, two fantastic covers of ‘Love Letters’ and ’Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’ from Alison Moyet and Simply Red.
The final disc presents an exceptional run of pure pop… Starting with a second appearance on this Yearbook for Pet Shop Boys, this time with Dusty Springfield on the sophisticated pop of ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This’… and also a second appearance for A-Ha with ‘Cry Wolf’ ahead of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Level 42, The Blow Monkeys, and Hue & Cry , along with ‘Crockett’s Theme’ an instrumental hit for Jan Hammer from the soundtrack of one of the year’s biggest TV shows ‘Miami Vice’. Disc 4 is also home to some fantastic cover versions re-visioned for 1987’s charts including ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ from Fine Young Cannibals, ‘Respect Yourself’ from Bruce Willis, and Boy George with his first solo single and #1 ‘Everything I Own’ plus hits from Maxi Priest and Nick Kamen. Dance-pop from Kim Wilde & Junior, Pepsi & Shirlie and Bananarama lead towards ‘Some People’ a Top 3 single for Cliff Richard, Karel Fialka’s ‘Hey Matthew’, and the #1 charity supergroup ‘Ferry Aid’ with ‘Let It Be’. The beautiful ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’, the single release from Paul McCartney’s ‘All The Best’ collection leads into a track that, in recent years makes an appearance in the charts every Christmas - 1987 was the release year for ‘Fairytale Of New York’ – and so, the Yearbook for 1987 closes on this truly timeless classic from The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl.
NOW – Yearbook 1987 – A celebration of the diversity and wonderful creativity of a truly magnificent year in Pop.
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