NOW Yearbook Extra 1988

60 more essential gems from the incredible year in Pop that was 1988.

George Michael kicks off CD 1 with his legendary ‘Faith’ favourite ‘One More Try’, followed by chart icons Pet Shop Boys, New Order, and a-ha. We then briefly head across the Atlantic with The Bangles’ ‘In Your Room’ and Belinda Carlisle’s ‘I Get Weak’ before back to the UK for T’Pau and Bros’ top 5 follow-up to ‘When Will I Be Famous?’, ‘Drop The Boy’. Up next are Stock Aitken Waterman classics ‘He Ain't No Competition’ from Brother Beyond and Kylie Minogue’s ‘Got To Be Certain’. The ’88 remixed version of Petula Clark’s ‘Downtown’ follows, together with one of Sade’s signature tracks, ‘Paradise’ and Chris Rea’s re-recorded version of ‘On The Beach’. CD 1 closes with Tanita Tikaram’s international hit ‘Twist In My Sobriety’ and the beautiful ‘Orpheus’ from former Japan frontman David Sylvian.

CD 2 brings Indie Pop from The Primitives, and debut Top 40 hits from Transvision Vamp and Deacon Blue. Echo and the Bunnymen feature here with their cover of The Doors’ ‘People Are Strange’ from the film ‘The Lost Boys’, followed by Aztec Camera with ‘How Men Are’ and Climie Fisher who enjoyed international success with ‘Rise To The Occasion’. Krush, S'Express, Coldcut feat. Yazz & The Plastic Population, and The Beatmasters feat. The Cookie Crew all feature with huge floor-fillers, ahead of the ultimate feel-good tracks from Bobby McFerrin (‘Don't Worry Be Happy’), and Billy Ocean (‘Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car’). The debut single from The Pasadenas, ‘Tribute (Right On)’, leads some soulful vocals to close Disc 2 from Mica Paris and Londonbeat.

On CD 3, we start with ‘Love Will Save The Day’ from Whitney’s multiplatinum second album and the huge house anthem ‘Big Fun’ from Inner City. Up next are more Stock Aitken and Waterman hits from Mel & Kim ‘That’s The Way It Is’, and Bananarama’s stellar cover of the Supreme’s ‘Nathan Jones’. Dance chart smashes - including Yazz’s ‘Stand Up For Your Love Rights’, Five Star’s ‘Another Weekend’, and Jermaine Stewart’s ‘Say It Again’ – are all featured. Fairground Attraction follow with ‘Find My Love’ from their multi-platinum debut album, and Kylie makes her second appearance with ‘Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi’. Tiffany followed up her #1 success ‘I Think We're Alone Now’ with ‘Could've Been’, and Patrick Swayze & Wendy Fraser had a smash hit from the soundtrack to the mega-successful film ‘Dirty Dancing’ with ‘She's Like The Wind’. The album comes to a close with The Hollies’ beautiful version of ‘He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother’ (which hit #1 nearly 20 years after its original release), Bros’ ‘Cat Among The Pigeons‘, and a classic single from Münchener Freiheit, ‘Keeping The Dream Alive’.