"Now That's What I Call. . ." the end of music

The most recent Now 61 (SA)

The first ever Now! in South Africa

Confess, somewhere in your CD collection (or if you are our age - vinyl’s and cassettes), you must have a Now That's What I Call Music CD/vinyl/cassette. If not, what's wrong with you?! It's been a music lover's delicacy to get all your greatest radio songs all on one release, but now it seems, the release might come to an end! Digital Spy reports that The Now That's What I Call Music! series may be forced to come to an end later this year due to the takeover of EMI by Universal."Everyone has at least one Now album in their record and CD collection – they're a total guilty pleasure and an essential part of growing up," Top of the Pops magazine editor Peter Hart told The Independent. "But at the same time, these song collections are nearly as an important part of British pop heritage as Top of the Pops itself, and it would be devastating to see them disappear for good." Now! was launched in 1983, and was the first compilation series that worked with the major record labels of the day to include several number ones and big hits on one record. The first Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 1 was released in South Africa in 1984 and featured Queen - "I Want To Break Free", Talk Talk - "Such A Shame" and Duran Duran - "The Reflex". The latest South African edition is Now 61.