The Compilation: Now Vault '85

NOW That’s What I Call Music continue with their Yearbook Vault releases of "lesser compiled" tracks with a look at 1985. 4CD and 3LP coloured vinyl collections dig deep into the year’s musical landscape – with 78 tracks on the CD editions and 45 songs across three coloured (green) vinyl LPs.

The 4CD set – which comes in the usual deluxe hardcover book and card sleeve editions opens with Bruce Springsteen’s "My Hometown" – the last single from the mega-selling Born in the USA before moving on to Bryan Ferry and Sting with "Windswept" and "Love is the Seventh Wave". Both of those songs are classic Vault tracks: great tracks off classic albums (Boys and Girls and The Dream of the Blue Turtles, respectively) that peaked WAY short of where many assume they did (neither cracked the UK top 40). Go West’s "Eye to Eye" was only a single in the US, while ABC's "Be Near Me" was released both sides of the Atlantic, but fared much better Stateside. This disc continues with offerings from Fine Young Cannibals, China Crisis, Simply Red, Thompson Twins and the Art of Noise.

The second disc has an alternative flavour, at least initially, with songs from Cocteau Twins, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Dream Academy and New Model Army before widening it’s net and scoping up minor hits from the likes of Tina Turner, Matt Bianco, Chris Rea and Squeeze.

CD3 has a dance floor slant with tracks including Cameo’s brilliant "She's Strange", Sheryl Lee Ralph's "In The Evening", the Stock Aitken Waterman produced "The Heaven I Need" by The Three Degrees and Divine's cover of "Twisting The Night Away". Elton John & Millie Jackson's "Act of War"  was a minor hit a few years before Nikita revived Reg's commercial success in the UK.

CD 4 has the kind of artists oftenly find on US compilations from the 80's such as Pat Benetar, Bon Jovi, John Mellencamp, Kim Carnes, Dio, The Cars, Rick Springfield etc. 

NOW Yearbook Vault ’85 will be released on 15 May 2026.

Track List: 

CD 1

1. Bruce Springsteen – My Hometown

2. Bryan Ferry – Windswept

3. Sting – Love Is The Seventh Wave

4. Go West – Eye To Eye

5. Scritti Politti – Perfect Way

6. ABC – Be Near Me

7. Fine Young Cannibals – Blue

8. The Colourfield – Castles In The Air

9. China Crisis – You Did Cut Me

10. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – La Femme Accident

11. Midge Ure – That Certain Smile

12. Blancmange – What’s Your Problem

13. Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder – Good-Bye Bad Times

14. Heaven 17 – …(And That’s No Lie)

15. Simply Red- Come To My Aid

16. The Style Council – Come To Milton Keynes

17. The Power Station- Communication

18. Adam Ant – Vive Le Rock

19. Thompson Twins – Revolution

20. TheArt Of Noise- Legs

 

CD 2

 

1. Cocteau Twins – Aikea-Guinea

2. The Jesus And Mary Chain- Just Like Honey

3. The Dream Academy-The Love Parade

4. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Green Shirt

5. The Clash – This Is England

6. The Stranglers – Let Me Down Easy

7. The Damned – The Shadow Of Love

8. Sisters Of Mercy- No Time To Cry

9. New Model Army-No Rest

10. This Island Earth – See That Glow

11. Marillion- Heart Of Lothian

12. Bonnie Tyler with Todd Rundgren – Loving You’s A Dirty Job (But Somebody’s Gotta Do It)

13. Tina Turner – Show Some Respect

14. Princess – After The Love Has Gone

15. Loose Ends – Golden Years

16. Brilliant- It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World

17. Matt Bianco-More Than I Can Bear

18. Daryl Hall & John Oates – Method Of Modern Love

19. Chris Rea- Stainsby Girls

20. Squeeze – Last Time Forever

 

CD 3

 

1. Sheryl Lee Ralph – In The Evening

2. Barbara Pennington – On A Crowded Street

3. Miquel Brown – Close To Perfection

4. The Three Degrees – The Heaven I Need

5. Hazell Dean- They Say It’s Gonna Rain

6. Laura Branigan-Spanish Eddie

7. Divine – Twistin’ The Night Away

8. Eddie Murphy – Party All The Time

9. Patti LaBelle – New Attitude

10. Elton John & Millie Jackson – Act Of War (Part 1)

11. The Pointer Sisters – Baby Come And Get It

12. Ready For The World – Oh Sheila

13. The Limit – Say Yeah

14. Mary Jane Girls – In My House

15. Steve Arrington – Dancing In The Key Of Life

16. Cameo – She’s Strange

17. Sister Sledge- Dancing On The Jagged Edge

18. Five Star – R.S.V.P.

19. Eighth Wonder – Stay With Me

20. Marilyn – Baby U Left Me (In The Cold)

 

CD 4

 

1. Billy Joel – You’re Only Human (Second Wind)

2. David Lee Roth- California Girls

3. John Mellencamp – Small Town

4.Bon Jovi – In And Out Of Love

5. Dio – Rock ‘N’ Roll Children

6. Pat Benatar – Invincible

7. Kim Carnes – Crazy In The Night (Barking At Airplanes)

8. Oingo Boingo – Weird Science (From “Weird Science” Soundtrack)

9. Animotion – Let Him Go

10. The Cars – Tonight She Comes

11. ‘Til Tuesday – Voices Carry

12. Foreigner- That Was Yesterday

13. Journey – Only The Young

14. Rick Springfield – State Of The Heart

15. Michael McDonald- No Lookin’ Back

16. Philip Bailey – Walking On The Chinese Wall

17. Chaka Khan- Through The Fire

18. Whitney Houston – You Give Good Love