Honestly, it’s kinda wild to think about now, but back in 1983, the music industry was basically a disorganized mess of 7-inch singles and expensive LPs. Then came a pig. Specifically, a cartoon pig on a poster in a shop window that sparked the idea for Now That's What I Call Music!. If you’re looking for the now 1 songs list, you’re actually looking at a massive cultural pivot point that started in the UK and didn’t even hit the United States until fifteen years later.
The original British release in November 1983 was a double-vinyl beast. It had 30 tracks. The 1998 US debut? A single CD with 17 tracks. They aren't even remotely the same album, yet they both carry the "Volume 1" crown.
The 1983 UK Original: 30 Tracks of Pure 80s Gold
In the UK, the now 1 songs list was a joint venture between EMI and Virgin. They wanted to stop the "bootleg" compilation market that was eating their lunch. What they created was a time capsule.
Phil Collins kicked the whole thing off with "You Can't Hurry Love." It’s a upbeat cover, but it set the tone for a tracklist that refused to stick to one genre. You had the synth-pop of Duran Duran’s "Is There Something I Should Know?" sitting right next to the reggae-lite of UB40’s "Red Red Wine."
One thing people always forget is that Culture Club actually had two songs on this first volume. "Karma Chameleon" was the obvious choice—it was the biggest seller of the year—but they also tucked "Victims" onto side four. It was a gutsy move for a compilation. Usually, these albums were "all killer, no filler," but including a moody ballad like "Victims" showed they were trying to curate an actual listening experience, not just a jukebox.
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The UK tracklist also included:
- Bonnie Tyler’s "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (the ultimate karaoke song, basically).
- Men Without Hats and "The Safety Dance."
- Kajagoogoo’s "Too Shy" (and their second hit "Big Apple," because apparently, 1983 couldn't get enough of them).
- The Rock Steady Crew’s "Hey You," which brought early hip-hop flavors to a mainstream audience.
- Simple Minds and "Waterfront," showing the arena-rock side of the decade.
Why the 1998 US Launch Was So Different
Fast forward to October 1998. The US music market was a different animal. Compact discs were king, and the "Now" brand finally jumped across the pond. The US now 1 songs list was leaner. It had 17 tracks and felt much more like a Top 40 radio station than a broad musical survey.
Janet Jackson’s "Together Again" was the opener. It felt modern, sleek, and slightly emotional. Then you had the Backstreet Boys with "As Long as You Love Me." This was the height of the boy band era, and the curators knew exactly what they were doing.
But it wasn't just bubblegum pop. They threw in Radiohead’s "Karma Police." Imagine that for a second—placing "Barbie Girl" by Aqua on the same disc as a depressed Thom Yorke singing about a man who talks in maths. It shouldn't work. It really shouldn't. But somehow, that "scattergun eclecticism," as critics called it, became the brand’s greatest strength.
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The US list also featured:
- Fastball’s "The Way" (that song was everywhere that summer).
- Spice Girls with "Say You'll Be There."
- Harvey Danger’s "Flagpole Sitta" for the alt-rock crowd.
- Lenny Kravitz and "Fly Away."
- K-Ci & JoJo’s "All My Life," which was the slow-dance song of the year.
The Controversy of the Missing Hits
One thing that drives collectors crazy is what wasn't on the now 1 songs list. In 1983, despite the "Now" name, they couldn't get every label on board. You won't find Michael Jackson’s Thriller tracks on there because Sony (CBS at the time) wasn't part of the initial deal.
Same thing happened in '98. The US version was a partnership between Universal, EMI, and PolyGram, but it still had to fight for licensing. This is why these lists often feel like a "who's who" of certain labels rather than the literal entire world of music.
Digital Survival in a Streaming World
You’d think Spotify would have killed the "Now" series by now. I mean, why buy a curated list when you can make your own? But the brand is still alive. As of 2026, they’re still churning them out, though the sales numbers are a fraction of the 600,000+ copies Now 7 sold in its first week back in 2001.
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There’s a weird comfort in the "Now" curation. It takes the decision-making out of your hands. It says, "Here is what mattered this month." Whether it’s the 1983 vinyl or the 1998 CD, these albums serve as a historical record that a random algorithm-generated playlist just can’t replicate.
Putting the Lists to Use
If you're looking to dive back into this nostalgia, don't just search for a random playlist. Check the official discographies on sites like Discogs to make sure you're getting the original sequence. The flow of the songs matters—there was a reason "Karma Chameleon" followed "Total Eclipse of the Heart."
For the true nerds, try tracking down the "Now Yearbook" series. They’ve recently started re-releasing the 1983-era tracks in deluxe formats that include the songs they couldn't license back then. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to a "perfect" version of that first tracklist.
If you want to recreate the vibe of the original 1983 UK release, start your playlist with Phil Collins and end it with Culture Club's "Victims." For the 1998 US nostalgia trip, start with Janet and finish with Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy." It’s the quickest way to travel through time without a DeLorean.