EMI were a label on all volumes. Until Now 75, the logo they used was simply the "EMI" logo. From that volume onwards, "EMI TV"'s logo was used instead. The first installment of the product line into Canada was released in 1988. The second installment of the product line was released in 1995. Beginning with the second installment of the series, repertoire was licensed from Universal, Warner and EMI. Songs from Sony and BMG was not included on any editions of the series in Canada. Since the second installment of the series, Universal, Warner and EMI have formed a joint venture together and generally take turns to release the series. From the years of 1996 to 2009 the series released an annual compilation usually in the late summer months. However, beginning with Now 15, there have been two editions each year which usually take place in early winter and late summer.

Universal Music were a label from Now That's What I Call Music! 43 onwards as a result of acquiring the Polygram label. Now has also been seen in Spain under the name of Now Esto sí es música ("Now This Is Music"). The original series included six releases from 1984 to 1989. The compilation album is released as a double CD album. Later the series started over with Now Esto Es Música 1, [31] which included songs from artists like Juanes, Enrique Iglesias, George Michael, Sheryl Crow, Tiziano Ferro, Alex Ubago, Las Ketchup and U2. Now Esto Es Música 2003 has also been released. [33] But due to the lukewarm success, no more albums were released since 2004. As of November 2023, the most featured artists are Kylie Minogue with 32 followed by Robbie Williams with 31 singles, Calvin Harris with 30, David Guetta with 28, Rihanna with 27, Katy Perry with 22 and Girls Aloud with 21. This does not include any uncredited appearances in groups or on charity records. [13] Formats [ edit ] Now Dance– a series in its own right, these compilations originally consisted of 12" mixes of current hits. They now focus on radio mixes of recent dance hits, and a Very Best of Now Dance compilation has been released. The first album released in Portugal was NOW 99 and released by EMI on 2 December 1999. From the Now 2 through Now 21, the compilation was always done on a rotation system among the three music companies. In addition to these volumes, the series includes six dance editions, a DVD and the tenth anniversary commemorative edition, NOW 10 ANOS, released by EMI in December 2009. On 26 April 2010, Now Mix 2010 was released, which includes dance versions of popular songs in a non-stop mix format. [1].The most successful volume to date is 1999's Now That's What I Call Music! 44, which sold 2.3 million copies and remains the biggest-selling various artists compilation album in the UK. [11] 2008's Now That's What I Call Music! 70 sold 383,002 units in the first week of sales, the biggest ever first week sale of any Now album. [12] Most featured artists [ edit ] In the Beginning, There was Ronco… | East of the M60". Mancunian1001.wordpress.com. 24 September 2010 . Retrieved 11 September 2013. Wappler, Margaret (13 November 2011). "Music doesn't get more current than 'Now' ". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 28 May 2012. Dee, Johnny (8 August 2008). "Compilation series NOW That's What I Call Music! is 25 years olf". The Guardian . Retrieved 2 July 2018. By 1989, Now, Hits, and other various-artist compilation albums were occupying such a large fraction of the UK Albums Chart that a separate UK Compilation Chart was created to restrict the Albums Chart to releases by a single act. [7]

The idea for the series was conceived in the office of Virgin Records in Vernon Yard, near Portobello Road in Notting Hill, London, by the head of Licensing and Business Affairs at Virgin Records (1979–1990) Stephen Navin, and General Manager (1983–1988) Jon Webster. [2] The concept was taken to Simon Draper (managing director at Virgin Records) and then Peter Jamieson (managing director of EMI Records (1983–1986)). Jamieson had similar plans to launch such a compilation, and he agreed to the partnership. The deal was negotiated and finalised on Richard Branson's boat moored in Little Venice. [3] Fletcher, Alex (16 October 2013). " 'NOW That's What I Call Music' TV channel launches this month". Digital Spy . Retrieved 23 October 2013. The first Finnish Now That's What I Call Music was released in 2003 where it replace the Absolute Hits series. The albums are released as double discs. There have also been spin-offs including Now That's What I Call Music Pop Hits and Now That's What I Call Dance Music.The series of Now! albums was brought to the United States in 1998 by Bob Mercer. [35] The most recent album in the series, Now That's What I Call Music! 87, was released on August 4, 2023. Collectively, the Now! compilations have sold extremely well in the U.S. Each of the first 29 volumes received at least a platinum certification, and 18 albums from the series have reached number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart, more than any individual recording artist except the Beatles. [36] However, recent releases have not sold as well, with Now That's What I Call Music! 77 selling only an estimated 7,500 copies in its first week, compared to the 621,000 copies Now! 7 sold in its debut week in July 2001. [37] The Norwegian series of Now That's What I Call Music! is a joint venture by the Norwegian branches of Universal Music, Sony Music, EMI Music and Warner Music. Prior to 2009 they released two independent series called Absolute Music by EVA Records (EMI and Warner Music) and McMusic (Sony Music Entertainment AS and Universal Music Group AS). Although the albums started out on only vinyl records and cassette tapes, the formats on which the albums have been released have changed over the years:

At least five "best-of" compilations including selected songs from the entire Now! series. Now Decades, Now Years, Now 25 Years, Now 30 Years, and Now That’s What I Call Now! (100 Hits From 100 Nows) are these five albums, but there have been other albums, like Now No. 1's, which also cover the entire Now! series. The Australian series is a single disc edition and began in 2002, as a replacement for the long-running 100% Hits brand. The series is a joint venture between EMI Music Australia and Warner Music Australia. Sisario, Ben (10 May 2010). "Bob Mercer, Executive Who Signed the Sex Pistols, Dies at 65". New York Times.

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The Now series in Portugal is a joint-venture between the three major international publishers present in Portugal – EMI, Sony and Universal. In 2010, it was announced that total sales of the series, not counting the extra editions, topped one million copies in Portugal. [32] Through Volume 21 of the series, the multi-volume sets have included 414 national and international artists and a total of 787 different songs, ranking in an impressive four gold and 19 platinum records. Volume one was released in 1984 (a year after the original UK series launched). Now 50, released in November 2008, was issued as a double CD in commemoration of 25 years of Now! albums in South Africa, and double compact discs are every 3 albums through Now 80 released in November 2018 as the series switched to 2 in 2019, then one in 2020, the most recent Now Album to include a double disc was Now 83 this was also the last physical album to be released as further volumes are only available on streaming platforms. As of 2 September 2005, there has also been a Now DVD series. This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)