PopRambler

01/12/2023

Thank you to everyone at Good Morning Britain for having me on to celebrate NOW That's What I Call Music at 40. Great pop memories!

26/11/2023

Two days to go. 🎂🎉
NOW That's What I Call Music

25/11/2023

Three days to go!
NOW That's What I Call Music

17/11/2023

40 years and 116 volumes later, still going strong! 🫶🏻
And how great is it to have NOW16 back too! 🎉

Friday rewind - revisit Siân Pattenden episode for this classic comp featuring a swingorilliant serving of pop stories from the 1989 Smash Hits office!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/26fizH4BKcpw4FUmhKWoPe?si=i2Fk7kGIRUar3dS3YbjkVQ

10/11/2023

It’s nearly time! 🍾
The 40th anniversary of NOW That's What I Call Music is only a matter of weeks away. To celebrate, catch up with all episodes of the Back to Now podcast including the iconic 1983 first album with writer and journalist Alexis Petridis.
And a new special episode coming soon! 👀

https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KWSYesScrXvZSXqB9qJ?si=6jfC7NOCTqedt0jui_VENA

28/10/2023

The latest Back to Now ‘73 episode has thrown me back into 70s soul thanks to Mark Wood & Pete Paphides fab insights. This gem from the NOW That's What I Call Music team earlier in the year is just perfect for a soulful Saturday. (Plus coffee ☕️)

Timmy Thomas, Why Can’t We Live Together. 🫶🏻

25/10/2023

Back to Now! New episode! 🎧

Join Mark Wood and Pete Paphides as we revisit the NOW Yearbook ‘73!
Whether you were there first time around or rediscovering the glam & excitement again, this is a very special episode that you’ll not want to miss! ⭐️

https://spotify.link/Njug8IAabEb

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370?i=1000632543865

23/10/2023

Back to Now podcast update! 🎧

This year it has been an absolute joy to revisit everything 1973 with the wonderful Mark Wood through his daily deep dives into the pop and cultural delights from 50 years ago.
So it gives me HUGE pleasure to announce that the new episode of the podcast features both Mark and Pete Paphides heading back with me to explore the NOW Yearbook (and extra!) 1973.

Glam! Soul! Pop! Rock and Roll Revivial! Pinball! And much more.

Barring any power cuts or another three day week, arriving next week!

Sign up to our mailing list: https://nowmusic-crm.com/nm-forms/10002-100566.htmlMore from NOW MusicWebsite: http://www.nowmusic.com/Facebook: https://www.fac...

24/09/2023

1973, as seen through the eyes of the Reader’s Digest in 1981.

Always fascinating to see how pop is/was documented and curated at specific points in time. Which tracks still resonate - and of course which ones now don’t.
Anyway, in honour of Mark Wood and those of us revisiting 1973 along with you - enjoy!

22/09/2023

Continuing the countdown to the 40th anniversary of the first NOW That's What I Call Music album.
This week in 1983, new at No69, on its way to No2. Tracey Ullman’s exquisite version of Kirsty MacColl’s They Don’t Know.

And Tracey would be the voice of the first NOW TV advert too.

Now 1
Side 4
Track 1
❤️

22/09/2023

It’s the weekend, nearly! 🫣

Catch the new episode of Back to Now with compiler, curator and all round pop nerd Lee Thompson - a smorgasbord of 2001 hits & memories as served up by NOW50. Plus pop gossip from Lee’s time at The Box & no call costs either! Link+playlist👇🏻

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370?i=1000628225180

https://spotify.link/G6zKN2DBi

18/09/2023

Back to Now! New episode! 🎧

Join music curator, compiler and author Lee Thompson as we revisit the hits and memories from NOW50, Autumn 2001. Available at Apple Podcasts and all other podcast places now!

‎Show Back to NOW!, Ep NOW 50 - Autumn ‘01: Lee Thompson - 18 Sept 2023

14/09/2023

12/09/2023

Back to Now is back very soon with music, TV and radio pop compiler & writer Lee Thompson. In this exclusive sneak clip we discuss a BIG opening track, but can you identify it? 🎧🤫

Catch up on previous episodes at Apple Podcasts or your podcast place now!

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370

03/09/2023

I can’t remember where one song from a Back to NOW episode has shared so much love as this.
Featuring a guest appearance from Kamelion the forgotten Dr Who robot on the phone (thanks Tim Worthington for that spot) - is flight commander PR Johnson there? 😶‍🌫️

The RAH Band performing 'Clouds Across The Moon' on the British TV show 'Top Of The Pops' in April 1985.Footage licensed from BBC Studios Distribution. All r...

31/08/2023

Now Dance: The 12” Mixes really does look fabulous on cassette. A design classic!
I couldn’t decide which picture to share, so here are 3. ❤️
Don’t forget, the latest episode of Back to Now with Tim Worthington revisits this glorious compilation from 1985!

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370

28/08/2023

Back to Now! New episode!

Join writer & broadcaster Tim Worthington as we revisit Now Dance - The 12” Mixes from 1985.
The podcast that may just keep you moving all night long!
Available (with a free can of Quatro) at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your podcast provider now!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6VpiUAPogjPqSdyp9ecqWL?si=NsCI6E_ZTE28xf7YMbRgRA&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A4r0KWSYesScrXvZSXqB9qJ

27/08/2023

New look! New season!
New episode tomorrow!

25/08/2023

The latest episode of Back to Now is arriving very soon!
🔴🔵🟢

22/08/2023

I never take reviews for granted and grateful for the time folks take to swing by and share their thoughts.
And ‘pretty much’ sums up the podcast if you’ve not listened in yet.
Anyway, thank you Marvindogers, wherever in the pop universe you are. ⭐️

17/08/2023

After an Awesome summer, it’s Back to Now!
New season!
New look!
New episode coming soon!

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370

13/08/2023

For the final time, anyone who watches live tv, you have an opportunity to see me on answering some, quite frankly tough questions about 1969 amongst others in a quite sensible shirt.
More4 at 8pm or on demand, as they say.

08/08/2023

A wonderful snapshot in time.
1996, the last British Hit Albums book from the Guinness team which, notably, featured a separate compilations section.
And CD comp sales at the end of 1995 were as healthy as ever!

05/08/2023

A wet afternoon. ☔️
Tidied up some old HITS CDs from fatbox to slim.

Controversial?
Super sleek?
No foam inserts?

What do you think then, compilation loving people?

04/08/2023

Friday reminder:
If in doubt, the answer is always NOW11, Side 4.

30/07/2023

Happy 39th birthday NOW3!

My first NOW - July ‘84. What a poptastic snapshot of an amazing year in music.
I know this tracklist better than some family members.

The Back to Now episode with Mark Savage was a memory filled blast. (Thanks again Mark!)

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370?i=1000601494719

29/07/2023

Heading towards the 40th anniversary of the iconic first NOW album in November, we continue to celebrate the tracks as they appeared throughout the year.
This week in 1983, week 2 of 3 at No1 for Paul Young’s solo debut, his cover of Marvin Gaye.

NOW 1
Side 2
Track 8

29/07/2023

Back out this weekend, NOW15, summer ‘89 then and now.

✅ Back to Life
✅ Manchild
✅ Trevor Horn’s 7” mix of It’s Alright
✅ Macca’s My Brave Face still being great
✅ Say No Go
✅ Lullaby
✅ The 2nd best NOW cover ever

Plenty to celebrate all over again. ❤️

28/07/2023

It’s the weekend! Nearly!⏰

Catch up with the new episode of Back to Now, with the quite frankly fabulous Johnny Kalifornia and Ian Wade - a summer special pullout edition heading back to 1991 and TWO volumes of Awesome! And a free poster! And a complete playlist below! Phew! 💦

At all podcast places now. 🎧
(Poster offer ends 31 July 1991).

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370

https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KWSYesScrXvZSXqB9qJ?

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6LYW3eMv77P2KuSy5GuW64?si=KNcsRLCQRyGIewm-hz1fFg

26/07/2023

In the latest episode of Back to Now with Ian Wade and Johnny Kalifornia, we chat about how wonderful it was that the earlier volumes of British Hit Albums included a section for compilations. Here’s a few pics, enjoy!

Commissioned photos of K-tel or Ronco data available on request 😂

25/07/2023

Back to Now - New Episode! ☀️ 🎧 ⛱️

Revisit Summer 1991 through the ‘NOW adjacent’ albums Awesome! volumes 1 & 2 with guests Johnny Kalifornia and Ian Wade!

At all podcast places now!

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370?i=1000622241299

https://open.spotify.com/episode/79buI2Lx6HUHaM4ejCdzip?si=JRkQYg9cQhWap3xXWwH8eg

23/07/2023

New episode.
Coming this week!

21/07/2023

Thanks everyone for continuing to support the podcast. It’s great to know you are there, and always very grateful for reviews and feedback.

New episode next week! ⛱️

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370

https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KWSYesScrXvZSXqB9qJ?si=yqz_OOsZRJmF2zGnUcoUqg

19/07/2023

Back to Now.
Something awesome for the summer arriving next week.

17/07/2023

I’m continuing to tiptoe my way into Substack and have posted a new article which - if you had a moment - you could perhaps look into. Yes, it’s all about pop music being very important and yes, it may mention compilation albums. Every story starts somewhere as they say. Cheers.

Celebrating the variously compiled world of pop and other musical adventures.

14/07/2023

OUT TODAY!
Another wonderful album from the team at NOW takes us back to 1980, following the success of previous 12” 80s excursions. Some rare and unheard mixes on here too. I can’t wait for the rest of this decade series to unfold! 🎧

14/07/2023

No1 on this day in 1989. The 3rd in the series of 80s NOW Dance albums. What memories do you have of this fabulous collection of 12”s?

12/07/2023

Back to Now HQ is taking a break for a week or so, however something special for the summer is on the way soon.

Any ideas? 😎

In the meantime, catch-up on all episodes at all the usual podcast places. 🎧
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/back-to-now/id1524975370