Now That’s What I Call Music!
Now Yearbook – The Vault: 1980

1980 was a huge year in pop music, and we have already included a fabulous selection of tracks on the vinyl versions of the 1980 Yearbook, the 80-84 Final Chapter, and the Vinyl Extra 5-LP box-set as part of our appreciation of the year. Those tracks were generally the bigger hits of the year, with their chart achievement a factor in their inclusion. However, that’s not the whole singles story of the year, and our celebration of 1980 wouldn’t be complete without shining a light on some of the years’ singles that have been compiled much less frequently over the years… 

Welcome to THE VAULT for 1980… Some of the tracks included were Top 40 hits, some missed the chart completely. Some were representative of massive selling albums, and some were big hits in the U.S. and not in the U.K…. but all are part of the wonderful pop story of 1980. 

45 tracks across 3-LPs – NOW Yearbook – THE VAULT: 1980 – pressed in beautiful clear transparent vinyl. 

LP1 kicks off with established superstars with big U.S, hits: Bruce Springsteen (with ‘Hungry Heart’), Billy Joel (with ‘You May Be Right’) and Blondie with ‘The Hardest Part’ – a single in the U.S. but not in the U.K. New-wave with a retro feel from The Ramones, The Revillos and The B-52’s lead into singles before the hits came for Echo & The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes… flip the LP over for disco-pop from Donna Summer with ‘Sunset People’ and Shalamar with ‘Right In The Socket’ ahead of the fusion of soul & jazz from The Manhattan Transfer, and the superb collaboration between Wilton Felder and Bobby Womack on ‘Inherit The Wind’. Jazz influenced pop from Level 42 leads to chilled soul from Brenda Russell with her timeless track ‘In The Thick Of It’ and finishing with the unmistakable vocals of Joan Armatrading…

Synth-driven pop would become the dominant genre in the charts over the next year, and LP2 celebrates some of the formative singles of the genre from Sparks and John Foxx alongside Ultravox, The Human League and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark who would be among the most successful groups of the next five years. More synth-pop from The Buggles and New Musik follows whilst the disc draws to its close with The Tourists with ‘Don’t Say I Told You So’…

The second side opens with ‘Dance Stance’ from Dexys Midnight Runners – the single that came a few months before ‘Geno’ took them to #1. Great guitar pop from Squeeze and XTC leads into The Clash, ahead of reggae and ska from Junior Murvin and The Bodysnatchers, and hugely influential early hip-hop from Kurtis Blow with ‘The Breaks’…

A vintage ballad ‘Sartorial Eloquence’ from Elton John beautifully begins the final LP followed by more huge musical icons; Paul Simon (‘Late In The Evening’), Linda Ronstadt (‘Hurt So Bad’) and Carly Simon (‘Jesse’). Robert Palmer, Bill Nelson and The Cars complete the side with new-wave classics – whilst over on the flip stellar vocals from Pat Benatar and Journey kick off an explosive line up of 1980’s rock from Saxon, Girlschool, UFO and the debut single from Iron Maiden. Phil Lynott features with his first solo hit ‘Dear Miss Lonely Hearts’, whilst the final word is given to the legendary ZZ Top – they were 4 years away from a U.K. chart single, but ‘Cheap Sunglasses’ hit the U.S. chart in 1980.

3xLP - Clear Coloured Vinyl

4xCD - Booklet

4xCD - Digipak

LP 1 Side A:
1. Bruce Springsteen - Hungry Heart
2. Billy Joel - You May Be Right
3. Blondie - The Hardest Part - Remastered 2020
4. Ramones – Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio? (2002 Remaster)
5. The Revillos – Motorbike Beat
6. The B-52's - Give Me Back My Man
7. Echo & The Bunnymen – Rescue
8. The Teardrop Explodes - When I Dream (Single Version)

LP 1 Side B:
1. Donna Summer - Sunset People
2. Shalamar – Right In The Socket (7” Version)
3. The Manhattan Transfer – Twilight Zone / Twilight Tone
4. Wilton Felder & Bobby Womack - Inherit The Wind (Edited Version)
5. Level 42 - Love Meeting Love (Album Mix Edit)
6. Brenda Russell - In The Thick Of It
7. Joan Armatrading - Rosie

LP 2 SIDE A:
1. Sparks – When I’m With You
2. Ultravox – Passing Strangers
3. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Red Frame / White Light
4. John Foxx - Burning Car
5. The Human League - Only After Dark (2003 Remaster)
6. The Buggles - Clean, Clean (Edit)
7. New Musik - This World Of Water
8. The Tourists - Don't Say I Told You So

LP 2 SIDE B:
1. Dexys Midnight Runners – Dance Stance
2. Squeeze - Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)
3. XTC - Generals And Majors (Edit)
4. The Clash - The Call Up
5. Junior Murvin - Police & Thieves (Single Version)
6. The Bodysnatchers – Let’s Do Rocksteady
7. Kurtis Blow - The Breaks

LP 3 SIDE A:
1. Elton John - Sartorial Eloquence
2. Paul Simon - Late in the Evening
3. Linda Ronstadt – Hurt so Bad
4. Carly Simon – Jesse
5. Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues (Single Version Remix)
6. Bill Nelson - Do You Dream In Colour
7. The Cars – Touch and Go

LP 3 SIDE B:
1. Pat Benatar - We Live For Love
2. Journey - Any Way You Want It
3. Saxon – Wheels Of Steel (7” Version) (1997 Remaster)
4. Girlschool – Race With The Devil
5. Iron Maiden – Running Free (2015 Remaster)
6. Phil Lynott - Dear Miss Lonely Hearts
7. UFO – Young Blood (Edit)
8. ZZ Top – Cheap Sunglasses
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CD 1:
1. Bruce Springsteen - Hungry Heart
2. Billy Joel - You May Be Right
3. Blondie - The Hardest Part
4. Ramones – Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?
5. The Revillos – Motorbike Beat
6. Echo & The Bunnymen – Rescue
7. The Teardrop Explodes - When I Dream
8. Bill Nelson - Do You Dream In Colour
9. Karel Fialka – The Eyes Have It
10. The B-52's - Give Me Back My Man
11. Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues
12. Sparks – When I’m With You
13. Ultravox – Passing Strangers
14. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Red Frame / White Light
15. John Foxx - Burning Car
16. The Human League - Only After Dark
17. The Buggles - Clean, Clean
18. New Musik - This World Of Water
19. M – That’s The Way The Money Goes
20. The Flying Lizards - TV
21. Tiswas Presents The Four Bucketeers - The Bucket Of Water Song

CD 2:
1. Dexys Midnight Runners – Dance Stance
2. Secret Affair - My World
3. Squeeze - Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)
4. The Stranglers – Bear Cage
5. The Ruts - Staring At The Rude Boys
6. The Clash - The Call Up
7. Junior Murvin - Police & Thieves
8. The Bodysnatchers – Let’s Do Rocksteady
9. Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
10. Billy Ocean - Are You Ready
11. The Manhattan Transfer – Twilight Zone / Twilight Tone
12. Earth, Wind & Fire - In the Stone
13. Tom Browne - Thighs High (Grip Your Hips And Move)
14. Wilton Felder & Bobby Womack - Inherit The Wind
15. Shakatak – Feels Like The Right Time
16. Level 42 - Love Meeting Love
17. Kool & The Gang - Too Hot
18. Brenda Russell - In The Thick Of It
19. The Manhattans - Shining Star

CD 3:
1. Donna Summer - Sunset People
2. Amii Stewart – The Letter
3. Shalamar – Right In The Socket
4. Stacy Lattisaw – Dynamite!
5. Chic – Rebels Are We
6. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Bourgie', Bourgie'
7. Joan Armatrading – Rosie
8. Phil Lynott - Dear Miss Lonely Hearts
9. UFO – Young Blood
10. Judas Priest - United
11. Girlschool – Race With The Devil
12. Iron Maiden – Running Free
13. Saxon – Wheels Of Steel
14. The Chords - Maybe Tomorrow
15. Hazel O'Connor - Give Me An Inch
16. Skids - Circus Games
17. XTC - Generals And Majors
18. The Tourists - Don't Say I Told You So
19. Sad Café - Strange Little Girl
20. Gerry Rafferty – The Royal Mile
21. Elton John - Sartorial Eloquence

CD 4:
1. Paul Simon - Late In The Evening
2. Linda Ronstadt – Hurt So Bad
3. Carly Simon – Jesse
4. Rupert Holmes - Him
5. Kim Carnes - More Love
6. Pat Benatar - We Live For Love
7. Journey - Any Way You Want It
8. The Cars – Touch And Go
9. The Motels - Whose Problem?
10. The Pointer Sisters - He's So Shy
11. Jermaine Jackson - Burnin' Hot
12. Aretha Franklin - What A Fool Believes
13. Daryl Hall & John Oates - Running From Paradise
14. Christopher Cross – Ride Like The Wind
15. Boz Scaggs - Breakdown Dead Ahead
16. Kenny Loggins - I'm Alright (Theme From "Caddyshack")
17. Eddie Rabbitt – Drivin' My Life Away
18. Joe Walsh – All Night Long
19. ZZ Top – Cheap Sunglasses