RELEASED 14th February 2025
PRE-ORDER NOW!
---------------------------------------
The NOW Yearbook series is back, taking you on a musical journey through one of the most dynamic years in pop with NOW – Yearbook 1998 – Out February 14th. This special edition 4-CD is encased in ‘hardback book’ packaging, which includes a 28-page booklet packed with notes about all of the 80 featured tracks that capture the unforgettable sounds from the year. Whether you’re reliving the hits or discovering them for the first time, this collection brings you the best from the singles charts of 1998.
Disc 1 opens with George Michael’s ‘Outside’, the lead track from his massive ‘Ladies And Gentlemen’ collection, followed by Cher’s global smash ‘Believe’ which held the #1 spot for 7 weeks in the UK, becoming the biggest seller of the year. RUN-DMC vs. Jason Nevins’ dance-floor phenomenon ‘It’s Like That’ also claimed the top spot, cementing itself as an era defining track. The chart-topping ‘Never Ever’ from All Saints along with ‘The Boy Is Mine’ from Brandy & Monica showcases some of the best R&B pop from the year, while the Spice Girls’ ‘Stop’, Billie Piper’s ‘Because We Want To’ and B*Witched’s infectious ‘C’est La Vie’ bring a fresh, vibrant pure pop. With more feel-good smashes from Aqua, Steps, and Ricky Martin, before the disc draws to its close with Meja, Ace Of Base and The Corrs, who enjoyed a huge hit with their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s classic ‘Dreams’.
Disc 2 celebrates the best of ‘98’s alt-pop kicking off with Radiohead, R.E.M., and the Manic Street Preachers’ ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’, which became their first #1 single. Oasis’ epic ‘All Around The World’, topped the chart and became the longest-running UK #1 single of the year. Jamiroquai enjoyed their first #1, The Cardigans’ ‘My Favourite Game’, Stereophonics’ ‘The Bartender and the Thief’ and Natalie Imbruglias’‘Big Mistake’ were among the years’ big successes for recently established chart hitmakers.
Disc 3 is a celebration of dance, club anthems, and infectious electronic beats – opening with Air and the timeless brilliance of ‘Sexy Boy’. Cornershop’s ‘Brimful Of Asha’ claimed the #1 spot, with a remix by Norman Cook who is up next as Fatboy Slim with ‘The Rockafeller Skank’, and also remixed ‘Renegade Master’ for Wildchild which became a defining dance floor anthem once again in 1998. Faithless’ ‘God Is A DJ’ continued their run of hits, while Sash., Vengaboys, Dario G, and Bus Stop & Carl Douglas enjoyed enjoyed crossover dance-pop smashes. More R&B/pop follows from Robyn, Ultra Naté, M People and Melanie B who became the first of the Spice Girls to achieve a #1 away from the group – with ‘I Want You Back’, a collaboration with Missy Elliott….and the disc signs off with another collaboration – between Texas and Wu-Tang Clan (& Robert F. “Price Rakeem Diggs) on a reworking of ‘Say What You Want’, extending the title to ‘Say What You Want (All Day Every Day)’.
The final disc delivers a combination of massive hit ballads and infectious pop anthems. Robbie Williams’ iconic ‘Angels’ became a career-defining track, while Céline Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ topped charts worldwide and became one of the best-selling singles of all time. Boyzone’s ‘No Matter What’ became their biggest hit, and Aqua hit #1 for the third time with ‘Turn Back Time’. Steps, 911, Cleopatra and Des’ree all made big impacts on the charts, and Catatonia, The Beautiful South and Fat Les all enjoyed huge hits, plus 1998 saw the return of Culture Club to the charts after a twelve year absence. This celebration of 1998’s hits closes with a run of the years’ biggest pop ballads including from the Backstreet Boys, K-Ci & JoJo, B*Witched and signing off with the Spice Girls with their #1 ‘Viva Forever’…NOW – Yearbook 1998 - a celebration of the diversity, creativity, and magic of the year in pop.
Disc: 1
1 |
George Michael - Outside - George Michael |
2 |
Cher - Believe - Cher |
3 |
RUN DMC vs. Jason Nevins - It's Like That - Run DMC vs. Jason Nevins |
4 |
Robbie Williams - Millennium - Robbie Williams |
5 |
Spice Girls - Stop - Spice Girls |
6 |
All Saints - Never Ever - All Saints |
7 |
Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine - Brandy & Monica |
8 |
Usher - You Make Me Wanna... - USHER |
9 |
Another Level - Freak Me - Another Level |
10 |
Five - Got The Feelin' - Five |
11 |
Billie Piper - Because We Want To - Billie Piper |
12 |
B*Witched - C'est La Vie - B*Witched |
13 |
Steps - Last Thing On My Mind - Steps |
14 |
Dana International - Diva - Dana International |
15 |
Aqua - Doctor Jones - Aqua |
16 |
Gloria Estefan - Heaven's What I Feel - Gloria Estefan |
17 |
Ricky Martin - The Cup Of Life - Ricky Martin |
18 |
The Mavericks - Dance The Night Away - The Mavericks |
19 |
Meja - All 'Bout The Money - Meja |
20 |
Ace Of Base - Life Is A Flower - Ace of Base |
21 |
The Corrs - Dreams - The Corrs |
Disc: 2
1 |
Radiohead - No Surprises - Radiohead |
2 |
R.E.M. - Daysleeper - R.E.M. |
3 |
Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next - Manic Street Preachers |
4 |
Oasis - All Around The World - Oasis |
5 |
Embrace - Come Back To What You Know - Embrace |
6 |
Bernard Butler - Stay - Bernard Butler |
7 |
Hole - Celebrity Skin - Hole |
8 |
Stereophonics - The Bartender And The Thief - Stereophonics |
9 |
Kula Shaker - Sound Of Drums - Kula Shaker |
10 |
Space - Avenging Angels - Space |
11 |
Jamiroquai - Deeper Underground - Jamiroquai |
12 |
The Cardigans - My Favourite Game - The Cardigans |
13 |
Tori Amos - Spark - Tori Amos |
14 |
Natalie Imbruglia - Big Mistake - Natalie Imbruglia |
15 |
Sheryl Crow - My Favorite Mistake - Sheryl Crow |
16 |
Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight - Eagle-Eye Cherry |
17 |
Billie Myers - Kiss The Rain - Billie Myers |
18 |
Emilia - Big Big World - Emilia |
19 |
Tina Arena - Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena |
Disc: 3
1 |
Air - Sexy Boy - Air |
2 |
Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha - Cornershop |
3 |
Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim |
4 |
Wildchild - Renegade Master (Fatboy Slim Old Skool Edit) - Wildchild |
5 |
Faithless - God Is A DJ - Faithless |
6 |
Dario G - Carnaval De Paris - Dario G |
7 |
Bus Stop & Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting - Bus Stop & Carl Douglas |
8 |
Sash! feat. Tina Cousins - Mysterious Times - Sash! |
9 |
Vengaboys - Up & Down - The Vengaboys |
10 |
Sweetbox - Everything's Gonna Be Alright - Sweetbox |
11 |
Simply Red - The Air That I Breathe - Simply Red |
12 |
Aretha Franklin - A Rose Is Still A Rose - Aretha Franklin |
13 |
Robyn - Show Me Love - Robyn |
14 |
Ultra Naté - Found A Cure - Ultra Naté |
15 |
M People - Angel St - M People |
16 |
All Saints - Bootie Call - All Saints |
17 |
Melanie B & Missy Elliott - I Want You Back - Melanie B & Missy Elliott |
18 |
Honeyz - Finally Found - Honeyz |
19 |
Wyclef Jean feat. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Gone Till November - Wyclef Jean |
20 |
Texas feat. Wu-Tang Clan & Robert F. ""Prince Rakeem"" Diggs - Say What You Want (All Day) - Texas |
Disc: 4
1 |
Robbie Williams - Angels - Robbie Williams |
2 |
Céline Dion - My Heart Will Go On - Céline Dion |
3 |
Shania Twain - You're Still The One - Shania Twain |
4 |
Boyzone - No Matter What - Boyzone |
5 |
Aqua - Turn Back Time - Aqua |
6 |
Steps - One For Sorrow - Steps |
7 |
911 - More Than A Woman - 911 |
8 |
Adam Garcia & ""Saturday Night Fever"" Original London Cast - Night Fever - Adam Garcia & "Saturday Night Fever" Original London Cast |
9 |
Wes - Alane - Wes |
10 |
Cleopatra - Cleopatra's Theme - Cleopatra |
11 |
Des'ree - Life - Des'Ree |
12 |
The Beautiful South - Perfect 10 - The Beautiful South |
13 |
Fat Les - Vindaloo - Fat Les |
14 |
Catatonia - Mulder And Scully - Catatonia |
15 |
Culture Club - I Just Wanna Be Loved - Culture Club |
16 |
UB40 - Come Back Darling - UB40 |
17 |
Backstreet Boys - All I Have To Give - Backstreet Boys |
18 |
K-Ci & JoJo - All My Life - K-Ci & JoJo |
19 |
B*Witched - To You I Belong - B*Witched |
20 |
Spice Girls - Viva Forever - Spice Girls |