Customer Reviews

Now 35: That's What I Call Music

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

wow--tough crowd. I'm not sure why people hit that moment in their life where they decide all modern music is terrible. For me, it has always been a changing and evolving format, so I never found a cutoff where I decided, "as of today, pop music is no longer good.' I remember hearing older people bashing the 'today's music' when I was a kid...you know, back in the 80s, and I couldn't understand how they were not getting the same pleasure from the music that I was since it was SO good to me. And I still think it's good all around with, as always, personal favorites that stand out from the crowd. I'm loving the track listing on this volume--it has all the biggest stuff on the radio, and as a collector, this helps me check a whole bunch of hits off my list. As always, my main complaint with the Now series is the use of radio edits instead of full length album versions, as well as censored versions.

But my NEW complaint is the recent trend with Now to use the last 4 songs of the 20 tracks on the disc for supposed up and coming hits. Well guess what? None of the past several volumes of the last year that have this feature has foreseen a hit at ALL. These songs have been dead in the water. So essentially, they've removed slots for 4 more actual hits that I want and replaced them with filler. Go back to the old format Now. Oh--and start using original masters instead of taking the easy way out and using MP3s as your source material, which has been the latest trend no these discs...

Ok, the people responsible for the "Now" compilations must think we music buyers are really stupid! Up until Now 33, we received a compilation of 20 hits. They take four of these away and replace these with (not add) non-hit filler and call these "bonus tracks." How is this a bonus? You've taken four tracks away from us. Even if you continue to use the last four slots for up and coming artists (which incidentally, never seem to go anywhere), we are still only receiving the usual 20 tracks. If you want to give us four bonus tracks, shouldn't the total be 24 tracks? If I'm wrong, you do the math and explain it to me.

The other 16 tracks are great as usual and deserve five stars! However, I have deducted 1 star for the deception of "bonus" tracks. Hopefully, The Powers That Be at Now are reading these reviews and taking notes. I am buying Now 35, but it will be the last Now Compilation I purchase unless they return to the 20 hit format.

The Now albums are somewhat of a staple for me. Being a DJ, it is always a must to keep up on the latest and greatest, and the great things about the Now CDs are that they offer a smattering of Top 40 hits, many of them still in peak radio play, and all of them *edited* - which is the biggest reason for purchasing this disc. If you want Top 40 clean music, there really isn't a better option out there than the latest Now CD.
Usually, I am very pleased with what the latest Now CD has to offer. I find myself disappointed at Now 35 however, for a couple reasons.
1. The quality does not seem as good as recent offerings. The whole album feels a bit "rushed", and there are a couple head-scratcher inclusions here, as if the producers filled most of the disc and then said "what else?" and threw in a couple quickies, rather than some tracks that probably should have been included (notable omissions: Taio Cruz, Enrique & Pitbull).
2. The edits are just terrible. These are not "radio edits", they instead sound as if someone physically went in to the tracks and just inserted a blank space wherever an offending word may be. I mean come on, producers, I can edit and cut music better than this, and most radio stations out there are playing far better radio edits than this. "Ridin' Solo" is probably the most obvious victim of this, as a word in the chorus, rather than being blended into a scratch, as you will hear on most top 40 radio stations, is instead plagued by a extremely noticeable blank gap. Since the edits are the only real reason I purchase the Now albums, this was a huge disappointment for me. I'd rather just edit the songs on the fly at my gigs than have them sound terrible.
All in all, Now 35 is another solid Top 40 offering, but the quality is severely lacking what previous entries in the series have given. It's frustrating to see them taking such noticeable shortcuts.

I collect the series, for my driving entertainment, music on the go. I will keep ordering as they come out.

Highlights:
1. California Gurls Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
4. Rock That Body The Black Eyed Peas
5. Bulletproof La Roux
6. Alejandro Lady Gaga
7. Cooler Than Me Mike Posner
8. Billionaire Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars
9. Ridin' Solo Jason Derülo
10. Impossible Shontelle
12. This Afternoon Nickelback
13. Kissin U Miranda Cosgrove
14. My First Kiss 3OH!3 featuring Kesha
15. Undo It Carrie Underwood

I bought this as part of my daughter's Christmas present, and she was so ecstatic. It has many of the songs that she loves, with the naughty words edited out in true NOW fashion (which I love). It is the same product sold in stores, yet I paid less than I have seen it elsewhere for. This was a great bargain! If you are not familiar with this item, the following is a list of its tracks:
1. California Gurls - Katy Perry
2. Somebody To Love [Remix] - Justin Bieber (feat. Usher)
3. Gettin' Over You - David Guetta & Fergie & Chris Willis
4. Rock That Body - The Black Eyed Peas
5. Bulletproof [Radio Edit] - La Roux
6. Alejandro [Radio Edit] - Lady GaGa
7. Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner
8. Billionaire - Travie McCoy (feat. Bruno Mars)
9. Ridin' Solo - Jason Derulo
10. Impossible - Shontelle
11. Pray For You - Jaron & The Long Road to Love
12. This Afternoon [Explicit] - Nickelback
13. Kissin U - Miranda Cosgrove
14. My First Kiss - 3OH!3 (feat. Ke$ha)
15. Undo It - Carrie Underwood
16. Lover, Lover - Jerrod Nieman
17. Stronger [Bonus Track] - Jennette McCurdy
18. Speakers [Bonus Track] - Days Difference
19. Obsession [Bonus Track] - Sky Ferreira
20. Got My Girls [Bonus Track] - Tiffany Dunn
While my daughter appears to love the compilation of songs on this CD, my one and only complaint is the last four "Bonus Tracks." NOW used to be a way to buy the current top hits all on one CD. I liked this about it, and often bought these CDs for myself. However, now they have replaced those slots with up and coming hits, which, quite frankly, I don't care anything about. I would much rather purchase a hits CD that stuck with offering the top hits. If only NOW would go back to its original format, the CDs would once again be perfect.But, that complaint has no bearing on this product itself. Like I said, my daughter loves it, and that's what matters.

This is a great CD with a great mix of music. I bought it for my daughter who loves these "NOW" CDs since they have a variety of hit songs that she has heard on the radio.

I like the majority of the famous songs on this, obviously. That is why I bought it and why these compilations make good sense even if you own some of the songs already. As much as I think I really would rather have 4 more big popular songs on here, I do have to say that I found I really liked the unknown ones enough that I do not see them as a negative. With any of these things, you arent likely to love EVERY Song.

Now 35 has a good mix of music - in fact both my daughter (who is only 7) and myself enjoy it equally. Great for listening to in the car and around the home.Good music mix.

In the past, I always looked forward to seeing what tracks made 'the final 20' on the 'Now That's What I Call Music' series. Nowadays, I get just 16 current hits on the Now Volumes! :(

On the Now, Vol. 32, a 21st bonus track was added as 'What's Next ... new music preview bonus track' - that was fine by me.


From Now That's What I Call Music! 33 to the present (Now 35) however, the format was changed from 20 chart toppers to 16, with the last 4 tracks featuring 'upcoming artistes' as 'Now What's Next' bonus tracks.

I am all happy for showcasing new artistes, but not on the CD. When I buy the Now series, I want to get my money's worth - 20 current hits ... NOT WHAT MAYBE A HIT!

I keep up with today's new music by investing in the Now volumes. Thanks to the Now series, artistes like Natasha Bendingfield, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha and Black Eyed Peas are now in my collection. This new format sadly allows me 20% less exposure to new music!

A NOTE TO THE NOW MUSIC EDITORS:
Please return to the winning Now Music formula of 20 current hits on the CD. A weblink and a code in the sleeve notes is all it that's necessary for giving away upcoming artistes as 'bonus track downloads'. (This way, you have paying customers visiting the 'NOW' website and everyone's happy with the return of 20 chart toppers on the Now, Vol. 36 CD).