Various Artists – Now That's What I Call An Era The Sound Of The Suburbs 1977~1980 (2025) (Limited Edition Colour Vinyl LP)

In celebration of one of the most dynamic and diverse periods ever in the singles charts, NOW are proud to present ‘NOW That’s What I Call An Era: The Sound Of The Suburbs’ – out February 7th! Available as a 3-LP vinyl (pressed as x1 Black, x1 White and x1 Red vinyl) in a tri-fold sleeve that features notes about all of the 51 featured tracks!

Spanning multiple genres that contributed to the rich diversity of the era – including punk, new wave, reggae, ska, mod and electronic – between 1977 and the end of 1980, and all of which would inspire the wave of new art and club influenced pop that would come to define the musical landscape of the early 80s…

Kicking off with punk & new wave classics from The Clash with the iconic ‘London Calling’, the Ramones, Iggy Pop, The Jam and The Boomtown Rats who were the first punk/new wave band to have a #1 single, with ‘Rat Trap’. The Undertones and XTC created defining tracks, and the first side includes two bands that would rate amongst the most influential of all time; The Cure and Joy Division… Flip the LP over for Blondie’s ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ and Siouxsie And The Banshees ‘Hong Kong Garden’ which began a run of hit singles that would last for more than fifteen years! Unforgettable Top 40 debuts from The Rezillos, Plastic Bertrand and The Dickies feature alongside huge hits from Squeeze and the Skids – before the first LP closes with legendary tracks from Magazine and Public Image Limited…

The collection’s subtitle, ‘The Sound Of The Suburbs’, opens LP2 from The Members, along with punk anthems from The Stranglers, The Ruts and The Runaways, and new wave classics from The Only Ones, The Tom Robinson Band and the Patti Smith Group. Plus, Elvis Costello and Jonathan Richman both also feature with signature self-penned songs. Side 2 opens with the first #1 of the ‘80s from the Pretenders, and features massive hits from The Police, Roxy Music, Joe Jackson and ‘Geno’, #1 in 1980 for Dexys Midnight Runners alongside the chart debuts from Secret Affair, The Motors and Martha And The Muffins…

Fusing traditional ska, reggae, rocksteady and new wave, The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, and The Beat open LP 3 with an amazing run, ahead of UB40 with their reggae/new wave fusion ‘Food For Thought’. Japan and Sparks provide some early and influential electronic new wave and The B-52’s close the side with their peerless new wave classic ‘Rock Lobster’… whilst the final side features new wave pop gems from Adam & The Ants and Bow Wow Wow along with more synth driven new wave that would set the direction for the new decade, featuring a stellar line-up including Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, The Human League, John Foxx and #1’s from Tubeway Army with ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ and The Buggles with their 1979 chart topper ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ – which in 1981 would become the first music video shown on MTV…

Whether you were there at the time or have discovered this incredible music since – we are delighted to present the sounds of an ERA….

FORMAT: Vinyl
DISC SIZE: 12"
CONDITION: Brand New
GENRE: Rock / Pop / Disco
UPC: 198028436212
LABEL: Sony Music / EMI
NO. OF DISCS: 3
 
TRACKLIST:
A1 The Clash– London Calling
A2 Ramones– Blitzkrieg Bop
A3 Iggy Pop– Lust For Life (Edit)
A4 The Jam– Going Underground
A5 The Undertones– Teenage Kicks
A6 The Cure– Boys Don't Cry
A7 Joy Division– Love Will Tear Us Apart
A8 XTC– Making Plans For Nigel
A9 The Boomtown Rats– Rat Trap
B1 Blondie– Hanging On The Telephone
B2 Siouxsie And The Banshees– Hong Kong Garden
B3 The Rezillos– Top Of The Pops (7" Version)
B4 Plastic Betrand– Ça Plane Pour Moi
B5 The Dickies– Banana Splits
B6 Squeeze – Cool For Cats (Single Edit)
B7 Skids– Into The Valley
B8 Magazine– Shot By Both Sides
B9 Public Image Limited– Death Disco
C1 The Members– The Sound Of The Suburbs
C2 The Stranglers– No More Heroes
C3 The Ruts– Babylon's Burning (Single Version)
C4 The Runaways– Cherry Bomb
C5 The Only Ones– Another Girl, Another Planet
C6 Elvis Costello & The Attractions– (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
C7 Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers– Roadrunner (Once)
C8 The Tom Robinson Band– 2-4-6-8 Motorway
C9 Patti Smith Group– Because The Night
D1 Pretenders– Brass In Pocket
D2 The Police– Roxanne
D3 Dexys Midnight Runners– Geno
D4 Secret Affair– Time For Action
D5 The Motors– Airport
D6 Martha And The Muffins– Echo Beach
D7 Roxy Music– Over You
D8 Joe Jackson– Is She Really Going Out With Him? (Album Version)
E1 The Specials– Gangsters
E2 Madness– The Prince
E3 The Selecter– On My Radio
E4 The Beat – Mirror In The Bathroom
E5 UB40– Food For Thought
E6 Japan– Life In Tokyo
E7 Sparks– The Number One Song In Heaven
E8 The B-52's– Rock Lobster
F1 Adam & The Ants– Dog Eat Dog
F2 Bow Wow Wow– C30 C60 C90 Go
F3 The Flying Lizards– Money (Edit)
F4 The Human League– Nightclubbing
F5 Tubeway Army– Are 'Friends' Electric?
F6 John Foxx– Underpass
F7 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark– Messages
F8 The Buggles– Video Killed The Radio Star (Single Version)