Numerous different versions of the
Now brand exist in other parts of the world, including: • Arabia (under the name ''Now That's What I Call Arabia'') • Argentina • Asia region • Australia • Canada • China • Czech Republic • Denmark • Egypt • Finland • France • Greece • Hungary • Israel • Italy • Japan • Korea (under the name ''Now That's What I Call K-Pop'') • Mexico • Netherlands • New Zealand • Norway • Philippines • Poland • Portugal • Russia • Singapore (also sold in neighboring Malaysia) • South Africa • Spain • Turkey • United States
Africa South Africa Volume one was released in 1984 (a year after the original UK series launched).
Now 50, released in November 2008, was issued as a double CD in commemoration of 25 years of
Now albums in South Africa, and double compact discs are every 3 albums through Now 80 released in November 2018 as the series switched to 2 in 2019, then one in 2020, the most recent Now Album to include a double disc was Now 83 this was also the last physical album to be released as further volumes are only available on streaming platforms. As of 2 September 2005, there has also been a
Now DVD series.
Asia Southeast Asia This edition was released in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, etc. The first Asian Now That's What I Call Music! was released in 1995. The series is often called
Now Asia due to the albums' origins: •
Now 1 and
Now 2 were produced by EMI Hong Kong •
Now 3 and
Now 4 were produced by EMI Malaysia •
Now 7 was produced by EMI Taiwan •
Now 5,
Now 6, and Now 8 were produced by EMI Asia. The Indonesian versions of the albums differ slightly from the broader Asian releases.EMI Asia has also released
Now Dance (2000),
Now The Essential Collection (2003),
Now+ volume 1 (2004) and
Now+ volume 2 (2005). EMI Indonesia has released
Now Jazz (2007) and
Now Arabia (2011).
China Following its introduction in China, the
Now series has enjoyed great success, with a new compilation released approximately every three to four months. Each album contains current and recent hit singles from Chinese artists signed to
EMI or
Polydor, and from British and Australian pop acts such as
Kylie Minogue,
Sophie Ellis-Bextor,
Sugababes or
Robbie Williams.
Israel Now has been seen in Israel, starting in 1999. The first three albums are double discs.
Now 4 was the first single disc and the rest in the series are also single disc.
South Korea Now started in South Korea on 22 March 2015. The first three albums were double discs, under the name ''Now That's What I Call K-Pop''.
Europe (in addition to UK & Irish series) Czech Republic Now Hity is the Czech version of the ''Now That's What I Call Music!
series. Originally branded under the main family name, it was changed to Now Hity
later in the run. There have also been spin-offs like Now 2006''.
Denmark Now Music is a Danish record label set up especially to release ''Now That's What I Call Music!
albums in Denmark reaching the nineteenth edition in November 2007 not making anymore after that. As well as the Now
regular series there have also been spin-offs including Now Big Hits
, Now Christmas
, Now Summer
, Now Clubbing
, Now Dance
and Now Hip Hop''.
Robbie Williams is the artist to be featured the most often in the regular Danish
Now series, just as he also is in the UK
Now! series. He has appeared ten times in the Danish series.
Finland The first Finnish ''Now That's What I Call Music
was released in 2003 where it replace the Absolute Hits
series. The albums are released as double discs. There have also been spin-offs including Now That's What I Call Music Pop Hits
and Now That's What I Call Dance Music''.
France In France the
Now series is called
Now! Hits Référence. There have been released
Now! Hits Référence 1-7 and
Now! Hits Référence 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Greece In Greece the
Now series is called
Now: Αυτά Είναι Τα Hits Σήμερα! ("Now These Are the Hits Today!").
Now 1 was released in 2002 and
Now 2010 was released in 2009. In 2015 (early summer),
Now ''that's what i call music 2015
was released as a follow-up to the compilation series. There have also been released some Now Dance'' albums in Greece.
Netherlands The
Now series started in the Netherlands back in 1984 as
Now This Is Music and a couple of spin-offs, such as
Now Dance, a Christmas compilation (
Now This Is Xmas) and several year-end compilations. The series ran from 1984 to 1989, ending with its 11th installment. The series was released on the EVA label, a joint venture of the Dutch branches of
EMI,
Sony and
Ariola (later: BMG Ariola, a subsidiary of
BMG/
Warner Music Group). A second series under the same title started in 1997, but only two albums were released.
Norway The Norwegian series of ''Now That's What I Call Music!
is a joint venture by the Norwegian branches of Universal Music, Sony Music, EMI Music and Warner Music. Prior to 2009 they released two independent series called Absolute Music by EVA Records (EMI and Warner Music) and McMusic'' (Sony Music Entertainment AS and Universal Music Group AS). The first issue of ''Now That's What I Call Music!'' in Norway was
released in November 2009.
Portugal The
Now series in Portugal is a joint-venture between the three major international publishers present in Portugal –
EMI,
Sony and
Universal. In 2010, it was announced that total sales of the series, not counting the extra editions, topped one million copies in Portugal. Through Volume 21 of the series, the multi-volume sets have included 414 national and international artists and a total of 787 different songs, ranking in an impressive four gold and 19 platinum records. The first album released in Portugal was
NOW 99 and released by EMI on 2 December 1999. From the
Now 2 through
Now 21, the compilation was always done on a rotation system among the three music companies. In addition to these volumes, the series includes six dance editions, a DVD and the tenth anniversary commemorative edition,
NOW 10 ANOS, released by EMI in December 2009. On 26 April 2010,
Now Mix 2010 was released, which includes dance versions of popular songs in a non-stop mix format.The most recent editions,
Now 36[https://www.discogs.com/label/1023586-Now-Portugal Various - NOW 36, was released in November 2021.
Spain Now has also been seen in Spain under the name of
Now Esto sí es música ("Now This
Is Music"). The original series included six releases from 1984 to 1989. The compilation album is released as a double CD album. Later the series started over with
Now Esto Es Música 1, But due to the lukewarm success, no more albums were released since 2004. However, in late 2009,
EMI Music released the album "Now Dance" in Spain, which contains all the biggest dance hits in Spain during 2009, including
Lady Gaga,
David Guetta featuring
Kelly Rowland,
The Black Eyed Peas and
Katy Perry, among others.
North America Canada The first installment of the product line into Canada was released in 1988. The second installment of the product line was released in 1995. Beginning with the second installment of the series, repertoire was licensed from Universal, Warner and EMI. Songs from Sony and BMG was not included on any editions of the series in Canada. Since the second installment of the series, Universal, Warner and EMI have formed a joint venture together and generally take turns to release the series. From the years of 1996 to 2009 the series released an annual compilation usually in the late summer months. However, beginning with
Now 15, there have been two editions each year which usually take place in early winter and late summer.
Now 28 was the last release in 2017.
Mexico Now has also been seen in Mexico, with ten releases. The track listings on the Mexican albums are only slightly different from those of the Argentine ones.
United States The series of
Now albums was brought to the United States in 1998 by Bob Mercer. The last physical album in the series was, ''Now That's What I Call Music! 90'', which was released on May 3, 2024. Collectively, the
Now compilations sold extremely well in the U.S. Each of the first 29 volumes received at least a
platinum certification, and 18 albums from the series have reached number one on the
Billboard 200 albums chart, more than any individual recording artist except the
Beatles. However, more recent releases have not sold as well, with ''Now That's What I Call Music! 77
selling only an estimated 7,500 copies in its first week, compared to the 621,000 copies Now! 7'' sold in its debut week in July 2001. The most successful album in the series to date is
''Now That's What I Call Music! 5'', which was certified 4× Platinum by the
RIAA in 2000. Since the fourth volume, Jeff Moskow was the album compiler. Various "special edition"
Now! albums were also released, such as
Now Esto Es Musica! Latino, ''
Now That's What I Call Motown, and Now That's What I Call the 1990s''. Since the release of Volume 32 in 2009, albums included bonus "Now What's Next" tracks by not-yet-fully-established artists at the expense of additional hit songs. The 2020s saw the
Now brand being introduced to streaming services such as
Spotify.
Oceania Australia The Australian series trialed in 1987 as ''Now That's What I Call Music 1
on Vinyl and Cassette tape the second was a single disc edition titles Now 01 hot 30
and released in 2002, as a replacement for the long-running 100% Hits'' brand. The series is a joint venture between
EMI Music Australia and
Warner Music Australia.
Now 01 appeared in July of that year, followed by
Now 02 in time for Christmas 2002. 2003's
Now 03 came with a bonus DVD; the first standalone DVD release (
Now Vision 2004) appeared the following year.
Now 08 was the last of this series however a second series took over this time with seasons instead of volumes for example
Now Winter 2005,
Now Spring 2005.
Now Summer 2014 was the last in the second series, on the third series the season was dropped and instead the year and volume is used for example
Now 2014 Vol.1,
Now 2019 Vol.1 was the last in the series.
Other notes about the series In 2006 the
Now Summer 2007 was the first double disc edition in the Australian series. In 1994, four albums were released, all with the title ''Now That's What I Call Music - 100%
then Dance
, Ballad
, Rap
or Alternate''.
New Zealand Now That's What I Call Music! has released over 60 physical albums in New Zealand since 1997. The first was released as a trial in 1985 on Vinyl and was the only release until 1992.Compiled in partnership with the country's top record companies, this compilation series stands as one of the best-selling in New Zealand music history (
RIANZ), achieving multi-platinum sales. An unrelated, ''Now That's What I Call Music!'' series by
Warner Bros. Records released only three albums between 1992 and 1993. The final physical album in the main series was released on July 3, 2020. Subsequent albums have continued on streaming platforms such as Spotify. Other non-series that has been released was ''Now That's What I Call Music NZ''
, and a holiday-themed album, ''Now That's What I Call Christmas'', was released on November 16, 2023. As of 2024, the latest release is ''Now That's What I Call Music! 63'', published on July 6, 2021.
South America Argentina Now has been seen in
Argentina, with at least nine releases. The track listings on the Argentine
Now albums are only slightly different from those of the Mexican ones. ==See also==