Now That's What I Call Music Vol.69 - Various Artists

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Some good tunes, suitable for anyone any age
Disadvantages:	Also some poor quality tunes, getting worse each time a new ones out

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

Now That's What I Call Music Vol.69 Complication Album

This is the 69th United Kingdom version of the Now That's What I Call Music volumes as the title would suggest. I had been waiting for this album to come out for a while as I usually buy the Now albums for something to listen to in the car, this album came out on the 17th March 2008, all of the music on these albums is from the recent official chart listings. Now That's What I Call Music albums come out every 6months and have the Number 1 charts singles over that time as the contents, these albums are usually just known as Now 69 etc as it's easier and not as long as the full title! Now69 is the latest version of this set to come out. It was bought out by the record labels EMI and Virgin.
This album as like the other previous volumes consists of two disks with the following 42 poptastic tracks on them…

Disk one track listing is as follows

• 1. Duffy - Mercy
  This is a song of Duffy's debut album that made it straight to number one from the first internet download releases. Her music is said to be similar to the music from Amy Winehouse. Duffy is originally from Wales and became famous from a talent show.
• 2. Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
  A catchy very lively song by Rihanna similar to some of her other releases favourite of mine on this album. This song is from Rihanna's album 'Good Girl Gone Bad'.
• 3. Basshunter - Now You're Gone
  I had heard this song before I heard it by Basshunter not sure where but it was familiar, a really fast easy to get into song. That has been successful in various countries as well as the UK, I feel it is one of the best songs on this album.
• 4. Girls Aloud - Call The Shots
  This is the seventeenth single by the successful Girls Aloud group it made it to number 1 on the 26th November 2007. I preferred some of their other songs this song really doesn't do it for me
• 5.Nickelback - Rockstar
  I had not heard this single until I bought this album not keen on it as it is not my type of music really although I do feel some of the artist's older singles have been better than Rockstar.
• 6. OneRepublic - Stop And Stare
  This song is from their album Dreaming Out Loud and is a follow up single from the one done with Timberland 'Apologise'. Stop and Stare was released on the 16th December 2007. I personally am not a fan of this song but do find it listenable.
• 7. David Jordan - Sun Goes Down
  Very pirate theme sounding music if you have heard it you will understand, a very unique track very listenable to though. This was released on the 4th February 2008. This song is taken from the album 'Set the Mood'.
• 8. Kelly Rowland - Work
  This is an R&B style song really good instrumentals and vocals but somehow just not a song I can get into.
• 9. Soulja Boy Tell'em - Crank That
  A hip-hop song that comes across as a bit of a Dizzy Rascal wanna be, don't like this song at all
• 10. Britney Spears - Piece Of Me
  From Britney's album called Blackout, the lyrics are really good but the tune does not match at all. Britney Spear's older stuff was a lot better quality than this.
• 11. T2 feat. Jodie Aysha - Heartbroken
  One of the biggest tracks of the year, quite an older tune that has been out a while, very listenable to tune, another one of my favourites on this album.
• 12. H "two" O feat. Platnum - What's It Gonna Be
  This is a fast sounding song rather like the last track on this album, all the chav kids round here are listening to this at the moment so it has become somewhat annoying.
• 13. Taio Cruz - Come On Girl
  Another song I can not seem to get into however it's smooth running with good vocals, again I feel this artist's last single was better.
• 14. Kylie Minogue - Wow
  This song is really lively and up beat another good song from the popular and well known artist Kylie Minogue. It is very typical of the music Kylie produces.
• 15. Robyn - Be Mine
  Not a well known artist but this single was bought out back in December/January an easy to listen to song that has been very popular in this country. This was her first single to be released by this Swedish singer and song writer.
• 16. Cascada - What Hurts The Most
  This is the first single from Cascada's new album' Perfect Day' the song was originally by Mark Wills, I feel Cascada has killed this song that has no originality.
• 17. Booty Luv - Some Kinda Rush
  Very fast catchy tune been around quite a while it was released on the 24th December 2007. This song is from Booty Luvs album 'Boogie 2Nite'.
• 18. Samim - Heater
  Really good instrumentals but lacks any vocals though. Still very addictive it grew on me and I now feel it is one of the better songs on this album. Lots of music effects throughout the track.
• 19. Mary J. Blige - Just Fine
  A track from Mary J. Blige's eighth album Growing Pains Album another track I just can't get into however it is listenable.
• 20. Jay Sean -Ride It
  This track is the first single from Jay Sean's second album 'My Own Way' which came out at the end of 2007, it's a good easy listening calm song.
• 21. Shayne Ward - Breathless
  The latest single that was shown on the television programme X-Factor this was released in shops on the 19th November 2007. A calming song with really good vocals another great song from Shayne Ward staying with the same kind of sound and type as music as 'That's My Goal'
• 22. Leon Jackson - When You Believe
  A single from the winner of X-factor 4which was broadcast on ITV over the autumn it has a unique style of singing very vocalised not my type of music but still not so ear bleedingly bad that I will turn it off.

Disk two track listing is as follows

• 1. Adele - Chasing Pavements
  Don't like this song I feel it has no tune, vocals and instrumentals are awful saying that though this is definitely not my thing but others may like it. This is her second single that was brought out in January 2008.
• 2. Timbaland ft OneRepublic - Apologize
  This is definitely my favourite song on this track I also have it on the Timberland album 'Shock value' The vocal and instrumentals are brilliant and one of the best songs of the year I feel. This is not the original Timberland version but the OneRepublic version but it is just as good none the less.
• 3. Alicia Keys - No One
  A song from her latest album 'As I Am' that was available in shops from 13th of November, a popular tune from a well known artist. Easy to listen to and good vocals.
• 4. Mika - Happy Ending
  From the album 'Life In Cartoon Motion' a slow happy sounding song, down-beat compared to other songs by Mika but still of good quality.
• 5. Kanye West ft.Chris Martin - Homecoming
  Lively song with mainly piano instrumentals, extremely good lyrics, very typical of songs by Kanye West I certainly like it all though not one of the best on the album.
• 6. The Hoosiers - Goodbye Mr A
  Starts a bit weird but gets better throughout the song with a very good catchy chorus makes a good song for listening to in the car. This song is from their album 'The Hoosiers' They also sang the highly successful single 'Worried About Ray' which is one of the first of their songs that drew attention to them.
• 7. The Feeling - I Thought It Was Over
  One of the later released singles on this album it was released in February 2008, not as good as some of their other songs such as 'Fill My Little World'.
  'I Thought It Was Over' is from their album 'Join With Us' I feel this song could have been better than what it is from a group that have proven talent in their other songs.
• 8. Alphabeat - Fascination
  Had not heard of this single or artist un-till buying this album am still un-decided as to weather or not I like it, it might grow on me with time.
  Alphabeat are new to this country and come from Denmark where this song was a massive hit and it has now been released over here where it has also been successful.
• 9. Scouting For Girls - Elvis Ain't Dead
  Another artist that hasn't been around long that are probably most well known for the song 'She's So Lovely'.
  'Elvis Ain't Dead' is from their album 'Scouting for Girls'. I like this song it's catchy and easy to listen to a very lively enjoyable song.
• 10. One Night Only - Just For Tonight
  This single was out on the 21st of January it is also from their album 'Started A Fire'.
  Not the kind of song I am into goes through my head as just noise and can't take in the words or get into it at all.
• 11. Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
  The first single to be taken from Hot Chips album 'Made in the Dark'. Not many vocals on this track just some what I see as pretty bad instrumentals. Don't like this track at all one I will happily skip.
• 12. Bloc Party - Flux
  A song from an English indie rock band, this song appears on their new album 'Flux EP' another song I am un-decided to weather I like or not sometimes I'll skip it sometimes I'll listen to it guess it depends what mood I am in. It's a very lively bouncy song.
• 13. Utah Saints - Something Good 08
  Very lively fast song not one I had heard un-till I bought this album not really a vocal song more a dance related instrumental song. There are quite a few re-mixes of this song around at the moment.
• 14. Mark Brown feat. Sarah Cracknell - The Journey Continues
  An updated version of the Lloyds TSB advert this song was available from February 2008, I really like this tune but I always liked the advert theme tune as well.
• 15. Amy MacDonald - This Is The Life
  Another song I hadn't heard of un-till buying this album, really don't like this song it is just a lot of fast words creating noise. Amy MacDonald is a Scottish singer and songwriter. This song is from her debut album.
• 16. Kate Nash - Pumpkin Soup
  I personally hate this song but then again I would as I hate Kate Nash it is a very typical Kate Nash song, full of silly pauses in her words. This is the third single from her album 'Made of Bricks' I definitely skip this song each time it comes on I can not stand listening to it at all.
• 17. Sugababes - Change
  I feel this song is a disappointment from the Sugababes as they have produced a lot better before, a very slow song, another one I found hard to get into. This song is from the Sugababes album 'Changes'
• 18. Goldfrapp - A&E
  From Goldfrapp's album 'Seventh Tree' I do not find this song appealing at all definitely not my kind of thing slow and calm definitely skip this one each time.
• 19. Amy Winehouse - Love Is A Losing Game
  I personally don't like Amy Winehouse so my opinion on this one will be bias so all I can really say is she is a good vocalist, this single is from her latest Album 'Back to Black'
• 20. Eva Cassidy & Katie Melua What A Wonderful World
  A really good duet no really the sort of music I would listen to but saying that it is a good calming slow song. Well sung with good lyrics, vocals and fitting instrumentals.

All of these tracks make up a 146.40 minute run time which is 2 hour and 26 minutes.

Advertising, Pricing and Availability

I have seen Now That's What I Call Music 69 advertised everywhere as with all the previous ones, mostly on advertising boards on such places as bus stops and on sides of buildings. I have also seen it on the television, heard it on the radio as well as board advertisements in supermarkets. They obviously put a lot of money into advertising. I guess it works quite well as I always see it advertised before it is even out. I have found that usually on the television and radio on some of the best and most popular tracks on the album are played to attract attention of buyers and I definitely think this form of advertising works, even though a lot of the other songs on the album are not as good some being utter rubbish.

I bought my copy of this from my local Tesco supermarket branch, I paid £12.99 for it which isn't bad for a two disk album and is the competitively priced rate to pay. I would imagine that you could buy this album for cheaper online from various online stores. I know for a fact it is cheaper online from Tesco priced at £11.97 over £1 difference from in-store. A lot of the online stores also offer a free delivery service with your order, some do need to be over a certain price though so great if you are buying more than one album at a time.
Other supermarkets and music stores will also stock this album I doubt the price will vary very much although I have seen it priced up to as much as £19.79 which is definitely a rip off for this album!

It is widely available at the moment as it is in most supermarket charts top 5 and probably will be for a number of weeks. It has not long been out so there should definitely not be a problem getting hold of this album from various locations for the next few weeks or even months.
Now C.Ds are usually available un-till the next newer version is released in shops.

===Cover & Case==

The front cover is vibrant and colourful as all of the Now That's What I Call Music volumes have been this one has a blue background with bright orange, yellow bordered text with various coloured aeroplanes around the words.
The rear cover follows this same theme but is a slightly lighter blue with easy to read track list with various shades of blue colour for the texts and a yellow header, the rear cover also includes the barcode and record labels information at the bottom.
Disk one is a medium blue with yellow text and disk two is the opposite way around being yellow with blue text. The inlay has the same background as the front with various bits of information and text in other colourful sections.
It stands out in an isle of C.Ds in a shopping store that's for sure.
The two compact disks come in an easy to operate case with a flip centre with a compact disk on each side that keeps disks safe away from the risk of being scratched.
I like the Cover design it is funky and modern and defiantly will attract people's attention to buy it.

===What I Think of It & Why I Bought It===

To be honest I was not that pleased with this album a lot of the songs are not at all that recent compared to the older Now That's What I Call Music albums that had a lot more recent and better quality singles on them. I'm verging on disappointed with this album there are a handful of songs on it I do like though but I'm sure they are also on other albums that I would rather have or available as singles. However it is very convenient to have them all on the same two disks.
I could say I am not going to buy the next one but I probably will from impulse buying I can't help myself.
The contents on this album are very varied I'm not sure if that is a good thing as not many people have such a varied in content.
I am not sure how some of these songs made it to Number 1 in the charts as they seem pretty poor quality to me and there is a lot better songs out there at the time.
Quite a few of the artists are still gaining a name for themselves in this country and were ones I had not heard of un-till purchasing Now 69 I think having their singles on this album is a brilliant way to help become recognised.
So why did I buy it?.....
I bought this album to play in the car mainly for on long journeys I have always bought the Now That's What I Call Music albums so I guess I buy them as much out of habit as anything and they have some varied recent music on them.

I think this album is mainly aimed at the age range of between 12 and 16 all though other age ranges might and probably do enjoy the songs on this album. All of the content is suitable for children with no obscene language or suggestive songs with abusive lyrics. So basically this album can be enjoyed by anyone of any age if it is something you like.

I wouldn't really recommend this album as it isn't really that good unless you like most of the songs on it I would definitely look up what tracks are on it and listen to them on you tube first before buying this album. I feel the Now That's What I Call Music volumes are getting poorer each time they come out, which is a shame as they used to have some really good quality music on a few years back and were a must have album. It is still however a pretty good varied car album and tracks i do not like can be skipped easily.

I am rating this album as a four stars good rating, it definitely isn't excellent but is also far from poor.