NOW – Yearbook 1973

NOW is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and taking our longest trip back in Pop history so far – 50 Years – with 47 tracks on 3 LPs, pressed on Red Vinyl, and 83 tracks on 4CDs to celebrate a landmark year of Pop singles… NOW – Yearbook 1973.

The Special Edition CD is housed in ‘hard-back-book’ packaging, and  includes a 28-page booklet featuring a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz, and original singles artwork, and as a standard 4CD package.

Opening with the iconic ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ from Elton John and followed by Paul McCartney & Wings’ Bond theme ‘Live And Let Die’, this epic beginning to this journey back to 1973 continues with a run of massive Glam-Rock infused hits from T. Rex, Mud, and #1s from Wizzard, 10cc, ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ from Slade and Sweet with ‘Blockbuster’.

Flipping over to Side B, there’s an awe-inspiring run of legendary artists: John Lennon, Paul Simon and Elvis Presley, plus the debut single from Bruce Springsteen with ‘Blinded By The Light’ and timeless signature releases from Billy Joel with ‘Piano Man’ and ‘You’re So Vain’ from Carly Simon.

LP2 starts in sophisticated style from Roberta Flack with the peerless ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’, before Marvin Gaye ushers in an incredible line-up of Soul smashes including from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes feat. Teddy Pendergrass, The Temptations, The O’Jays and Ike & Tina Turner… whilst on the reverse side, 1973’s biggest seller – Dawn feat. Tony Orlando’s ‘Tie A Yellow Ribbon…’ leads a fabulous Easy-Pop run including massive hits from Shirley Bassey, Olivia Newton-John, and #1s from Peters & Lee, Gilbert O’Sullivan and ‘Eye Level’ – the theme to one of the year’s most popular TV shows by the Simon Park Orchestra. The second LP closes with three of the year’s stellar Soul ballads from Diana Ross, Billy Paul and Gladys Knight & The Pips.

Stunning ballads also kick off the third disc, from Paul McCartney & Wings with ‘My Love’, and ‘Amoureuse’ from Kiki Dee – before ‘Albatross’ from Fleetwood Mac – a #1 in 1969 and a #2 when re-released in 1973. Rock classics from Thin Lizzy, Free, Electric Light Orchestra, and Faces follow, with the side winding up with Bob Dylan’s ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’. Moving to the final side it’s all about more huge Pop smashes, opening with the era-defining ‘The Ballroom Blitz’ from Sweet, ‘Can The Can’ – the first #1 smash for Suzi Quatro and Alvin Stardust’s ‘My Coo Ca Choo’, plus Mott The Hoople, Roxy Music, and the debut hit from David Essex, ‘Rock On’. Yearbook 1973 closes in magnificent style with two of the biggest and most loved Christmas classics of all time – Wizzard with ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ and ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ from Slade.

NOW – Yearbook 1973 – A celebration of the diversity and wonderful creativity of a truly stellar year in Pop.