Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 99:

So the year/decade/century/millennium was coming to a close but before the apocalypse didn’t actually arrive at midnight on 31st December 1999, there was the small matter of a quite poptastic summer to be had.

And did we party like it was 1999? Of course we did!

We even squeezed in a completely rubbish total eclipse - remember that? No, neither do we.

But, back, Back, BACK to the pop. The latest volume of NOW had arrived quicker than your very small download speed from AOL. And it was jam packed with hits - 7, that’s SEVEN No1s kicking off CD1. From Martine to Boyzone to S Club, this was a compilation for a shimmering summer of delights. Dance, pop, soul, more pop, a slither of guitars. And did we mention POP? Blimey, there was plenty other choose from.

And slipping out his CD (or is it minidisc?) copy of NOW 43 (and possibly a pile of ‘other’ compilations ) is the man behind PopMusicActivism - Rob Johnson.

Join Rob as he shares his memories of the album and this unforgettable summer.

His time working in WH Smiths!

His obsession with Dina Carroll!

His other obsession with ATB!

And his, ahem, other other obsession (and dance routines!) with Alice Deejay!

Along the way we also drop in on the V(B)engaboys, a very underdressed Adam Rickitt, a 'blink-and-you-miss-her' Lolly.

And, AND, discover the pop scandal of 99 that you didn’t know that you needed to know!

A travesty of disastrous data drops and chart catastrophes starring Tina Cousins, blur and others - but I’ve already said TOO MUCH! Tune in to find out more pop kids!

All of this and tons more as we - at a breathtaking, breakneck speed - revisit the summer of 1999. Whatever you think you know, or don’t, or think you may have forgotten(!), hold tight - this is quite a ride!

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The Big Pig is back!

As July, turned into August in 1985, the world was still basking in the afterglow of, what was already being called the event of the decade. No, not the ceasing production of the Sinclair C5, or even the latest episode of Blind Date with our Cilla. Live Aid had defined the coming together of all things pop for a generation, in the name of raising money for African famine. And those bands and artists who graced the stages in London and Philadelphia (well, perhaps not Adam Ant, as we say) were feeling the seismic effect of not only the public’s affection - but also their pocket money.

Duran Duran, Paul Young, Simple Minds, U2 and others (still, sorry , not you Adam) were enjoying plenty of success. And the loudest and most exciting shirt of the summer did not belong to BBC’s Mark Ellen or David Hepworth, it was the iconic NOW pig. Yes, NOW That’s What I Call Music 5 not only provided THE soundtrack to our summer in 1985, it also gave us the most gloriously techicoloured album cover. How exciting was that list of stars?

And joining me for this episode to share his memories of this classic summer of music is journalist and author Graeme Thomson.

And what can you expect? Duran Duran climb the Eiffel Tower. UK funk and soul makes a move for the charts through the fantastic sounds of Fine Young Cannibals, Simply Red and Jaki Graham. Graeme shares why 80s Bowie deserves attention, how Marillion (and a band T-Shirt!) made an early impact on his listening, what Jim Kerr told him about Don’t You Forget About Me and why U2 needed to evolve to survive.

But significantly, join us as we discuss how compilation albums take us back, tell real stories of a period and revel in how important pop music for all of us in our formative years and has the ability to stay with us as we move through our lives.

And enjoy Graeme’s reflections on his latest book, In Another World: The Four Seasons of Talk Talk, and the iconic sounds of a quite unique band.

Step aside from life in 2026 for an hour or so, and join us back in a time when it really was great to be alive.

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Oh, that’s bad!

No, that’s good!

If you know your 80s dancefloor bangers, you’ll recognise that S-Express vocal insert and will already be donning your sparkly bellbottoms, possibly even getting right-on one (matey) because it’s Summer 1988!

What was making the headlines? (shuffles papers, looks directly into camera in a serious way):

• Poll tax announced!
• Gay rights activists invade the six o'clock news and mildly fluster Sue Lawley!
• Glasgow Garden festival takes place! Every school in Scotland goes on a trip (not like that!)
• England finish bottom of their Euro88 group having lost all three games! (Sports presenter wink to camera)

But, BUT, amidst all of this and many other exciting things, POP was still very important indeed and - hurrah - NOW That’s What I Call Music 12 was here to make a splash! (Yes, the one with the pool on the cover, ahem).

And a young, impressionable starry-eyed journalist from Dundee was starting his glittering career at Smash Hits, in London Town! With the BIG names! Yes, even Tiffany and Glenn Medeiros!

Yes, head back to a very eventful summer for acclaimed music journalist, author and Smash Hits alumnus Tom Doyle!

Join us as we dive into the swimming pool of pop (enough already!) and meet amongst others Climie Fisher having a picnic, Carol Decker playing poker, Bananarama being a trio (just) and Jermaine Stewart not being in Shalamar.

And on top of this, get ready for some fantastic 1988 anecdotes from Tom’s giddy time at Ver Hits (and possibly Patches before that!).

• Wet Wet Wet on an open-top bus in Glasgow with lots of rock n roll mouthwash!
• Aswad’s recreational horticultural escapades!
• Sitting next to Hollywood royalty (well, Richard Gere) at the Nelson Mandela concert!
• Rubbing shoulders with U2 AND David Bowie in a factory! (Possibly, no actually!)
• Tom’s first singles reviews - and what was his single of the fortnight?? (it’s not on NOW12)

And also stay around for lots of fabulous pop reminiscing about the truly wonderful Danny Wilson, the truly bonkers Bill Drummond and the truly hairy (!) Glenn Medeiros.

All of this - delivered in Tom’s inimitable fashion - and so much more that we could just about fit it into Natalie’s Pink Cadillac (oo-er!)

Summer 1988 - what a lark eh pop kids?

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