The Best of Now That's What I Call Music! 10th Anniversary

Performer: Various Artists
Artist: Jay-Z; Static Major; Ja Rule; Wyclef Jean
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: This 2008 collection celebrates a decade of the American version of NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC!, the popular compilation series that was originally started in England. Among the many massive hits presented on the 20-track set are Pink's energetic "Get the Party Started," Amy Winehouse's sassy "Rehab," and Coldplay's majestic "Clocks." It seems silly to make a compilation of songs that appeared on compilations, but the concept is utilized here to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the U.S. Now series. (The U.K.'s original Now series began in 1983.) Containing 20 of the biggest hits from 1999 through 2008, from Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" to Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," the selection is otherwise fairly arbitrary; it would have made perfect sense to go with nothing but number ones, but a few here missed the mark by several positions. The mixed bag of rap, R&B, rock, and straight-up pop -- Kanye West's "Stronger," Alicia Keys' "Fallin'," Nickelback's "How You Remind Me," Rihanna's "Umbrella" -- stays true to the series' form, though there is no token country inclusion. With a couple exceptions, any given song could have been released at any point in the last ten years -- so, if you've ever needed a handy piece of evidence that pop music has sonically slowed to a developmental crawl compared to the previous decades, it's right here. ~ Andy Kellman

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