Now 100 Hits 70’s (Sony/Universal)

What an eclectic decade the 1970’s was for music. From Dave Edmunds I Hear You Knocking released in 1970 right up to The Buggles and Video Killed The Radio Star from 1979 this comprehensive compilation covers the period in fine detail.

It was a decade that went from bubblegum pop to glam rock, the rebellion of punk in 1977 to the disco era of the late 70’s - and all genres are represented here over 5 CDs.

When the record companies say that people do not buy CD’s anymore they must have had in mind the people who still do buy this type of complication, some tracks here, now going on for 50 years old have worn well over time better than others.

Tracks from the early part of the decade include R Dean Taylor with There’s A Ghost In My House, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and the Number 1 hit Tears of A Clown and Paul McCartney with Just Another Day. Songs that you probably sang along to after reading the lyrics in the magazine Disco 45.

The Glam Rock period obviously omits tracks by Gary Glitter but instead the songwriting skills of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman are represented with Devil Gate Drive sung by Suzi Quatro and Blockbuster by The Sweet, by 1978 the songwriters had moved on to write Some Girls by Racey, also included here.

Many artists here released influential debut singles such as Kate Bush with Wuthering Heights, released in the winter of 1978, the then 19 year old had a Number 1 hit with the track.

The late 70’s disco period brought us Ain’t No Stopping is Now from McFadden and Whitehouse, Heart of Glass by Blondie, Boogie Wonderland from Earth Wind and Fire featuring The Emotions and Boogie Nights by Heatwave, the latter track being written by Grimsby born Rod Temperton who went on to write many of Michael Jackson’s biggest hits including Thriller.

At odds with the disco period punk and New Wave brought The Boomtown Rats with Rat Trap, giving the Irish band their first and only Number 1, Joe Jackson asked Is She Really Going Out With Him? Whilst The Jam were Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.

The ska and Two Tone movement taught a generation how to dance to music influenced by Prince Buster with songs like A Message To You Rudy from The Specials and The Prince from those nutty boys from Camden, Madness.

Add to the mix tracks from ABBA, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Meat Loaf, Rod Stewart and Bryan Ferry and you have a near definitive resume of the hits of the 1970’s.

I rate the album 4 out of 5