VA - The Best Of Love Songs - Collection (25 CD) - 1988-2010l 2021

The Yearbook series are 4-CD and 3-LP vinyl sets, each representing a year of music, which launched in June 2021. Each release has a tie-in block of programming on Now 80s. Each release is issued as a limited edition mini-hardback book, with the CDs in sleeves forming the pages of the 'yearbook' which contains an introductory overview of the year, original 7" single artwork, trivia, chart positions and a quiz. The limited edition 3-LP version is released on bright coloured vinyl. A standard 4-CD version is also issued in a gatefold "wallet" design, which retails cheaper than the mini-hardback books. The first collection focuses on hits from 1983, the birth year of the Now That's What I Call Music series. The year 1984 followed, but after this, the series rewound its year of focus, issuing collections that went from 1982 and backwards into the late 1970s. A triple-CD only release, Yearbook Extra: The Collectors Edition, is issued a few weeks later; these include lesser known tracks and more songs by big artists included on the main album and they are released only in standard gatefold wallet packaging. A further release, The Final Chapter, a deluxe 4-CD and 3-LP set, was issued in December 2022, rounding off the Yearbook years 1980 to 1984. The same month, a deluxe 5-LP boxset, Now Yearbook '80 - '84: Vinyl Extra, was released. This was the first time tracks from the Extra CD series had been issued on the vinyl format.

VA - The Best Of Love Songs - Collection (25 CD) - 1988-2010l

CD3 opens with a celebration of British love songs with Ed Sheeran, James Blunt, Lewis Capaldi, Take That and Wet Wet Wet before moving into feel-good Pop classics from Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, Little Mix and One Direction. Legends Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw and Sonny And Cher keep the Pop flowing 60s-style, before rounding off the disc with Reggae standards from Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Althea & Donna and UB40.

#1 The Philadelphia Story (1940) 100% #1 Adjusted Score: 111048% Critics Consensus: Offering a wonderfully witty script, spotless direction from George Cukor, and typically excellent lead performances, The Philadelphia Story is an unqualified classic. Synopsis: This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K.... [More] Starring: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey Directed By: George Cukor #2 The Lady Eve (1941) 99% #2 Adjusted Score: 110499% Critics Consensus: A career highlight for Preston Sturges, The Lady Eve benefits from Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda's sparkling chemistry -- and a script that inspired countless battle-of-the-sexes comedies. Synopsis: It's no accident when wealthy Charles (Henry Fonda) falls for Jean (Barbara Stanwyck). Jean is a con artist with her... [More] Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette Directed By: Preston Sturges #3 The Shop Around the Corner (1940) 99% #3 Adjusted Score: 109237% Critics Consensus: Deftly directed by Ernst Lubitsch from a smart, funny script by Samson Raphaelson, The Shop Around the Corner is a romantic comedy in the finest sense of the term. Synopsis: Alfred Kralik (James Stewart) and Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan) are employees at Matuschek and Company, a general store in Budapest.... [More] Starring: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, Joseph Schildkraut Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch #4 Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) 100% #4 Adjusted Score: 101293% Critics Consensus: Love and hope soar in Cyrano De Bergerac, an immensely entertaining romance featuring Gerard Depardieu as his peak. Synopsis: Soldier and poet Cyrano de Bergerac (Gérard Depardieu) is in love with Roxane (Anne Brochet), but he's too ashamed to... [More] Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Anne Brochet, Vincent Perez, Jacques Weber Directed By: Jean-Paul Rappeneau #5 Holiday (1938) 100% #5 Adjusted Score: 103975% Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: Johnny (Cary Grant) seems like a solid match for Julia (Doris Nolan), the socialite daughter of Edward Seton (Henry Kolker).... [More] Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Doris Nolan, Lew Ayres Directed By: George Cukor #6 Desk Set (1957) 100% #6 Adjusted Score: 94094% Critics Consensus: Desk Set reunites one of cinema's most well-loved pairings for a solidly crafted romantic comedy that charmingly encapsulates their timeless appeal. Synopsis: Bunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn) is a library reference clerk stuck in a dead-end relationship with a boring television executive (Gig... [More] Starring: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Gig Young, Joan Blondell Directed By: Walter Lang #7 Indiscreet (1958) 100% #7 Adjusted Score: 89537% Critics Consensus: Indiscreet spins rom-com gold out of a premise just sturdy enough to set the stage for typically delightful work from its wonderfully well-matched leads. Synopsis: Famous theater actress Anna Kalman (Ingrid Bergman) has resigned herself to her single life, believing that she has missed her... [More] Starring: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Cecil Parker, Phyllis Calvert Directed By: Stanley Donen #8 His Girl Friday (1940) 99% #8 Adjusted Score: 109924% Critics Consensus: Anchored by stellar performances from Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, His Girl Friday is possibly the definitive screwball romantic comedy. Synopsis: When hard-charging New York newspaper editor Walter Burns discovers that his ex-wife, investigative reporter Hildy Johnson, has gotten engaged to... [More] Starring: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart Directed By: Howard Hawks #9 It Happened One Night (1934) 98% #9 Adjusted Score: 116674% Critics Consensus: Capturing its stars and director at their finest, It Happened One Night remains unsurpassed by the countless romantic comedies it has inspired. Synopsis: In Frank Capra's acclaimed romantic comedy, spoiled heiress Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) impetuously marries the scheming King Westley, leading her... [More] Starring: Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns Directed By: Frank Capra #10 The Big Sick (2017) 98% #10 Adjusted Score: 118934% Critics Consensus: Funny, heartfelt, and intelligent, The Big Sick uses its appealing leads and cross-cultural themes to prove the standard romcom formula still has some fresh angles left to explore. Synopsis: Kumail is a Pakistani comic, who meets an American graduate student named Emily at one of his stand-up shows. As... [More] Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano Directed By: Michael Showalter #11 Broadcast News (1987) 98% #11 Adjusted Score: 101757% Critics Consensus: Blockbuster dramatist James L. Brooks delivers with Broadcast News, fully entertaining with deft, deep characterization. Synopsis: Intelligent satire of American television news. A highly strung news producer finds herself strangely attracted to a vapid anchorman even... [More] Starring: William Hurt, Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter, Robert Prosky Directed By: James L. Brooks #12 Say Anything... (1989) 98% #12 Adjusted Score: 101113% Critics Consensus: One of the definitive Generation X movies, Say Anything... is equally funny and heartfelt -- and it established John Cusack as an icon for left-of-center types everywhere. Synopsis: In a charming, critically acclaimed tale of first love, Lloyd (John Cusack), an eternal optimist, seeks to capture the heart... [More] Starring: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Lili Taylor Directed By: Cameron Crowe #13 Groundhog Day (1993) 94% #13 Adjusted Score: 105660% Critics Consensus: Smart, sweet, and inventive, Groundhog Day highlights Murray's dramatic gifts while still leaving plenty of room for laughs. Synopsis: Phil (Bill Murray), a weatherman, is out to cover the annual emergence of the groundhog from its hole. He gets... [More] Starring: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky Directed By: Harold Ramis #14 The Princess Bride (1987) 97% #14 Adjusted Score: 102659% Critics Consensus: A delightfully postmodern fairy tale, The Princess Bride is a deft, intelligent mix of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy that takes an age-old damsel-in-distress story and makes it fresh. Synopsis: A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a... [More] Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon Directed By: Rob Reiner #15 Bull Durham (1988) 97% #15 Adjusted Score: 101615% Critics Consensus: Kevin Costner is at his funniest and most charismatic in Bull Durham, a film that's as wise about relationships as it is about minor league baseball. Synopsis: In Durham, N.C., the Bulls minor league baseball team has one asset no other can claim: a poetry-loving groupie named... [More] Starring: Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Trey Wilson Directed By: Ron Shelton #16 Roman Holiday (1953) 95% #16 Adjusted Score: 101457% Critics Consensus: With Audrey Hepburn luminous in her American debut, Roman Holiday is as funny as it is beautiful, and sets the standard for the modern romantic comedy. Synopsis: Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) takes off for a night while in Rome. When... [More] Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Tullio Carminati Directed By: William Wyler #17 Born Yesterday (1950) 97% #17 Adjusted Score: 100764% Critics Consensus: Marrying screwball romance with political satire, Born Yesterday is a substantive romp with a ferociously smart performance by Judy Holliday as an uncouth bombshell. Synopsis: Brassy blonde moll Billie Dawn (Judy Holliday) hits Washington, D.C., with her unscrupulous millionaire sugar daddy, Harry Brock (Broderick Crawford),... [More] Starring: Judy Holliday, William Holden, Broderick Crawford, Howard St. John Directed By: George Cukor #18 Ninotchka (1939) 97% #18 Adjusted Score: 100289% Critics Consensus: With Greta Garbo proving her comedy chops in the twilight of her career, Ninotchka is a can't-miss classic. Synopsis: A no-nonsense diplomat of the Soviet Union, Nina Ivanovna "Ninotchka" Yakushova (Greta Garbo) arrives in Paris to ensure the sale... [More] Starring: Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Ina Claire, Sig Ruman Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch #19 My Man Godfrey (1936) 97% #19 Adjusted Score: 102207% Critics Consensus: A class satire in a class of its own, My Man Godfrey's screwball comedy is as sharp as the social commentary is biting. Synopsis: Fifth Avenue socialite Irene Bullock needs a "forgotten man" to win a scavenger hunt, and no one fits that description... [More] Starring: William Powell, Carole Lombard, Alice Brady, Eugene Pallette Directed By: Gregory La Cava #20 Play It Again, Sam (1972) 97% #20 Adjusted Score: 99862% Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: Overanxious film critic Allan (Woody Allen) sinks into a depression after his wife leaves him. Concerned, his married friends Dick... [More] Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Jerry Lacy Directed By: Herbert Ross #21 The Wedding Banquet (1993) 97% #21 Adjusted Score: 98550% Critics Consensus: Ang Lee's funny and ultimately poignant comedy of manners reveals the filmmaker's skill across genres. Synopsis: Wai-Tung (Winston Chao) and his boyfriend (Mitchell Lichtenstein) live happily as a gay couple in New York City. Wai-Tung has... [More] Starring: Winston Chao, May Chin, Mitchell Lichtenstein, Sihung Lung Directed By: Ang Lee #22 Annie Hall (1977) 97% #22 Adjusted Score: 107920% Critics Consensus: Filled with poignant performances and devastating humor, Annie Hall represents a quantum leap for Woody Allen and remains an American classic. Synopsis: Comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) examines the rise and fall of his relationship with struggling nightclub singer Annie Hall (Diane... [More] Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane Directed By: Woody Allen #23 To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) 96% #23 Adjusted Score: 98512% Critics Consensus: To All the Boys I've Loved Before plays by the teen rom-com rules, but relatable characters and a thoroughly charming cast more than make up for a lack of surprises. Synopsis: A teenage girl's love letters are exposed and wreak havoc on her life.... [More] Starring: Lana Condor, John Corbett, Noah Centineo, Emilija Baranac Directed By: Susan Johnson #24 Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) 96% #24 Adjusted Score: 100005% Critics Consensus: While frothy to a fault, Four Weddings and a Funeral features irresistibly breezy humor, and winsome performances from Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell. Synopsis: Lovable Englishman Charles (Hugh Grant) and his group of friends seem to be unlucky in love. When Charles meets a... [More] Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow Directed By: Mike Newell #25 City Lights (1931) 95% #25 Adjusted Score: 101630% Critics Consensus: One of the best underdog romance movies ever, with an ending that will light up any heart. Synopsis: A hapless but resilient tramp (Charlie Chaplin) falls in love with a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) on the tough... [More] Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers, Hank Mann Directed By: Charles Chaplin #26 Adam's Rib (1949) 96% #26 Adjusted Score: 99630% Critics Consensus: Matched by Garson Kanin's witty, sophisticated screenplay, George Cukor, Spencer Tracy, and Katherine Hepburn are all in top form in the classic comedy Adam's Rib. Synopsis: A courtroom rivalry finds its way into the household when prosecuting lawyer Adam Bonner (Spencer Tracy) faces off against his... [More] Starring: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Judy Holliday, Tom Ewell Directed By: George Cukor #27 Stolen Kisses (1968) 97% #27 Adjusted Score: 99231% Critics Consensus: Stolen Kisses is a fine feature follow-up to The 400 Blows, transforming Antoine Doinel into a sympathetic, silly, and romantic figure that carries to the series' end. Synopsis: The third in a series of films featuring François Truffaut's alter-ego, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), the story resumes with Antoine... [More] Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Delphine Seyrig, Michel Lonsdale, Claude Jade Directed By: François Truffaut #28 The Artist (2011) 95% #28 Adjusted Score: 106876% Critics Consensus: A crowd-pleasing tribute to the magic of silent cinema, The Artist is a clever, joyous film with delightful performances and visual style to spare. Synopsis: In the 1920s, actor George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a bona fide matinee idol with many adoring fans. While working... [More] Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell Directed By: Michel Hazanavicius #29 Palm Springs (2020) 94% #29 Adjusted Score: 109499% Critics Consensus: Strong performances, assured direction, and a refreshingly original concept make Palm Springs a romcom that's easy to fall in love with. Synopsis: Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over... [More] Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Meredith Hagner Directed By: Max Barbakow #30 Enough Said (2013) 95% #30 Adjusted Score: 101947% Critics Consensus: Wryly charming, impeccably acted, and ultimately quite bittersweet, Enough Said is a grown-up movie in the best possible way. Synopsis: Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a divorced single parent, seems generally happy but dreads her daughter's departure for college. Unexpectedly, Eva begins... [More] Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette Directed By: Nicole Holofcener #31 Appropriate Behavior (2014) 95% #31 Adjusted Score: 96492% Critics Consensus: Warm, funny, and quietly profound, Appropriate Behavior serves as a thoroughly compelling calling card for writer, director, and star Desiree Akhavan. Synopsis: A secretly bisexual Brooklynite (Desiree Akhavan) from a traditional Persian family struggles with her identity and the disintegration of her... [More] Starring: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Scott Adsit, Halley Feiffer Directed By: Desiree Akhavan #32 Dave (1993) 95% #32 Adjusted Score: 99364% Critics Consensus: Ivan Reitman's refreshingly earnest political comedy benefits from an understated, charming script and a breezy performance by Kevin Kline. Synopsis: Shifty White House chief of staff Bob Alexander (Frank Langella) hatches a scheme to use a double for the president... [More] Starring: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Ben Kingsley Directed By: Ivan Reitman #33 Belle Epoque (1992) 95% #33 Adjusted Score: 95506% Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: As Spain sits on the precipice of civil war in 1930, Fernando (Jorge Sanz) opts to go AWOL from the... [More] Starring: Fernando Fernán Gómez, Jorge Sanz, Penélope Cruz, Miriam Díaz-Aroca Directed By: Fernando Trueba #34 Juno (2007) 94% #34 Adjusted Score: 102095% Critics Consensus: One of the brightest, funniest comedies of the year, Juno's smart script and direction are matched by assured performances in a coming-of-age story with a 21st century twist. Synopsis: When precocious teen Juno MacGuff becomes pregnant, she chooses a failed rock star and his wife to adopt her unborn... [More] Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman Directed By: Jason Reitman #35 Manhattan (1979) 94% #35 Adjusted Score: 99308% Critics Consensus: One of Woody Allen's early classics, Manhattan combines modern, bittersweet humor and timeless romanticism with unerring grace. Synopsis: Director Woody Allen's love letter to New York City stars Allen as frustrated television writer Isaac Davis, a twice-divorced malcontent... [More] Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway, Michael Murphy Directed By: Woody Allen #36 Some Like It Hot (1959) 94% #36 Adjusted Score: 100620% Critics Consensus: Some Like It Hot: A spry, quick-witted farce that never drags. Synopsis: After witnessing a Mafia murder, slick saxophone player Joe (Tony Curtis) and his long-suffering buddy, Jerry (Jack Lemmon), improvise a... [More] Starring: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, George Raft Directed By: Billy Wilder #37 Moonstruck (1987) 93% #37 Adjusted Score: 97946% Critics Consensus: Led by energetic performances from Nicolas Cage and Cher, Moonstruck is an exuberantly funny tribute to love and one of the decade's most appealing comedies. Synopsis: No sooner does Italian-American widow Loretta (Cher) accept a marriage proposal from her doltish boyfriend, Johnny (Danny Aiello), than she... [More] Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis Directed By: Norman Jewison #38 Bringing Up Baby (1938) 94% #38 Adjusted Score: 102776% Critics Consensus: With Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant at their effervescent best, Bringing Up Baby is a seamlessly assembled comedy with enduring appeal. Synopsis: Harried paleontologist David Huxley (Cary Grant) has to make a good impression on society matron Mrs. Random (May Robson), who... [More] Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charlie Ruggles, May Robson Directed By: Howard Hawks #39 Enchanted (2007) 93% #39 Adjusted Score: 100089% Critics Consensus: A smart re-imagining of fairy tale tropes that's sure to delight children and adults, Enchanted features witty dialogue, sharp animation, and a star turn by Amy Adams. Synopsis: Banished by an evil queen, Princess Giselle (Amy Ad