Intense Records

NOW That's What I Call An Era: The Sound Of The Suburbs: 1977 - 1980 *SPECIAL EDITION CD*

Pre-order - 07/02/2025

£15.83 (£18.99 incl. VAT)

In celebration of one of the most dynamic and diverse periods ever in the singles charts, NOW are proud to present ‘NOW That’s What I Call An Era: The Sound Of The Suburbs’ – this special edition 4-CD is encased in ‘hardback book’ packaging, which includes a 28-page booklet packed with notes about all of the 80 featured tracks! Spanning multiple genres that contributed to the rich diversity of the era – including punk, new wave, reggae, ska, mod and electronic – between 1977 and the end of 1980, and all of which would inspire the wave of new art and club influenced pop that would come to define the musical landscape of the early 80s…. 

Kicking off with punk & new wave classics from The Clash with the iconic ‘London Calling’, the Ramones, Iggy Pop, The Jam and The Boomtown Rats who were the first punk/new wave band to have a #1 single, with ‘Rat Trap’. The Undertones created a defining anthem, and Siouxsie And The Banshees began a run of hit singles that would last for more than fifteen years… Unforgettable chart debuts from The Rezillos, Plastic Bertrand and Martha And The Muffins feature alongside early hits for bands that would rate amongst the most influential of all time including The Cure and Joy Division. Dexys Midnight Runners took a fusion of soul and new wave to #1 – plus artists that had their roots in punk and found massive success with new wave pop are here - including Blondie, Squeeze, the Pretenders and Adam & The Ants… 

The collection’s subtitle, ‘The Sound Of The Suburbs’, opens Disc 2 from The Members, along with punk anthems from The Stranglers, The Ruts, The Runaways and a second defining track from the Ramones… Patti Smith hit the chart with ‘Because The Night’, and Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello and Jonathan Richman all feature with signature self-penned songs. The Tom Robinson Band, Dr. Feelgood, Generation X, and The Skids all enjoyed chart success with anthemic singles – and the disc is rounded off with energetic punk-pop from Sham 69 and The Dickies with their take on tv theme ‘Banana Splits’… 

Fusing traditional ska, reggae, rocksteady and new wave, The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat and Bad Manners open Disc 3 with a stellar run, ahead of reggae influenced singles from UB40 and The Clash. New wave cover versions feature from Grace Jones with ‘Love Is The Drug’, Devo with ‘(I Can’t Get Me No) Satisfaction’, Blondie with ‘Hanging On The Telephone’, and the Pretenders, who made their debut in 1979 with ‘Stop Your Sobbing’. Power-pop/new wave hits from The Motors and The Jags bring the disc to a close along with the combination of punk, mod and pop from Secret Affair and The Jam.

The final disc presents The B-52’s, Adam & The Ants, Toyah, Hazel O’Connor, and Bow Wow Wow with new wave pop gems, and post-punk from Siouxsie And The Banshees, The Psychedelic Furs and Joy Division. The remainder of the disc celebrates the fusing of new wave attitude with electronic music to create hugely influential synth-pop that would set the direction for the new decade, featuring a stellar line-up including Japan, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, The Human League, Devo, Sparks, John Foxx, Spandau Ballet, Ultravox, and #1’s from Tubeway Army with ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ and The Buggles with their 1979 chart topper ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ – which in 1981 would become the first music video shown on MTV… 

Whether you were there at the time or have discovered this incredible music since – we are delighted to present the sounds of an ERA…. NOW That’s What I Call An Era: The Sound Of The Suburbs. 1977-1980 – Out February 7th! 

Tracklisting:

CD1:

1. The Clash - London Calling  
2. Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop 

3. Iggy Pop - Lust For Life  

4. The Jam - Going Underground  

5. The Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap  

6. The Undertones - Teenage Kicks 

7. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden  

8. The Rezillos - Top Of The Pops 

9. Plastic Bertrand - Ça Plane Pour Moi 

10. Squeeze - Cool For Cats 

11. The Cure - Boys Don't Cry  

12. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart  

13. Dexys Midnight Runners - Geno  

14. The Police - Roxanne  

15. Pretenders - Brass In Pocket  

16. Blondie - Atomic  

17. Martha And The Muffins - Echo Beach  

18. Joe Jackson - It's Different For Girls  

19. Roxy Music - Over You  

20. Adam & The Ants - Antmusic  

CD2:

1. The Members - The Sound Of The Suburbs  

2. The Stranglers - No More Heroes  

3. The Ruts - Babylon's Burning  

4. Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker  

5. The Runaways - Cherry Bomb  

6. Generation X – King Rocker  

7. Patti Smith Group - Because The Night  
8. Joe Jackson - Is She Really Going Out With Him?  

9. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea  

10. Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner (Once)  

11. The Tom Robinson Band - 2-4-6-8 Motorway  

12. Dr. Feelgood - Milk And Alcohol  

13. Yellow Dog - Just One More Night  

14. Eddie & The Hot Rods - Do Anything You Wanna Do 

15. The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet  
16. Skids - Into The Valley  

17. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides  

18. The Vibrators - Automatic Lover  

19. Sham 69 - If The Kids Are United 

20. The Dickies - Banana Splits  

CD3:

1. The Specials - Gangsters 

2. Madness - The Prince  

3. The Selecter – On My Radio   

4. The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom  

5. Bad Manners - Special Brew  

6. UB40 - Food For Thought  

7. The Clash - (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais  
8. The Boomtown Rats - Like Clockwork  

9. Public Image Limited - Death Disco  

10. Grace Jones - Love Is The Drug  

11. Devo - (I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction  

12. The Slits - Typical Girls  

13. The Regents - 7 Teen 

14. XTC - Making Plans For Nigel  

15. Squeeze - Take Me I'm Yours  

16. Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone  

17. Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing  

18. The Motors - Airport  

19. Secret Affair - Time For Action  
20. The Jags - Back Of My Hand  

21. The Jam - All Around The World  

 CD4:

1. The B-52's - Rock Lobster  

2. Bow Wow Wow - C30 C60 C90 Go  

3. Adam & The Ants - Dog Eat Dog  

4. Toyah – Ieya  

5. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Happy House  

6. Hazel O'Connor - Eighth Day  

7. Devo - Whip It  

8. The Flying Lizards - Money  

9. The Human League - Nightclubbing  

10. The Psychedelic Furs - Sister Europe  
11. Joy Division - Atmosphere  

12. John Foxx - Underpass   

13. Tubeway Army - Are ‘Friends’ Electric?  

14. Japan - Life In Tokyo  
15. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Messages  
16. The Number One Song In Heaven (From The Album No. 1 In Heaven - 1979)  
17. Ultravox – Sleepwalk   
18. Spandau Ballet - To Cut A Long Story Short  

19. The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star