Over in America, they’re all excited because Now That’s What I Call Music! has just released it’s 50th album. As expected for a compilation album in May 2014, it’s got a healthy dose of Pharrell, followed up by Avicii, with a side dish of #Selfie by The Chainsmokers.
Over here, though, we’re already on Now That’s What I Call Music! 87 (yeaaah, in your FACE ,America) having released the very first one (and I say ‘we’, like we had something to do with it) back in 1983. First track? Phil Collins – You Can’t Hurry Love.
So we decided to have a look back at what was on the UK version of the 50th edition, all the way back in 2001. And, after listening to it all in the name of research, we feel pretty safe in saying that, be it a decline in the stellar production of music or an odd lowering in tolerance for terribly cheesy music, today’s stuff just isn’t up to scratch in comparison.
You can have a look at the whole playlist below (and *do *because it's got some absolutely excellent tunes on it), but some of our personal favourites include the short-lived music career of Kate Winslet, as personified through Christmas cheesefest What If, Not Such An Innocent Girl by Victoria Beckham (full video below in case you needed reminding ovf what Miss Beckham looked like before she started hanging out with Anna Wintour), and 21 Seconds by So Solid Crew (hands up if you can still do the Lisa Mafia rap).
Plug in some earphones and enjoy. Just make sure no one else can hear.
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.