Reviews (7)

Doesn't beat the first "Fired Up!," but still real neat
I remember the first "Fired Up!" album from 2003 being a sweet compilation.It made Six Flags feel like an office cubical.I thought a sequal album would be just as good.Looking at the commercial for volume two, I was defenitely going to buy it once I could, but I didn't think it would reach the quality volume one had.I was right that even though it wasn't going to be as good as the first "Fired Up!," but still enjoyable. This CD features dance hits like IIO's "Rapture (Tastes So Sweet)," a classic from 2001.I remember listening to this on the radio back in 2001-02.The more I listened to it, the more I wanted this song, and I listened to it enough that I bought the CD single.There's also Tiesto's remix of "Silence" by Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlin.It's a great song, and a great remix too.I wish it was the whole version though.There was some parts of the song cut out.This album also includes "I'll Fly With You (L'Amour Toujours)" by Gigi D'Agostino.The version on this album is the one with those special beats and the guy saying.... well I dunno exactly what he's saying.He's saying something like "a-da-wa-da-eh wa-da-ah-ah-steh wa-da-in-in-steh wa-da-a-da-da-eh."The other version made it feel more like a romantic musical play.Another song on here is "Breathe" by Telepopmusik.The vocalist in this song sounds sort of like she's singing over the phone.I wonder if that's why they're called "Telepopmusik."This CD also has Darude's classic, "Sandstorm."It's defenitely a rampant, wild track!I could run non-stop whenever I hear this tune.There's also DJ Sammy's "Heaven," The Hani Radio Edit of Kelly Clarkson's "Miss Independent," "Stranger In My House" by Tamia, "Desire" by Ultra Nate (Oh, Ultra.You never fail to impress me.), Amber's "Sexual (Li Da Di)," "Weapon Of Choice" by Fatboy Slim (Finally, something faster), and more. It's a great album, but not at the same level as the first one.I'm guessing they were running out of good song ideas to put in their albums.Hopefully, there isn't a pattern where these albums get worse and worse each release.As long as they continue to include quality anthems on their CDs, I'll be satisfied.Fair enough quality for this CD overall.

ya this music was good five years ago...
Ok, so this music was hot five years ago. How can they actually call this new? These songs are for people who really are out of the music scene...

Use caution while driving!
I thought Fired Up was great, Fired Up 2 is even better! Every song on this CD is great. Especially Sandstorm - I was driving around listening to it today and ended up getting pulled over for speeding...try and explain yourself out of that one! I highly recommend getting this, you won't be disappointed.

Much better selection of songs
The first volume of Fired Up! was great, don't get me wrong. But in my opinion, this one has a much better selection. I had been wondering where songs like "Heaven" and the Thunderpuss Remix of Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" were, though here they are! Definitely a CD that can keep you moving. Great if you go to the Gym. Some standouts include the ever-famous DJ Sammy cover of Heaven, "Absolutely Not" by Deborah Cox, The DJ Tiesto remix of "Silence", and the amazing remix of Tamia's "Stranger In My House". The only ones I don't really enjoy are Weapon of choice, and the remixes of Miss Independent and He Wasn't Man Enough. Weapon of Choice is just...too long for the same thing over and over. And Miss Independent and He Wasn't Man enough were fine as they were. These mixes make them seem much slower.

But otherwise, a great CD. Definitely recommend it.

Just as strong as the first Fired Up!
I liked Fired Up 2.I've been listening to it the past several days.Most of the songs I've heard on some other dance albums, but one of the standouts is the Hani remix of Kelly Clarkson's Miss Independent.It just puts her in a different light. It makes the album version sound like a Puff Daddy remix. The smooth keyboards and rapid paced sound actually works for Kelly. Don't know if she actually sang on that song or if Hani took the vocals from the album song and put it in that remix. All the songs from Amber, to Daniel Bedingfield, to Toni Braxton to Deborah Cox to Dirty Vegas' funky Days Go By are on here. The only song I hate on here is Fatboy Slim's Weapons of Choice. This song suffers from having too many samples and snippets going on in a 5-minute plus song.Plus it looks out of place of the more pumping dance tracks on the album. The rest of the album remains consistent for much of the 72 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A great mix of hits from 1979
I was 10 years old in 1979, and I remember listening to a lot of these songs on the radio, especially "Escape"(Pina Colada Song). It was one of my favorite songs back then.
This greatly eclectic mix of genres will bring back some great memories of a year that spurned some great music.
Disco was fading, but Blondie got her hooks into it with "Heart of Glass", which starts this disc off right.
"My Sharona", the one hit wonder of The Knack is on here, along with a few 70's party standards for fast dances, "I will survive", "YMCA", and "Ring my bell".
The slower songs are sad love songs: "Just when I needed you most" and "Sad Eyes".
This is fun album to have on and sing along with(karoake here i come...)in the car, or at home in the background at a party.
I've actually recognized it being played at clubs, between bands.
I am highly recommending this for 70's music fans! It's one of the greatest if not the best compliation album I've heard for that decade.

Eileen Famiglietti

DISCO, COUNTRY AND BEAUTIFUL BALLADS
This excellent compilation contains four massive disco smashes, one stunning piece of power pop, three soulful ballads and one great country story song. The heavy presence of disco is to be expected since this dance style still rules the charts in 1979. I Will Survive and Y.M.C.A. became ageless club anthems, Ring My Bell is famous for its atmospheric syndrum effects and Heart Of Glass crossed the boundaries between new wave and disco in a big way. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) was a novelty hit and it still irritates me, but Just When I Needed You Most, Sad Eyes and Fire are great emotional ballads that have stood the test of time very well. The Devil Went Down To Georgia is still an amusing country song with some superb instrumental breaks. Nine great songs out of ten tracks make this one of the better Billboard compilations, reflecting all of the relevant styles that made 1979 such a great year for music.

Those Were The Days!!
Ah, 1979. It was the last year that disco ruled the pop charts, new wave began its rise, rap had its first Top 40 hit ("Rapper's Delight"), and every newscast began with a countdown of the number of days hostages had been held in Iran. As a 9 year old, I heard these songs everywhere, from "My Sharona" played round the clock on the radio, to "Sad Eyes" and "Just When I Needed You Most" played during slow skate at the local roller rink. I saw most of these songs lip synced to on "Solid Gold" (remember that show?), where Dionne Warwick's hair got shorter every week. I thought Charlie Daniels was one bad dude when he was talking about the Devil coming down south, where I lived at the time! Who knew then that "Y.M.C.A." would become the most played song in the history of the universe? And though I've listened to it for 25 years without tiring of it, I still don't have the foggiest clue what Debbie Harry is singing on "Heart of Glass?!" Needless to say, this CD sums up one year better than just about any other Billboard collection to date. Memories usually don't come this cheap!!! As we said in 1979, "Na Noo, Na Noo."

An Excellent Compilation
I really love Billboard collections. Instead of buying the individual albums that contain my favorite songs, I can buy a Billboard album that already has all of the hits on one disc. Usually, Billboard albums are chock-full of songs that I recognize and enjoy. This particular album, though, is especially rich with first-class music; the year 1979 must have been an extraordinary one for the music industry. "Billboard Top Hits 1979" starts out with "Heart of Glass," an upbeat, yet relaxing tune by Blondie. Next is a song that everyone recognizes but hardly anyone knows the artist -- "My Sharona" by the Knack. Although this song can get a little repetitive, I still enjoy listening to it from time to time. I really like its placement on the album; the rock tempo is a nice complement to "Heart of Glass." The album continues with another highly-recognized song, "Just When I Needed You Most." This romantic ballad is one of the few soft, slow, emotional songs; it adds variety while still contributing nicely to the whole. One of my personal favorites is the next track, "Escape," which most everyone knows as the infamous Piña Colada song. This song's memorable lyrics never fail to touch me every time I hear them. Next up comes two more rock tunes which have also become some of the more popular dance music of the last twenty years, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor and "YMCA" by the Village People. These two songs have a universal appeal that has already spanned generations since the time that they were first released; the longevity combined with the immense popularity make them some of the greatest songs ever written. The next track is "Sad Eyes" by Robert John; although it isn't a terrible song, it just doesn't deserve to be a follow-up to a song like "YMCA." Its mellow tune just doesn't seem in sync with its placement on the album. The album makes a recovery, though, with "Fire" by the Pointer Sisters, which was another one of my favorite songs with its mystical, enigmatic, fast-paced melody. "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward was also one of my favorites; it is a perfect follow-up to a song like "Fire," returning the album back to a more cheerful, light-hearted theme. Finally, the album closes with "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which is not only a great song, but also a great story as well. The country flair of this song is different from the predominant rock/pop theme, ending the album on a different note and thereby contributing to the pleasant variety of music that this album exhibits. Overall, I thought that this was an outstanding album and I certainly recommend it to fans of 1970's pop, rock, and disco music. With such a diverse assortment of classic music all on one disc, this album is a treasure for music fans of all ages.

This hits collection is worth it just to have "My Sharona"
Wow, Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" must have been the best song of 1979 because it appears on both "Billboard Top Hits: 1979" and "1979: Billboard Top Dance Hits." This is one of those Billboard hit collections that really covers the music spectrum for the year in question. Not only do you have Disco with Gaynor and the Village People, you have Punk/New Wave represented by by Blondie and The Knack, whatever "Escape (The Pina Colada Song" happens to be, and Country Western with the Charlie Daniels Band. I think this album will make the cut for most people when it comes to checking out the play list to see if there are five or more songs you would like to add to your music collection. The downside is that there are half as many songs here that you will probably just pass over when you play the album. However, I cannot begin to count the number of times that the driving beat of "My Sharona" has gotten me through a late afternoon. That has to count for something, boys and girls. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Now That's What I Call Music
Together Again(8) Fun Janet dance track
As Long As You Love Me(6) Okay try at an emotional number from a band with a bad rap
The Way(8) Good track! Now we're getting into my kinda music
Flagpole Sitta(8) Another good track
Say You'll Be There(7) Fun dance track from a band with a bad rap
All My Life(9) Very beautiful love song. One of the cd's best
Never Ever(2) Pretty bad track
If You Could Only See(10) A perfect track!
MMMBop(2) Boy this track sucks
Zoot Suit Riot(9) Fun catchy track

Shorty(4) Never heard of this track before this cd
Anytime(8) Another good heartfelt love song
Barbie Girl(9) Ya just gotta love this one
Karma Police(10) Radiohead on a hits compilation? Now that's what I call music!
I Will Buy You A New Life(8) A good track from a good band
Fly Away(8) Another good track from an equally good artist
Sex and Candy(8) Cool catchy rock tune

few decent songs, but nothing else to offer
Better than some of the other NOW compilations, but still lacking a lot. There's more rock songs & not as annoying pop songs, which is the only good thing about it. But HOW can you stick that MOST annoying Aqua song infront of an awesome Radiohead song?!?!?! Who picks these songs???? ANYONE could pick a set of songs & put them on cd, what makes these compilations special?? They should've stuck in some Sublime, Jamiroquai, Love Spit Love, & other good bands from this time frame...but that would be another series titled "Now that's what I call REAL music".
Here are my comments on a few songs I'm familiar with:

3. The Way - Fastball -- not a bad band, but I NEVER liked this song
4. Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger -- catchy, kewl riffs, overplayed
5. Say You'll Be There - Spice Girls -- their least annoying song that had a cool video
8. If You Could Only See - Tonic -- if you could only remember how much this song was overplayed!!
9. MMMBop - Hanson --mmmmm, this song should've never been invented?? at least the boys in this band played instruments, but still annoying
10. Zoot Suit Riot - Cherry Poppin' Daddy -- good fun song
14. Karma Police - Radiohead -- my fave Radiohead song from OK Computer
15. I Will Buy You a New Life - Everclear, 16. Fly Away - Kravitz, Lenny, & 17. Sex & Candy - Marcy Playground -- I liked all 3 of these maybe the 1st couple times I heard them, but they didn't offer much to musically stimulate me.

Overall, I like enuff of these songs that it should get a 3, but with the other crap thrown in, it must get a 2. Pick better pop songs at least!!

Now That's What I Call Music
1. Janet, Together Again: It was an ok song but not the best song on her Velvet Rope CD. C

2. Backstreet Boys, As Long As You Love Me: This was a popular song when I was in high school. I always liked it. A

3. Fastball, The Way: Fastball I have no clue who they are let alone who they were 6 years ago. F

4. Harvey Danger, Flagpole Sitta: This was a song I hated back in the day but I have grown to like it somewhat. C

5. Spice Girls, Say You'll Be There: I don't care what people say I liked the Spice Girls. A

6. K-Ci & JoJo, All My Life: It's was a good song at the prom but it got old really quick. B-

7. All Saints, Never Ever: Never ever again! F

8. Tonic, If You Could Only See: I loved this song 6 years ago and I still listen to it today. A

9. Hanson, MMMBop: MMMBop? More like MMMEwww. The only thing going for Hanson was their hair not their singing talent. F-

10. Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Zoot Suit Riot: I actually learned how to swing from this song. Not only is it catchy but it helped bring back swing. A-

11. Imajin, Shorty: I have no comment on this one. F

12. Brian McKnight, Anytime: This was a good song but it just isn't my type of music. C-

13. Aqua, Barbie Girl: I love this song it is one of my favorite on this cd. A+

14. Radiohead, Karma Police: I didn't like it when I heard it on the radio but over the years it grew to the point of actually liking it. B-

15. Everclear, I Will Buy You A New Life: This is a good song on a great CD. A

16. Lenny Kravitz, Fly Away: I liked this song and I still do. Sometimes I wish I could fly away. A-

17. Marcy Playground, Sex & Candy: I think this was a fitting song to be on the end of this cd. A

My Review for: Now 1
OK. Now, i'm reviewing for the very 1st in the Now series. Most of these arent played on the radio anymore, but, thats ok. On with the ratings of songs!

1. Janet- Together Again (4/5) Pretty nice song from Janet from her Velvet Rope album.
2. Backstreet Boys- As Long As You Love Me (3/5) I still like this from the BSB, but, I got way tired of it before. So, thats why I only gave a 3.
3. Fastball- The Way (5/5) Awsome! Fastball r awsome. Their best song. Even better than Out Of My Head that was on Now 3. I luv both songs soo much.
4. Harvey Danger- Flagpole Sitta (4/5) I never even listened to this before, but, its a cool song. Its pretty weird.
5. Spice Girls- Say You'll Be There (2/5) Ugh! Spice Girls are ok, but, theyre old! I'm glad that theyre not big anymore, cuz, they would be causin too much trouble. OK song. Pretty pointless.
6. K-CI & Jo-Jo (5/5) Love dis 1 too! K-Ci and Jo-Jo always have good, soulful songs.
7. All Saints- Never Ever (1/5) YUCK! All Saints is a TERRIBLE girl group, probably the worst there is. The girl thinks shes rapping, but, shes talkin idiotic!!! I'm soo glad they were 1-hit wonderz.
8. Tonic- If You Could Only See (5/5) Always loved this one! I will never hate it!! Tonic were almost 1-hit wonders, but, they had a few otha hits.
9. Hanson- MmmBOP (4/5) Hanson are cool. I havent lost much respect for them. Theyre a very underrated band.
10. Cherry Poppin Daddys- Zoot Suit Riot (4/5) Wacky song, but, I would never hurt comedy's feelings.
11. Imajin- Shorty (You Keep Playin With My Mind) (3/5) Again, 1-hit wonders. I think Imajin are rivals of B2K, but, even if one member left B2K (Omarion), they can still kick Imajin's butts anyday.
12. Brian McKnight- Anytime (5/5) Love dis too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brian is VERY soulful on this, GREAT BALLAD! His best next to Back At One.
13. Aqua- Barbie Girl No Rating I dont know what to say about this. I dont like or hate it.
14. Radiohead- Karma Police (4/5) I never listened to this one, either, but, I do like Radiohead. Great song.
15. Everclear- I Will Buy You A New Life (4/5) Pretty good song by Everclear, but, definatly not one one of their best.
16. Lenny Kravitz- Fly Away (5/5) YEAH!! Now were talkin!!! Lenny @ his best
17. Marcy Playground- Sex & Candy (5/5) NOW WE STILL TALKIN! Easily my fav song on da album! Funny jam. These guys were nearly 1-hit wonders, also.

I review: NOW
NOW:

1. Janet, Together Again: Forgettable. Maybe if I knew who she WAS... C-

2. Backstreet Boys, As Long As You Love Me: And so the evil reign begins. Far better than N*Sync, that still says nothing. C-

3. Fastball, The Way: Fastball were a great band that did not deserve one-hit wonderdom. Still, I'm glad THIS was their only hit, as 7 years later, it still sounds fresh. Look for these guys, a new album's coming out this year. A

4. Harvey Danger, Flagpole Sitta: Average power-pop, but it gets an A for effort. Almost. B

5. Spice Girls, Say You'll Be There: It was okay back then. Now it's irritating. C

6. K-Ci & JoJo, All My Life: It's okay. I myself don't care for it, but I can see why others would. C+

7. All Saints, Never Ever: Like a bad Destiny's Child ripoff, except for the fact they predate them. D+

8. Tonic, If You Could Only See: It should be farther along the CD, but that doesn't change the fact it's a memorable rock ballad that will be sure to be covered by VH1 on the eventual "I Love The 90's" A

9. Hanson, MMMBop: I'd rather light myself on fire repeatedly. Words can not express how terrible this song is, and neither can a grade.

10. Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Zoot Suit Riot: One of the most recent dance favorites, I STILL hear this song plenty. It's insanely catchy, functional and a great attempt to bring swing to the masses once again, so it gets worthy praise from me. A strong B+

11. Imajin, Shorty: Annoying, irritating, and oddly B2K-sounding, despite them being older. And I don't care for B2K. F

12. Brian McKnight, Anytime: A beautiful, soulful ballad that, in my opinion, was better than "Back At One", which I hear more often. A-

13. Aqua, Barbie Girl: Talk about change of pace... This is a fun little piece of Eurocheese that's remembered by most, whether fondly or hatefully. It's Aqua, man. Perfect for small children and lovers of Eurocheese. I fall into the latter category, soooo... B+

14. Radiohead, Karma Police: Another sudden change of pace. Strange sequencing... Anyway, this song is perfection. I love Radiohead half to death, and this ranks among their best. Everyone should own OK Computer. This song's too good for a grade, but I'll give it an A+ anyway.

15. Everclear, I Will Buy You A New Life: Good follow-up to Karma Police in terms of sequencing. I love Everclear, and while I still prefer their American Family days, this is a good single with a great melody and great lyrics. A strong B+

16. Lenny Kravitz, Fly Away: Corny and fairly sub-par, the chorus redeems it all. Lenny's really a better ballad man, though. B+

17. Marcy Playground, Sex & Candy: If any song comes close to Karma Police in terms of quality, this would be it. The lyrics are strange but great, and the music's insanely addicting, despite sounding just a tiny bit derivative. The wonderful, wonderful vocals change that, though. A+

-The Good: Fastball, Tonic, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Brian McKnight, Aqua, Everclear
-The Awesome: Radiohead, Marcy Playground
-The Bad: Janet, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Imajin
-The Horrendous: Hanson
-Overall: How some of the best AND worst songs in the last 2 decades can end up here, I don't know. But the good overpowers the bad. Just as long as someone kills Hanson. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This should be retitled "Greatest Dance Hits of the 90s"!
This is a great compilation! 17 of the 90s greatest dance hits on one explosive cd! What could be better! Songs like "Missing", "Where Do You Go?" and "Another Night" represent the earlier years of 90s dance. "Dreamer", "I Like to Move It", and "Boom Boom Boom" are defenite club hits! But among this vast list of party smashes are just a couple of ultimate hits. "Beautiful Life", beautifully performed by the best group on the planet, Ace of Base, is one of them. The other is "C'mon & Ride It (The Train)" by one of the decade's biggest dance acts, Quad City DJs. These two hits are for sure the biggest dance tracks ever! This is an amazing party cd (I bought it in summer 98, and this album helped me party on down!) and everyone who wants the biggest club hits of the 90s needs this cd!

A True Dance Party!
While many dance compilations try to please as many people as possible by combining as many different types of dance music as possible, all the songs on this CD work together wonderfully. The Amber song This Is Your Night is the highlight of this CD, but the songs by La Bouche, Taylor Dayne, Ace Of Base and Quad City DJs are huge party starters. The only annoying song here is the overplayed Macarena, but since it's the last song on the CD you can easily skip it. Even if you think this CD is older, still get it because it's still very enjoyable.

An ok dance CD
This is an ok dance CD. Only about 4 good dance tracks worth the listen such as "Who Do U Love" - Deborah Cox, "Be My Lover" - La Bouche feat. Melanie Thornton, "Dreamer" - Livin' Joy, "Beautiful Life" - Ace of Base. The rest is basically pretty boring. Not a great dance CD, but still an ok one. Get this only if you like most of the tracks and artists on this dance compilation album.

I MISS THIS TIME...
BEST EVER!
EVERYTHING BUT A GIRL,LA BOUCHE,ACE OF BASE,LOS DEL RIO...
GREAT!

Excellent
This was my first dance compilation ever, when I bought it shortly after it was released in early 1997 and I have loved it ever since (as well as the 1998 edition). This is a sampling of back-to-back dance trax that was popular at the time, when eurodance first became really hot. Starting off with "Missing" by EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL, it leads into more hits, such as "Another Night" by Real McCoy, "Where Do You Go" by NO MERCY, "Be My Lover" by LA BOUCHE, the excellent "Dreamer" by LIVIN JOY, the obscure mix of "No More I Love Yous" by ANNIE LENNOX, the wonderful "Children" by ROBERT MILES, the well-known cover "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" by NIKKI FRENCH and ending with the dancefloor standard (at that particular point and time) "Macarena" by LOS DEL RIO. You'll probably recognize most of these, including the rehashed "Tell It To My Heart" (remix) by TAYLOR DAYNE and you even get a perfect mix of "A Deeper Love" by the queen of soul herself, ARETHA FRANKLIN. Overall, this is a non-stop dance album that'll make you wanna move from start to finish. All hits in one form or another, no filler, this is THE dance collection to buy, and I recommend ULTIMATE DANCE PARTY 1998 in additon to this disc. Both are just absolutely fabulous! ... Read more

Album Description

The BOY is BACK!Megahit Records proudly presents the highly-anticipated Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 4—the fourth in the hit double CD gay dance mix series imported from SAIFAM Italy’s Atlantis label.Vol. 4’s non-stop mix features dance versions of this year’s most massive hits ("Toxic," "My Immortal," "Slow," "It’s My Life" and more), plus gay classics ("Relight My Fire," "Young Hearts Run Free" "High Energy," "Xanadu" and more).Energetic versions of gay circuit hits "Me Against The Music," "The Voice Within" and "Love Profusion" make this collection simply irresistible.Best of all, Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 4 features another attractive "cover boy" in a revealing pose.Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 4 is the perfect gay party album! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another great dance release from LHIFTB!
This is the third "Let's Hear It" compliation that I own. What I really like about this particular series is the mixes are fresh. Plus for $23.00, you get a double disc set...not bad!

This version has great mixes from Donna Summer, Britney Spears, Madonna, KISS, Erasure, Olivia Newton John, Diana Ross and Talk Talk. This set, a little more reminiscent of disco days and the early 80s, really made me smile. Who didn't love Xanadu, This Time I Know It's For Real, I Was Made For Loving You and Love Hangover? BUT...there is a total stinker on this set: My Immortal. I loved My Immortal as a ballad, but the remix is the clumsiest I've heard in my life. The remix beats are WAY OFF of the track beats and it nearly leaves you battered, and not in a cooking way, at the end of the track. For this single reason, I had to deduct a star.

Bottom line: Two hours of music for $23.00 is not too bad! Two hours of fresh dance that strolls you down memory lane but keeps its cutting edge - very good! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ten Great Songs; One Outstanding CD
Whoever came up with the idea of making a "Top Hits" CD from the highest-ranking Billboard songs in a particular year was a genius. In my opinion, the Billboard albums contain some of the best music ever recorded for the lowest price ever imaginable. I have listened to quite a few of the albums in the Billboard series over the past few weeks, and one of my favorites has been the year 1975. The 1975 album is filled with memorable music that has been remastered to sound just as good as, if not better than, the original releases. The album starts off with "Sister Golden Hair," which is undoubtedly America's best song of all time. It's a catchy tune that isn't quite as humdrum as a song like "Horse With No Name." "Sister Golden Hair" has quickly become my favorite song on this album as well; it is relaxing and can easily be played over and over again without losing any of its appeal. Other good songs on this album include "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille, "When Will I Be Loved" by Linda Ronstadt, the classic romance tune "Fallin' in Love" by Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds, "Sky High" by Jigsaw, and "Get Down Tonight" by KC & the Sunshine Band. Another one of my absolute favorite songs, though, is Elton John's patriotic "Philadelphia Freedom." This song's spirit and message has only been magnified by the September 11th terrorist attacks; I hear it on the radio now all the time. I suppose that 1975 must have been quite a year to produce such outstanding music; I definitely recommend "Billboard Top Hits 1975" to pop/rock/disco music fans interested in enjoying these timeless hits.

Great recap of great year for pop radio.
These Billboard discs don't necessarily give you the maximum amount of time, since they only contain 10 songs per disc, but they are always remastered so incredibly well that often other compilations pale in comparison. In addition, with the Billboard series, you often get the cream of the crop as far as what was hot in pop music at the time. This disc is certainly no exception. With Ford in the Whitehouse and "Jaws" at the drive-in, these were 10 songs that you heard on the radio again and again and again. And they're 10 songs that still sound great today. Well, actually, with Rhino records at the helm, they sound better than ever. The two songs by Elton John (an artist who, along with John Denver, owned 1975) sound better here than they do on any Elton John compilation put out by MCA or Polygram. Add some all time classics by KC & The Sunshine Band, Captain & Tennille and the one song by America that won't put you to sleep, and you've got a great collection of nostalgic fun.

Some great hits!
I love most of the songs on this cd. I feel it is a nice compilation, with a few exceptions, but overall, it is a good buy. I recommend it for all fans of 70s music. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not the greatest, but still worthy
This is a good compliation. It's pretty hard to say ONE album is the compliation for an entire decade, but there are some big hits from the 80s on here. NOt a bad CD

Not the greatest compliation album
but it does have my signature hit, "Come On Eileen". This is one of the few one hit wonders that I like on this album. There were a lot of other songs from the 80's that I would have picked over "I ran", "Words", "Tuff enuff.." Enough said, the first half of the album is very good, but then it just starts to lose steam. It's as if they were running out of ideas as to what to put on the album. I didn't like these songs back in the 80's so why should I like them now. I guess that is the price I pay to get the few songs I did want.
I always loved the show, The big 80's on Vh1. And when this and the first c.d. came out, I bought them together. All in all, not such a terrible purchase. I like the first one much better, there are a better selection of songs.

Eighties Eightites Eighties!!!!
One hit wonders and just good eighties tunes. This is packed with them sort tunes you miss from such a great era. I have so many eighties tapes and CDs I keep collecting. I think this captured several really good songs on it and they are hard to track down songs. When it comes to to collections this one is tops. I can listen to these songs over and over again. Never tire of them. Guess the eighties will never die while I'm still breathing. :) I knew all the songs on this CD by heart and if you're an eighties fan you will too. It's a great gift for the eighties fan in your life too. That's where I get most of my tunes. People know I'm a hopeless eighties fan. :)

OK compilation
This is a compilation full of mostly good songs, but most of them have gotten really old by now, esp. "Mickey". Don't particularly like the song order, it's almost too spontaneous, even for my various taste. A Flock of Seagulls "I Ran" is among 1 of my favorite songs, but it got cut off at the end!! 1 saving grace is putting Peter Schiling's "Major Tom" last. One main reason I had gotten this a few years ago was to replace the bad copies I had taped off the radio years before, so it served its purpose at the time. But now with cd burners, I have no desire to buy any more 80's compilations cuz you can just make your own. All in all, it's a good introduction into 80's music for those who aren't too familiar with it, even mainstream ones like most of these are.

Little bit of the everything eighties!
Great CD! I love to listen to the eighties music. and guess I'm a fanatic when it comes down to it. This one has alot of old ones I hadn't heard in ages. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A trip down the "One Hit Wonder" Lane...
I was in junior high and high school throughout the 80's, and can remember hearing the songs on this album umpteen times. For the most part, the songs that appear here are mostly one hit wonders or the biggest hits from some of the acts that appear, like The Go-Go's and Night Ranger.
Some selections are a bit obscure, and aren't as big hits as others. That is what makes the album so great. You'll find a few songs here that you may not have heard in a long time.
Put it on and take a stroll down memory lane. You will have a wicked awesome time!
This is good background music for an 80's theme party too..I have yet to do it myself, but I have thought about it. There are some good dance songs, "Safety Dance" is probably the best.

A Rad 80's memory lane.
this disc is wonderful, just pop it in & sit back listen to memories fly thru your head as you listen to this disc, mj & prince & madonna are overated alittle. besides their's always another disc for that to come down the road anyway .

Good offering from the hits of the 80s
All of these are hits, no question. Great mix of them. The only question is... are these songs you still like or are you tired of them yet? :-)

DOWN TO MEMORY LANE
this disc is wonderful, just pop it in & sit back listen to memories fly thru your head as you listen to this disc, mj & prince & madonna are overated alittle. besides their's always another disc for that to come down the road anyway .

a cool 80's set
this is a cool 80's set.Culture Club"Time Clock of the Heart" is still Slammin then of course Gary Neuman's "Cars" that was the Jam.some cool tracks here.a good compilation overall. ... Read more

Album Description

Gay Happening - one of the most popular gay dance compilation series ever – proudly presents Golden Disco Hits Remixed & Reloaded, featuring new versions of classic 80s and 90s hi-energy dance hits by Gloria Gaynor, Laura Branigan, Divine, Evelyn Thomas, Linda Clifford, Black Box and many more. Also included is a special bonus enhanced video clip of Queen Ly’s drag version of "You Spin Me Round." Imported from Dance Street Germany by Megahit Records, Gay Happening Presents Golden Disco Hits provides the perfect soundtrack for any party! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not bad at all, but not the best.....
Listening to this album recently, after it collecting dust on my shelf of c.d.s', I realized this isn't the best compliation album I own. Yet, I had fun singing along with and grooving in the driver's seat to the few songs that I actually like on it.
"Don't go Breaking My heart" -- Now there is a great 70's song from the musical genuis of Elton John along with that cutesy overall wearing chick, KiKi Dee(whatever happened to her?) I know all the words to this upbeat tune.
"Dream Weaver" -- All I can think of when I hear this song is the movie, "Wayne's World". A classic smooth one hit wonder.
"Love Machine" -- In all honesty, this song could've been left off this record. I think it is a lousy song, and I am sure there are other songs out there from the year that could've put on here.
"Let your Love Flow" --Another one I know all the words, too. This was played a lot on the radio back in the mid to late 70's. It's a country rock ditty I love hearing again.
"Play that Funky music" -- A DEEMED CLASSIC ...One of the best songs I have ever danced to.It's funky, it's cool, it's very hip to this day.
"Saturday Night" -- I was never a fan of the Bay City Rollers, but I always loved this song, especially after it was used in a Mike Myers' movie, "So I married an ax murderer". Very fun, and again, another one I know by heart.
"Fooled around and fell in love" -- I'm not crazy about this song. There is nothing special about as far as I am concerned.
"I really want to see you tonight" -- Reminds me of my past boyfriends. Again, I know this word for word..I don't know why. I was 7 in 1976, but as the 70's progressed this was one song I still heard a lot and well, i didn't get it, but I liked it anyway.
"All By Myself" -- I never really liked this song, but when Nicole Kidman plays it at the funeral of her husband that she's just had murdered in "TOO DIE FOR", I couldn't help but laugh. That is all I can identify this with now.
"Theme from SWAT" __ HUH? What is this? I never listen to this, I always fast forward back to Elton John & Kiki Dee.

This is a totally mixed bag as far as compliations go. I have very few of Billboards albums in my album collection. I highly recommend the year 1979 over this one as I loved every song on that. I like most of the songs on this record, but having to skip anything to get on the next best thing doesn't make me want to recommend it.

A decent sampling of AM Radio airplay circa 1976
Listening to this hits collection reminded me that in 1976 I was NOT listening to AM radio, because this is the first Billboard album I have come across where I have only ONE of the songs ("Don't Go Breaking My Heart," courtesy of an Elton John Greatest Hits album) in my CD collection (over 1,200 albums and growing). I think I was into Progressive Rock (Yes, Jethro Tull, Strawbs) in 1976, but that does not mean I do not remember hearing every one of these songs way back when. This album certainly serves up a diverse collection of songs, usually one of the strengths of the Billboard series, with a little bit of pop (Elton John/Kiki Dee and Eric Carmen), a dash of puppy rock (Bay City Rollers), and some serious R&B (Wild Cherry and The Bellamy Brothers). I always liked the cosmic organ on Gary Wright's "Dream Weaver" and the profound sentiments of Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around And Fell In Love." Just do not ask me to explain the national fascination with "The Theme from 'S.W.A.T.'" Bottom line: this album meets my criteria, adding five new songs to my music collection, although admittedly some of them are out of a sense of nostalgia for my youth than because they are truly great songs that have stood the test of time. This album grades out at a 4.5 in Billboard Series and gets rounded up because it personally meets my criteria for hit collections.

Dynomite!!!
1976 was a great year for America. Our bicentennial brought us together as a nation in a way we hadn't seen since the early '60s. There was a lot of great top 40 hits along for the celebration too! This CD has 10 of the best from this year in sparkling, remastered sound. Several of the cuts are the single edits of the songs (Love Machine, Dream Weaver, Fooled Around and Fell in Love, All By Myself) but they keep the sound fresh, the way you remember hearing them on the radio. Two tracks are just slightly different from their vinyl 45 counterparts: "Play That Funky Music" is an edit of the LP version that is the same length as the 45, it's just that the edit is in a different place. It's hardly noticeable. And "Theme From SWAT" is the LP version. Strangely enough, the 45 of this tune had the full length version and the LP contained the radio edit. The shorter version is preferable in my opinion because the other version is just too repetitive and too long. At any rate, "SWAT" sounds great on this disc and should be played LOUD!!

FANTASTIC MUSIC
ONE OF THE BEST CD AVALIABL

So-So Selections
Poor edits of "Theme From S.W.A.T." and "Dream Weaver" make this CD less important, even though some big pop hits appear. All original versions. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Like being at the skating rink in the 80s
Listening to this collection is like spending the evening at the roller rink when you're 14! Excellent collection, selection of music from 1980-84. Very nicely done!

U have to own one if you were a teenager in 1984
This was during Xmas 1984. One lovely girl from Texas brought to Poland (this is where I live) the 10 cassetes pack with "The Best of Billboard - 1984". I still hear this music. Now I can buy a piece of it.

To anyone who was ...teen in 1984: you have to own this one. Don't tell me there is no music you remember from these years. It must be one at least. Remember the first girlfriend. The first kiss maybe? Yes! That's it!.

I want my MTV!
This set takes me back to the early days of MTV. Pac-Man fever, Atari and great times in my life. As a child of the 80s it was a special time and special music. This box set helps take you back from time to time!

this is a great collection of the top songs
again billboard has done well in putting together a box set of the best songs of this time period. you will appreciate this gathering of the best. every listening minute of this box set is pure elation. not to be passed up. ... Read more

Album Description

Megahit Records proudly presents Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 2—the second in its highly successful double CD gay dance mix series imported from S.A.I.F.A.M. Italy’s Atlantis label.Vol. 2’s non-stop mix features dance versions of this year’s most massive hits ("Can’t Get You Out Of My Head," "Get The Party Started," "Heaven," "Whenever Wherever" and more), plus gay classics ("You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," "Turn The Beat Around," "You’re The First, The Last, My Everything" and more).Energetic versions of gay circuit hits "Crying At The Discoteque," "A Song For The Lonely" and "I’m A Slave 4 U"make this collection simply irresistible.Best of all, Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 2 features another attractive "cover boy" in a revealing pose.Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 2 is the perfect gay party album! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

GREAT dance recording that is consistent!!
I'm so glad I took a bit of risk by paying $23.99 for this double-disc set. It's great! The song-to-song mixes are excellent as well as excellent dance song material. When I heard the mix of Cher's "Song For The Lonely", the girl sounds like Cher - I was almost scared!!

Based on prior dance albums I've purchased, this is definitely in the top 5%. It's consistent, it's fun and it makes you want to move. Mission accomplished!! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Greatest Hits of the Greatest Hits
MTV for a long time put together a series of mix CDs every year that basically was composed of some of the most popular party songs from that year. There were 10 volumes in the original set and I have all 10, they took a couple of years off and have recently started releasing the same series but numbering them by the year instead of just a number so the most recent is MTV Party To Go 2000. This CD is a collection of the most popular tracks from this series over the years remixed into one continuous party stream.

By mixes I do not claim that these are very advanced stuff, not anything close to what you get from an even a minimally competent DJ at a good club, however the songs do blend into each other fairly well, of course over the years there have been a couple of tracks they have had no way to blend and just kind of cut directly over to the new song. The same is the case here in a couple of tracks.

I listen to a lot of music so why do I still listen to this stuff which many consider to be nothing but the sugar sweet pop of the world? I must admit I enjoy clubbing and I also enjoy playing songs when I have friends over that they recognize and can get into, and this collection is a perfect example of that, it is a great combination of some of the most popular and accessible hip-hop and R&B from the past several years. Besides I've always prided myself on being able to hold a conversation on just about any subject so pop music is something I try to keep up on. Finally, a lot of these songs bring back memories from my young adult life and therefore are important to me.

The CD starts out with the classic "California Love" by 2Pac which is a great all around tune has some nice flowing in it and also just has a great beat and overall sound. It then moves into a so-so Busta Rhymes track ("Put Your Hands Where Your Eyes Can See" would have been a better choice), and then heads into "Creep" by TLC a really great song all around and truly showing off TLC's fantastic ability. And where would any greatest hits collection of party music be without the eminent Salt 'N Pepa and their classic song "Shoop", a great track with some great lyrics and a really easy to get into beat.

Then we hit one of the most classic rap songs of all time, "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang" by Dre and Snoop. This track which pretty much brought gangsta rap to the forefront of American culture is also one of the best tracks of all time and really deserves to be on a greatest hits collection. Mary J. Blige follows up that track with "Real Love" an okay tune. Then we truly go old school with the classic Will Smith (then The Fresh Prince) "Summertime" Everytime I think of this song I think of the line "5 mile per hour so everybody sees you" and I realize how true a statement that is about high school life in general. It's all about appearances unfortunately.

Then you can't swing a dead cat in the party music genre without hitting a Janet Jackson song and of course there is one on here to though I am confused as to their choice, they chose "Love Will Never Do", it seems to me something like "Escapade" is a better choice. The next track is the great "This Is How We Do It" which though it has an extremely nasally lead track at times is a decent song all around. There's also A Tribe Called Quest track, and then it moves into another one of the biggest party songs of all time "O.P.P." by Naughty Nature.

"Here Comes The Hotstepper" by Ini Kamoze is an often overlooked in many people's consideration of hip-hop and R&B but I think this song definitely deserves a place on this CD. "Express Yourself" by Madonna is a fairly decent song and does a good job of blending into "Now That We Found Love" by Heavy D and The Boyz which is a great track to the end CD with, being another classic of the hip-hop scene.

Overall if you like party music/pop hip-hop/r&b then this CD is a must have. If you aren't too interested but want to find out what the best of the best of this music sounds like then this is a great CD to pick up as well. I think this CD is a lot of fun and it often winds up finding its way into my player when I'm having people over to just have fun and hang out.

this album stunk
what album am I reviewin

This Cd does rap and hip hop justice
A phunky mix of hip hop and rap between west coast and east coast shiznit as well. It is the source for many of the dance mix cd's which i make for friends. Definitely worth the money.

This cd is tha bomb
This cd rules.The best song on it is california love.The rest of the songs rock too. C'ya

MTV: Music for the Numb
The mixing is horrible, no skills at all. The songs are all pop which have the INC. next to them. Phuck MTV. Come on people, open your ears and listen to music that gives life not depression. -Dj NuYorikan Seoul ... Read more

Reviews (7)

one of the best various artist compilations there is!
I love this CD so much,all of the songs are just so great and bring back memories of a time that was so much better and more fun.I actually wanted to cry,when I listened to it,I was just so overwhelmed by the greatness of it.Every song on this CD is a treasure and Thank You,Rhino,for putting together such a fine compilation!Very highly recommended!!

No Eagles?
Real quick, if it doesn't have "Hotel California" or "New Kid In Town" it doesn't represent 1977.

Good Mixture Of Musical Styles
In my opinion the year of 1977 was a great year for music. Although some would say that the Disco stuff was trash, this CD blends not only rock, jazz and blues but gives us a taste of what people were dancing to in the clubs. If you are into different styles then this is the one for you.

Billboard Does It Again...
I have always been a fan of compliations of this sort. Even though these songs as a wee-bit older than I, they still stand the test of time. I had originally purchased the disc for one-song, but have heard a few of the others at one time or another. Overall, I was actually quite impressed with the organization of the disc. It has a good selection of songs from 1977. "Boogie Nights," "I'm Your Boogie Man," and "Car Wash" would probably be the most well known songs on the disc. They may be disco, but perhaps that's what makes them cool. Leo Sawyer and Marvin Gaye get their chance to shine. They both do a good job of fitting in on the disc, as Gaye is a legend of sorts in the industry. Seventies icon Peter Frampton is included with "I'm In You," which I find to be a pretty good melodic tune, as is "Rich Girl," by the great duo of Hall & Oates. These guys are an excellent addition to the disc. Lastly, there is my personal fav, "Undercover Angel." Alan O'Day may not have been an icon, but he truly knows how to belt out a tune. This song is full of great melodies, awesome lyrics and overall is a nice piece of 70's nostalgia. I recommend that you pick up this disc, along with other Billboard compliations, as these guys know how to put a disc together. And by the way, Disco may not rule now, but it still is cool in a retro sort of way!

This sure looks like dance music to me, boys and girls
Wow. If "Billboard Top Hits: 1977" features disco hits like Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way" and Leo Sayer's "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing," what do they have on the "Billboard Top Dance Hits: 1977"? Well, of course, it is pretty much more of the same. Was disco really this dominant in 1977? Blessedly my musical memories have become dimmer and dimmer as the years have rolled along. The non-disco music scene is represented on this album by Peter Frampton, Hall & Oates, and Marvin Gaye. Even when we are talking disco the rules remain the same: with a hit collection the goal is to pick up five songs to add to your music library. This album falls short for me, but it might not for you. Good luck. ... Read more

Album Description

Megahit Records proudly presents Let’s Hear It For The Boy—a brand new double CD gay dance series imported from S.A.I.F.A.M. Italy’s Atlantis label.Vol. 1’s non-stop mix features dance versions of this year’s most massive hits ("What It Feels Like For A Girl," "Survivor," "All For You," Lady Marmalade" and more), plus gay classics ("I Will Survive," "You’re The Best Thing," "This Is Your Life" and more).Several tracks have become gay circuit hits in their own right, including the hard-to-find "I’m Like A Bird" by Sheldon, "Neverending Story" by DJ AC-DC and, of course, Katty B.’s "Let’s Hear It For The Boy" which is featured prominently in Showtime’s Queer As Folk.Best of all, Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 1 features an attractive "cover boy" in a revealing pose.Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 1 is the perfect gay party album! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Winner!
I first heard Vol. 3 of this series at a friend's party and I had to get all the Let's Hear It For The Boy CDs. Vol. 1 is the one that started it all and it's just a lot of fun. I love the energy level and the non-stop mix. "This Is Your Life" and "You're The Best Thing" are standout tracks. Great CD! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Apparently the pickings were pretty slim for hits in 1978
Obviously even the good people at Billboard do not have access to all of the songs that came out in a given year and I certainly do not know the rhyme or reason behind their choices, but the Billboard Top Hits: 1978 is definitely a below average collection. The album starts off strong with Queen's "We Are The Champions" and there are pretty good tracks from Bonnie Tyler, Abba and Eric Clapton. But my rule of thumb has always been that a collection is worth having if it can add five new songs to your music library and even if I pretend I do not already have those four particular tracks, I cannot really come up with a fifth one. Actually, there are four songs I do not remember at all on this album. Of course, these Billboard albums are inherently limited because they always stop at 10 tracks. Maybe the numbers will work out better for you when you do the math. Good luck. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great selection for representing '81!
I bought this album for "Bette Davis Eyes" and didn't really pay attention to what else was on it when I purchased it. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the whole collection is great! I was not around in '81 but with music like this I wish I was. Anyone else 21 or younger ought to check out this CD for a great introduction to 80s variety! My favorites are "The One That You Love", "The Tide is High" and "9 to 5".

I will never forget my big tough brother-in-law belting every word to "9 to 5" as my sister and I watched in laughter. Buy this CD if not to get a great introduction to '81, then to laugh at the ones who know all the words! It's worth it either way!

Music's Confusing Direction at the Time Shown Nicely Here
Although 1981 was the year MTV was born, the synth sound of the decade had not completely flourished yet. During this year, artists from various genres were making big moves on the charts- not just artists in new wave, but artists in R&B, soft rock, pop, country, and even disco, among other genres. BILLBOARD TOP HITS: 1981's ten selections follows that formula pretty well- new wave is represented with "The Tide is High"; R&B is represented with "Being With You"; soft rock with "The One That You Love," "Kiss on My List," "Bette Davis Eyes," and "Physical"; pop with "Jessie's Girl"; counry with "9 to 5" and "Queen of Hearts"; and disco with "Celebration."

Overall, a nice selection of songs that represents 1981, yet there are still some good (and big songs) that could have been here, like "Endless Love"; "Waiting For a Girl Like You"; "I Love a Rainy Night"; "(Just Like) Starting Over"; "Keep on Loving You"; and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)." Most of us would have probably liked to have had a few of these songs replacing selections from this volume, but yet, a different set of ten songs could have rarely improved on defining the year as the set here does. And considering that the ten songs here are all good, anyway, they help make BILLBOARD TOP HITS: 1981 a nice collection of interest.

Diverse collection from '81
1981 was the year MTV was born. Despite it not getting big for a couple more years, this is where the '80s started to gain their own sound.

A great upbeat party song is "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang. Blondie's feelgood mid-tempo "Tide Is High" is one of her best. I thought Hall & Oates were better at upbeat rock than at ballads. "Kiss on My List" is a little of both. "Jesse's Girl" was Rick Springfield's biggest hit and an energetic rocker, not as 'teen idol' as it may seem. "Queen of Hearts" was perfect Pop/Country by Juice Newton, when Shania was in Elementary School.

There's a few rare tracks too. Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" is another great Pop/Country tune from the hilarious Jane Fonda movie of the same name. Though Smokey Robinson was becoming an oldie, he had a good ballad in "Being With You." Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" was another now-vanished, cute song and a guilty pleasure. The similarly styled "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes is a nice slower tune. Half the songs here were from women, which is nice too.

The only one I don't like is Air Supply's "One you Love." I like ballads quite a bit, but this one is too sappy. Still a worthy, short collection of hits.

Celebrating women dominating the Billboard charts in 1981
I was wondering why this particular collection is just called "Billboard Top Hits: 1981." Usually we are told these are Rock/Pop/Dance/R&B or some specific sort of hits. But then when you look at the artists you have to admit it is hard to put Kim Carnes, Blondie, Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton and Jucie Newton into a single category. So this time around Billboard gives you a mix of rock, pop, country and soul representing where music was in 1981. Just looking at the titles of the Billboard collections for each year across the past couple of decades can certainly give you a sense for the shifting trends in music. This particular album begins with "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes and ends with Kool & The Game's signature tune "Celebration." I was rating this collection at a 4.5 and ended up rounding up because none of the songs fall into that horrible category of being ones you never remember having heard way back when. The closer you get to the present the harder it is to actually find five songs on a collection you would like to add to your music library, given how many hundreds of CDs you already own. But the ten songs included here have a good shot at meeting the five song criteria.

Great tunes! Great sound!
Rhino has remastered 10 classic pop singles from one of pop radio's last great years. Before radio splintered into half a dozen different (but very strict) formats, the top 40 stations of the time played whatever their listeners wanted to hear, be it pop, rock, R&B or country. This disc is a great cross section of the glory that was Top 40 radio during Reagan's first term of office. Kim Carnes had the record of the year and it still sounds great today. Rick Springfield started his comeback and Air Supply had yet to grow stale. Smokey had possibly his all time greatest solo hit this year. Dolly Parton sang a great song that topped both country and pop lists. Blondie continued to show their diversity. Hall and Oates were at the top of their game. Olivia Newton-John plateaued in popularity. Juice Newton came roaring back with a string of hits. Kool & The Gang released the party anthem of the century. Not bad for a year that is generally regarded as "bland" for being post-punk and pre-new wave. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An Enjoyable Collection, But the Series Was Drying Up
If there was a time when licensing began to catch up to Rhino's BILLBOARD TOP HITS series, it was in the 1987 volume. First off, 1987 was a year where the big hits, ranging from Latin pop to pop-metal, were pretty much in the middle of the road, trying to reach the mainstream audience. So it's not necessarily a problem that the selections for this particular volume sound lightweight. What does hurt this collection, however, is the lack of strong songs. Not that any of the songs here are bad, it's just that some of them sound a bit too much like products of their time, like Chris De Burgh's overplayed "The Lady in Red"; Belinda Carlisle's catchy but fluffy "Heaven is a Place on Earth"; or forgettable songs like Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over" and (especially) Robbie Nevil's "C'Est la Vie." Also, it makes sense why U2's "With or Without You" and George Michael's "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"- a duet with Aretha Franklin- both made the cut here, as both were big hits, but both artists still had equally big hits in better songs that year ("I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Faith," respectively).

It also hurts that this volume gives too much of a focus to adult contemporary tunes this time around, after the lack of them in the 1986 edition. And considering how light most of these tunes are here, this volume really needed some more shaking up in the songs, as Kim Wilde's dance cover of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and Bananarama's "I Heard a Rumour" are not enough to fully provide that needed boost. So in this case, tunes like, say, Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer"; Cutting Crew's "(I Just) Died in Your Arms"; Los Lobos' updating of "La Bamba"; or anything from Madonna, Michael Jackson, or Whitney Houston would have been great inclusions in this set, as well as the aforementioned "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Faith."

But, in terms of a collection that, probably unintentionally, focuses on tunes adult contemporary radio would have played in 1987, this volume still works as a nice listen, especially since most of these songs here still get radio airplay. It's just not the same listen that came in previous volumes.

1987 is getting a little stale
Though '87 was another excellent year, this is where it started to lack variety and where some of the big hitmakers from earlier in the decade (Laura Branigan, Loverboy, Cars) were either in a lull or were fading altogether. This is mostly sufficient for its one-hit wonder songs.

Kim Wilde's "You Keep me Hangin' On" is an underplayed radio song, seems like an older Debbie Gibson. Starship's last big one "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us", Billy Vera's soulful "At This Moment", Bananarama's happy "I Heard A Rumor" (one of their 3 hits) and Crowded House's perfect pop of "Don't Dream It's Over" are the high points.

Ex Go-Go Belinda Carlisle's best solo song, the laid-back but confident "Heaven is A Place On Earth" and U2's "With or Without You" are also worth buying this for. Aretha Franklin's last big hit "I Knew You were Waiting" is fair, but the others are throwaways. Robbie Nevil's "C La Vie" sounds like unintelligible dance music and Chris DeBurgh's wimpy "Lady In Red" is a headache.

1987
I don't think this is a good collection of 1987 music because it is missing George Michael, Tiffany, and many other top songs of 1987. I like a few songs on here such as 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth" and "C'Est la Vie" but the rest is just rubbish and easily disposable music just skip this Cd in the series and go to 1988.

It's About The Biggest Sellers, Folks...
I've noticed in one review here that someone was complaining about what's NOT on here. See, Billboard is about sales/airplay, so if your favorite hair band or rap group didn't have one of the 10 or 20 biggest hits of that particular year, they ain't going to be on this collection. Having said that, this is pretty representative of what was big on the pop charts that year. If you're looking for hard rock or rap, this wouldn't be where you should look for it in the first place.

A Good Compilation for any 80s Fan!
Well, this may not be the best among all the Billboard albums, but this one features some pretty nice songs. If you like slow music, I think track 10 is good. Track 2 has some pretty good lyrics, tracks 4 and 9 may be classics you may have been looking for for a long time. Personally, some of the songs aren't that great and they should add more songs, but this is a pretty good compilation. ... Read more

Album Description

The BOY is BACK!Megahit Records proudly presents the highly-anticipated Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 3—the third in the hit double CD gay dance mix series imported from SAIFAM Italy’s Atlantis label.Vol. 3’s non-stop mix features dance versions of this year’s most massive hits ("Beautiful," "Die Another Day," "Come Into My World," "Underneath It All" and more), plus gay classics ("Disco Inferno," "Never Can Say Goodbye" "Love Is In The Air," "Menergy" and more).Energetic versions of gay circuit hits "I Drove All Night," "Murder On The Dancefloor" and "The Beat Goes On" make this collection simply irresistible.Best of all, Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 3 features another attractive "cover boy" in a revealing pose.Let’s Hear It For The Boy Vol. 3 is the perfect gay party album! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Lot Of Fun...
Great to dance to and a lot of fun to listen to. I like pretty much every track. The non-stop mix is excellent with older tracks like Disco Inferno, I Know There's Something Goin' On, Physical and newer tracks like Die Another Day and Murder On The Dancefloor. One of the best dance CDs I've heard in quite awhile!

Great Dance Compilation!
After buying Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, I had to get Vol. 3 of Let's Hear It For The Boy and I must say that it's the best yet (especially the cover). I listen to it all the time in my car with the top down and at the gym. Standout tracks are "Come Into My World" and "The Beat Goes On." If you're a fan of dance music and mix CDs, you'll love this!

I Love This CD!
I haven't taken this out of my car CD player since I bought it. Strong productions and great vocals. I love the mix of older dance classics ("Disco Inferno," "Winner Takes It All") with new hits ("Love At First Sight," "Underneath It All"), plus the obscure ("Menergy"!). Definitely a lot of fun and worth every penny! I'll be buying Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, plus Let's Hear It For The 80s Vol.1 ASAP. Highly recommended!!!

What?
As a member of the album's targeted audience, I'm completely and utterly insulted at the lack of taste for this compilation. There's not a single good song on here, and it smacks entirely of commerciality. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent Summary of the Year's Defining Hits
1984 was a year that produced a lot of classics- songs that not only stood out in their time, but songs that still get radio airplay today in one format or another. With that in mind, ten tracks cannot necessarily sum up one of rock and roll's best hitmaking years. But, more or less, the BILLBOARD TOP HITS: 1984 collection does that job very well.

People who grew up in 1984 could quibble about this volume because they are bound to find something important missing here. And yes, it is reasonable to complain when songs like "Against All Odds"; "Jump"; "Footloose"; "Time After Time"; or anything from Prince or Bruce Springsteen is not on a collection representing 1984. But this collection works because it incorporates many of the musical styles that were popular during the time it represents. It also helps, of course, that all of the songs featured here are pretty good- especially classics like "What's Love Got to Do With It"; "Caribbean Queen"; "Owner of a Lonely Heart"; "Ghostbusters"; "Karma Chameleon"; and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." When these six tunes are paired with the very good second-tier tunes "Hold Me Now"; "Let's Hear It For the Boy"; "Talking in Your Sleep"; and "Jump (For My Love)", they make up a collection that can be considered both definitive and enjoyable.

1984 is the best in the series
In many ways 1984 was the perfect year. All kinds of pop music were acceptable. Being flashy was cool and still had a few years to grow old, as did Hair Metal (which I still love). I actually think a box set of just '84 hits would do it better justice.

These collections don't have alot of Hard Rock, so Yes' "Owner of A Lonely Heart" is welcome, but it's in a slightly shorter version. Sure it's total pop, but it's harder than most similar stuff. Punk/New Wavers the Romantics mellow out a little with the still rocking "Talking In Your Sleep." Ray Parker's "Ghostbusters" theme was an instance where both the song and the movie were excellent. Denise Williams was a one hit wonder whose infectious dance hit "Let's Hear it for the Boy" can be found here, as well as on the "Footloose" soundtrack. The Pointer Sisters' "Jump for My Love" is close in style. The 3rd female slot here is Tina Turner with her comeback. The somewhat serious "What's love Got to do With It" is another great song. Billy Ocean also has his first hit with the tropical "Caribbean Queen" in a much edited version. The Thompson Twins "Hold Me Now" is a slower pop hit, this album is worth it just for that song.

One nice thing is 2 bands I usually hate have the one song I do like on here. The than seemingly straight George Michael with Wham performed "Wake Me up Before you Go-Go." I feel ridiculous for ever liking it, so it's nice to have it without going through the embarrassment of buying a Wham album. The same can be said for Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon." One of those songs you just kind of sing without even wanting to.

All in all, there's a few missing artists (Cyndi Lauper, Van Halen, Huey Lewis, Springsteen, etc) but what IS here is worth it!

Is Orwell spinning in his grave over the music of 1984?
When George Orwell wrote his dystopian classic "1984" (in 1948, of course), I wonder if he ever envisioned Ray Parker, Jr.'s "Ghostbusters"? Just an idle thought. True, you have to put up with Wham!, Culture Club and The Thompson Twins, but you also have Tina Turner asking one of the great musical questions of all time: "What's Love Got to Do With It?" As always, the question is simple: Are there five or more songs on this album you would like to add to your music collection? If so, then you would want to pick this one up. Besides, since this is "Billboard Top Hits: 1984" the math is a lot easier. After all, 2+2=5, War is Peace and Big Brother is Watching.

An all around great 80's album!
To me, 80's rock is the best music in the world. Billboard Top Hits: 1984 is the third Billboard Top Hits album that I've bought. I also have the 1983 and the 1985 albums and I rank this one second right behind the BTH: 1985 one.

This album has it all! It has upbeat rockers ("Owner of A Lonely Heart"), good ballads ("Hold Me Now"), and some songs that are downright catchy ("Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"). If you like rock 'n roll from the 80's, I definitely recommend picking up this gem.

great CD....but where is Cyndi Lauper???
I loved all of the songs on this CD because they bring back great memories from my childhood. My favorite song of that year was "Lets Hear It For The Boy" by Deniece Williams. I also loved Karma Chameleon back then.

My only problem with this CD is that "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" was not included! ... Read more