'NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 38' and 'NOW That's What I Call the 80s Hits' To Be Released May 3

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest edition of the world's best-selling, multi-artist album series, NOW That's What I Call Music!, will be released on May 3.   NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 38 features 16 current major chart hits, plus four up-and-coming "NOW What's Next" New Music Preview tracks.  NOW That's What I Call The 80s Hits, a new companion title with 18 huge hits that defined a decade, will be released on the same date.

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The NOW series is celebrating U.S. sales totaling more than 80 million CDs and album downloads since the series made its Stateside debut in 1998. In February, the series' most recent release, NOW 37, debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.

NOW has joined forces with eBay to raise funds to help the Red Cross support people affected by last month's earthquake and tsunami in Japan, by participating in EMI Music and Universal Music Group's worldwide charitable auctions. All funds raised from both auctions will be used toward the Red Cross' efforts for the ongoing provision of immediate relief to support the affected population during their recovery.  

In EMI Music's global EMIfamily4Japan auction, launched April 5 and now taking bids at ebay.com/EMIfamily4Japan, NOW is auctioning a complete set of NOW That's What I Call Music! U.S. Volumes 1 through 37, plus 17 other NOW titles.  The winning bidder will also have the chance to have his or her name credited in the CD inlay artwork for an upcoming U.S. NOW release.  For Universal Music Group's upcoming charity auction, NOW has provided another complete set of CDs from the series, including the upcoming NOW 38, and the winning bidder will also receive a personalized NOW plaque celebrating the series' 80 million in U.S. sales.  Please visit the Universal Music Group eBay store at http://stores.ebay.com/Universal-Music-Store.  

Included in NOW 38's CD and digital tracklist are top chart hits from Lady Gaga, Enrique Iglesias featuring Ludacris and DJ Frank E, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Ke$ha, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry featuring Kanye West, P!nk, Diddy - Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey, Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes, Jeremih featuring 50 Cent, The Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Adele, Cee Lo Green, and Avril Lavigne, plus "NOW What's Next" emerging tracks from Hot Chelle Rae, Parachute, Michael Franti & Spearhead, and Cody Simpson. The "NOW What's Next" bonus track program featured on each numeric NOW release continues to preview hot new artists with tomorrow's biggest hits.

To be released the same day as NOW 38, NOW That's What I Call The 80s Hits brings together 18 decade-defining Top 10 hits, with nine #1s among them.  Included are Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes' "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life," Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," Men At Work's "Down Under," Kenny Loggins' "Footloose," Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax," Duran Duran's "Notorious," Naked Eyes' "Always Something There To Remind Me," Billy Idol's "Mony Mony," Bananarama's "Venus," Kim Wilde's "You Keep Me Hangin' On," Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight/Be My Baby" with Ronnie Spector, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band's "On The Dark Side," Billy Vera & The Beaters' "At This Moment," Journey's "Open Arms," INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart," Phil Collins' "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)," Asia's "Heat Of The Moment," and Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over."

The NOW That's What I Call Music! series is a joint venture from EMI Music North America, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group.  NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 38 and NOW That's What I Call The 80s Hits will be distributed by EMI Music North America.  NOW and NOW That's What I Call Music! are registered trademarks of EMI (IP) Limited.

The NOW That's What I Call Music! series debuted in the U.S. in 1998 after the brand had been a multi-platinum international success for 15 years. The series has generated sales exceeding 200 million albums worldwide, including more than 80 million copies in the U.S.  Every album in the numbered U.S. series has reached Billboard's Top 10, and 14 NOW releases have reached #1.

www.nowthatsmusic.com

SOURCE EMI Music / Sony Music Entertainment / Universal Music Group