NOW That’s What I Call Music, Vol. 77 [2010]

Perhaps the most diverse of the three compilations released by the Now That's What I Call Music series in 2010, its 77th instalment features synth-led R&B (Taio Cruz, Flo Rida), grime (Tinie Tempah, Roll Deep), Hi-NRG pop (Kylie Minogue, Joe McElderry), alternative folk (Mumford & Sons), and dubstep (Katy B) among its impressive 44 tracks. Alongside huge number ones from both U.K. (the Wanted, Olly Murs, Cheryl Cole) and U.S. artists (Ne-Yo, Cee-Lo Green, Bruno Mars), this two-CD release also gathers some of the most unpredictable hits of the previous six months, including Adele's "Make You Feel My Love," which entered the Top Five two years after its original release, thanks to its use on The X-Factor, and Rumer's Karen Carpenter-esque "Slow," one of the few singles solely championed by Radio 2 to crossover to the mainstream. From the first disc, Eliza Doolittle's charming retro-jazz influenced "Pack Up," Duck Sauce's Boney M-sampling "Barbra Streisand," and Katy Perry's anthemic "Firework" are the highlights. While Mark Ronson's '80s-inspired "Bang Bang Bang," B.o.B.'s hip-hop/rock hybrid "Airplanes," and Shontelle's epic power ballad "Impossible" are the standouts from Disc Two. Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow's tedious duet "Shame," Alesha Dixon's chaotic "Drummer Boy," and Travie McCoy's highly irritating "Billionaire" provide the album's most skippable tracks. But while the rest of the compilation market struggles to compete with the pick-and-choose nature of digital downloads, the genre-hopping and generous track list of its 77th compilation should ensure that the Now brand remains as strong as ever. ~ Jon O'Brien