Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on well-known albums of the past and the reissues they could someday see. With another entry in the NOW That's What I Call Music series out in the U.S. today, we reflect on the series' original entries across the pond...and the titles in the series that have yet to appear on CD.

Today in the States, a new entry in the NOW That's What I Call Music series was released (the 36th in the main series, not counting specialty compilations or holiday sets). Of course, pop geeks and international fans would know that's but a drop in the bucket compared to the original, U.K.-based line of NOW sets; that series is reaching its 77th volume at the end of the month.

The NOW sets have succeeded in the U.K. for a number of simple reasons: they're thoroughly presented slices of what the British mainstream pop charts look like, and they pack a lot of music on each title (each of which are two-disc sets for about the price of one). Frankly, it's amazing the trend didn't catch on in America sooner. But the NOW series, deep though it may be, has a few bits lost in the cracks that would be prime picks for reissue - and as such, the focus of this week's Reissue Theory.

Head inside to see what we're talking about.

The first NOW set hit the U.K. just in time for Christmas 1983. It was a No. 1 album for five weeks and set in motion a very sprawling pop-cultural machine in England. But one of the slower aspects of the NOW series was its reach on compact disc. Naturally, CDs weren't a staple of everyone's collection at the time, and the series started dipping its toe into the digital disc waters slowly. When NOW 4 was released in 1984, a companion CD was released, but it was just a single-disc affair, taking the biggest hits off of the fourth volume and adding some from NOW 2 and 3.

The first proper NOW CD release was NOW That's What I Call XMas, released at the end of 1984 but not put onto CD until a year later. 1986 was the first year NOW CDs started making any gains, but they were still single discs. NOW That's What I Call Music 1986 included some tunes from NOW 7 and 8 along with some tracks that never made any other compilations, and single-disc versions of NOW 8 and 9 would be released in 1986 and 1987. Only with NOW 10 did the compact disc version feature the same playlists as on vinyl and cassette and spread across two CDs - a format that continues in the U.K. to this day.

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EMI and Virgin never went back and reissued the original two-discs sets on CD except for one instance: in 2009, just a few weeks after the franchise's 25th anniversary, the label reissued the original NOW set. It's likely far too costly to reissue the remaining volumes (2 through 9) at a fast pace, but NOW got the pop singles scene better than any set in the U.K., including both hits that worldwide audiences still treasure today and pop singles that never made much of an impact past England, much to the country's collective relief. An eventual reissue of these titles would be a great thing for both pop scholars and casual fans alike.

Check out the track lists of those unreleased-on-CD sets below, and share your memories of the tunes in the comments!

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music II (EMI/Virgin NOW 2, 1984)

Disc 1

1. Radio Ga Ga - Queen *
2. Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw
3. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
4. Get Out of Your Lazy Bed - Matt Bianco
5. More, More, More - Carmel
6. Michael Caine - Madness
7. Only You - The Flying Pickets
8. 99 Red Balloons - Nena
9. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
10. My Guy's Mad at Me - Tracey Ullman
11. Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder
12. Breaking Down (Sugar Samba) - Julia & Company
13. That's Livin' Alright - Joe Fagin
14. I Gave You My Heart (Didn't I) - Hot Chocolate
15. Bird of Paradise - Snowy White

Disc 2

1. Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
2. Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurhythmics
3. What is Love? - Howard Jones
4. What Difference Does It Make? - The Smiths
5. (Feels Like) Heaven - Fiction Factory
6. The Politics of Dancing - Re-Flex
7. Hyperactive - Thomas Dolby
8. Wishful Thinking - China Crisis
9. Modern Love - David Bowie
10. It's a Miracle - Culture Club
11. Undercover of the Night - The Rolling Stones
12. Wonderland - Big Country
13. Run Runaway - Slade
14. New Moon on Monday - Duran Duran
15. Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music 3 (EMI/Virgin NOW 3, 1984)

Disc 1

1. The Reflex - Duran Duran *
2. I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Nik Kershaw
3. Thinking of You - Sister Sledge
4. Locomotion - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark *
5. Dancing with Tears in My Eyes - Ultravox
6. Pearl in the Shell - Howard Jones
7. Don't Tell Me - Blancmange
8. Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) - Phil Collins *
9. Two Tribes - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
10. White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) - Grandmaster & Melle Mel
11. Nelson Mandela - The Special A.K.A.
12. Love Wars - Womack and Womack
13. You're the Best Thing - The Style Council
14. One Love - Bob Marley & The Wailers
15. Smalltown Boy - Bronski Beat

Disc 2

1. I Want to Break Free - Queen
2. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
3. Love Resurrection - Alison Moyet
4. Young at Heart - The Bluebells
5. Robert DeNiro's Waiting - Bananarama
6. Dr. Mabuse - Propaganda
7. What's Love Got to Do with It - Tina Turner *
8. When You're Young and in Love - The Flying Pickets
9. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - WHAM!
10. You Take Me Up - Thompson Twins
11. It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls
12. Dance Me Up - Gary Glitter
13. Suzanna - The Art Company
14. One Better Day - Madness
15. Red Guitar - David Sylvian

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music 4 (EMI/Virgin NOW 4, 1984)

Disc 1

1. No More Lonely Nights" (Special Dance Mix) - Paul McCartney
2. Together in Electric Dreams - Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakley *
3. Why? - Bronski Beat *
4. The NeverEnding Story - Limahl
5. Warning Sign - Nick Heyward
6. Missing You - John Waite *
7. Farewell My Summer Love - Michael Jackson
8. Hello - Lionel Richie
9. The War Song - Culture Club *
10. Passengers - Elton John
11. Too Late for Goodbyes - Julian Lennon *
12. Shout to the Top! - The Style Council *
13. Doctor! Doctor! - Thompson Twins *
14. Sunset Now - Heaven 17
15. Respect Yourself - Kane Gang
16. Private Dancer - Tina Turner

Disc 2

1. It's a Hard Life - Queen
2. The Wanderer - Status Quo *
3. East of Eden - Big Country
4. Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
5. Listen to Your Father - Feargal Sharkey
6. Tesla Girls - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
7. The Second Time - Kim Wilde
8. Human Racing- Nik Kershaw
9. Ghostbusters (Searchin for the Spirit) - Ray Parker, Jr. *
10. If It Happens Again - UB40 *
11. Jump (for My Love) - Pointer Sisters
12. Hot Water - Level 42
13. Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) - Eurythmics
14. Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell
15. Madam Butterfly - Malcom McLaren
16. Gotta Get You Home Tonight - Eugene Wilde

* included on NOW That's What I Call Music 4 single CD - EMI/Virgin CDP 26 0408 2, 1984)

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music 5 (EMI/Virgin NOW 5, 1985)

Disc 1

1. A View to a Kill - Duran Duran
2. The Word Girl - Scritti Politti
3. Axel F - Harold Faltermeye
4. Johnny Come Home - Fine Young Cannibals
5. In Too Deep - Dead or Alive
6. Icing on the Cake - Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy
7. Cherish - Kool & The Gang
8. Every Time You Go Away - Paul Young
9. Kayleigh - Marillion
10. Slave to Love - Bryan Ferry
11. This is Not America - The Pat Metheny Group and David Bowie
12. Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
13. Get It On (Bang a Gong) - The Power Station
14. Black Man Ray - China Crisis
15. One More Night - Phil Collins

Disc 2

1. Frankie - Sister Sledge
2. History - Mai Tai
3. Moneys Too Tight (to Mention) - Simply Red
4. Feel So Real - Steve Arrington
5. Round and Around - Jaki Graham
6. Turn It Up - The Conway Brothers
7. Magic Touch - Loose Ends
8. N-N-Nineteen Not Out - The Commentators
9. The Unforgettable Fire - U2
10. Walls Come Tumbling Down - The Style Council
11. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and The Waves
12. Out in the Fields - Gary Moore & Phil Lynott
13. The Shadow of Love - The Damned
14. Life in One Day - Howard Jones
15. Love Don't Live Here Anymore - Jimmy Nail

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music 6 (EMI/Virgin NOW 6, 1985)

Disc 1

1. One Vision - Queen
2. When a Heart Beats - Nik Kershaw
3. A Good Heart - Feargal Sharkey
4. There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) - Eurythmics
5. Alive and Kicking - Simple Minds
6. It's Only Love - Bryan Adams & Tina Turner
7. Empty Rooms - Gary Moore
8. Lavender - Marillion
9. Nikita - Elton John
10. Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush
11. Something About You - Level 42
12. We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) - Tina Turner
13. Don't Break My Heart - UB40
14. Separate Lives - Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
15. She's So Beautiful - Cliff Richard

Disc 2

1. Election Day - Arcadia
2. I Got You Babe - UB40 featuring Chrissie Hynde
3. Blue - Fine Young Cannibals
4. If I Was - Midge Ure
5. Cities in Dust - Siouxsie and The Banshees
6. Uncle Sam - Madness
7. Lost Weekend - Lloyd Cole and The Commotions
8. You Are My World - Communards
9. Just for Money - Paul Hardcastle
10. Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer
11. Body Rock - Maria Vidal
12. Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
13. Body and Soul - Mai Tai
14. Single Life - Cameo
15. Mated - Jaki Graham & David Grant

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music 7 (EMI/Virgin NOW 6, 1986)

Disc 1

1. Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel *
2. Sing Our Own Song - UB40 *
3. Let's Go All the Way - Sly Fox *
4. Lessons in Love - Level 42 *
5. Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) - Pet Shop Boys
6. Sinful! - Pete Wylie
7. Camouflage - Stan Ridgway
8. Paranoimia - Art of Noise with Max Headroom
9. The Lady in Red - Chris DeBurgh
10. Absolute Beginners - David Bowie *
11. Invisible Touch - Genesis
12. All the Things She Said - Simple Minds
13. Happy Hour - The Housemartins
14. Look Away - Big Country
15. Brilliant Mind - Furniture
16. Call of the Wild - Midge Ure

Disc 2

1. The Edge of Heaven - WHAM! *
2. My Favourite Waste of Time - Owen Paul
3. Too Good to Be Forgotten - Amazulu
4. Spirit in the Sky - Doctor and The Medics
5. Venus - Bananarama
6. New Beginning (Mamba Seyra) - Bucks Fizz
7. Hunting High And Low - a-ha
8. Holding Back the Years - Simply Red
9. A Kind of Magic - Queen *
10. When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going - Billy Ocean
11. Set Me Free - Jaki Graham
12. I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz
13. (Bang Zoom) Lets Go Go - The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie Tee
14. Amityville (The House on the Hill) - Lovebug Starski
15. Headlines - Midnight Star
16. You and Me Tonight - Aurra
17. On My Own - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald *

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music 8 (EMI/Virgin NOW 8, 1986)

Disc 1

1. Notorious - Duran Duran **
2. Suburbia - Pet Shop Boys **
3. Walk This Way - Run-D.M.C. **
4. Don't Leave Me This Way - Communards *
5. Breakout - Swing Out Sister **
6. Higher Love - Steve Winwood
7. (Forever) Live And Die - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark **
8. In Too Deep - Genesis **
9. Word Up! - Cameo **
10. I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You) - Grace Jones **
11. Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend) - Mel & Kim **
12. We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off - Jermaine Stewart *
13. Step Right Up - Jaki Graham **
14. What Have You Done for Me Lately - Janet Jackson
15. Human - The Human League
16. I Wanna Wake Up with You - Boris Gardiner *

Disc 2

1. Don't Give Up - Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush **
2. Think for a Minute - The Housemartins
3. (Waiting for) The Ghost Train - Madness **
4. In the Army Now - Status Quo *
5. Stuck with You - Huey Lewis & The News **
6. One Great Thing - Big Country
7. Greetings to the New Brunette - Billy Bragg
8. (I Just) Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew *
9. You Keep Me Hangin' On - Kim Wilde **
10. Calling All the Heroes - It Bites **
11. Waterloo - Doctor and The Medics **
12. French Kissin' in the USA - Debbie Harry **
13. I Didn't Mean to Turn You On - Robert Palmer
14. The Wizard - Paul Hardcastle
15. (They Long to Be) Close to You - Gwen Guthrie
16. Every Loser Wins - Nick Berry

* included on NOW That's What I Call Music '86 (EMI/Virgin NOW 86, 1986)
** included on NOW That's What I Call Music 8 single CD (EMI/Virgin CD NOW 8, 1986)

Various Artists, NOW That's What I Call Music 9 (EMI/Virgin NOW 9, 1987)

Disc 1

1. Reet Petite - Jackie Wilson *
2. Live It Up - Mental As Anything *
3. The Right Thing - Simply Red *
4. Sometimes - Erasure
5. C'est La Vie - Robbie Nevil *
6. You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate *
7. It Doesn't Have to Be This Way - The Blow Monkeys *
8. Caravan of Love - The Housemartins
9. Everything I Own - Boy George *
10. Rat in Mi Kitchen - UB40 *
11. Big Fun - The Gap Band
12. Stay Out Of My Life - 5 Star *
13. Heartache - Pepsi & Shirlie *
14. A Trick of the Night - Bananarama
15. Take My Breath Away - Berlin *

Disc 2

1. The Great Pretender - Freddie Mercury *
2. Stand by Me - Ben E. King *
3. Down to Earth - Curiosity Killed the Cat *
4. So Cold the Night - Communards
5. Jack Your Body - Steve "Silk" Hurley
6. I Love My Radio (Midnight Radio) - Taffy
7. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever - Nick Kamen
8. Manhattan Skyline - a-ha
9. Sonic Boom Boy - Westworld
10. Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
11. Land of Confusion - Genesis *
12. The Final Countdown - Europe
13. Over the Hills and Far Away - Gary Moore
14. Cross That Bridge - Ward Brothers
15. Hymn to Her - The Pretenders *

* included on NOW That's What I Call Music 9 single CD (EMI/Virgin CD NOW 9, 1987)