AJK Radio

10/01/2026

Mark Gale on air now with Decades Breakfast

29/12/2025

NEW show format incoming for on AJK Radio Official UK Charts based

26/12/2025

Join Alex this morning for 3 hours of the eclectic listen over on www.ajkradio.net or ask Alexa

Requests welcome

Still live

01/12/2025

NOW that’s what I call music has become an institution in music but many of the younger generation will not know that the legacy started in the early 1980 which to many was deemed an impossible job to do.

The concept was the brainchild of Virgin records employees Stephen Navin and Jon Webster who lobbied there MD Simon Draper and Peter Jamieson MD at EMI records who in turn agreed a deal with the help of Richard Branson and the series was born.

Prior to this a mixed compilation album was exclusively done by K-Tel and Ronco who only issued one vinyl disc and such was the time constraints they could not always put the full song on the disc.

The NOW series was to be done on a double album so the tracks could be spread and not affect the quality and length of the song. The name was taken from a bacon advert in the 1920s showing a pig listening to a chicken song stating 'Now that's what I call music' and the pig became the symbol for the first 5 albums.

The first NOW album was released in late 1983 and featured 30 tracks which included 11 number ones. The first song on the album was Phil Collins with You Cant Hurry Love. Some of the artists featured were Duran Duran, Madness, Simple Minds, UB40 and Human League and some obscure ones like Will Powers and Men without Hats. The album was an instant success and went to number one and became a popular form of buying music as so many songs on a double album.

The album was originally released on Vinyl and Tape Cassette but the format has changed over the years. The first CD was NOW 10 in 1987 and of course with the advent of downloads the format has changed so much that Vinyl and Cassette are no longer the preferred format!

The original album was then re-released in 2009 to celebrate 25 years and was released in the CD format and again went to number one. When NOW started getting success other labels tried to compete, CBS and WEA introduced 'The Hits' and although a credible rival by the 1990s it could no longer compete and bowed out of the game.

During the 1980s NOW released 16 albums and NOW 1 to NOW 13 all featured as number ones in the UK album chart, only NOW 4 did not make number one. NOW 14-16 did not feature on the main charts as in 1989 the compilation charts were then created.

All the albums bar NOW 16 featured at least a number one from the UK singles charts. The success led to spin off such as NOW dance, NOW Christmas, NOW Disney as well as series such as music of that year or decades.

Although the concept was not original the idea to create a double album of top hits appealed to the public and became a success and even now in 2025 the album is still a success. I did buy the original vinyl in 1983 and remember the excitement of so many songs on one LP. The appeal also has not gone as the years progress to the wider public. There wont be many households that don't have at least one NOW album.

12/11/2025

You can listen to AJK Radio in many ways! Ask Alexa, ask Sonos, use Tunein, use Radiobox (our favourite) or listen on your Internet radio or at ajkradio.net!

AJK Radio - the only online radio station you need to tune into; broadcasting to the UK from our studios based in Hertfordshire

12/11/2025

Hi, Trevor Richards here.Wow! It's Wednesday already! Do join me live on AJK Radio from 8 pm tomorrow for two hours of great and varied music!

11/11/2025

He’s still got it

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/179iYZ9kVA/?mibextid=wwXIfr

23/10/2025

Hi Trevor Richards here! I'm live tonight at 8 pm with Alex Kelly on AJK Radio! Two presenters, two locations, what could possibly go wrong?

16/10/2025

Hi, Trevor Richards here! It's Thursday! I'm live this evening at 8 pm on AJK Radio! And Lee B's great 'Soul In Motion' show repeat is on Friday at 8 pm!

29/09/2025

NEW show alert 🚨 Leo Kirby with the 50 Years and rolling show , from 2pm ajkradio.net , Alexa, RadioBox

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01/08/2025

Doing what makes me happy 🎧🎤💿🎶🎶🎶🎶 give us a listen , Alexa, radiobox, TuneIn, website

13/07/2025

12 Noon, Wembley Stadium 13th July 1985

Relive 8 hours of this epic event today same time

ajkradio.net / TuneIn / Alexa / DAB for South Hertfordshire / RadioBox App

*Gee W Reggae Rhythms will follow @ 8pm