A couple years ago, I started noticing some of these old, cheap used tapes I'd been getting had these cool titles and diverse song selections. Thus, partly from looking them over, and with the help of the Internet, I finally learned what a "K-Tel" compilation was. :)

I heard they were made from 1970 to 1985 - though most of mine are 80's and very late 70's. Since 2002, I've managed to get 40 or so. Below are the ones I currently have - the best ones boldfaced (let me know what 80's ones I might be missing, and maybe some songs on them):

After Hours
Certified Gold 1
Certified Gold 2
Chart Action '83
Chartbusters
Contemporary Hits
Dimensions
Expressions
Get Dancin'
Gold Rush '79
Headbangers' Hits
Hit After Hit
Hit Express
Hit List 2
Hot Tracks
Love Is
Metal Masters
Night Flight
On Top
Power Play
Radio Active
Rock 80
Seems Like Yesterday
Sound System
Starlite

Now, list yours (I would include entire songlists on those, but it'd take too much time!). ;)

Oh, I've got several of these cluttering up the place...

Not sure if these titles will mean anything, as they were all British issues...

'Midnight Hustle' - 1978
Mainly disco stuff...includes a front cover pic with an Afro guy wearing trousers that are at least five sizes too tight...!!

'Video Stars' -1979
Bet you can't guess what the lead track of this was...!

'Hot Wax' - 1980
Quite possibly the only LP in history which had the nerve to follow Judas Priest ('Living After Midnight') with B.A.Robertson ('Kool In The Kaftan')

'Mounting Excitement' - 1980
'Three Kawasaki Trail Bikes to be won' screamed the back cover - just the thing to look cool on when listening to Sheena Easton ('9 To 5') and Bad Manners ('Lip Up Fatty')

'Chartblasters '81' - er...1981
Front cover featured a very poorly drawn fist hammering its way through a brick wall...standard fare, but included two great 'novelties' at the end of each side...Joe Dolce ('Shaddap You Face') and Fred Wedlock ('Oldest Swinger In Town')

There's plenty more...but that'll do for now!

As far as Britain is concerned, K-Tel were still hammering out compilations in the early 90s, but having lost a huge slice of the market to the phenomenon that was 'Now', they surrendered soon after...


Note: To ensure the highest quality reproduction, the running time of this post has been amended...

I had "Hit Parade" and Sounds Of...something, I can't remember along with about 5 more.  I was a little slow in the 70's and had no idea they chopped the songs to make them shorter...so I turned to studio LP's for the full versions and that was  it :-\\

Good selections, Paul. :)

The UK might've had slightly different versions than the US did, but most of those sound vaguely familiar. I didn't know that tidbit of info about Ktel going under because of "Now". We have Now series here too, but they're not nearly as big (I think you guys are up in the 50's at the moment!).


I had "Hit Parade" and Sounds Of...something, I can't remember along with about 5 more. I was a little slow in the 70's and had no idea they chopped the songs to make them shorter...so I turned to studio LP's for the full versions and that was it :-\\


Yeah, I notice they fade songs out early (that usually bugs me, unless it's needlessly long). Even stuff like "Heart & Soul" from Huey Lewis they don't let go the whole way - which is strange since it's not that long anyway.

Is this because 12-14 songs didn't fit on a single LP so easily back in the day?

Good selections, Paul. :)

The UK might've had slightly different versions than the US did, but most of those sound vaguely familiar. I didn't know that tidbit of info about Ktel going under because of "Now". We have Now series here too, but they're not nearly as big (I think you guys are up in the 50's at the moment!).

Yeah, I notice they fade songs out early (that usually bugs me, unless it's needlessly long). Even stuff like "Heart & Soul" from Huey Lewis they don't let go the whole way - which is strange since it's not that long anyway.

Is this because 12-14 songs didn't fit on a single LP so easily back in the day?
Yeah, I think they just tried to cram all the songs on an LP...no matter how much they  butchered a tune. BUT, in thier defense I think they were more geared for dances and discos. It was a good marketing tool for the right market.

woohoo,Marty McFly..very cool  8)

ok..the easiest way for me to do this is to link my music page from my website..
when you scroll down the page,you'll see my K-Tel albums,just hang in a sec until the frames change  :)

http://www.geocities.com/ktelqueen/musicpage.html

I remember one called Raiders Of The Pop Charts, featuring:
Abracadabra -Steve Miller
Rosanna -Toto
If You Want My Love -Cheap Trick
Don't Go -Yazoo
and some others that I can't remember, cos I would've been all of 8 years old. 8)

woohoo,Marty McFly..very cool  8)

ok..the easiest way for me to do this is to link my music page from my website..
when you scroll down the page,you'll see my K-Tel albums,just hang in a sec until the frames change  :)

http://www.geocities.com/ktelqueen/musicpage.html


I had a look around - as Beavis & Butthead might say, "Pretty cool." :)

You even had "Powerplay" - I love that one, especially for Cliff Richard's "We don't Talk Anymore" - I'd never heard it before, but I can't believe it wasn't a major hit around 1979/80, it's sure catchy enough! ;)

I had a look around - as Beavis & Butthead might say, "Pretty cool." :)


right on  ;)


You even had "Powerplay" - I love that one,
still do..one of my faves  8)..Wings Of Sound,Radioactive,Full Tilt,Certified Gold,and Hit Express are way up on the list..


especially for Cliff Richard's "We don't Talk Anymore" - I'd never heard it before, but I can't believe it wasn't a major hit around 1979/80, it's sure catchy enough! ;)

great song   :)

WOW!!! I have mounting excitement, chart hits 81, night moves and remember this one fellow brits, The best disco album in the world?Good memories......

I didn't any of what I've read, but I do have one K-tel album, it's from 1984 and was apparently made for the nordic/scandinian marked, to seperate albums titled K-TEL DOUBLE and I only have the black album, with artists like the Herrey's - Varje Liten Droppe Regn (Swedish for "Every Little Drop of Rain), Gary Moore - Empty Rooms and Kool & The Gang - September Love.

One of the K-Tel products I wish I still had was actually a computer program!

In 1985, they wrote a game for the Commodore 64 called "It's Only Rock N' Roll".

In it, you took over as the manager for a fictional Rock band.  You started out in clubs, and tried to work up a following.  You would land record contracts, perform in progressively larger settings (pub, student union, city auditorium, city park, concert hall, sports stadium), and watch your popularity rise and fall.

You also had to watch out for the use of drugs and alcohol!  Drugs gave you more energy, but took away from your health.  And there was a rick of having a "bad trip", which could kill your avatar.

Of all the games I had for my old C-64, this and MULE are the 2 I miss most.

One of the K-Tel products I wish I still had was actually a computer program!

In 1985, they wrote a game for the Commodore 64 called "It's Only Rock N' Roll".

In it, you took over as the manager for a fictional Rock band.  You started out in clubs, and tried to work up a following.  You would land record contracts, perform in progressively larger settings (pub, student union, city auditorium, city park, concert hall, sports stadium), and watch your popularity rise and fall.

You also had to watch out for the use of drugs and alcohol!  Drugs gave you more energy, but took away from your health.  And there was a rick of having a "bad trip", which could kill your avatar.

Of all the games I had for my old C-64, this and MULE are the 2 I miss most.

That sounds like a very cool game, I don't have a C-64 but I would love to try it, so do you know if it's out for Amiga 500 or PC?

That sounds like a very cool game, I don't have a C-64 but I would love to try it, so do you know if it's out for Amiga 500 or PC?

Just get a Commodore 64 emulator off the net & i'm sure the rom for the game wouldn't be that hard to find either. Thanks to the C64 emulators out there i've been able to relive Last Ninja 2. That's the one i missed the most. Best game ever.

That sounds like a very cool game, I don't have a C-64 but I would love to try it, so do you know if it's out for Amiga 500 or PC?


Well, you can download the game here for the C-64:

http://gb64.com/game.php?id=3856&d=45

Simply find a "Commodore 64 Emulator", then have a play.

I looked for a clone of this game I had several years ago, but had no luck.  If I remember, it was called "Rock Star", and was a DOS program for the PC.  I spent about an hour looking for it this morning, but had no luck.  Maybe I will run across it on one of my old archive drives.

Oh, and here is a screenshot of one of the concerts.  The music it played was atrocious (just random noise from the music synth), but the game was challenging, and a lot of fun to play.

Well, you can download the game here for the C-64:

http://gb64.com/game.php?id=3856&d=45

Simply find a "Commodore 64 Emulator", then have a play.

I looked for a clone of this game I had several years ago, but had no luck.  If I remember, it was called "Rock Star", and was a DOS program for the PC.  I spent about an hour looking for it this morning, but had no luck.  Maybe I will run across it on one of my old archive drives.

Oh, and here is a screenshot of one of the concerts.  The music it played was atrocious (just random noise from the music synth), but the game was challenging, and a lot of fun to play.



LOL, actually that's surprising since some of the later C64 games had some of the best syth music ever. The C64 version's music in Last Ninja 2 was a million times better than the Amiga 500's version & C64 was only an 8 bit system. Think games like Last Ninja 2, Thunder Blade, R-type, Mega Apocalypse & Cybernoid 2. They had some of the best & most listenable & likable music i've probably "ever" heard for computer software. Anyway i'm getting off the topic here.

I don't know much about Ktel but I know my uncle had tons of those 'Top of the Pops' records.

I remember the 'Hits' compilations that came out around 1984/85 I think. They died a death too due to 'Now that's what I call music' - I have every one from 1 - 50. I have gone over but there are gaps in my collection from there.  :)

I don't know much about Ktel but I know my uncle had tons of those 'Top of the Pops' records.

I remember the 'Hits' compilations that came out around 1984/85 I think. They died a death too due to 'Now that's what I call music' - I have every one from 1 - 50. I have gone over but there are gaps in my collection from there.  :)


Those 'Hits' collections appear to still be going. (Hits 60 came out in 2004).  We don't get them over here, but I've found a few at flea markets and such :)

I got a few of the Now CD's as well :)

Those 'Hits' collections appear to still be going. (Hits 60 came out in 2004).  We don't get them over here, but I've found a few at flea markets and such :)

Yeah, I know they were kind of repackaged about 2002 with Hits 50. I'm guessing they were from the same franchise.  :)

I got a few of the Now CD's as well :)


For an overall view of the pop scene, you can't go too wrong with the 'Now series'. My first 'Now' was vinyl and my dad bought it when it first came out - Now 11. Had great tracks like Angel eyes - Wet Wet Wet, Always on my mind - Pet shop boys, Joe le taxi - Vanessa Paradis, Hot in the city - Billy Idol, Say it again - Jermaine Stewart etc.

They will hit 'Now that's what I call music 100' in no time.  :)

Sooner than that.  There's also the "Now That's What I Cal Music (insert year here)" series and the "Now Dance" series :)

Sooner than that.  There's also the "Now That's What I Cal Music (insert year here)" series and the "Now Dance" series :)


Yeah. I have 'The Millenium Series' (1980 - 1989). I couldn't be bothered to go any further because I had most of everything from then on from other compliation CDs and didn't fancy going further for the sake of being a completist.

The 'Now Dance' ones were interesting (especially late 80s) because they used to have extended remixes on their tapes. The extended remix of 'She drives me crazy' by Fine Young Cannibals was great.  8)

Yeah. I have 'The Millenium Series' (1980 - 1989). I couldn't be bothered to go any further because I had most of everything from then on from other compliation CDs and didn't fancy going further for the sake of being a completist.

The 'Now Dance' ones were interesting (especially late 80s) because they used to have extended remixes on their tapes. The extended remix of 'She drives me crazy' by Fine Young Cannibals was great.  8)


Have you noticed this about the Now series ... Shakin' Stevens has never appeared on any Now compilation.  I always thought that was rather odd.  I know he appeared on a few of the "Hits" compilations