Parachute

Featuring 46 Top 40 singles, including nine number ones, the Now That's What I Call Music brand continues to reign supreme with its 76th instalment. As urban pop continues to rule the charts, it's no surprise that Now 76 is also dominated by tracks from the likes of JLS, Roll Deep, and Kelly Rowland. Indeed, only Train's unexpected comeback single "Hey Soul Sister," the frenetic drum and bass of Pendulum's "Watercolour," and Fyfe Dangerfield's faithful cover of Billy Joel's "She's Always a Woman," could be described as anything near alternative. From the first disc, Enrique Iglesias' party anthem "I Like It," B.o.B's inventive hip-hop chart-topper "Nothin' on You," and Lady Gaga's Ace of Base-esque "Alejandro" provide the highlights. While K'naan's unofficial World Cup theme "Wavin' Flag," Alicia Keys' effortlessly soulful "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart," and Kelis' trance-led "Acapella" are the standouts from Disc Two. Surprisingly, there are no contributions from the cast of Glee, who've entered the charts with a new track nearly every week this year, but it's perhaps the only notable omission. Now 76 may not be the most diverse collection of songs, but it still continues to be the most relevant and hit-packed compilation series on the market. ~ Jon O'Brien