5/5 Awesome
  by Shelley
Love this CD. Thank you. Will buy again if more in this era are made available.

4/5 Great for long tme and new fans alike
  by EDGAR S. OLIVARES (New York City, NY USA)
Even if you already have other eighties collections, this is a compilation definitely worth checking out. Just like the previous volume, it features some tracks appearing on an eighties compilation for the first time such as George Michael's "Faith", Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" and Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know". Rick Astley's first hit is here as well as Richard Marx's first hit. "True Colors" is the title track from Cyndi Lauper's second album and "Dancing On The Ceiling" is the title track from Lionel Richie's third. The Jackson's "Torture" was a Top 20 hit but that's an interesting choice since it didn't chart as high as "State Of Shock" or any of the singles from MJ's "Thriller". "Don't You Want Me" and "You Spin Me Round" underscore the decade's new wave craze. And "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell features background vocals from Michael and Jermaine Jackson.

This album may not be a definitive collection, but this along with Vol. 1 is a great representation of what the decade had to offer. Whether you're a long time eighties fan or a new one, you'll definitely enjoy this collection.



4/5 80's Pleasures
  by Michael Kerner (Brooklyn, New York U.S.A.)
When it honestly has came down to it, the 1980's have honestly had some of the most driven music of all time. While there have been so many great songs over the years, the decade has honestly brought out the best from some of the most influential artists like Sting & his work on his own and with The Police, to breakout legends like Whitney Houston and George Michael. Those honestly were the best of times with some of the greatest music in the industry. With the Now That's What I Call Music series last year, they've brought out some of the great songs before with the first volume, but a lot of people asked for some of the bigger superstars of that time. Well, now that definitely has been answered with a strong sequel of some of the best music of the 80's, in a better Now: follow-up that will make you dust off those Miami Vice jackets, and break dance with joy.

Now That's What I Call The 80's: Volume 2 is a strong and more driven follow-up to the first edition of the Now series. After the first volume, there were many great improvements here in the second volume of the series that makes the album drive much better than the first, with a setup of some of the best guilty pleasure songs of the time, and a compilation of those one-hit wonders that you haven't heard in years, now probably even available for the first time on C.D. The songs have all been remastered very well and include a lot of great songs from Lionel Richie's Dancing on the Ceiling, American Idol judge Paula Abdul's breakout hit Straight Up, as well as legends like Whitney Houston with her 1985 #1 hit How Will I Know (which is sure to tide fans over her anticipated comeback album I Look To You,) George Michael with Faith, and a somber pair of songs from the departed Michael Jackson including Torture from his forgotten era with his brothers The Jacksons, and his surprising backup vocals on the one-hit wonder smash from Rockwell on Somebody's Watching Me, which recently received a surprising revival on television with the ads from Geico insurance. There are other great songs here as well that haven't been in print on an album in years like Dead Or Alive's You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) which lately was sampled in a less-than inticing song from Flo Rida, and Martika'a only hit Toy Soldiers. It is a very strong compilation, and reintroduces the era very well.

All in all, while there honestly have been very few and far than between collections that are honestly worth buying lately, Now That's What I Call The 80's: Volume 2 is definitely worth giving a shot. If you haven't yet had your 80's mix of great songs, than this is one of those compilations that does the trick nicely, and in a much better way than those recent songs in the Now That's What I Call Music series. If you are a fan of 80's nostalgia, than get down and dance on the ceiling with this collection.

Album Cover: B

Songs: B

Price: B-

Remastering: B+

Overall: B

5/5 Great timing...includes MJ associated music as well
  by snake plisken (Jacksonville, TX USA)
I have several 80's compilations. I loved the music of that decade and it has held up well over time (could you imagine "I love the 00's!" selling well?). This CD had some gems that I didn't have, namely: Rockwell's "I always feel like somebody's watching me" (with MJ singing chorus), The Jacksons' "Torture" (with MJ on vocals), Martika "Toy Soldiers" (incidentally with Fergie and Jennifer Love Hewitt on backup vocals - the girls from Kids Incorporated sang with her), Human League "Don't you want me baby". My only pet peeve is that "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol here lacks the bride - slower part for some reason, the part where he croons "I walk the walk that you babe/ A million miles for you..." The song is still good, but it lacks something without that everytime I hear it. I'll have to buy Idol's Greatest Hits for the better version of "Rebel Yell".

5/5 a good album with a little bit of irony
  by M. Michelle Owens (okc,ok)
with the passing of michael jackson its not surprising that alot of people including myself are going a little nuts now collecting everything michael. I'm and diehard music collector and i do have a lot of michaels music but i've been nabbing some vhs and dvd videos which i never got around to buying. i pretty much have all the now cds and even the special ones like the power ballads and the first 80's cd. yesterday i bought now 31 and this particular one 80's volume 2. all the songs are classics in every sense of the word. but getting the jacksons torture and rockwells somebodys watching me with michael jackson singing "i know it feels like somebodys watching me" in the background is the real jewel. this song is getting harder and harder to find. so if i were you i would nab this up in a heartbeat.i think michael up above would surely understand...