Albums #97 and #63

Due to alleged copyright violations arising from our last post about the longest running hits compilation franchise, which we have supported from the very beginning back in 1983, our playlist art (the album's actual cover art which I had no legal right to post) was rightfully taken down and the title of the playlist was immediately removed so there was nothing but blank space where the title used to be. Henceforth, we are being extremely cautious about what we say or show about albums in the ongoing series. On July 21, 2017, the ninety-seventh volume of a popular hit singles compilation will be released in the UK. It will be the standard double disc, 45 track release featuring five Number One hits from the UK charts. The lead-off track will be the unanimous Song Of The Summer of 2017, the UK and US chart-topping Justin Beiber "remix" of this worldwide chart-topper by Luis Fonsi with a little help from Daddy Yankee. Originally released in January 2017, the Bieber-free video below is currently the third most viewed music video EVER on YouTube with 2.6 BILLION views or nearly 50 MILLION per day. In August 2017, the video became the most watched video ever on YouTube with over 3.0 BILLION views and counting. The striking woman in the video is a former Miss Universe, Zuleyka Rivera.

The album's official playlist is embedded below for your listening convenience though it won't be populated until July 21, 2017. (The record label has already posted playlist placeholders on Spotify for volumes 98-100. 98 is coming in November 2017 and both 99 and 100 are expected for Easter 2018.) Also, this playlist is out but missed my radar completely.

On August 4, 2017, the sixty-third volume in the US series will be released featuring sixteen hits of some degree - many of which are also on the album above - and the six five four tracks below from up and coming acts, including a former Glee cast member:

While you're at <place you buy CDs> picking up that other CD, you might wanna throw this one in the cart as well as it comes out the very same day: Friday, August 4, 2017. (Read the official press release for the two albums HERE.) Remeber those Jock Jams CDs you kept in the CD holder attached to the sun visor over the passenger seat in your car for when you needed to "Pump Up The Jam" and/or "Pump Up The Volume"? This is kinda like those only not as good. Not even close.

On that same date, back in the UK, comes another three-disc collection filled with 60 rap and hip-hop tracks from the proverbial old school though they spell the term differently over there. Here are three of my favorite songs from the compilation:

MAS "DESPACITO"