The 80s was the decade of the 12 inch. In the UK, all previous instalments of this series sold extremely well and received widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian called the series a "genuine act of music archaeology". From the pop dance genius of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Relax and Donna Summer's I Feel Love through to the more alternative Lullaby by The Cure, and onto classics such as Teardrops by Womack & Womack... This 3CD compilation has it all, in its full 12" glory.

This set was a pleasant surprise, and all of the music is out-of-sight, if you lived through the 1980s and remember this era of awesome music, and the 12" versions. For me, I am in my late 50s now, but the 1980s were my favorite decade for classic rock. And the '60s come in a close 2nd. followed by the 70's and the 50s. Note: a couple selections are from the late 70s.
I was really surprised the selections don't show up so here they are:

Disc 1: Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Relax) -New York Mix ; Soft Cell (Tainted love/Where does our love go) -Extended version ; Tears for Fears (Shout) - U.S. Remix ; Visage (Fade to glory) -Extended ; ABC (Tears are not enough) -12" mix ; Animotion (Obsession) -no note on remix ed. ; Swing out sister (Breakout) -N.A.D. mix ; Wang Chung (Dance Hall Days) - remix ; Souxsie & the Banshees (Spellbound) -12" mix ; The Cure (Lullaby) -Extended mix ; The Style Council (My ever changing moods -longer/extended 12" version.

Disc 2: Lionel Richie (All night long/all night) -12" version ; Steve Winwood (Higher love) -remix ; Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Two tribes) -annihilation ; Robert Palmer (Addicted to love) -12" version ; Level 42 (Something about you) -Shep Pettibone remix ; Junior (Mama used to say) -12" version ; Kid Creole and the Coconuts (I'm a wonderful thing, baby) -original 12" ; Kool & the Gang (Fresh) -Mark Barry remix '85 ; Diana Ross (I'm coming out) 12" version ; The Gap Band (Oops up side your head/I don't believe you want to get up and dance -no mix information ; Jermaine Jackson (Let's get serious) -no mix information.

Disc 3: Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel (White lines/don't do it)-no mix info ; Donna Summer (I feel love) -mega edit ; Grace Jones (Pull up to the bumper - 12" version ; Cameo (Word up! -extended version ; Eric B. & Rakim (Paid in full/seven minutes of madness -the coldcut remix ; Owen Guthrie (Ain't nothin' goin' but the rent) -12" club mix ; Dennis Edwards Featuring Siedah Garrett (Don't look any further -original 12" mix ; Rockwell (Somebody's watching me) -12" version ; Yaz & the Plastic Population (The only way is up) - 12" version ; Womack & Womack (Teardrops) -extended remix ; Bobby Brown (My prerogative) -12" version.