"1998 Nominees: UK & US Favourites" - Various Artists
Compilation Album
U2 Related Content:
- "Discothèque" (Edit - Nominees Version) - U2 (04:41)
Full Track Listing:
- I Know Where It’s At – All Saints
- 4 Seasons of Lonliness – Boyz II Men
- Midnight in Chelsea – Jon Bon Jovi
- Phenomenon – LL Cool J
- Everyday is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow
- Say what You Want – Texas
- Heroes – Roni Size
- Hold On (Change is Comin’) – Sounds of Blackness
- Discotheque (Edit) – U2
- I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying – Sting & Toby Keith
- You’ve Got a Friend – Brand New Heavies
- Star Bright – Vanessa Williams
- I Can’t Quit – The Robert Cray Band
- Loving You – Shirley Horn
- Dear Ella – Dee Dee Bridgewater
- MMMBop – Hanson
Background Information
This 1998 compilation by PolyGram International was done in conjunction with PolyGram Far East, and was marketed through a variety of countries including South Korea, Indonesia and South Africa. The compilation was made up of nominees for the Grammy Awards and for the Brit Awards for the 1998 year ceremonies. These were nominees, and not winners, although this isn’t clearly established on the CD, but both Jon Bon Jovi and LL Cool J are included here because of their nomination for “Best International Male Solo Artists” for the Brit Awards that year.
The album contains a unique edit of U2’s “Discotheque.” The song is an edit of the version found on the Pop album. Eleven seconds are removed from the start of the song, and 25 seconds are removed from the end of the song. As well a fade in is added at the start, and a long fade out (12 seconds) is added at the end of the song on top of the 25 seconds that have been removed. This makes for an overall shorter version of the album track, and it is different than the “Radio Edit” of the song.
We do not know the exact date this album was released. However, nominations for the Grammy Awards were announced the first week of January, and the Brit Awards were announced in mid-January of 1998. The actual award ceremonies were in March of that year, so this CD would have been released to monopolize on that. And from other titles in the South African label’s release schedule, it appears that this CD was most likely released in February 1998. If anyone can confirm an exact date we would appreciate hearing from you.
The album was pressed in both CD and cassette formats. In some Asian markets it appears that the South African CD was sold with a sticker.
Liner Notes
Discotheque: Written by Bono / The Edge. Music by U2.