Search - Various Artists :: Now That's What I Call Music! 9

By now it's safe to surmise that as long as there are hits, there'll be Now That's What I Call Music! compilations. The ninth collection in the ultra-successful series serves up pure pop, mainstream R&B, and radio-ready rock in a vibrant, smartly sequenced mix. Here those who're likely just passing through the charts on their way to obscurity rub shoulders with transcendent talents on the level of Mary J. Blige and U2. But that's part of the charm of these sets. Who knows where Petey Pablo will be in five years, but it's safe to say his rambunctious "Raise Up" will still be transporting fans back to 2001 years from now. And it's a fair guess that plenty of those fans will be listening to it as it appears between tracks by Mr. Cheeks and City High on their copy of this 20-track time capsule. --W.C. Sweeney