Well it's the start of 1993 and dance has broken into the mainstream in the UK and the companies are looking to tap that market; enter 'the best dance album in the world... ever' series.

Warner Chappell Music Ltd/PolyGram Music Publishing Ltd/Don't Funk Wit My Gamma Publishing. ℗ 1999 Zomba Records Ltd. Licensed courtesy of Pepper/ Zomba Records.I think this was the first one I bought on release (or rather had it bought for me). I would have been 12 years old and heavily into music at this point. Whilst it's not one of my favourites out of the series, it does rank highly with me as this was, quite literally, everything that was being played on the radio that I was lapping up! Peer Musik. ℗ 1999 BMG Berlin Musik GmbH/Laustrak. Sample of "Mambo No5" performed by Perez Prado. ℗ 1959 BMG Entertainment/RCA U.S. Issued under license BMG Entertainment International UK & Ireland Ltd. I think part of it must have been down to the extreme commercialisation of dance music that had happened since 1998 and this was kind of where it really really took root. Warner Chappell Music Ltd/Windswept Pacific Music Ltd. ℗ 1999 Progress Records Ltd, under exclusive license to Mercury Records Ltd. (London). Licensed from Universal Music Licensing Division.

CD2 is a bit all over the place at the start. Dance music goes out the window in favour yet again of RnB and Rap. Not all bad, but still a bit of a curveball, stay on target! Much like the 2002 release, this one had a lot going for it and things were heading in the right direction. However, many off-genre songs and questionable choices lower the overall quality. This was the last release for six years before they brought out that hideous revival in 2009. Looking at the other options out there at the time, the Dance Zone ones were equally guilty of much the same things!This is undoubtedly the best in the series, at least in my opinion. Both CD's in this album seem to focus purely on dance music other than a few slower songs here and there. This is really the defining release with the quality of both CDs being top-notch and never faltering. Rive Droite Music Ltd. Produced and mixed for Metro Rive Droite Music Productions. ℗ 1998 Warner Music UK Ltd. Licensed courtesy of Warner Music UK Ltd. Too much competition out there at the time, and the album clearly lost sight of it's IP 'the best dance album in the world ever..."

Universal Music Publishing Ltd. ℗ 1999 Bliss Corporation, under exclusive license to Warner Music UK Ltd.. Licensed courtesy of Warner Music UK Ltd.. Warner Chappell Music Ltd/Windswept Pacific Music Ltd. Produced for Sunship Productions. Recorded at Roundhouse Studios and Sunship Studios. ℗ 2000 Wildstar Records Ltd. Licensed courtesy of Wildstar Records Ltd. The series continues with its first sequel here, also in 1993. This album is an improvement over the first release purely because the quality of both CD's overall is better. The first album had a fantastic first CD, and while the second was very good it did bring down the overall score somewhat. Here, both CD's are really great and focuses again on dance music between 1987-1993. I think I must have a serious soft spot for 1995 dance as my favourite 'dance zone' album is also from 1995 (Level 5).

Lists

I used to rate this one a lot higher, as it was one of the better more recent albums in the series. However, listening to The Best Club Anthems 2002/Summer have really affected my perspective of this, because while a lot of it is great, there are still some questionable choices.

This is the beginning of the long running Best Dance Album In The World Series. While some may disagree, I believe it does indeed live up to that name, or at least for the first five releases. The series began here in 1993 and is still going today, although with huge gap years recently.

For Sale on Discogs

EMI Music Publishing Ltd/All Boys Music Ltd/BMG Music Publishing Ltd. ℗ 1999 Zomba Records Ltd. Licensed courtesy of Jive Records. Serious Worldwide Publishing/Chrysalis Music. ℗ 1999 Incentive Music Ltd. Licensed courtesy of Ministry Of Sound.