Twenty years since their pop music debut, Duran Duran issued another greatest-hits collection. As if 1989's Decade weren't stellar enough, this select package was much more solid. Greatest showcased the band's early days of glam rock décor and new romanticism to the alluring sophistication Duran Duran exuded throughout the '90s. The typical synth-powered pop hits are included – "Girls on Film," "Rio," "A View to a Kill" – as well as the signature ballads – "Save a Prayer" – but it might also receive criticism due to its chronological disarray. Still, that gives no reason to fret, for other goodies can be found throughout. The much-neglected "New Moon on Monday" is featured, as well as the band's mature eclecticism of such songs from the self-titled Wedding Album – "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone." The band's experimentation with new millennium electronica found on "Electric Barbarella" again refocuses on Simon LeBon as the center of the band.

Duran Duran came back out of nowhere in early 1993 with a new album and a huge hit, "Ordinary World." The group sounds more relaxed and mature than it did during their glory days, but not all that much has changed; instead of personifying the days of early-'80s synthesized dance-pop, the music is smooth dance pop for the '90s. Taken on its own terms, Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) works every bit as well as Duran Duran, Rio, or Seven and the Ragged Tiger. "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" are wonderful pop singles that sit between some passable album tracks and the occasional embarrassment, namely the wretched cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale." In other words, Duran Duran are back and as good as they ever were.

In this concert/motion picture starring the New Romantic Pop stars, Doctor Duran (actor Milo O'Shea) the evil character in the cult film 'Barbarella' returns to earth, crash landing his time machine directly underneath a giant stadium in Oakland, California. He is bent upon doing battle with the five imposters above him (the band) who have stolen his name. The evil doctor sends out his henchmen to destroy them as they perform to a packed stadium. Duran Duran continues to perform throughout, as much chaos ensues around them. Duran Duran are captured at their musical best in Arena by award winning director, Russell Mulcahy, who was to hone his skills working on music promos through the 80's. Also includes the Making Of Arena documentary which opens the lid on the creative processes involved with making Arena.

Duran Duran and producer Mark Ronson envisioned the 2011 release All You Need Is Now as a sequel to the band’s 1982 effort Rio, but fans are better off approaching it as the imaginary effort that came after 1983’s Seven and the Ragged Tiger. Follow their analogy, and this should sound like a band that just created a new wave icon, but here there’s an enthusiasm and sense of purpose that can only come from an act less cocksure than one that is on top.

This is a very FUN tribute album. If you are a serious, die hard Duran Duranie, you probably won't like this (or any other tribute album dedicated to Duran Duran). However, for the rest of us, this has a bunch of creative interpretations of these great songs. I bought the CD for Goldfinger's version of Rio (which includes a hilarious 30 second break into Dio's `Rainbow in the Dark'). Other very good renditions come from Jimmy Eat World (New Religon), the Deftones (the Chauffeur), and Less than Jake (The Reflex).

Following on from the success of NOW That’s What I Call 12” 80s, NOW Music proudly presents NOW That’s What I Call 12” 80s: Extended. We’ve dived even further into the musical treasure trove of the 80s to bring you 45 stunning extended tracks in a 4CD compilation.