One Pound Ninety-Nine (A Music Sampler Of The State Of Things) is a defining 1985 compilation album released through the collaboration of independent UK labels Beggars Banquet and Situation Two. Designed as a budget-friendly showcase of their diverse, cutting-edge roster, the LP was famously named after and sold for its exact retail price of £1.99. This marketing strategy made the vibrant British underground music scene highly accessible to cash-strapped youth, offering a curated sonic snapshot of a pivotal era in independent music.
The tracklist bridges the worlds of post-punk, gothic rock, and alternative wave, capturing a unique transition point in 1980s music. It features seminal contributions from influential artists like Bauhaus, Peter Murphy, and Love and Rockets, alongside the raw post-punk of The Fall and the heavy rock of The Cult. By blending legendary figureheads like John Cale and Nico with rising alternative acts, the compilation serves as an essential historical artifact of the mid-1980s UK alternative landscape.
