AS the fourth annual celebration of all things Northumberland moves ever closer, the organisers behind Northumberland Day have put together a new CD featuring 15 songs that capture the essence of the county day.

The Northumberland Day greatest hits compilation, produced to launch the run-up to 2020’s celebration on Sunday, May 24, comprises 15 immediately recognisable tracks by leading artists from across the world.

Although the CD will not be released for sale, it is already being offered up as a prize for competitions being ran on Northumberland Day’s social media pages.

It will also be made available to some of the people getting involved with Northumberland Day 2020.

Northumberland Day organiser, Jane Hunt, said: “We want music and community to be at the heart of Northumberland Day 2020 and the CD is our first means of doing that.

“It features 15 cracking tracks and should get parties started in the schools, homes and businesses lucky enough to win one.

“But more importantly, we hope it conveys the spirit, fun and coming together that Northumberland Day promotes.

“We hope it will generate FOMO (fear of missing out) and allow us to get even more people involved.”

Each track on the compilation is related to an aspect of Northumberland Day past and present.

Tracks one and two are Lovely Day by soul and R&B singer, Bill Withers, and Beautiful Day by Irish rockers U2, which organisers say describe the past celebrations.

Track three is Sunday Girl by Blondie, a reference to the fact that the celebrations fall on the Sunday before the Northumberland County Show, while Track Four is Perfect Day by Lou Reed.

Tracks five and six are Yellow by Coldplay and 99 Red Balloons by Nena, a reference to Northumberland’s county colours.

Tracks seven and eight both refer to the – possibly ambitious – hope for good weather, with Have a Nice Day by the Sterophonics and One Fine Day by the Chiffons taking the slots.

The rest of the album is filled with party tracks designed to get people dancing on the day, with tracks from Fatboy Slim, Queen, and Kool and the Gang.

It’s finished by the “ultimate knees up,” Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners.