Queen :: Charts & Sales History

[HUR]

Here, a link with the article which appeard on "Los 40 principales" in 2004:

http://www.los40.com/articulo/noticias/ ... not_5/Tes/

[HUR]

Well, here I leave my breakdown about Greatest hits 1, in selected countries:

UK: 5,1 M (Basilīs numbers)

USA: 8,5 M

GER: 1,7 M

NET: 0,4 M (estimated)

AUS AND NEW ZEL: 1 M

CAN: 0,3 M

BRA: 0,25 M

SPA: 0,2 M

SWISS: 0,25 M

AUS: 0,2 M

KOR: 0,5 M

JAP: 0,147 M


If those numbers are right, that gives a total of 18,5 M in only 13 countries. And it has to add sales from countries in which the album was huge, like Argentina, South Africa and others. And it has to update figures for most countries like Canada, Japan, Austria, and a lot more.

Can I "dream" with a 25 M figure worldwide?. I would like to hear opinions from specialists here What do you think?.

[HUR]

Greates hits 2

Here my breakdown about this album.

Europe
UK 2.500.000 (estimated, shop sales only)
Netherlands 500.000 (1997)
Swistzerlands 250.000
Austria 200.000 (1997)
Germany 2.500.000 (estimated)
Finland 132.000 (2003)
Italy 1.000.000 (1992)
Spain 700.000 (estimated)
Chez. Republic 60.000
France 1.500.000
Sweden 200.000 (estimeted)
Denmark 250.000

South America

Brazil 500.000 (1999)
Argentina 500.000(2002)
Mexico 250.000

Classic Queen (only for USA and Canada)

USA 3.200.000
Canada 500.000 (1993)

Well, it has to say that the album was huge in most european countries. It was number one in the following countries: UK (5 weeks), Netherlands (13 weeks), Switzerland (11 weeks), Austria (3 weeks), Italy, Spain (8 weeks), Hungary, France (4 weeks). It was also at number 2 in Germany (12 weeks at that positions), and Sweden, and number 4 in Norway.

About South America, in Brazil, I have to say that sales were bigger than 500.000 copies. It was certified 2 platinum award in 1999, but in Brazil those certifications are given for cdīs sales (as I understand). I think that sales there must be close to million copies. And itīs the same for Argentina, where itīs said to be over one million copies. Dispite that, I still prefere those conservative figures.

For Canada, the album has been more than 400 weeks on back catalog. charts, so sales are higher than 500.000 copies.

I also took two figures from a Queen site: I have 150.000 copies for New Zeland, and 280.000 for Australia. But I havenīt confirmed.

The album was probably huge in another small countries, like Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Estonia, and others. And I donīt have figures for Asian countries and other places. Therefore, if I could get some more figures, or update some of aboveīs numbers, sales for this album could be at very big number.

Only with the figures that I have, sales are over 15 millions copies.

[HUR]

Here, I leave my list of all nunber one albums that I have.

Queen number one albums

- "A night at the opera": UK (4 weeks), Netherlands (9 weeks), Finland, Australia (2 weeks), Japan (on international charts).

- "A day at the races": UK (1 week), Netherlands (5 weeks), Japan (1 weeks).

- "News of the world": Netherlands (5 weeks), France (3 weeks), Japan (on international charts).

- "Jazz": Japan (on international charts)

- "The game": UK (2 weeks), USA (5 weeks), Canada, Argentina, Japan (on international charts).

- "Flash Gordon": Austria (2 weeks).

- Greatest hits 1: UK (4 weeks), Netherlands (4 weeks), Austria (4 weeks), Germany (2 weeks), Spain (1 week), Japan (on international charts).

- "Hot space": Austria (2 weeks)

- "The works": Netherlands (2 weeks)

- "A kind of magic": UK (1 week)

- "The miracle": UK (1 week), Netherlands (3 weeks), Switzerland (2 weeks), Austria (1 week), Germany (8 weeks), Finland.

- "Innuendo": UK (2 weeks), Netherlands (4 weeks), Switzerland (8 weeks), Germany (6 weeks), Italy.

- Greatest hits 2: UK (5 weeks), Netherlands (13 weeks), Switzerlands (11 weeks), Austria (3 weeks), Italy, Finland, Spain (8 weeks), France (4 weeks), Hungary, Canada.

- "Live at wembley": Italy

- "Made in heaven": UK (1 week), Netherlands (4 weeks), Switzerland (9 weeks), Austria (9 weeks), Germany (10 weeks), Finland, Denmark, Spain (2 weeks), Italy, Sweden.

- "In vision" (japanese only release): Japan (on international charts).

Platinium collection: South Africa, Korea, France (on mid price charts).

Queen jewels: Japan (3 weeks), Taiwan (on international charts).

So, they had 18 different numnber one albums (counting japanese international charts)

[MJDangerous]

Well, here I leave my breakdown about Greatest hits 1, in selected countries:

UK: 5,1 M (Basilīs numbers)

USA: 8,5 M

GER: 1,7 M

NET: 0,4 M (estimated)

AUS AND NEW ZEL: 1 M

CAN: 0,3 M

BRA: 0,25 M

SPA: 0,2 M

SWISS: 0,25 M

AUS: 0,2 M

KOR: 0,5 M

JAP: 0,147 M


If those numbers are right, that gives a total of 18,5 M in only 13 countries. And it has to add sales from countries in which the album was huge, like Argentina, South Africa and others. And it has to update figures for most countries like Canada, Japan, Austria, and a lot more.

Can I "dream" with a 25 M figure worldwide?. I would like to hear opinions from specialists here What do you think?.

Hur I think that 3 of those sales are 'fake' : Canada, Brazil, Japan. It sold sure MUCH more in those countries.
In Canada it is an incredible catalog seller even more than in USA, it is selling like an album charted in the bottom of the top 100 every week. It was certified 300k in 1994, it sold by now an absolute minimum of 800000 copies, I think that this is more around 1 million.
In Brazil I can't believe that this album have so low sales. Sales in this country are much higher than what people are thinking, this is a market stronger than the Italian or the Spanish market for example.
About Japan, it sold 147k in a few weeks and without import sales, I estimate his sales easily over 500k in this country.

[HUR]

Thank you MJ Dangerous. Yes I know that some figures are higher than that. In Canada, Greatest hits 1 spent more than 400 weeks on catalog charts. And for Japan it sold 147.000 copies their three entries on the charts (in 1981, 1986 and 2001), but sales are bigger as you said. If your estimations are right, it gives about 20 M in those 13 countries. How are your estimations for the rest of the world?. There is no many information avaible from other places. Thank you for your answer.

[HUR]

There, I made my own breakdown for Queen Greatest hits 2, some posts above. Please, if someone has more information (specially for Asian markets, ans other places that I donīt have) or wants to make some corrections, post them here.

[Classicrock]

What is this "Jewel" release in Japan all about? What are the tracks?
Why availalbe only in Japan?

[MJDangerous]

Thank you MJ Dangerous. Yes I know that some figures are higher than that. In Canada, Greatest hits 1 spent more than 400 weeks on catalog charts. And for Japan it sold 147.000 copies their three entries on the charts (in 1981, 1986 and 2001), but sales are bigger as you said. If your estimations are right, it gives about 20 M in those 13 countries. How are your estimations for the rest of the world?. There is no many information avaible from other places. Thank you for your answer.

I don't have other informations but I estimate his WW sales at a minimum of 27 millions, more likely over 28 millions.

BTW, GH1 spent now over 500 weeks on catalog charts

[MJDangerous]

There, I made my own breakdown for Queen Greatest hits 2, some posts above. Please, if someone has more information (specially for Asian markets, ans other places that I donīt have) or wants to make some corrections, post them here.

I only know that in Mexico it sold AT LEAST 250.000 copies. It was certified for this but I don't know when and I don't know if it has received higher certifications since this one. So take this number as a minimum.

[HUR]

Thank you MJ Dangerous, I really didīt know that figure from Mexico, very good information. And itīs incredible the success of Greatest hits in Canada, and also Classic queen. Both albums should be re-certified.

[HUR]

What is this "Jewel" release in Japan all about? What are the tracks?
Why availalbe only in Japan?

Oh sorry, I hadnīt seen your question. Well, Queen jewels was a japanese compilation realise, due to a TV program in that country, called "Pride", whose author decided to use Queen songs in it. The main song was "I was born to love you", and other ones which appeard on that TV program. Of course, EMI Toshiba realsed, when it started, these compilation. They also re-relesed all Queen back catalog. there, and two DVDīs in that same year. The album was 3 weeks at number one.

The tracklist included the same songs we all know: "Bohemian rhapsody", "We will rock you", "We are the champions", "Crazzy little thing called love", "Another one bites the dust", "Radio ga-ga", "The show must go on", "Under pressure", and others.

[HUR]

Some posts above, I left my list of all number one albums I have collected from diffrent sources. Plaese, if someone has some number one to add, post them here.

[bestiamodesta]

Some other number one queen album:

A Kind of Magic: Germany
Made in Heaven: New Zeland, Sweden
Greatest Hits I: Canada, New Zeland, Australia
Greatest Hits II: Hungary
Live at Wembley: Italy (4)
The Works: Italy (4)

Some other number one Queen DVD:

Greatest Video Hits I: UK, Australia
Live at Wembley: UK, Netherland, Germany, Italy, Australia, Austria, France, New Zeland
Greatest Video Hits II: UK
Live at the Bowl: UK, Netherland, Germany, Italy, Austria

[HUR]

Hello Bestiamodesta, thank you for your answer. But there are some mistakes there: in Germany, "A kind of magic" was not number one, it peaked at number 4; and the same for "The works" in Italy, because it was also number 4 there. And from Australia, for the information I have Greates hits 1 was number 2.

And for Hungary, I had forgotten that Greatest hits 2 was number one, I will add it to my list.

Well, about DVD charts, Greatest video hits 1 was number 2 in three different moments, in 2003, 2005 and 2006.

[bestiamodesta]

I got really much chart/certification/chart fact about queen.

I'm collecting Queen chart since 1995... I'll post here soon what i got!

I'm mad about the Queen!

BestiaModesta

[HUR]

I got really much chart/certification/chart fact about queen.

I'm collecting Queen chart since 1995... I'll post here soon what i got!

I'm mad about the Queen!

BestiaModesta

Iīm really looking forward to your work, it would be very interesting to see it.

About Queen charts news, it has to say that "Live at wembley", Greatest video hits 1, "Queen on fire", and Greatest video hits 2 were at top four of the best selling dvdīs last week. "Live at wembley" keeps on being the number one at this week.

[cidermaster]

Out of interest the sales of Queens greatest hits in USA at 7m,is that per unit,or for each disc.
Night At The Opera,on that album i remember seeing in the past on 2 or 3 occassions it sold well over 500,000 by spring of 76.They seemed very reliable sources at the time.

Cheers Cidermaster.

[HUR]

Out of interest the sales of Queens greatest hits in USA at 7m,is that per unit,or for each disc.
Night At The Opera,on that album i remember seeing in the past on 2 or 3 occassions it sold well over 500,000 by spring of 76.They seemed very reliable sources at the time.

Cheers Cidermaster.

Hello, thank you cidermaster. Well, about "A night at the opera", it was 3 platinum award in USA in 2002. Since 1991, it surely is over 1 million copies. And about Greatest hits, there has to say that it is a single disc.

[HUR]

I have a question for French charts experts here (that is, MJ Dangerous ): according to infodisc page, "The show must go on" single was at number one in 1992 during 2 weeks, but, as far as I remember from other sites, it was number 2, not number one. Does anybody know the correct position?.

On the other side, according to figures from that same page, Queen is well over 5 millions copies in France, only below a few international bands (like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, U2, Super tramp, Dire Straits, The Rolling stones), but that seems to be too much for a band like Queen which, for the information I have, was not a really a big band there (at least, in term of peak positions and weeks on the charts). So I donīt understand well enough which is their real success there. Does anybody have an idea about how big Queen is in France?. I hope somebody can help me. Thank you in advance.

[MJDangerous]

I have a question for French charts experts here (that is, MJ Dangerous ): according to infodisc page, "The show must go on" single was at number one in 1992 during 2 weeks, but, as far as I remember from other sites, it was number 2, not number one. Does anybody know the correct position?.

On the other side, according to figures from that same page, Queen is well over 5 millions copies in France, only below a few international bands (like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, U2, Super tramp, Dire Straits, The Rolling stones), but that seems to be too much for a band like Queen which, for the information I have, was not a really a big band there (at least, in term of peak positions and weeks on the charts). So I donīt understand well enough which is their real success there. Does anybody have an idea about how big Queen is in France?. I hope somebody can help me. Thank you in advance.

Singles peak positions in the site Infodisc are not officials, they are a strange mixture between various charts... The official single chart exist since 1984, here runs of Queen's singles :

11/11/1984 I Want To Break Free 15 16 15 10 9 11 13 14 14 15 16 21 23 35 45 43
04/05/1986 A Kind Of Magic 31 21 22 21 14 15 7 8 5 5 8 9 10 19 17 22 30 29 33 49
14/03/1992 The Show Must Go On 34 10 9 7 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 5 3 5 4 9 6 14 19 24 35
01/08/1992 Bohemian Rhapsody 29 31 23 26 17 15 23 15 17 18 23 32 25 30 39
31/10/1992 We Are The Champions 36 32 25 26 24 19 19 19 19 24 30 29 47 29 31 32 36 42 48 45 44
19/06/1993 Somebody To Love 36 20 28 18 16 23 22 36 21 32 24 37 37
03/07/1993 We Are The Champions (2) 20 15 23 14 20 19 20 29 26 25 25
28/10/1995 Heaven For Everyone 29 30 17 19 19 13 16 11 8 16 18 23 22 25 27 45 47 31
09/03/1996 You Don't Fool Me 33 23 18 22 17 17 19 15 14 16 17 19 21 30 31 44
01/08/1998 We Are The Champions (3) 22 10 10 10 13 19 29 40 43
17/05/2003 We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions 29 30 33 36 40 49 46
20/12/2003 Another One Bites The Dust/We Will Rock You 49 48

Queen has not a huge success which all his albums, but the band still VERY popular in France and selling 100-200k of many albums + a few big sellers permit them to be between the most successful bands ever. "Greatest Hits 2" was a massive success selling well over 1 million copies, News Of The World and Made In Heaven sold each 600-700k, Live At Wembley, Platinum Collection, Greatest Hits 1 and Innuendo are all well over 300k, this mean already almost 4 millions albums sold.
In term of popularity in France, Queen is definitly in the top 10 biggest bands, maybe Top 5 or even Top 3.


BTW, "Greatest Hits 1" is "new" this week in the Swedish chart at #57.

[HUR]

Thank yoy MJ Dangerous, impressive information as always, very good. Iīs incredible the chart success of "We are the champions" as a single in France: on the pre-official charts, it was number one with "We will rock you" in 1978. But it has three re-releases after that, like in 1993 (when it was number 14), in 1998 (when it was number 10), and again in 2003 (reaching this time the number 29).

And there has to remember, that the pathetic crazy frog cover of these song this year was also number one.

[MJDangerous]

Thank yoy MJ Dangerous, impressive information as always, very good. Iīs incredible the chart success of "We are the champions" as a single in France: on the pre-official charts, it was number one with "We will rock you" in 1978. But it has three re-releases after that, like in 1993 (when it was number 14), in 1998 (when it was number 10), and again in 2003 (reaching this time the number 29).

And there has to remember, that the pathetic crazy frog cover of these song this year was also number one.

Yes as well as the cover of "We Will Rock You" by Forever Young was a massive hit in 2003 (used a a spot TV) :

03/05/2003 : 10-2-2-3-2-4-4-4-4-4-5-8-9-10-9-11-14-17-27-38-38-50

Always in 2003, a double cover single Another Brick In The Wall/We Are The Champions by Will Rock U Kids was charted several months in the top 100 but peaked under the Top 50 at #61.

[HUR]

Yes, I have forgotten that one, that single was also released in other european countries, with no many success.

[HUR]

Well, here an interesting break down of Live at wembley DVD, which had very good sales worldwide:

UK: 255 k
Netherlands: 115 k
Switzerland: 3 k
Austria: 5 k
Germany: 150 k
Denmark: 5 k (number 2 this year)
Spain: 25 k
Portugal: 44 k
Italy: 60 k
France: 110 k
Sweden: 5 k (number 3 in 2003, and many weeks on the charts)
Poland: 10 k
Norway: 4 k (number 3 in 2003)
Greece: 5 k
Ireland: number 2 in 2003, 5 k?
Czec. Rep.: ?
Hungary: ?
Finland: ?

USA: 250 k
Argentina: 8 k
Brazil: 10 k
Mexico: 20 k

Australia: 60 k
New Zeland: 10 k

Japan: 27 k

Total for those countries: 1.184.000 copies.

Estimated worldwide: 1.300.000 copies.


I took minimum some estimations (like Sweden, Norway, Denmark and others). Dispite that, I think that the only very debatable number is about Italy, but the DVD spent 16 weeks at number one according to Musica e Dischi in 2005, and 9 weeks at that position in the other Italian charts, and there has to remember that it was released in 2003. By the way, 60 k for a DVD in Italy means 2 platinum awards.

Sales for Europe are on about 790.000 copies.

What do you think about this break down?. If someone has more information, or thinks some numbers are too high, please post your comments here.