Queen :: Charts & Sales History

[EdWood]

Here below is a release schedule from Queen's new record label, Universal/Island Records for next year. It looks like being an expensive one for Queen fans No idea what 'Forever Queen' is yet...

1 January:
all albums online
3 January:
remaster GH I and GHII
new QOL
24 Feburary
Launch Party - Open exhibition. Exhibition maybe in other countries.
14 March:
Standard and delux edition of first 5 albums. Delux: remaster and 5 new songs and track by track audio comentary by Bri and Roger. And Queen Royal Edition 1973-1976 (five albums in one)
6 June:
remaster Platinium Collection
second part of albums and Royal Edition 1977-1982(five albums in one)
June
BBC document
5 September:
third part of albums and Royal Edition 1984-1995(five albums in one)
14 November
Forever Queen - 1 CD and 2 CD version
12 March 2012
Live album remasters

[loris39]

Thanks for these figures, HUR. Greatest Hits I and Greatest Hits II will surely achieve the 11th Platinum in New Zealand.

[HUR]

The EMI sales figure i received via a contact I have at RIANZ not sure if EMI has bothered to officially certify them.
EMI new Zealand had in December 2003 the following sales figures:
QUEEN - GOLD / PLATINUM SALES
December 2003

Greatest Hits 142,436 9 x Platinum

Greatest Hits 2 151,458 10 x Platinum

Greatest Hits 3 16,732 1 x Platinum


Platinum Collection 20,652 1 x Platinum



Live At Wembley 17,208 1 x Platinum

Updated numbers. New Zealand by the end of 2008. Courtesy of Dean Scapolo:

Greatest Hits 1: 163,000 (21,000 copies from 2004 to 2008)

Greatest Hits 2: 162,000 (11,000 copies)

Live At Wembley '86: 23,000 (6,000 copies)

Greatest Hits 3: 20,000 (3,000 copies)

Platinum Collection: 37,000 (17,000 copies)

DVDs (Unofficial certifications)

Greatest Video Hits 1 3X Platinum (15,000 copies)

Greatest Video Hits 2 2X Platinum (10,000)

Queen On Fire 2X Platinum (10,000)

Queen Rock Montreal 1x Gold (2,500)

[EdWood]

Drawing ever closer to its five millionth sale - its current tally is 4,834,564 - it strengthens its claim to third place in the all-time sales rankings behind Queen’s Greatest Hits (5,794,486) and The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (5,019,206).

With Queen's Greatest Hits 1 being reissued in January with remastered sound, I wonder how long it will take to be become the UK's first 6 million seller?!

Drawing ever closer to its five millionth sale - its current tally is 4,834,564 - it strengthens its claim to third place in the all-time sales rankings behind Queen’s Greatest Hits (5,794,486) and The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (5,019,206).

[EdWood]

From Universal Music Poland:
Reissue:
March - Q, QII, SHA, ANATO, ADATR
June: NOTW, JAZZ, GAme, HS, Flash
September: Works, AKOM,Miracle, Innuenod, MIH

July: special remaster edition Platinum Collection

And will be editions:
1 CD
2 CD - with 5 extra songs, audio commentary about each song. And this version will be available only be one year
Digital

from http://www.universalmusic.pl/news.id_585

So even though Universal are only releasing Greatest Hits 1 and 2, Greatest Hits 3 will presumably be included on the re-issued Platinum Collection in July next year. I'm wondering if the Third Greatest Hits may have a different tracklisting this time as it was controversial at the time with all the solo hits on there.

It also says that the studio albums will be released in 2 different versions, the first as a 1CD version and the 2nd as a 2CD deluxe version with 5 extra tracks on each. No idea what they'll put on these but can't see any really interesting stuff as that will probably be kept back for a archive/anthology release.

I'm wondering how well these re-issues will do not just in the UK but worldwide. Just hope they do well!

[zeus555]

As regards 'Greatest Hits' & 'Greatest Hits II'.

I think that Universal want those 2 huge Queen
Albums, to be seen, (from 2011 onwards), as Universal
Albums. That is why they are being re-issued.
Looking at those re-issues as being exploitative,
is pointless.

It looks like Universal will - eventually - transfer
all Queen Albums, (in Stores & On-Line), to
their Label. This will mean 'The Platinum Collection',
& 'Absolute Greatest', being re-issued too.
(Sooner or later).

It is best to see the re-issues, as Universal
'converting' the old Queen Albums - including the
Compilations - to their Label.

Zeus555

[Danny86]

Below is an extract from the recent press release from Queen Productions regarding the island reissues of Queen's Greatest Hits 1 and 2

January 1st 2011 sees Island Records re-issue Queen’s Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits 2 collections. Greatest Hits remains the best selling UK album of all time and combined with Greatest Hits 2 presents the definitive Queen collection. Together they form one of the seminal collections in rock history jointly selling an incredible 40 million copies worldwide.

Both albums have been digitally re-mastered for 2011 by Bob Ludwig, the legendary mastering engineer who has worked with U2, Coldplay and Radiohead, and come complete with refreshed sleeve notes.

The Greatest Hits re-issues start what is going to be a huge year for Queen, as 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of their formation in 1971.

So as the most reliable and accurate expert on Queen's sales figures do you think this is right HUR 40 million sounds a bit low!

This, just a year after Absolute Greatest? Labels are so pathetic, it's hard to feel bad for the music industry when labels try to sell the same stuff for a million times.

[HUR]

MJDangerous has estimated a combined total of 54 million for both. So using his figures, it does indeed look very low.

My own estimations are far more conservative. I estimate 25 for million for "Greatest Hits" and 19 million for "Greatest Hits II"; thus making it 44 million in line with that press release.

An incredible claim from La Stampa, with regards to Queen's popularity in Italy. It is from October 1995:

"Il precedente, «Innuendo», risale al febbraio 1991: e sono passati quindi cinque anni. Straordinaria la produzione discografia dei «Queen»: nella loro lunga e fortunata carriera hanno venduto nel mondo oltre 130 milioni di dischi. Soltanto dei due album «Greatest Hits 1 & 2» ne sono stati prodotti e venduti oltre 23 milioni di copie. Incredibile anche la popolarità in Italia: dal 1991 ad oggi, i «Queen» hanno venduto oltre 5 milioni di copie."

It reads that Queen sold 5 million copies from 1991 to 1995, in Italy.

I'm guessing they counted Freddie Mercury's solo stuff in order to get that figure. Not sure, but it is something I found.

[slightlymad]

Below is an extract from the recent press release from Queen Productions regarding the island reissues of Queen's Greatest Hits 1 and 2

January 1st 2011 sees Island Records re-issue Queen’s Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits 2 collections. Greatest Hits remains the best selling UK album of all time and combined with Greatest Hits 2 presents the definitive Queen collection. Together they form one of the seminal collections in rock history jointly selling an incredible 40 million copies worldwide.

Both albums have been digitally re-mastered for 2011 by Bob Ludwig, the legendary mastering engineer who has worked with U2, Coldplay and Radiohead, and come complete with refreshed sleeve notes.

The Greatest Hits re-issues start what is going to be a huge year for Queen, as 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of their formation in 1971.

So as the most reliable and accurate expert on Queen's sales figures do you think this is right HUR 40 million sounds a bit low!

[slightlymad]

Recently came across this Queen award from France for sales of 500,000 copies of the LP A Night At The Opera. It looks official and as the only estimate for this release in France is 100,000 it would be confirmation ANATO did a lot better in France than we thought

http://www.popsike.com/Gold-disc-for...044740830.html

[zeus555]

Universal are releasing Re-Mastered Editions
of 'Greatest Hits', & 'Greatest Hits II', on
Monday 3rd January 2011. At least they are in
the UK. I'm not sure about other Countries.

You can see them in this Pre-Order Chart,
from the UK Chain Store, WH Smith:,

(There are 8 Rows of CD's on the Page. 'Greatest
Hits' is in Row 5, & 'Greatest Hits II', is in Row 7).

LINK:,

http://smurl.name/3l2y

Zeus555

[HUR]

Thank you, Luca. Queen used to be popular in Peru back in the 70's and early 80's.

Further Latin American information:

Argentina

1978
EMI's monthly top selling albums

July
1. News Of The World (Queen)

September
1. News Of The World (Queen)
2. I, Robot (Alan Parsons Project)

WEEKLY RANKING 1992
1 En El Último Lugar Del Mundo (Ricardo Montaner)
2. Vuela, Vuela (Magneto)
3. Veinte Años (Los Palmeras)
4. Greatest Hits II (Queen)
5. Joyride (Roxette)

WEEKLY RANKING June 14 1992
1. Greatest Hits II (Queen)
2. Bachata Rosa (Juan Luis Guerra)
3. Utopía (Joan Manuel Serrat)

WEEKLY RANKING July 12 1992
1. Greatest Hits II (Queen)
2. Física Y Química (Joaquín Sabina)
3. Bachata Rosa (Juan Luis Guerra)
4. En El Último Lugar Del Mundo (Ricardo Montaner)
5. Apta Para Todo Público (Gary)

WEEKLY RANKING February 27 1994
1. Aspen 102.3 Grandes éxitos (Varios).
2. Big Yuyo (Los Pericos)
3. Fear Of The Drak (Iron Maiden)
4. Lo Mejor De La 10 (Varios)
5. Busca Una Mujer (Luis Miguel)
6. The Sign (Ace Of Base)
7. Bigger, Better, Faster, More (Four Non-Blondes)
8. Live At Wembley ’86 (Queen)
9. Romance (Luis Miguel)

MONTHLY RANKING November 1995
1. Made In Heaven (Queen)
2. Stripped (Rolling Stones)
3. A Medio Vivir (Ricky Martin)
4. Con La Música En La (Tru La La)
5. Sepia, Blanco Y Negro (Vilma Palma E Vampiros)
6. Something To Remember (Madonna)
7. The Bridge (Ace Of Base)
8. Es De Córdoba (La Barra)
9. La Música De Chiquititas (Chiquititas)
10. Now That’s What I Called Music (Varios)

Chile

"En la cima están Michael Jackson, con 50 mil y Queen, con 57 mil. Pero toda la promoción que reciben esos artistas no les basta para vencer a Illapu, en el primer lugar con 68 mil copias vendidas. Artistas chilenos se amplía pero me..."

From September 1993, magazine Qué pasa. It states those and other figures:

Top selling acts in Chile towards 1992 and 1993:
Illapu 68,000
Queen 57,000
Michael Jackson 50,000
Paul MaCartney 17,000
U2 10,000

[borderwolf]

Peru
unofficial
http://www.phantom.com.pe/top20.php

# 9 Queen - Absolute Greatest (CD)

[Lawyeris]

The Italian site Queenitalia has published 2 unpublished demo in occasion of a Queen fans reunion with Dave Richards. The two tracks are "AFFAIRES" and "GRAN DAME" and you can listen to the original voice of Freddie. If you want to listen to it, please, you can visit this link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/queenitalia ... l=IT&hl=it

WoW, what a surprise... It just proves that there is enough material left for one more separate album, with all those other demos with Freddie on vocals (Self made man, Robbery, I guess we are falling apart, etc...)

[HUR]

You are right, Luca. In UK, they the 39th best selling digital act since 2005 up to now, with 1,515,000 downloads sold up to April 2010.

France

"Sans oublier le retour en force des Stones avec pour la première fois trois cent mille trente centimètres et l'arrivée inopinée de Queen, groupe de hard rock anglais qui a soudain éclaté avec un chiffre semblable pour son septième disque après des ventes très moyennes." (January, 1979)

Source: Le Nouvel Observateur

"Queen:
En France, le Greatest Hits Vol 1 est à 500 000 exemplaires, le Vol II 1,4 millions d'exemplaires, sans parler du Live datant de 86." (2004)

Source: "Identité du rock et presse spécialisée"

The first article reads that Queen sold 300,000 copies with their seventh album in France. That was in 1978. But I think they mean "News Of The World".

The second one is self explanatory: sales of 1,400,000 copies in France for "Greatest Hits 2" and 500,000 copies for "Greatest Hits 1". Book from 2003.

Thanks to MJDangerous.

[borderwolf]

Impressive, but it is not a surprise!

[HUR]

Further from USA. Here are the last Soundscan numbers I have for Queen's songs as digital downloads:

From Chart Watch this week "The other is Queen, which has scored with "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2,233,000) and "We Will Rock You" (2,013,000)."

Bohemian Rhapsody 2,233,000
We Will Rock You 2,013,000
We Are The Champions 1,243,000
Under Pressure 1,167,000
Another One Bites The Dust 1,156,000
Fat Bottomed Girls 640,000
Somebody To Love 572,000
Killer Queen 485,000
You're My Best Friend 455,000
Crazy Little Thing Called Love 403,000

Total for just 10 songs: 10,367,000 units

[loris39]

Billboard top-200

160 RE 12 Queen, Greatest Hits: We Will Rock You 7,944 398 1,595 949,839

[HUR]

Brazil:

“Entre compactos LPs, o Queen vendeu, nos ultimos cinco anos, cerca de 800 000 discos, numero forte para un conjunto extrageiro, mias uma banalidade diante de un sucesso de Roberto Carlos, qui já vendeu 2 milhóes”. (Veja, 1981).

Argentina:

Top Selling Albums of 1992
1) Luis Miguel Romance 411.502
2) Queen Greatest Hits II 315.902
3) Ricardo Montaner En el último lugar del mundo 213.658
4) Queen Greatest Hits 183.809
5) Fito Páez El amor después del amor 176.391

The Brazilian article reads that Queen sold 800,000 albums and singles in Brazil in the five years between 1976 and early 1981.

[loris39]

The Italian site Queenitalia has published 2 unpublished demo in occasion of a Queen fans reunion with Dave Richards. The two tracks are "AFFAIRES" and "GRAN DAME" and you can listen to the original voice of Freddie. If you want to listen to it, please, you can visit this link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/queenitalia ... l=IT&hl=it

[loris39]

Last update:

Absolute Greatest figures in UK amount to 120,000 copies for 2010. The total is 665,000.

[zeus555]

Ed Wood - in an earlier Post, you said that Queen
started selling records in the UK in 1973. It was
1974. In 1973, they released records, but did not
Chart with them. (Well, I know of one - 'Keep Yourself
Alive' - the 1973 Single. ABBA released 'Ring Ring',
in the UK, in October 1973, & that flopped too).

Both ABBA & Queen began reaching the UK Charts in
1974. Queen in March, & ABBA in April. There was a
6 Week gap between Queen first Charting - 'Seven Seas
Of Rhye' - & ABBA first Charting - 'Waterloo'.

I think that the Queen Film will be a Hit. I also
think that it will start another 'Queen Revival'.
I agree that 'Mamma Mia!' was romantic, weak,
mush, really. Queen Fans are lucky - you will get
a Bio Film about Freddie/Queen. ABBA will never
allow such a Film about them - they regard such
matters as private - at least as regards Films.
(It is quite funny, as even Richard Carpenter
allowed he & Karen to be shown - flaws & all -
in a Film - 'The Karen Carpenter Story'. He even
worked on the Film).

So - yes - I think that the Freddie/Queen Film
will do well.

Zeus555

Island Records will be home to the Queen catalogue from January 1 2011, with the label aiming to change people’s pekkrception of the band as a greatest hits phenomenon.

The new agreement with the Universal label covers the world ex-US, where they are signed to Hollywood Records.

Activity starts on New Year’s Day after EMI’s deal with the band expires at the end of this year. On that date the band’s digital catalogue transfers to Island, with remasters of Greatest Hits 1 and 2 hitting the shops on Monday, January 3.

Queen’s Greatest Hits is the biggest-selling album of all time in the UK with more than 5m sales to date. However, Island Records co-president Ted Cockle says the intention is to get away from the idea of the band as a greatest hits act.

“There are elements of this band that have been overlooked for some time,” he says. “So many people’s perceptions are pretty much post-Live Aid – the first 10 to 15 years haven’t had a spotlight on them until now.”

Accordingly, Island will remaster and repackage with additional content each of Queen’s 15 studio albums. The first five – Queen, Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races – will be released in March, the next five in June and the following five in September.

Next year marks 20 years since singer Freddie Mercury’s death and the 40th anniversary of the band’s formation. Celebrations for the 40th will include a new Queen crest (see picture), a BBC TV documentary and the production of a Hollywood film about the band, starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Freddie Mercury.

Things kick off in late February with a major Queen exhibition in London entitled Stormtroopers in Stilettos (pictured) and Cockle is promising the band’s catalogue will be marketed in a suitably remark-able way.

“On his death bed, Freddie Mercury said to [Queen manager] Jim Beach, ‘Jim, whatever, you do, never make us boring’ and that is what our plan has been,” Cockle explains. “We will celebrate [the anniversary] from the rooftops.”

HMV music manager John Hirst says Queen’s recordings are “among the crown jewels of our industry’s back catalogue”.

“The band’s albums continue to sell consistently well in reasonable quantities – both to domestic fans and overseas visitors, and it’s also the type of catalogue that will pick up very quickly and go back into the charts every time people are remin-ded of the timeless appeal of the music,” he adds.

“With some notable anniversaries coming up, not to mention a high-profile Freddie Mercury film biopic, there’s every reason to believe that, with a new home, the catalogue can enjoy a renewed lease of life, and connect with a whole new generation of fans.”

While it was widely known that Queen were to quit long-time home EMI, this is the first time Island has been revealed as the band’s home.

Cockle says Queen were attracted to Island’s heritage, being fans of the label’s act Free, but Island still had to prove to the band and their representatives that they were a worthy home.

Queen guitarist Brian May says the band are “very excited, after all this time, to be embarking on a new phase of our career – with a new record company, with new ideas, and new dreams”.

Meanwhile, both Universal co-CEO Lucian Grainge and International COO Max Hole warmly welcome the band to the major.

“Queen rewrote the rock‘n’roll rulebook 40 years ago and you can count at least three generations of artists who are under their influence,” says Grainge. “So now we’re under their influence at Universal Music and looking forward to writing chapters together for the new rule book.”

Hole adds, “A band of Queen’s stature and a catalogue with such appeal present an immense opportunity for a new creative approach. We aim to apply fresh thinking and innovation to the marketing and promotion of this great body of work. Ted Cockle, Darcus Beese and their team at Island Records are the perfect match and everyone can’t wait to get started.”

[nucleardolphin]

I think the film will be a hit, but its not going to be a daft romcom like Mamma mia, there is huge demand for a Freddie Mercury Biopic. I think something along the lines of 'The Doors' movie is realistic probably quite a bit bigger due to Queen being huge in Europe which the Doors were not.
Or do you mean a 'we will rock you' musical movie? not sure I like the sound of that!!