Queen :: Charts & Sales History

[Rockintunesbaby]

Queen The Greatest - Made In Heaven (Episode 41)

On its release in November 1995, Made In Heaven raced to the top of the charts and achieved multiple Platinum status around the world - going on to sell in excess of 20 million copies. Five tracks were subsequently released as singles, all of which were top 20 hits in the UK.

This is a quote from the Official Queen website yesterday, this is a huge sales total for MIH that doubles the estimated 9,660,000 by Chartmasters. Is this another urban myth that Queen's official office are perpetuating?

I know Made in Heaven was certified 5 times platinum in Europe (5 million sales) in 1996. Plus Gold (500,000) in the US. A platinum certification in Japan as well. Outside of those countries I don’t know. 20 million physical sales though is not possible.

[Braca3]

Queen	Crazy Little Thing Called Love	Emi	Platinum	Single	07.01.2022	02.01.2011

BPI

[Rockintunesbaby]

Queen	Crazy Little Thing Called Love	Emi	Platinum	Single	07.01.2022	02.01.2011

BPI

I’m interested to know how many streams and downloads it requires to get the platinum certification in the UK.

[Braca3]

I’m interested to know how many streams and downloads it requires to get the platinum certification in the UK.

How do you mean?
600k for Plat Singles
https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/award-levels/


In addition, it got gold in 79 for the org physical single

Queen

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Emi

Gold

Single

01.12.1979

12.10.1979

so based on this it is a million selling single in the UK

[slightlymad]

I know Made in Heaven was certified 5 times platinum in Europe (5 million sales) in 1996. Plus Gold (500,000) in the US. A platinum certification in Japan as well. Outside of those countries I don’t know. 20 million physical sales though is not possible.

An advert was produced not long after the release of MIH by Hollywood Records which listed sales awards from various countries as listed below

Argentina - Platinum
Australia - Platinum
Austria - 2 x Platinum
Belgium - Platinum
Canada - Platinum
Czech Republic - 2 x Platinum
Denmark - Platinum
Finland - Gold
France - Platinum
Germany - 2 x Platinum
Holland - Platinum
Hong Kong - Platinum
Italy - 6 x Platinum
Japan - Platinum
Mexico - Gold
New Zealand - 3 x Platinum
Norway - Gold
Poland - Gold
Portugal - 2 x Platinum
Singapore - Gold
South Africa - Platinum
South Korea - Platinum
Spain - Platinum
Switzerland - 3 x Platinum
UK - 3 x Platinum
USA - Gold

Still doesn't account for a possible 20 million sales but it certainly was successful worldwide

[nighteg]

An advert was produced not long after the release of MIH by Hollywood Records which listed sales awards from various countries as listed below

Argentina - Platinum
Australia - Platinum
Austria - 2 x Platinum
Belgium - Platinum
Canada - Platinum
Czech Republic - 2 x Platinum
Denmark - Platinum
Finland - Gold
France - Platinum
Germany - 2 x Platinum
Holland - Platinum
Hong Kong - Platinum
Italy - 6 x Platinum
Japan - Platinum
Mexico - Gold
New Zealand - 3 x Platinum
Norway - Gold
Poland - Gold
Portugal - 2 x Platinum
Singapore - Gold
South Africa - Platinum
South Korea - Platinum
Spain - Platinum
Switzerland - 3 x Platinum
UK - 3 x Platinum
USA - Gold

Still doesn't account for a possible 20 million sales but it certainly was successful worldwide

How much do these add up to?

[Braca3]

Queen

Made In Heaven

Platina

Album

2x

EMI Music Holland bv

200,000 sales

https://nvpi.nl/nvpi-audio/marktinfo.../goud-platina/

very incomplete but it's all we have

in Germany it is 3x platinum for 1,500,000 sales

nterpret	Titel	Jahr	Format	Preis	Firma	Label
	Gold/Platin
Queen	Made In Heaven	2008	Alben	3x Platin	EMI Music Germany GmbH & Co. KG	Parlophone
Queen	Made In Heaven	2008	Alben	5x Gold	EMI Music Germany GmbH & Co. KG	Parlophone
Queen	Made In Heaven	1996	Alben	2x Platin	EMI	EMI
Queen	Made In Heaven	1996	Alben	3x Gold	EMI	EMI
Queen	Made In Heaven	1995	Alben	1x Platin	EMI	EMI
Queen	Made In Heaven	1995	Alben	1x Gold	EMI	EMI

[theMathematician]

YEC 2021 Ireland:
6 - Greatest Hits

It's so big that they can be among the top sellers of the year with a 40-year-old greatest hits album without any big promo or something.

[Rockintunesbaby]

How much do these add up to?

6 x platinum in Italy is amazing. I know it’s 4 x platinum in the UK. I guess it must equate to 5 million in Europe. I doubt it will have reached 10 million worldwide, my guess is about 8 or 9 million physical units globally.

[thebigham]

》》thebigham do you know if both versions are still for sale in the US?

I have no idea. I rarely go shopping. I only see cds at Walmart and it's a very limited selection.

[Braca3]

Do not believe this has been posted here yet

2021-03-14
Recording Industry Association of Japan
Arashi and Queen win the “Artist of the Year”! -Announcement of “35th Japan Gold Disc Award”
“Artist of the Year” Arashi won the 7th time in history for the 2nd consecutive year / Queen won the 4th time for the 3rd year in a row

Artist of the Year (Western music) Queen
-Sales results for the target period-
Album: 90,011 sheets / Music video: 7,041 sheets / Music distribution: 117,169 downloads
[Award comment]
-Brian May-
Dear Japanese, Thank you for being selected as the International Artist of the Year for the third consecutive year! I am very honored! A long-standing special bond with Japan is very important to us. We look forward to overcoming this difficult situation and meeting you soon.
Doumo Arigatou! Japan Rocks!
-Roger Taylor-
It is a great honor to be selected as the International Artist of the Year for the third consecutive year! We are proud that our long and intimate relationship with Japan is still strong and ongoing. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

https://re-how.net/all/975815/

[Rockintunesbaby]

Do not believe this has been posted here yet

2021-03-14
Recording Industry Association of Japan
Arashi and Queen win the “Artist of the Year”! -Announcement of “35th Japan Gold Disc Award”
“Artist of the Year” Arashi won the 7th time in history for the 2nd consecutive year / Queen won the 4th time for the 3rd year in a row

Artist of the Year (Western music) Queen
-Sales results for the target period-
Album: 90,011 sheets / Music video: 7,041 sheets / Music distribution: 117,169 downloads
[Award comment]
-Brian May-
Dear Japanese, Thank you for being selected as the International Artist of the Year for the third consecutive year! I am very honored! A long-standing special bond with Japan is very important to us. We look forward to overcoming this difficult situation and meeting you soon.
Doumo Arigatou! Japan Rocks!
-Roger Taylor-
It is a great honor to be selected as the International Artist of the Year for the third consecutive year! We are proud that our long and intimate relationship with Japan is still strong and ongoing. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

https://re-how.net/all/975815/

What do they mean by sheets?

[Braca3]

I guess units

[Rockintunesbaby]

90,000 units doesn’t feel like much for a market the size of Japan.

[Braca3]

No but Japan is predominantly a domestic artists market.
90,000 physical albums for cat sales is still a decent number
As they win the Japan Gold Disc Award for international artists (as I understand it) they are still the top selling int artist in Japan for that year.
but maybe there is a follower from Japan here who could clarify

[slightlymad]

German End of Year Album Charts

2021
61 - Queen - Greatest Hits
99 - Queen - The Platinum Collection

2020
48 - Queen - The Platinum Collection

2019
11 - Queen - The Platinum Collection
55 - Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack

2018
60 - Queen - The Platinum Collection

[Braca3]

George Michael & Queen	Somebody To Love	Parlophone	Silver	Single	14.01.2022	01.05.2011

Bpi

[Rockintunesbaby]

No but Japan is predominantly a domestic artists market.
90,000 physical albums for cat sales is still a decent number
As they win the Japan Gold Disc Award for international artists (as I understand it) they are still the top selling int artist in Japan for that year.
but maybe there is a follower from Japan here who could clarify

Yes you're right. I'm just comparing it to the UK and the US.

[Braca3]

Chart Date: 01/14/2022 (WEEK ENDING: 01/13/2022

LW

TW

ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL

TOTAL

CHANGE

ALBUMS

TEA

SEA

34 38 QUEEN | GREATEST HITS 1 HOLLYWOOD

13,946

-3%

1,762

405

11,779

YTD OVERALL ACTIVITY

RANK

ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL

YTD ACTIVITY

ALBUMS

SONGS

AOD STREAMS

VOD STREAMS

37 QUEEN | GREATEST HITS 1 HOLLYWOOD

29,000

4,600

8,200

31,524,000

2,055,000

[Braca3]

Ireland's Top 50 albums of 2021

6

GREATEST HITS

QUEEN

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart...vealed__34901/


The Official Top 50 best-selling vinyl albums in Ireland of 2021

3

GREATEST HITS

QUEEN

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart...vealed__34937/

[slightlymad]

Taken from QueenOnline

https://www.queenonline.com/news/que...ar-charts-2021

Queen - US End Of Year Charts (2021)

Just in, some rather incredible chart stats for Queen in the US for 2021!

Check out the band's end-of-year report below for the multitude of charts that the US has, impressive stuff!

Catalog Albums - No.1 - 'Greatest Hits'
Hard Rock Albums Artists - No.1 - Queen
Hard Rock Digital Song Sales Artists - No.1 - Queen
Top Hard Rock Artists - No.2 - Queen
Top Rock Albums Artists - No.3 - Queen
Catalog Artists - No.3 - Queen
Billboard 200 Artists – Duo/Group - No.4 Queen
Rock Streaming Songs Artists - No.6 - Queen
Top Rock Artists No.7 - Queen
Top Artists – Duo/Group No.9 - Queen
Rock Streaming Songs #9 - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
Billboard 200 Albums Chart #23 -'Greatest Hits'
Billboard 200 Artist #36 - Queen
Top Artists #69 Queen
Billboard Global #87 - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

[slightlymad]

Thought it would be interesting to list the highest position Queen's Greatest Hits achieved in each calendar year here in the UK since release. TPC = The Platinum Collection which contains GH's

1981 - No 1
1982 - No 2
1983 - No 40
1984 - No 21
1985 - No 14
1986 - No 17
1987 - No 37
1988 - No 74
1989 - No 72
1990 - No 59
1991 - No 7
1992 - No 6
1993 - No 33
1994 - No 17
1995 - No 66
1996 - No 27
1997 - No 67
1998 - No 58
1999 - No 66
2000 - No 62 - TPC No 67
2001 - No 81 - TPC DNC
2002 - No 81 - TPC No 2
2003 - No 92 - TPC No 33
2004 - DNC - TPC No 33
2005 - No 81 - TPC No 20
2006 - No 42 - TPC No 70
2007 - No 33 - TPC No 38
2008 - No 31 - TPC No 50
2009 - No 87 - TPC DNC
2010 - DNC - TPC DNC
2011 - No 25 - TPC DNC
2012 - No 62 - TPC No 80
2013 - No 49 - TPC DNC
2014 - No 54 - No 49
2015 - No 35 - No 66
2016 - No 33 - TPC DNC
2017 - No 46 - TPC DNC
2018 - No 23 - TPC No 5
2019 - No 24 - TPC No 8
2020 - No 7 - TPC No 24
2021 - No 2 - TPC No 85
2022 - No 8 and the story continues........

[slightlymad]

Should Queen's Greatest Hits be 15 x Platinum in the USA?

There is always lots of debate regarding the bands Greatest Hits album, Is it the UK's Best Selling Album? Should all the sales from The Platinum Collection be added to its total? But I'd like to ask 'Should Greatest Hits be 15 x Platinum in the USA?

Looking at it's releases in America there are 3 main versions which are as follows

1981 - Queen's Greatest Hits
1992 - Queen's Greatest Hits (Red Edition)
2004 - Queen's Greatest Hits (WWRY Edition)
All subsequent vinyl re-issues on Hollywood Records have used the UK track listing (At least 4 various Limited Editions)

RIAA Awards

1981 - Queen's Greatest Hits
Gold | December 20, 1981
Platinum | December 30, 1981
7x Multi-Platinum | December 9, 2002
8x Multi-Platinum | May 23, 2006
9x Multi-Platinum | December 11, 2020
2021 USA Sales = 973,000 So should be 10 x Platinum!

1992 - Queen's Greatest Hits (Red Edition)
Gold | December 11, 2020
Platinum | December 11, 2020
5x Multi-Platinum | December 11, 2020

2004 - Queen's Greatest Hits (WWRY Edition)
No Sales Awards so Presumably added to the 1981 version

So why has the RIAA combined GH81 and GHWWRY but not added GHRed? Below is the track listing for each version and although in different order the original 81 version and 92 version only have 4 songs not on both. The major omission is the 92 version doesn't have Bohemian Rhapsody as this was included on the 1992 3 x Platinum Classic Queen release. The 2004 Hollywood version of GH is identical to the UK version with 3 bonus tracks included.

1981 - Queen's Greatest Hits - Vinyl
Another One Bites The Dust
Bohemian Rhapsody
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Killer Queen
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
Under Pressure
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
Flash
Somebody To Love
You're My Best Friend
Keep Yourself Alive
Play The Game

1992 - Queen's Greatest Hits (Red Edition) - CD
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
Another One Bites The Dust
Killer Queen
Somebody To Love
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
You're My Best Friend
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Now I'm Here
Play The Game
Seven Seas Of Rhye
Body Language
Save Me
Under Pressure
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
I Want To Break Free

2004 - Queen's Greatest Hits (WWRY Edition) - CD
Bohemian Rhapsody
Another One Bites The Dust
Killer Queen
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
You're My Best Friend
Don't Stop Me Now
Save Me
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Somebody To Love
Now I'm Here
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
Play The Game
Flash
Seven Seas Of Rhye
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
Bonus Tracks
I'm In Love With My Car
Under Pressure (Live)
Tie Your Mother Down (Live)

So should the 1981 and 1992 versions be combined to give Queen there first Diamond RIAA Album Award for 15,000,000 sales of Greatest Hits? Could Hollywood Records Queen's current record label in North America ask for both Awards to be Combined?

[Braca3]

https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2021/albums-chart
32 Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack) 2P
91 Greatest Hits Queen 15P

https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2021/vinyl-albums-chart
5 Greatest Hits Queen 15P
42 Greatest Hits II Queen 8P

https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2021/...e-albums-chart
9 Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack) 2P
49 Greatest Hits Queen 15P

https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2021/music-dvd-chart
3 Live At Wembley Stadium Queen 2P

[Braca3]

>> slightlymad

Both version were certified originally. (Red version gold 11/16/92 platinum 1/13/93)
have a screenshot but the site for not allow me to post it for some reason.

If I remember correctly when GH was certified 7P they were merged / combined before decoupled again in dec 2020.
I have no idea why they reversed the decision to combine the 2.