Queen :: Charts & Sales History

[Lawyeris]

So if we count all Live at Wembley video sales, including DVDs and VHSs, it would have good chances to be the best selling live album on earth through time and space:}

Do you mean adding the album to the VHS and the DVD, or the best selling video (VHS+DVD) ?

I meant best selling video album (VHS+DVD).

[HUR]

Well, I donīt know if it is the best selling video ever (I doubt it), but if an all-time list was ever compiled, Queen would pen quite a relatively good amount of their videos and pretty high, in my opinion.

Another huge seller would be their second compilation, which was released as "Greatet flix 2" in 1991, and reached #1 during at least two weeks upon release in UK ("Box of flix" debuted at #2 in the same week) and went on to become the best selling music video of 1992 (Queen had 5 videos in the year-end of 1992). In Germany, it was #1 in 1991 and 1992 and spent a massive 112 weeks inside the top 20, being the biggest of that very year. Although, it was #7 in USA and charted as "Classic Queen" in 1992.

And then the DVD sold around 550,000 since its release in 2003, including roughly 150,000 copies shipped in UK and after peaking at #1 (which means it is ready for a third platinum award there).

On the other hand, Lawyeris, I donīt know much about their VHSs sales before 1997. They are so difficult to estimate. I know Queen are the #1 biggest international band ever in Germany based on points, since april 1991 up to now.

"Queen at wembley" (the one released in 1990) was certified 3 times platinum in France for sales of 60,000. It also charted at #2 in Germany, but went on to spend 76+ weeks in the top 20 since 1991 (if there had been a chart compiled back in the end of 1990, it would easily have been a #1 over there too, like "Greatest flix 2").

I donīt know its peak in UK, but it is likely #1. All I know is that it was the 10th best seller of 1992 in UK, but just that. In Portugal, it was certified gold as a VHS, althugh I donīt know how much it represented back then.

Overall, I estimated roughly 6 million DVDs since the first one came out in 1997 in USA, and a total of 10 million home videos (counting VHSs as part of their sales), which would mean roughly 4 million coming from that format. But that was just to round up a figure, those sales could be even more. And obviously, if a list was ever compiled, Queen would easily be one of the top acts along with Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, U2 and more.

[nucleardolphin]

Fantastic, thanks for all the information, it baffles me how you find all this out, but thankyou!

[HUR]

Fantastic, thanks for all the information, it baffles me how you find all this out, but thankyou!

Yes, my previous sales figures are all estimations but they come from many years of studying their stats and reading loads of documents. Iīm a big fan.

[borderwolf]

Yes, my previous sales figures are all estimations but they come from many years of study their stats and reading loads of documents. Iīm a big fan.

The only one substitute of Freddie Mercury!

[slightlymad]

Thinking of you Freddie, forever my Hero, I can't believe you've been gone 17 years

Just to let you know your star shines brighter now than ever

[HUR]

Hello guys, we barely talk about this, but does anybody have the total gross achieved by both the musical "We will rock you" and their current tour in Europe and Latin America?.

I hold this document:

"Following London, productions have opened in Australia, Spain, Russia, Las Vegas, USA, Japan, and Germany. To date, more than 5 million people have seen the show worldwide, with box office and merchandise earnings in excess of Ģ200 million."
http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/londonth ... 7jan06.htm

So roughly $400 million up to early 2006, before further prouductions opened in South Africa, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, and an asian tour through Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, and then New Zealand, as much as it continued with huge runnings in both UK and Germany. By now, it should be reaching $600 million worldwide, which is what the name "Queen" has been able to gross since 2002, but it is difficult to know for certain as that information isnīt that well documented.

Their 2005/2006 tour with Paul Rodgers grossed around $55 million counting its three legs. Hardly a hit compared to U2, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Céline Dions, as they arenīt that big a draw.

But from this tour, we only know, they drew 13,043 people in Belgium, grossing $1,018,028. So should I take it they gross more or less a million per show or?.

----------------------------

On the other hand, here I leave some singles sales estimtions if someone is interested as I have been working on them for years (if anyone holds something, plese hare it with us).

They are all estimations, and I came across with them by using every official number and monitoring each chart performance.

- Bohemian Rhapsody (1975/1991)

USA: 2,100,000 #2 (billboadrd) #1 (cashbox)
Canada: 200,000 #1 (2) (19)

Japan: 125,000 #1 (international charts)

Australia: 400,000 #1 (2) (47)
New Zealand: #1 (2) (47)

South Africa: #2

Argentina: #5 (album charts, 1992)

-Europe: 4,000,000+
UK: 2,400,000
Germany: 300,000 #7 (29)
Netherlands: 200,000 #1 (5) (25)
France: 250,000 #5 (15+)
Italy: #22
Switzerland: #4 (22)
Sweden: #18 (4)
Belgium: #1 (2) (22)
Ireland: #1 (11)
Spain: 200,000 #6 (13)
Norway: #4 (15)
Austria: #8

Total: 7,500,000


- We Are The Champions/ We Will Rock You (1977)

USA: 2,100,000
Canada: 200,000 #3 (17)

Japan: 50,000

Australia: 70,000 #8 (22)
New Zealand: #8

-Europe: 2,100,000 #3 (11)
UK: 500,000
Netherlands: 150,000 #2 (4) (12)
Ireland: #3 (12)
France: 700,000 #1 (2+) (32)
Germany: #13 (34)
Austria: #12 (24)
Belgium: #6
Norway: #6
Sweden: #12 (4)

Total: 5,000,000


- Crazy Little Thing Called Love (1979)

USA: 2,000,000
Canada: 200,000 #1 (2) (22)

Australia: 300,000 #1 (7) (21) - #3 of 1981
New Zealand: 10,000+ #2

South Africa: #3

Mexico: 100,000 #1

Japan: 50,000

-Europe: 1,200,000 #2 (8)
UK: 500,000+
Netherlands: 150,000 #1 (3)
Belgium: #2 (11)
Germany: #13 (25)
Switzerland: #5 (8)
Austria: #6
Norway: #5
Ireland: #2 (11)
Italy: 25,000
Spain: 25,000 #19 (13)
France: 50,000

Total worldwide: 4,700,000

Does anybody want to know the sales of a given single?. Any consensus there?. MJDangerous?.

[nucleardolphin]

Hi HUR, I keep reading this thing that says the single a kind of magic was number 1 in 35 countries, is this true? I would love to know sales of all their singles really, especially some of their 80's hits. Thanks.

[nucleardolphin]

HUR it was interesting what you said about Queen's gross figures, concerts etc. Their last tour was fairly successful considering its only half the band. I wonder though what kind of figures we would be talking today if it was all four original members, I know its impossible, you see the way I see it is that there just are no charasmatic lead singers left, ok maybe Mick Jagger but who else, Bono? The Police tour took something like 350 million $, but why?? Based on Queens record sales they could sell out the planet.
I think we will rock you must be close to 6 million people by now, its been over 5 million for a while I think. How many countries it is being shown in at the moment? Thanks.

[borderwolf]

Queen Album Sales per Country
USA : 42,420,000
Canada : 6,630,000
Japan : 8,165,000*

Europe : 80,735,000
- UK : 24,405,000
- Germany : 14,805,000
- France : 7,875,000
- Italy : 6,215,000
- Spain : 4,255,000
- Netherlands : 4,430,000
- Sweden : 1,470,000
- Switzerland : 2,180,000
- Austria : 1,495,000
- Finland : 635,000

HUR or MJ, can you complete this work including total for Asia, other european countries (Norway, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Greece), Mexico, all countries of South America, and New Zealand and Australia? Thanks!

[nucleardolphin]

Borderwolf, do you think that Queen have sold as much as 42 million in the States, also the Canadian total seems huge!? not sure myself.

[borderwolf]

Borderwolf, do you think that Queen have sold as much as 42 million in the States, also the Canadian total seems huge!? not sure myself.

MJ wrote that. You mean that with 42 million in U.S., canadian sales should be around 4 millions?
I'm sure MJ and HUR can explain!

[HUR]

Hi HUR, I keep reading this thing that says the single a kind of magic was number 1 in 35 countries, is this true? I would love to know sales of all their singles really, especially some of their 80's hits. Thanks.

Definitely not true, in my opinion. I think the original source was the inner book of "Greatest hits 2", but I remember reading an article frome early 1991 after they released "Innuendo" (and citing billboard as a source) tht it was the album the one that reached the top in no less than 35 countries. But either album or single, I donīt believe them unless they may have counted a lot of unofficial and airplay charts to make it look better.

Now the claim about "Radio Ga-Ga" reaching #1 in as many as 19 countries or "Heaven for everyone" in 12 countries are much more realistic.

HUR it was interesting what you said about Queen's gross figures, concerts etc. Their last tour was fairly successful considering its only half the band. I wonder though what kind of figures we would be talking today if it was all four original members, I know its impossible, you see the way I see it is that there just are no charasmatic lead singers left, ok maybe Mick Jagger but who else, Bono? The Police tour took something like 350 million $, but why?? Based on Queens record sales they could sell out the planet.
I think we will rock you must be close to 6 million people by now, its been over 5 million for a while I think. How many countries it is being shown in at the moment? Thanks.

Well, yes. The problem is, as I stated, that part of their popularity and records sales were achieved after 1991/1992, so we donīt know how big Queen would have become if they had continued as a band since then.

But at least in Europe, they were already one of the largest draws at the time of their "Magic tour" back in 1986, and were able to break records attendences in many markets like UK, Ireland, Germany and many others (with the exception of France, for example). And obviously, they would have been able to sell-out any venue they wanted to in any corner of Latin America.

But although, it may surprise many people (mainly because Queen are largely regarded as a live band), they never made a truly extensive tour worldwide, so we canīt even compare them to U2 in that regard.

I have now estimated the total amount of public that watched "We will rock you" at about 8 million people. Actually, 6 million is too low, as the musical has now been seen by roughly 4 million in UK and more than 1,500,000 in Germany alone. And there were further productions in countries like Australia, Spain, USA, Russia, South Africa, Switerland, Austria, Canada and an asian tour through Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, and then in New Zealand.

The gross, in terms of both tickets sales and merchandise, should now be 50% more than what it was by early 2006 ($400 million up to that point).
--------------------------------
Luca, I donīt know much about the markets you are asking for, but here we go:

Chile: 500,000 (confirmed by their recent award received)
Argentina: 3,000,000+
Latin America overall: 13,000,000

Mexico and Brazil should easily be ahead of Argentina, but by small margin (they are far bigger markets, but comparatively speaking, Argentina is their lead country without doubt).

Autralia: 3,000,000+ (according to EMI in august 2003).
New Zealand: 900,000+ (adding official shipments provided by EMI since 1984 up to 2003).

In Belgium, Queen had at least 7 #1 albums from 1975 to 1992 (the first country where Queen ever achieved a number one) and at least 3 #2 over there. Based on the fact it is similar market to Netherlands and that it is about half of its size, I think Queen sold 2,000,000+ over Belgium overall.

Expect their sales in Norway to be on a pair with Sweden (1,500,000), and their sales in Denmark as twice as much as they are in Finland (therefore around 1,300,000+ copies sold). Ireland is said to be the same as UK, but I doubt they sold the same there adjusting for population and the size of the market. Portugal adds up for about 1,000,000+ (including 640,000 based on certifications alone).

Then Asia, Africa and Middle East, should be, altgether, 15 million overall, but it is impossible to know their sales on each country. In South Africa, Queen had four albums that were certified multi-platinum according to caal.net.

[borderwolf]

Thanks a lot!

[HUR]

Youīre welcome, Luca. On the other hand, they guys drew 17,000 poeple in Chile and 45,000 in Argentina. None of them re counted in the billboard boxscores this week, based on what I checked.

[EdWood]

It looks like Queen's attempt at getting the record for most weeks on the top 75 UK album chart for one album will have to wait - its currently at 472 weeks - 2 weeks behind Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell and 6 behind Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.

This week it is one (!) position out of the top 75 - cant see it climbing back into this chart with the Christmas release slot :x

76. [70] QUEEN - GREATEST HITS

Still the sales must be quite high for this position as sales are up generally this time of year - another 5,000 sales perhaps to add to the other 5.6 million +......

[HUR]

It looks like Queen's attempt at getting the record for most weeks on the top 75 UK album chart for one album will have to wait - its currently at 472 weeks - 2 weeks behind Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell and 6 behind Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.

This week it is one (!) position out of the top 75 - cant see it climbing back into this chart with the Christmas release slot :x

76. [70] QUEEN - GREATEST HITS

Still the sales must be quite high for this position as sales are up generally this time of year - another 5,000 sales perhaps to add to the other 5.6 million +......

We will have to wait, apparently.

[nucleardolphin]

hi HUR, I was wondering who were the biggest selling artists in Latin America and where Queen might come on that list? thanks.

[borderwolf]

Korea
Daily Hanteo charts

#14 Queen - The Miracle

[borderwolf]

(thanks to Brasileirinho)

Brasil

ABPD finally releases the digital certifications for singles

PLATINUM-100000 downloads
Queen "A kind of magic"

[HUR]

Korea
Daily Hanteo charts

#14 Queen - The Miracle

Obviously, it has now dropped out. Anyway, I think it is one of those bizarre charts achievements, so good for them.

[bestiamodesta]

Queen Rock Montreal DVD chart performance

Argentina 6(2) P 2K
Australia 9(10) G 7,5K
Austria 4(9)
Belgium (Wal) 3(24)
Belgium (Fra) 4(27)
Brasil 11(9)
Canada 5(25) 2*P 10K
Cile 4(12)
Danemark 3(17)
EAU 1/3(6)
Estonia 5(4)
Finlandia 4(1)
France 10(17) 15K
Germany 2(12) G 25K
Greece 20(1)
Honk Hong 4(7)
Hungary 7(3)
Irland 4(3)
Italy 1/2(38) G 23K
Japan 2(6) 10K
Messico 4(13) G 10K
Nederland 1/1(42)
New Zeland 2(20)
Norway 2(12)
Poland P 10K
Portugal 1/2(25)P 8K
Rep. Ceca 9(3)
Spain 18(2)
Sweden 1/1(14)
Switzerland 2(23)
UK 2(28) P 65K
USA 6(8) P 50K
Venezuela 34(3)

I think this is not so bad... what do you think?

[HUR]

hi HUR, I was wondering who were the biggest selling artists in Latin America and where Queen might come on that list? thanks.

Nuclear, sorry for the delay, but I was trying to find a post of MJDangerous where I asked him about the best selling acts ever in Latin America. Hoever, I couldnīt manage to find it. But I remember him citing Queen as one of the very best sellers ever in Latin America.

Good news from Brazil, now speaking of Latin america: "Collection 2" shipped 40,000 copies on first week.

-----------------------------------

Bestiamodesta, I agree that the DVD "Queen rock montreal" performed pretty well. When it was first released last year, I thought it wasnīt doing that well, but it reached its peak in many countries several weeks after it was released. In Switzerland, it is gold too.

[braca]

http://www.ifpi.ch/main.html

Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid [DVD] DVD Phonag Gold
DVDs:
Gold: 3000 Einheiten, Platin: 6000 Einheiten

[john2000]

Youīre welcome, Luca. On the other hand, they guys drew 17,000 poeple in Chile and 45,000 in Argentina. None of them re counted in the billboard boxscores this week, based on what I checked.

billboard often published latin boxscores (from evenpro mainly) but always with delay, we just have to wait