Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
09-14-09, 03:54 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Yes, another hits album but this, apparently, are their greatest greatest hits or something.
QUEEN – ABSOLUTE GREATEST
20 Years of Biggest of Queen’s Biggest Hits – In music (and pictures and live performances)
Four CD and Vinyl/Compact and Luxury Formats. 2 Digital formats.
Queen. Someone ought to erect a monument to them. Think about it: they’ve ruled their game longer than many of our most famous leaders, their words can be repeated by many more than can recite our most celebrated writers, and despite more than three generations passing since they first blasted their way into our consciences, they’re just as omnipresent today as they ever were. Just for starters (and more to follow):
- Queen are Britain’s favourite band: the BPI (Britain’s official recording body) records that the band’s "Greatest Hits 1" album is the biggest selling album since the charts were started over 50 years ago;
- Queen are the most successful act of all time on the British charts: research by the team behind the most popular music annual in the world, the ook of British Hit Singles & Albums, reveals that Queen have overtaken The Beatles as Official UK Album Chart champions, having spent more weeks on chart than the fab four. Globally, that adds up to more than 300 million records sold.
And let’s not forget Queen’s unmatched global dominance as live artists. There’s not a continent in the world Queen’s legendary tours haven’t touched down in, in many cases arriving ahead of anyone else: think South America, Mexico, the Eastern Bloc. And who but the wisest would know that even somewhere down there in the desert of Antarctica sits a permanent plaque bearing Queen’s name?
- Always ready to try something new, Queen broke rock convention and created a stage musical, We Will Rock You, and some eight years on it still sells out nightly in London and just recently their all-time worldwide audience crossed over the 10 million mark.
Beyond that, Queen continue to sell out concerts, are ready to lend their celebrity power unreservedly when they see just causes – such as Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign; have quietly collected and distributed over $15 million dollars through their own charity The Mercury Phoenix Trust – fighting AIDS worldwide, and most telling of all, continue to be held in the highest esteem by the lead runners in today’s Rock Pack who cite the band’s influence over them in their founding years.
Let’s face it: few other acts have so embedded themselves into our lives that we can’t imagine a time when Queen weren’t around, or can imagine such a time in the future.
So what is it about Queen that makes it all so?
You have to look no further than the forthcoming "Absolute Greatest" hits package, released November 9 (November 10, USA) in four different CD and LP, compact and luxury sets, illustrated with some fine photos and videos, to see where it all comes from.
Charting over 21 years of making people rock, feel, sense and celebrate, "Absolute Greatest" reminds us just what fine, and smart, rock and pop writers and musicians Messrs Deacon, May, Mercury and Taylor were (are). Also that they had a sense of humour, which is perhaps another thing that made them so accessible.
The earliest hit presented here, Seven Seas of Rhye (1974) reminds us of those days when we wondered about why they had chosen the name Queen, whether they really were just an arrogant bunch pushing their luck in Zandra Rhodes frocks and black nail varnish, or whether they really were the future of Progressive Rock? To make us further wonder, they didn’t stop there – they went on to defiantly title their next single Killer Queen.
Then they flashed the wit and made us all smile and feel good at the same time with those jaunty ditties like Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Radio Ga Ga, and I Want To Break Free. And hell, who would have thought that Roger Taylor would look so fetching in that pre-Britney schoolgirl outfit?
And if you wanted a mass celebration, who better than Queen, who could bond tens of thousands of total strangers and get them chanting or arm-waving in unison to May’s terse We Will Rock You or Mercury’s more emotionally charged We Are The Champions.
They could at the drop of a hat be romantic, as Deacon proved with You’re My Best Friend, or friends to heartbreak, as we saw in Mercury’s Somebody to Love or May’s Who Wants to Live Forever.
Queen provided a mood and backdrop for every time and every occasion, and were often at their best when they went for almost breathtaking high drama: aided by David Bowie they gave us the brooding heart pounding rhythms of Under Pressure, the operatically ballistic Bohemian Rhapsody, and perhaps the ultimate curtain call rock song, The Show Must Go On.
A joyous celebration of Queen’s – and many of our own – greatest moments, "Absolute Greatest" also comes in very personalized versions in which band members Brian May and Roger Taylor share their own memories about the tracks chosen for this collection.
In a limited edition book version, the Queen photo archives are opened up with 52 pages of unseen and rare photos, and handwritten song lyrics by each member of the band (including corrections and rewrites).
Certain versions provide exclusive access to online streaming of 20 of Queen’s greatest live performances.
OK – so it should not be expected we will see the likenesses of Queen carved into Mount Rushmore, or find their way to a Trafalgar Square plinth (now there’s an idea), so for the moment let’s accept that "Absolute Greatest" will serve as a terrific tribute to a monumental music history. Ah, these are (indeed) the days of our lives.
Absolute Greatest – Queen
UK and worldwide release (ex USA) release November 9 (EMI)
USA release November 10 (Hollywood Records)
Comes in 4 versions:
1) Standard CD version
20 tracks the ultimate best of
2) Double CD Special Edition
Comes with an extra CD featuring an audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor reminiscing about the songs on the album.
3) Limited Edition Book version
Hardback 52-page A4 book
Includes:
• The 20-track CD
• The audio commentary CD
• Previously unseen photos by Johnny Dewe Matthews, memorabilia, handwritten lyrics
• Exclusive access to online streaming of 20 live performances
4) LP Box Set
• 3LP 180g heavyweight vinyl set
• 12” soft back photo book (16 pages)
• Housed in a 2-piece box (ie lift-off lid)
• Access to the exclusive online streaming of 20 live performances
5) Digital Download equivalent of version 1 above
6) Digital Download equivalent of version 2 above
Tracklist:
01. We Will Rock You (Brian May)
02. We Are The Champions (Freddie Mercury)
03. Radio Ga Ga (Roger Taylor)
04. Another One Bites The Dust (John Deacon)
05. I Want It All (Queen)
06. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Freddie Mercury)
07. A Kind Of Magic (Roger Taylor)
08. Under Pressure (Queen-David Bowie)
09. One Vision (Queen)
10. You’re My Best Friend (John Deacon)
11. Don’t Stop Me Now (Freddie Mercury)
12. Killer Queen (Freddie Mercury)
13. These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Queen)
14. Who Wants To Live Forever (Brian May)
15. Seven Seas Of Rhye (Freddie Mercury)
16. Heaven For Everyone (Roger Taylor)
17. Somebody To Love (Freddie Mercury)
18. I Want To Break Free (John Deacon)
19. The Show Must Go On (Queen)
20. Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury)
Some of Queen’s Absolute Greatest moments:
USA: Queen Inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
March 19, 2001
USA: Queen Inducted into Hollywood Walk of Fame
October 18, 2002
UK: Guinness World Records – Bohemian Rhapsody Best Single Since Charts Began in the British Hits Singles Readers' Top 100
25 May 2005
USA: Queen Inducted into Songwriters' Hall of Fame
June 12, 2003
UK: Queen Reign Supreme In Anthem Poll
February 6, 2004
Queen top poll to find the greatest rock anthem of all time: We Will Rock You voted in first place. Bohemian Rhapsody in second place.
USA: Queen Day Proclaimed – City of Las Vegas
September 8, 2004
Presented by Honorable Oscar B Goodman, Mayor, City of Las Vegas
UK: Queen Inducted into UK Music Hall of Fame – Artist of the 70’s
November 2004
UK: Ivor Novello Awards. Queen Receive Outstanding Song Collection Award
May 26, 2005
UK: Ivor Novello Awards. Queen Receive Song of the Decade (70’s) – Bohemian Rhapsody
May 26, 2005
UK: Queen Named Most Successful Act of All Time on UK Albums Chart
July 4, 2005
Presented by Guinness World Records Book of British Hit Singles & Albums
New research by the team behind the most popular music annual in the world, the Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, revealed that Queen have overtaken The Beatles as Official UK Album Chart champions, having spent more weeks on chart than the fab four.
Queen’s "Greatest Hits" album is the Best-Selling Album of All Time
VH1 reveals Top 100 list of never before seen sales figures
16 November 2006
In the most anticipated chart of all time, VH1 teamed up with The Official UK Charts Company to release a definitive list of the Top 100 Best-Selling Albums ever. The chart was made up of actual sales figures from the last fifty years. The chart revealed that legendary rockers Queen have outsold all other artists to claim the coveted title of the UK’s favourite album with their "Greatest Hits" compilation selling a staggering 5,407,587. The Beatles occupied second place with "Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band".
UK: BBC Radio 2 Listeners Vote Queen Greatest British Band of All Time
2 January, 2007
Radio 2 New Year's Day Show hosted by Mark Goodier
Queen beat The Beatles to be crowned greatest British band of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners.
UK: UK Music Fans Vote Bohemian Rhapsody Best Video
8 October, 2007
Queen’s groundbreaking promo for their 1975 hit Bohemian Rhapsody named the UK’s best music video in a survey of music fans. Michael Jackson’s Thriller came second. The poll was commissioned by O2 to mark their sponsorship of the best video category at the 2007 Q Music Awards.
20 Years of Biggest of Queen’s Biggest Hits – In music (and pictures and live performances)
Four CD and Vinyl/Compact and Luxury Formats. 2 Digital formats.
Queen. Someone ought to erect a monument to them. Think about it: they’ve ruled their game longer than many of our most famous leaders, their words can be repeated by many more than can recite our most celebrated writers, and despite more than three generations passing since they first blasted their way into our consciences, they’re just as omnipresent today as they ever were. Just for starters (and more to follow):
- Queen are Britain’s favourite band: the BPI (Britain’s official recording body) records that the band’s "Greatest Hits 1" album is the biggest selling album since the charts were started over 50 years ago;
- Queen are the most successful act of all time on the British charts: research by the team behind the most popular music annual in the world, the ook of British Hit Singles & Albums, reveals that Queen have overtaken The Beatles as Official UK Album Chart champions, having spent more weeks on chart than the fab four. Globally, that adds up to more than 300 million records sold.
And let’s not forget Queen’s unmatched global dominance as live artists. There’s not a continent in the world Queen’s legendary tours haven’t touched down in, in many cases arriving ahead of anyone else: think South America, Mexico, the Eastern Bloc. And who but the wisest would know that even somewhere down there in the desert of Antarctica sits a permanent plaque bearing Queen’s name?
- Always ready to try something new, Queen broke rock convention and created a stage musical, We Will Rock You, and some eight years on it still sells out nightly in London and just recently their all-time worldwide audience crossed over the 10 million mark.
Beyond that, Queen continue to sell out concerts, are ready to lend their celebrity power unreservedly when they see just causes – such as Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign; have quietly collected and distributed over $15 million dollars through their own charity The Mercury Phoenix Trust – fighting AIDS worldwide, and most telling of all, continue to be held in the highest esteem by the lead runners in today’s Rock Pack who cite the band’s influence over them in their founding years.
Let’s face it: few other acts have so embedded themselves into our lives that we can’t imagine a time when Queen weren’t around, or can imagine such a time in the future.
So what is it about Queen that makes it all so?
You have to look no further than the forthcoming "Absolute Greatest" hits package, released November 9 (November 10, USA) in four different CD and LP, compact and luxury sets, illustrated with some fine photos and videos, to see where it all comes from.
Charting over 21 years of making people rock, feel, sense and celebrate, "Absolute Greatest" reminds us just what fine, and smart, rock and pop writers and musicians Messrs Deacon, May, Mercury and Taylor were (are). Also that they had a sense of humour, which is perhaps another thing that made them so accessible.
The earliest hit presented here, Seven Seas of Rhye (1974) reminds us of those days when we wondered about why they had chosen the name Queen, whether they really were just an arrogant bunch pushing their luck in Zandra Rhodes frocks and black nail varnish, or whether they really were the future of Progressive Rock? To make us further wonder, they didn’t stop there – they went on to defiantly title their next single Killer Queen.
Then they flashed the wit and made us all smile and feel good at the same time with those jaunty ditties like Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Radio Ga Ga, and I Want To Break Free. And hell, who would have thought that Roger Taylor would look so fetching in that pre-Britney schoolgirl outfit?
And if you wanted a mass celebration, who better than Queen, who could bond tens of thousands of total strangers and get them chanting or arm-waving in unison to May’s terse We Will Rock You or Mercury’s more emotionally charged We Are The Champions.
They could at the drop of a hat be romantic, as Deacon proved with You’re My Best Friend, or friends to heartbreak, as we saw in Mercury’s Somebody to Love or May’s Who Wants to Live Forever.
Queen provided a mood and backdrop for every time and every occasion, and were often at their best when they went for almost breathtaking high drama: aided by David Bowie they gave us the brooding heart pounding rhythms of Under Pressure, the operatically ballistic Bohemian Rhapsody, and perhaps the ultimate curtain call rock song, The Show Must Go On.
A joyous celebration of Queen’s – and many of our own – greatest moments, "Absolute Greatest" also comes in very personalized versions in which band members Brian May and Roger Taylor share their own memories about the tracks chosen for this collection.
In a limited edition book version, the Queen photo archives are opened up with 52 pages of unseen and rare photos, and handwritten song lyrics by each member of the band (including corrections and rewrites).
Certain versions provide exclusive access to online streaming of 20 of Queen’s greatest live performances.
OK – so it should not be expected we will see the likenesses of Queen carved into Mount Rushmore, or find their way to a Trafalgar Square plinth (now there’s an idea), so for the moment let’s accept that "Absolute Greatest" will serve as a terrific tribute to a monumental music history. Ah, these are (indeed) the days of our lives.
Absolute Greatest – Queen
UK and worldwide release (ex USA) release November 9 (EMI)
USA release November 10 (Hollywood Records)
Comes in 4 versions:
1) Standard CD version
20 tracks the ultimate best of
2) Double CD Special Edition
Comes with an extra CD featuring an audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor reminiscing about the songs on the album.
3) Limited Edition Book version
Hardback 52-page A4 book
Includes:
• The 20-track CD
• The audio commentary CD
• Previously unseen photos by Johnny Dewe Matthews, memorabilia, handwritten lyrics
• Exclusive access to online streaming of 20 live performances
4) LP Box Set
• 3LP 180g heavyweight vinyl set
• 12” soft back photo book (16 pages)
• Housed in a 2-piece box (ie lift-off lid)
• Access to the exclusive online streaming of 20 live performances
5) Digital Download equivalent of version 1 above
6) Digital Download equivalent of version 2 above
Tracklist:
01. We Will Rock You (Brian May)
02. We Are The Champions (Freddie Mercury)
03. Radio Ga Ga (Roger Taylor)
04. Another One Bites The Dust (John Deacon)
05. I Want It All (Queen)
06. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Freddie Mercury)
07. A Kind Of Magic (Roger Taylor)
08. Under Pressure (Queen-David Bowie)
09. One Vision (Queen)
10. You’re My Best Friend (John Deacon)
11. Don’t Stop Me Now (Freddie Mercury)
12. Killer Queen (Freddie Mercury)
13. These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Queen)
14. Who Wants To Live Forever (Brian May)
15. Seven Seas Of Rhye (Freddie Mercury)
16. Heaven For Everyone (Roger Taylor)
17. Somebody To Love (Freddie Mercury)
18. I Want To Break Free (John Deacon)
19. The Show Must Go On (Queen)
20. Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury)
Some of Queen’s Absolute Greatest moments:
USA: Queen Inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
March 19, 2001
USA: Queen Inducted into Hollywood Walk of Fame
October 18, 2002
UK: Guinness World Records – Bohemian Rhapsody Best Single Since Charts Began in the British Hits Singles Readers' Top 100
25 May 2005
USA: Queen Inducted into Songwriters' Hall of Fame
June 12, 2003
UK: Queen Reign Supreme In Anthem Poll
February 6, 2004
Queen top poll to find the greatest rock anthem of all time: We Will Rock You voted in first place. Bohemian Rhapsody in second place.
USA: Queen Day Proclaimed – City of Las Vegas
September 8, 2004
Presented by Honorable Oscar B Goodman, Mayor, City of Las Vegas
UK: Queen Inducted into UK Music Hall of Fame – Artist of the 70’s
November 2004
UK: Ivor Novello Awards. Queen Receive Outstanding Song Collection Award
May 26, 2005
UK: Ivor Novello Awards. Queen Receive Song of the Decade (70’s) – Bohemian Rhapsody
May 26, 2005
UK: Queen Named Most Successful Act of All Time on UK Albums Chart
July 4, 2005
Presented by Guinness World Records Book of British Hit Singles & Albums
New research by the team behind the most popular music annual in the world, the Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, revealed that Queen have overtaken The Beatles as Official UK Album Chart champions, having spent more weeks on chart than the fab four.
Queen’s "Greatest Hits" album is the Best-Selling Album of All Time
VH1 reveals Top 100 list of never before seen sales figures
16 November 2006
In the most anticipated chart of all time, VH1 teamed up with The Official UK Charts Company to release a definitive list of the Top 100 Best-Selling Albums ever. The chart was made up of actual sales figures from the last fifty years. The chart revealed that legendary rockers Queen have outsold all other artists to claim the coveted title of the UK’s favourite album with their "Greatest Hits" compilation selling a staggering 5,407,587. The Beatles occupied second place with "Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band".
UK: BBC Radio 2 Listeners Vote Queen Greatest British Band of All Time
2 January, 2007
Radio 2 New Year's Day Show hosted by Mark Goodier
Queen beat The Beatles to be crowned greatest British band of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners.
UK: UK Music Fans Vote Bohemian Rhapsody Best Video
8 October, 2007
Queen’s groundbreaking promo for their 1975 hit Bohemian Rhapsody named the UK’s best music video in a survey of music fans. Michael Jackson’s Thriller came second. The poll was commissioned by O2 to mark their sponsorship of the best video category at the 2007 Q Music Awards.
09-14-09, 06:01 AM
#2
Banned by request
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Given that I own every Queen album from Queen through Made In Heaven, I see no reason to get this. Even if I didn't, the Classic Queen/Queen's Greatest Hits sets are pretty much perfect, except they're not in chronological order.
09-14-09, 07:35 AM
#3
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Still missing some of the better songs.
Jesus, you'd think that when you have two dozen different greatest hits and best of albums that at least one would be comprehensive.
Jesus, you'd think that when you have two dozen different greatest hits and best of albums that at least one would be comprehensive.
09-14-09, 08:03 AM
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
I'm with Supermallet. Given that I own a lot (not all) of Queen material I already have numerous copies of these songs. I'd be interested in some of the supplemental material, but not enoguh to shell out for this.
09-14-09, 09:00 AM
#6
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
pretty weak sounding, why don't they release actual good stuff like the Rainbow 74, Hammersmith Odeon 75, Hyde Park 76 etc. concert videos. I could picture a Led Zeppelin dvd like set from them.
09-14-09, 01:00 PM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
As I understand it, Queen's contract with EMI is coming to an end soon and are likely holding back on anything juicy until a new deal is reached.
09-14-09, 01:01 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
09-14-09, 01:02 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Well of course there's no reason for you or I to get this as we're fans. These compilations aren't made for us.
09-14-09, 01:03 PM
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
09-14-09, 01:16 PM
#13
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Wow, we made a mistake proclaiming September 8th Queen day. 
[And that's coming from someone who loved the musical We Will Rock You despite it not lasting in Vegas.]
Speaking in terms of what was their Greatest Hits collection:
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
Save Me
Now I'm Here
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
Play the Game
Flash
Innuendo
It's a Hard Life
Breakthru
Headlong
Hammer to Fall
Just to add to the broken record; I'll be another one not buying this release. I own all the albums, including the three-disc Greatest Hits boxset; no reason for me to own this as well.
[And that's coming from someone who loved the musical We Will Rock You despite it not lasting in Vegas.]Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
Save Me
Now I'm Here
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
Play the Game
Flash
Innuendo
It's a Hard Life
Breakthru
Headlong
Hammer to Fall
Just to add to the broken record; I'll be another one not buying this release. I own all the albums, including the three-disc Greatest Hits boxset; no reason for me to own this as well.
09-14-09, 01:19 PM
#14
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Anyone who's a real, true Queen fan knows that a lot of their "greatest" album performances aren't even these same old tired singles that keep getting released time after time after time. Queen is one of the very few groups out there who, in my opinion, are best appreciated, and judged (if you will), by listening to their entire albums, first track to last track, start to finish, non-stop. Just enjoying Queen's singles is like going to an opera (no pun intended) just to hear one or two arias, and then just leaving. You've defeated the entire purpose of the whole production!
I'll pass on this and every other greatest hits package that's been put out, and stick with my Crown Jewels set (not to mention my MFSL copies of Races and Opera, their best two albums, IMHO).
I'll pass on this and every other greatest hits package that's been put out, and stick with my Crown Jewels set (not to mention my MFSL copies of Races and Opera, their best two albums, IMHO).
09-14-09, 01:33 PM
#16
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
I definitely won't be getting this and actually sold my various copies (I used to be a Queen completist) of Greatest Hits releases several years ago. I agree with The Infidel on listening to Queen's entire albums.
Instead of this, why not put out the second part of Crown Jewels? And where the fuck is the rarities disc/set that they had talked about releasing ever since Freddie died???
Instead of this, why not put out the second part of Crown Jewels? And where the fuck is the rarities disc/set that they had talked about releasing ever since Freddie died???
09-14-09, 01:48 PM
#17
Moderator
09-14-09, 03:13 PM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
The Beatles "Come Together" #4 on UK charts.
The Beatles "Free as a Bird" #2 on UK charts.
The first is considered by most to be an essential Beatles classic, the other is a posthumous (for Lennon) release cobbled together from old Lennon masters and new material from the remaining living Beatles members. It charted high as a "new" Beatles song riding on nostalgia. Not saying that makes it a bad song, but it's probably not even in the top 25 songs that would spring to most people's minds if they were to name off the Beatles biggest hits.
I bring this up because "Heaven for Everyone" was likewise cobbled together 'Frankenstein-style' from a track on Roger Taylor's solo album with vocals from Freddie. It was later reworked into a Queen song after Freddie's death. A nice nostalgia piece at the time of its release (which contributed to its chart success) but is that enough to be considered one of their "absolute greatest" 15 years later, taking precedence over 'real' Queen hits from their heyday?
Even if they are going strictly by chart success, "Innuendo" doesn't appear in this collection, even though it hit #1 in the UK, which is higher than every song in Queen's discography except "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Under Pressure" (which also hit #1).
09-14-09, 03:24 PM
#19
Banned by request
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
As I said, the two pack of Classic Queen/Queen's Greatest Hits (which is also available packaged together as Queen's Greatest Hits I & II) is very comprehensive and serves as a better introduction than this new set.
09-15-09, 03:38 AM
#20
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Wow, we made a mistake proclaiming September 8th Queen day. [And that's coming from someone who loved the musical We Will Rock You despite it not lasting in Vegas.]
Speaking in terms of what was their Greatest Hits collection:
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
Save Me
Now I'm Here
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
Play the Game
Flash
Innuendo
It's a Hard Life
Breakthru
Headlong
Hammer to Fall
Just to add to the broken record; I'll be another one not buying this release. I own all the albums, including the three-disc Greatest Hits boxset; no reason for me to own this as well.
[And that's coming from someone who loved the musical We Will Rock You despite it not lasting in Vegas.]Speaking in terms of what was their Greatest Hits collection:
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
Save Me
Now I'm Here
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
Play the Game
Flash
Innuendo
It's a Hard Life
Breakthru
Headlong
Hammer to Fall
Just to add to the broken record; I'll be another one not buying this release. I own all the albums, including the three-disc Greatest Hits boxset; no reason for me to own this as well.
09-15-09, 03:40 AM
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
I don't think the first set sold well enough to warrant the costs of producing a second volume. As for the rarities, like I mentioned in a previous post, Queen's deal with EMI is coming to a close and all those goodies they have in the vault are going to be used as a bargaining chip.
09-15-09, 03:42 AM
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
Not sure if you meant this or not but the Classic/Greatest combo is NOT the same as the gold box. The tracklisting is very different, moreso with Classic Queen (which has Stone Cold Crazy, One Year of Love, etc which Hits I & II do not have and so on.)
09-15-09, 03:47 AM
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
That's my point, though...
The Beatles "Come Together" #4 on UK charts.
The Beatles "Free as a Bird" #2 on UK charts.
The first is considered by most to be an essential Beatles classic, the other is a posthumous (for Lennon) release cobbled together from old Lennon masters and new material from the remaining living Beatles members. It charted high as a "new" Beatles song riding on nostalgia. Not saying that makes it a bad song, but it's probably not even in the top 25 songs that would spring to most people's minds if they were to name off the Beatles biggest hits.
I bring this up because "Heaven for Everyone" was likewise cobbled together 'Frankenstein-style' from a track on Roger Taylor's solo album with vocals from Freddie. It was later reworked into a Queen song after Freddie's death. A nice nostalgia piece at the time of its release (which contributed to its chart success) but is that enough to be considered one of their "absolute greatest" 15 years later, taking precedence over 'real' Queen hits from their heyday?
Even if they are going strictly by chart success, "Innuendo" doesn't appear in this collection, even though it hit #1 in the UK, which is higher than every song in Queen's discography except "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Under Pressure" (which also hit #1).
The Beatles "Come Together" #4 on UK charts.
The Beatles "Free as a Bird" #2 on UK charts.
The first is considered by most to be an essential Beatles classic, the other is a posthumous (for Lennon) release cobbled together from old Lennon masters and new material from the remaining living Beatles members. It charted high as a "new" Beatles song riding on nostalgia. Not saying that makes it a bad song, but it's probably not even in the top 25 songs that would spring to most people's minds if they were to name off the Beatles biggest hits.
I bring this up because "Heaven for Everyone" was likewise cobbled together 'Frankenstein-style' from a track on Roger Taylor's solo album with vocals from Freddie. It was later reworked into a Queen song after Freddie's death. A nice nostalgia piece at the time of its release (which contributed to its chart success) but is that enough to be considered one of their "absolute greatest" 15 years later, taking precedence over 'real' Queen hits from their heyday?
Even if they are going strictly by chart success, "Innuendo" doesn't appear in this collection, even though it hit #1 in the UK, which is higher than every song in Queen's discography except "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Under Pressure" (which also hit #1).
To use your Beatles argument, frankly I don't think "Innuendo" would be one of the first 25 songs most people would name when they think of Queen either. Yes "Innuendo" was a #1 single but it faded VERY fast from the charts. Another thing to consider was the album's running time and to have included "Innuendo" would have meant excluding two other songs.
09-15-09, 07:14 AM
#24
Banned by request
Re: Queen "Absolute Greatest" due in November
My bad. In that case I would say that as an intro to the band, you can't go wrong with buying Queen's Greatest Hits and Classic Queen.
09-15-09, 12:34 PM
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts