Queen | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Few bands embodied the pure excess of the 70s like Queen. Embracing the exaggerated pomp of prog rock and heavy metal, as well as vaudevillian music hall, the British quartet delved deeply into camp and bombast, creating a huge, mock-operatic sound with layered guitars and overdubbed vocals. Queens music was a bizarre yet highly accessible fusion of the macho and the fey. For years, their albums boasted the motto "no synthesizers were used on this record," signaling their allegiance with the legions of post-Led Zeppelin hard rock bands. But vocalist Freddie Mercury brought an extravagant sense of camp to Queen, pushing them toward kitschy humor and pseudo-classical arrangements, as epitomized on their best-known song, "Bohemian Rhapsody." Mercury, it must be said, was a flamboyant bisexual who managed to keep his sexuality in the closet until his death from AIDS in 1991. Through his legendary theatrical performances, Queen became one of the most popular bands in the world in the mid-70s; in England, they remained second only to the Beatles in popularity and collectibility into the 90s. Despite their enormous popularity, Queen were never taken seriously by rock critics -- an infamous Rolling Stone review labeled their 1979 album Jazz as "fascist." In spite of such harsh criticism, the bands popularity rarely waned; even in the late 80s, the group retained a fanatical following except in America. In the States, their popularity peaked in the early 80s, just as they finished nearly a decades worth of extraordinarily popular records. And while those records were never praised, they sold in enormous numbers, and traces of Queens music could be heard in several generations of hard rock and metal bands in the next two decades, from Metallica to Smashing Pumpkins. The origins of Queen lay in the hard rock psychedelic group Smile, which guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor joined in 1967. Following the departure of Smiles lead vocalist, Tim Staffell, in 1971, May and Taylor formed a group with Freddie Mercury, the former lead singer for Wreckage. Within a few months, bassist John Deacon joined them, and they began rehearsing. Over the next two years, as all four members completed college, they simply rehearsed, playing just a handful of gigs. By 1973, they had begun to concentrate on their career, releasing their debut album, Queen, that year and setting out on their first tour. Queen was more or less a straight metal album and failed to receive much acclaim, but Queen II became an unexpected British breakthrough early in 1974. Before its release, the band played Top of the Pops, performing "Seven Seas of Rhye." Both the song and the performance were smash successes, and the single rocketed into the Top Ten, setting the stage for Queen II to reach number five. Following its release, the group embarked on its first American tour, supporting Mott the Hoople. On the strength of their campily dramatic performances, the album climbed to number 43 in the States. Queen released their third album, Sheer Heart Attack, before the end of 1974. The music hall-meets-Zeppelin "Killer Queen" climbed to number two on the U.K. charts, taking the album to number two as well. Sheer Heart Attack made some inroads in America as well, setting the stage for the breakthrough of 1975s A Night at the Opera. Queen labored long and hard over the record; according to many reports, it was the most expensive rock record ever made at the time of its release. The first single from the record, "Bohemian Rhapsody," became Queens signature song, and with its bombastic, mock-operatic structure punctuated by heavy metal riffing, it encapsulates their music. It is also the symbol for their musical excesses -- the song took three weeks to record, and there were so many vocal overdubs on the record that it was possible to see through the tape at certain points. To support "Bohemian Rhapsody," Queen shot one of the first conceptual music videos, and the gamble paid off as the single spent nine weeks at number one in England, breaking the record for the longest run at number one. The song and A Night at the Opera were equally successful in America, as the album climbed into the Top Ten and quickly went platinum. Following A Night at the Opera, Queen were established as superstars, and they quickly took advantage of all their status had to offer. Their parties and indulgence quickly became legendary in the rock world, yet they continued to work at a rapid rate. In the summer of 1976, they performed a free concert at Londons Hyde Park that broke attendance records, and they released the hit single "Somebody to Love" a few months later. It was followed by A Day at the Races, which was essentially a scaled-down version of A Night at the Opera that reached number one in the U.K. and number five in the U.S. They continued to pile up hit singles in both Britain and America over the next five years, as each of their albums went into the Top Ten, always going gold and usually platinum in the process. Because Queen embraced such mass success and adoration, they were scorned by the rock press, especially when they came to represent all of the worst tendencies of the old guard in the wake of punk. Nevertheless, the public continued to buy Queen records. Featuring the Top Five double-A-sided single "We Are the Champions"/"We Will Rock You," News of the World became a Top Ten hit in 1977. The following year, Jazz nearly replicated that success, with the single "Fat Bottomed Girls"/"Bicycle Race" becoming an international hit despite the massive bad publicity surrounding their media stunt of staging a nude female bicycle race. Queen were at the height of their popularity as they entered the 80s, releasing The Game, their most diverse album to date, in 1980. On the strength of two number one singles -- the campy rockabilly "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and the disco-fied "Another One Bites the Dust" -- The Game became the groups first American number one album. However, the bottom fell out of the groups popularity, particularly in the U.S., shortly afterward. Their largely instrumental soundtrack to Flash Gordon was coldly received later in 1980. With the help of David Bowie, Queen were able to successfully compete with new wave with the 1981 hit single "Under Pressure" -- their first U.K. number one since "Bohemian Rhapsody" -- which was included both on their 1981 Greatest Hits and 1982s Hot Space. Instead of proving the groups vitality, "Under Pressure" was a last gasp. Hot Space was only a moderate hit, and the more rock-oriented The Works (1984) also was a minor hit, with only "Radio Ga Ga" receiving much attention. Shortly afterward, they left Elektra and signed with Capitol. Faced with their decreased popularity in the U.S. and waning popularity in Britain, Queen began touring foreign markets, cultivating a large, dedicated fan base in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, continents that most rock groups ignored. In 1985, they returned to popularity in Britain in the wake of their showstopping performance at Live Aid. The following year, they released A Kind of Magic to strong European sales, but they failed to make headway in the States. The same fate befell 1989s The Miracle, yet 1991s Innuendo was greeted more favorably, going gold and peaking at number 30 in the U.S. Nevertheless, it still was a far bigger success in Europe, entering the U.K. charts at number one. By 1991, Queen had drastically scaled back their activity, causing many rumors to circulate about Freddie Mercurys health. On November 23, he issued a statement confirming that he was stricken with AIDS; he died the next day. The following spring, the remaining members of Queen held a memorial concert at Wembley Stadium that was broadcast to an international audience of more than one billion. Featuring such guest artists as David Bowie, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Def Leppard, and Guns N Roses, the concert raised millions for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which was established for AIDS awareness. The concert coincided with a revival of interest in "Bohemian Rhapsody," which climbed to number two in the U.S. and number one in the U.K. in the wake of its appearance in the Mike Myers comedy Waynes World. Following Mercurys death, the remaining members of Queen were fairly quiet. Brian May released his second solo album, Back to the Light, in 1993, ten years after the release of his first record. Roger Taylor cut a few records with the Cross, which he had been playing with since 1987, while Deacon essentially retired. The three reunited in 1994 to record backing tapes for vocal tracks Mercury recorded on his deathbed. The resulting album, Made in Heaven, was released in 1995 to mixed reviews and strong sales, particularly in Europe. Crown Jewels, a box set repackaging their first eight LPs, followed in 1998. Archival live recordings, DVDs, and compilations kept appearing through the new millennium. The Queen name was revived in 2005, but this time with "+ Paul Rodgers" appended to it. Rodgers, the former lead singer of Free and Bad Company, joined Brian May and Roger Taylor (John Deacon remained retired) for several live shows, one of which was documented on 2005s Return of the Champions, a double-disc release issued by the Hollywood label. International touring continued, as did a new studio album featuring Rodgers vocals. Released under the "Queen + Paul Rodgers" tag, The Cosmos Rocks appeared in September 2008, followed by an American release one month later. Reception was decidedly mixed. Rodgers departed from Queen in 2009 and in his wake came a new compilation called Absolute Greatest. TV appearances followed over the next two years, including a spot on the 2009 American Idol finale where they performed with Adam Lambert, and then in 2010 Queen wound up leaving their home of EMI for Island, which brought all of the groups recordings to Universal Records. A new round of reissues followed in 2011, along with a performance with Lambert at the MTV Europe Music Awards, and the vocalist soon became a fixture with the band, as Queen performed several big concerts and television performances in 2012 and 2013, followed by a full tour in 2014. Also that year, Queen released another compilation, Queen Forever, which was anchored by reworked versions of three old songs, including a solo number by Mercury where he duetted with Michael Jackson. The archival live album, A Night at the Odeon, featuring the bands 1975 Christmas Eve performance at Londons Hammersmith Odeon, appeared in 2015. Over the next two years, the band stayed active appearing live with Lambert. In 2018, Queen was the subject of the biopic film Bohemian Rhapsody, which starred Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. The band contributed to the soundtrack, which featured classic tracks as well as live recordings and several songs reworked for the film. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 30 Title: Queen Released: 1973-07-13 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Keep Yourself Alive (03:47) 2 Doing All Right (04:09) 3 Great King Rat (05:43) 4 My Fairy King (04:08) 5 Liar (06:25) 6 The Night Comes Down (04:23) 7 Modern Times Rock ’n’ Roll (01:48) 8 Son and Daughter (03:23) 9 Jesus (03:44) 10 Seven Seas of Rhye… (01:15) |
| Queen : Allmusic album Review : Like any patchy but promising debut from a classic rock group, its often easy to underrate Queens eponymous 1973 debut, since it has no more than one well-known anthem and plays more like a collection of ideas than a cohesive album. But what ideas! Almost every one of Queens signatures are already present, from Freddie Mercurys operatic harmonies to Brian Mays rich, orchestral guitar overdubs and the suite-like structures of "Great King Rat." That rich, florid feel could be characterized as glam, but even in these early days that appellation didnt quite fit Queen, since they were at once too heavy and arty to be glam and -- ironically enough, considering their legendary excess -- they were hardly trashy enough to be glam. But that only speaks to the originality of Queen: they may have traded in mystical sword n sorcerers themes like so many 70s prog bands, and they may have hit as hard as Led Zeppelin (and Jimmy Pages guitar army certainly was a forefather to Mays overdubs), but they didnt sound like anybody else, they were too odd in their theatricality to be mistaken for another band. That much was apparent on this debut, but one thing was crucially missing: songs that could coalesce their sound and present it in a memorable fashion. There is an exception to that rule -- the wild, rampaging opener "Keep Yourself Alive," one of their very best songs -- but too often the album plays like a succession of ideas instead of succinct songs, and the groups predilection for suites only highlights this, despite the occasional blast of fury like "Modern Times Rock & Roll." This can be quite appealing as sheer, visceral sound and, in that regard, Queen is kind of irresistible. It showcases the band in all their ornate splendor yet its strangely lean and hard, revealing just how good the band was in their early days as a hard rock band. That might not quite make it an overlooked gem -- it remains patchy on a song for song basis -- but it sure makes for an interesting debut that provides a rough road map to their later work. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 30 Title: Queen II Released: 1974-03-08 Tracks: 11 Duration: 40:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Procession (01:12) 2 Father to Son (06:14) 3 White Queen (As It Began) (04:35) 4 Some Day One Day (04:22) 5 The Loser in the End (04:03) 6 Ogre Battle (04:08) 7 The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke (02:41) 8 Nevermore (01:18) 9 The March of the Black Queen (06:33) 10 Funny How Love Is (02:50) 11 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) |
| Queen II : Allmusic album Review : In one regard, Queen II does indeed provide more of the same thing as on the bands debut. Certainly, of all the other albums in Queens catalog it bears the closest resemblance to its immediate predecessor, particularly in its lean, hard attack and in how it has only one song that is well-known to listeners outside of their hardcore cult: in this case, its "Seven Seas of Rhye," which is itself more elliptical than "Keep Yourself Alive," the big song from the debut. But these similarities are superficial and Queen II is a very different beast than its predecessor, an album that is richer, darker, and weirder, an album that finds Queen growing as a band by leaps and bounds. There is still a surplus of ideas, but their energies are better focused this time around, channeled into a over-inflated, pompous rock that could be called prog if it wasnt so heavy. Even with all the queens and ogres that populate Queen II, this never feels as fantastical as Genesis or Uriah Heep, and thats because Queen hits hard as a rock band here, where even the blasts of vocal harmonies feel like power chords, no matter how florid they are. Besides, these grandiose harmonies, along with the handful of wistful ballads here, are overshadowed by the onslaught of guitars and pummeling rhythms that give Queen II majesty and menace. Queen is coiled, tense, and vicious here, delivering on their inherent sense of drama, and that gives Queen II real power as music, as well as a true cohesion. The one thing that is missing is any semblance of a pop sensibility, even when they flirt with a mock Phil Spector production on "Funny How Love Is." This hits like heavy metal but has an art-rock sensibility through and through, which also means that it has no true hook in for those who dont want to succumb to Queens world. But that kind of insular drama is quite alluring in its own right, which is why Queen II is one of the favorites of their hardcore fans. At the very least, it illustrates that Queen is starting to pull all their ambitions and influences into a signature sound, and its quite powerful in that regard. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 30 Title: Sheer Heart Attack Released: 1974-11-01 Tracks: 18 Duration: 54:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Brighton Rock (05:11) 2 Killer Queen (03:01) 3 Tenement Funster (02:47) 4 Flick of the Wrist (03:17) 5 Lily of the Valley (01:45) 6 Now I’m Here (04:15) 7 In the Lap of the Gods (03:22) 8 Stone Cold Crazy (02:16) 9 Dear Friends (01:08) 10 Misfire (01:50) 11 Bring Back That Leroy Brown (02:15) 12 She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos) (04:09) 13 In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited (03:45) 1 Now I’m Here (live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975) (04:27) 2 Flick of the Wrist (BBC session, October 1974) (03:26) 3 Tenement Funster (BBC session, October 1974) (02:59) 4 Bring Back That Leroy Brown (a cappella mix 2011) (02:18) 5 In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited (live at Wembley Stadium, July 1986) (02:35) |
| Sheer Heart Attack : Allmusic album Review : Queen II was a breakthrough in terms of power and ambition, but Queens third album Sheer Heart Attack was where the band started to gel. It followed quickly on the heels of the second record -- just by a matter of months; it was the second album they released in 1974 -- but it feels like it had a longer incubation period, so great is the progress here. Which isnt quite to say that Sheer Heart Attack is flawless -- it still has a tendency to meander, sometimes within a song itself, as when the killer opening "Brighton Rock" suddenly veers into long stretches of Brian May solo guitar -- but all these detours do not distract from the overall album, theyre in many ways the key to the record itself: its the sound of Queen stretching their wings as they learn how to soar to the clouds. Theres a genuine excitement in hearing all the elements to Queens sound fall into place here, as the music grows grander and catchier without sacrificing their brutal, hard attack. One of the great strengths of the album is how all four members find their voices as songwriters, penning hooks that are big, bold, and insistent and crafting them in songs that work as cohesive entities instead of flourishes of ideas. This is evident not just in "Killer Queen" -- the first, best flourishing of Freddie Mercurys vaudevillian camp -- but also on the pummeling "Stone Cold Crazy," a frenzied piece of jagged metal thats all the more exciting because it has a real melodic hook. Those hooks are threaded throughout the record, on both the ballads and the other rockers, but it isnt just that this is poppier, its that theyre able to execute their drama with flair and style. There are still references to mystical worlds ("Lily of the Valley," "In the Lap of Gods") but the fantasy does not overwhelm as it did on the first two records; the theatricality is now wielded on everyday affairs, which ironically makes them sound larger than life. And this sense of scale, combined with the heavy guitars, pop hooks, and theatrical style, marks the true unveiling of Queen, making Sheer Heart Attack as the moment where they truly came into their own. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 30 Title: A Night at the Opera Released: 1975-11-21 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to…… (03:43) 2 Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon (01:07) 3 I’m in Love With My Car (03:05) 4 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 5 ’39 (03:31) 6 Sweet Lady (04:03) 7 Seaside Rendezvous (02:16) 8 The Prophet’s Song (08:21) 9 Love of My Life (03:38) 10 Good Company (03:23) 11 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 12 God Save the Queen (01:15) |
| A Night at the Opera : Allmusic album Review : Queen were straining at the boundaries of hard rock and heavy metal on Sheer Heart Attack, but they broke down all the barricades on A Night at the Opera, a self-consciously ridiculous and overblown hard rock masterpiece. Using the multi-layered guitars of its predecessor as a foundation, A Night at the Opera encompasses metal ("Death on Two Legs," "Sweet Lady"), pop (the lovely, shimmering "Youre My Best Friend"), campy British music hall ("Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon," "Seaside Rendezvous"), and mystical prog rock ("39," "The Prophets Song"), eventually bringing it all together on the pseudo-operatic "Bohemian Rhapsody." In short, its a lot like Queens own version of Led Zeppelin IV, but where Zep find dark menace in bombast, Queen celebrate their own pomposity. No one in the band takes anything too seriously, otherwise the arrangements wouldnt be as ludicrously exaggerated as they are. But the appeal -- and the influence -- of A Night at the Opera is in its detailed, meticulous productions. Its prog rock with a sense of humor as well as dynamics, and Queen never bettered their approach anywhere else. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 30 Title: A Day at the Races Released: 1976-12-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 44:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 [intro] (01:02) 2 Tie Your Mother Down (03:47) 3 You Take My Breath Away (04:38) 4 Long Away (04:00) 5 The Millionaire Waltz (04:55) 6 You and I (03:25) 7 Somebody to Love (04:56) 8 White Man (04:59) 9 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 10 Drowse (03:45) 11 Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (05:54) |
| A Day at the Races : Allmusic album Review : In every sense, A Day at the Races is an unapologetic sequel to A Night at the Opera, the 1975 breakthrough that established Queen as rock & roll royalty. The band never attempts to hide that the record is a sequel -- the two albums boast the same variation on the same cover art, the titles are both taken from old Marx Brothers films and serve as counterpoints to each other. But even though the two albums look the same, they dont quite sound the same, A Day at the Races is a bit tighter than its predecessor, yet tighter doesnt necessarily mean better for a band as extravagant as Queen. One of the great things about A Night at the Opera is that the lingering elements of early Queen -- the pastoral folk of "39," the metallic menace of "Death on Two Legs" -- dovetailed with an indulgence of camp and a truly, well, operatic scale. Here, the eccentricities are trimmed back somewhat -- they still bubble up on "The Millionaire Waltz," an example of the music hall pop that dominated Night, the pro-Native American saga "White Man" is undercut somewhat by the cowboys n indians rhythms -- in favor of a driving, purposeful hard rock that still could have some slyly hidden perversities (or in the case of the opening "Tie Your Mother Down," some not-so-hidden perversity) but this is exquisitely detailed hard rock, dense with minutiae but never lush or fussy. In a sense, it could even function as the bridge between Sheer Heart Attack and Night at the Opera -- its every bit as hard as the former and nearly as florid as the latter -- but its sleek, streamlined finish is the biggest indication that Queen has entered a new phase, where theyre globe-conquering titans instead of underdogs on the make. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 30 Title: News of the World Released: 1977-10-28 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 We Will Rock You (02:02) 2 We Are the Champions (03:01) 3 Sheer Heart Attack (03:27) 4 All Dead, All Dead (03:10) 5 Spread Your Wings (04:35) 6 Fight From the Inside (03:03) 7 Get Down, Make Love (03:51) 8 Sleeping on the Sidewalk (03:08) 9 Who Needs You (03:06) 10 It’s Late (06:26) 11 My Melancholy Blues (03:30) |
| News of the World : Allmusic album Review : If Day at the Races was a sleek, streamlined album, its 1977 successor, News of the World, was its polar opposite, an explosion of styles that didnt seem to hold to any particular center. Its front-loaded with two of Queens biggest anthems -- the stomping, stadium-filling chant "We Will Rock You" and its triumphant companion, "We Are the Champions" -- which are quickly followed by the ferocious "Sheer Heart Attack," a frenzied rocker that hits harder than anything on the album that shares its name (a remarkable achievement in itself). Three songs, three quick shifts in mood, but thats hardly the end of it. As the News rolls on, youre treated to the arch, campy crooning of "My Melancholy Blues," a shticky blues shuffle in "Sleeping on the Sidewalk," and breezy Latin rhythms on "Who Needs You." Then theres the neo-disco of "Fight from the Inside," which is eclipsed by the mechanical funk of "Get Down, Make Love," a dirty grind thats stripped of sensuality. That cold streak on "Get Down, Make Love" runs through the album as a whole. Despite the explosion of sounds and rhythms, this album doesnt add up to party thanks to that slightly distancing chilly vibe that hangs over the album. Nevertheless, many of these songs work well on their own as entities, so there is plenty to savor here, especially from Brian May. Whether hes doing the strangely subdued eccentric English pop "All Dead, All Dead" or especially the majestic yet nimble rocker "Its Late," he turns in work that gives this album some lightness, which it needs. And thats the reason News of the World was a monster hit despite its coldness -- when it works, its massive, earth-shaking rock & roll, the sound of a band beginning to revel in its superstardom. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 30 Title: Jazz Released: 1978-11-10 Tracks: 13 Duration: 44:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mustapha (03:01) 2 Fat Bottomed Girls (04:17) 3 Jealousy (03:13) 4 Bicycle Race (03:02) 5 If You Can’t Beat Them (04:15) 6 Let Me Entertain You (03:02) 7 Dead on Time (03:23) 8 In Only Seven Days (02:30) 9 Dreamer’s Ball (03:30) 10 Fun It (03:29) 11 Leaving Home Ain’t Easy (03:15) 12 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 13 More of That Jazz (04:16) |
| Jazz : Allmusic album Review : Famously tagged as "fascist" in a Rolling Stone review printed at the time of its 1978 release, Jazz does indeed showcase a band that does thrive upon its power, thrilling upon the hold that it has on its audience. That confidence, that self-intoxication, was hinted at on News of the World but it takes full flower here, and that assurance acts as a cohesive device, turning this into one of Queens sleekest albums. Like its patchwork predecessor, Jazz also dabbles in a bunch of different sounds -- thats a perennial problem with Queen, where the four songwriters were often pulling in different directions -- but it sounds bigger, heavier than News, thanks to the mountains of guitars Brian May has layered all over this record. If May has indulged himself, Freddie Mercury runs riot all over this album, infusing it with an absurdity thats hard to resist. This goofiness is apparent from the galloping overture "Mustapha," and things only get a lot sillier from that point out, as the group sings the praises of "Fat Bottomed Girls" and "Bicycle Races." May and Mercury have an unspoken competition on who can overdub the most onto a particular track, while Roger Taylor steers them toward their first disco song in the gloriously dumb "Fun It." But since over-the-top campiness has always been an attribute in Queen, this kind of grand-scale exaggeration gives Jazz a sense of ridiculousness that makes it more fun than many of their other albums. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 30 Title: The Game Released: 1980-06-30 Tracks: 10 Duration: 35:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Play the Game (03:32) 2 Dragon Attack (04:19) 3 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 4 Need Your Loving Tonight (02:49) 5 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 6 Rock It (Prime Jive) (04:33) 7 Don’t Try Suicide (03:52) 8 Sail Away Sweet Sister (03:33) 9 Coming Soon (02:51) 10 Save Me (03:48) |
| The Game : Allmusic album Review : Queen had long been one of the biggest bands in the world by 1980s The Game, but this album was the first time they made a glossy, unabashed pop album, one that was designed to sound exactly like its time. They might be posed in leather jackets on the cover, but they hardly sound tough or menacing -- they rarely rock, at least not in the gonzo fashion thats long been their trademark. Gone are the bombastic orchestras of guitars and with them the charging, relentless rhythms that kept Queen grounded even at their grandest moments. Now, when they rock, theyll haul out a clever rockabilly pastiche, as they do on the tremendous "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," a sly revival of old-time rock & roll that never sounds moldy, thanks in large part to Freddie Mercurys panache. But even that is an exception to the rule on The Game. Usually, when they want to rock here, they wind up sounding like Boston, as they do on John Deacons "Need Your Loving Tonight," or they sound a bit like a new wave-conscious rocker like Billy Squier, as they do on the propulsive "Coming Soon." But even those are exceptions to the overall rule on The Game, since most of the album is devoted to disco-rock blends -- best heard on the globe-conquering "Another One Bites the Dust," but also present in the unintentionally kitschy positivity anthem "Dont Try Suicide" -- and the majestic power ballads that became their calling card in the 80s, as they reworked the surging "Save Me" and the elegant "Play the Game" numerous times, often with lesser results. So, The Game winds up as a mixed bag, as many Queen albums often do, but again the striking difference with this album is that it finds Queen turning decidedly, decisively pop, and its a grand, state-of-the-art circa 1980 pop album that still stands as one of the bands most enjoyable records. But the very fact that it does showcase a band thats turned away from rock and toward pop means that for some Queen fans, it marks the end of the road, and despite the albums charms, its easy to see why. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 30 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 1981-11-03 Tracks: 17 Duration: 58:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 2 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 3 Killer Queen (03:01) 4 Fat Bottomed Girls (03:23) 5 Bicycle Race (03:02) 6 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 7 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 8 Save Me (03:48) 9 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 10 Somebody to Love (04:56) 11 Now I’m Here (04:15) 12 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 13 Play the Game (03:32) 14 Flash (02:48) 15 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) 16 We Will Rock You (02:02) 17 We Are the Champions (03:01) |
| Greatest Hits : Allmusic album Review : This is going to take a little explaining. In 1981, when it was contracted to Elektra Records in the U.S., Queen released an album called Greatest Hits (Elektra 564), which contained 14 songs that chronicled singles from 1973 to 1981. In 1990, Hollywood Records acquired CD rights to Queens catalog, by which time the Elektra Greatest Hits had gone out of print on vinyl. Hollywood released Classic Queen, a compilation that covered Queens hits from 1982 to its demise in 1991, with a few older songs thrown in. Then it released this album, its version of Greatest Hits, which is a 17-track album that deletes the songs from the first Greatest Hits that appeared on Classic Queen (among them Queens biggest hit, "Bohemian Rhapsody") and adds a few tracks from the 1973-1982 era that did not appear on the original release. The Elektra Greatest Hits LP had a superior selection, but its gone now, so youre stuck with this. (New fans dont seem to have minded, as this new Greatest Hits sold better than the first one.) | ||
 | Album: 10 of 30 Title: Hot Space Released: 1982-05-21 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:06:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Staying Power (04:13) 2 Dancer (03:48) 3 Back Chat (04:35) 4 Body Language (04:32) 5 Action This Day (03:35) 6 Put Out the Fire (03:19) 7 Life Is Real (Song for Lennon) (03:31) 8 Calling All Girls (03:52) 9 Las palabras de amor (The Words of Love) (04:31) 10 Cool Cat (03:30) 11 Under Pressure (03:57) 1 Staying Power (live at Milton Keynes Bowl, June 1982) (03:58) 2 Soul Brother (03:37) 3 Back Chat (single remix) (04:14) 4 Action This Day (live in Tokyo, November 1982) (06:25) 5 Calling All Girls (live in Tokyo, November 1982) (04:45) |
| Hot Space : Allmusic album Review : Anybody who was a little dismayed by the pop inclinations of The Game would have been totally distressed by Queens 1982 follow-up, Hot Space, an unabashed pop and dance album. The band that once proudly proclaimed not to use synthesizers on their albums has suddenly, dramatically reversed course, devoting the entire first side of the album to robotic, new wave dance-pop, all driven by drum machines and colored by keyboards, with Brian Mays guitar coming in as flavor only on occasion. The second side is better, as it finds the group rocking, but there are still electronic drums. But the Beatlesque "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)" is a sweet, if a bit too literal, tribute and with "Calling All Girls" Queen finally gets synth-driven new wave rock right, resulting in a sharp piece of pop. But the albums undeniable saving grace is the concluding "Under Pressure," an utterly majestic, otherworldly duet with David Bowie that recaptures the effortless grace of Queens mid-70s peak, but is underscored with a truly affecting melancholy heart that gives it a genuine human warmth unheard in much of their music. Frankly, "Under Pressure" is the only reason most listeners remember this album, which is as much a testament to the songs strength as it is to the rather desultory nature of the rest of Hot Space. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 30 Title: The Works Released: 1984-02-27 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:02:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Radio Ga Ga (05:45) 2 Tear It Up (03:28) 3 It’s a Hard Life (04:08) 4 Man on the Prowl (03:28) 5 Machines (or ‘Back to Humans’) (05:10) 6 I Want to Break Free (03:21) 7 Keep Passing the Open Windows (05:22) 8 Hammer to Fall (04:28) 9 Is This the World We Created…? (02:16) 1 I Go Crazy (03:44) 2 I Want to Break Free (04:19) 3 Hammer to Fall (Headbanger’s mix) (05:19) 4 Is This the World We Created…? (live in Rio, January 1985) (03:02) 5 It’s a Hard Life (live in Rio, January 1985) (04:27) 6 Thank God It’s Christmas (04:20) |
| The Works : Allmusic album Review : Following the disappointing commercial performance of the dance-oriented Hot Space in 1982, Queen took 1983 off to get refocused and work on a follow-up that would put the band back on track. While the songwriting had definitely improved on the resulting The Works in 1984, the album sonically lacked the punch of such earlier releases as News of the World and The Game (strangely, Hot Space even had a better overall sound). Although the album only peaked at number 23 on the U.S. album charts, it was a Top Ten hit in just about every other area of the world, producing the huge single "Radio Ga Ga." Three other tracks were hits in Queens native England -- the uplifting "I Want to Break Free," the love song "Its a Hard Life," and the politically conscious rocker "Hammer to Fall," which dealt with the danger of nuclear weapons. Other highlights included the 50s-sounding "Man on the Prowl," the electronic experiment "Machines," the thunderous "Tear It Up," and a touching acoustic ballad, "Is This the World We Created...?" Perhaps with a more straight-ahead production (and a U.S. tour), The Works would have landed Queen back on the top of the charts stateside. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 30 Title: A Kind of Magic Released: 1986-06-02 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 One Vision (05:10) 2 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 3 One Year of Love (04:27) 4 Pain Is So Close to Pleasure (04:22) 5 Friends Will Be Friends (04:08) 6 Who Wants to Live Forever (05:15) 7 Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme) (04:34) 8 Don’t Lose Your Head (04:38) 9 Princes of the Universe (03:32) 10 A Kind of ‘A Kind of Magic’ (03:37) 11 Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends… (05:58) 12 Forever (03:20) |
| A Kind of Magic : Allmusic album Review : By the release of 1986s A Kind of Magic, Queens stature as a prominent rock band in the U.S. had slipped considerably, while in all other parts of the world (especially Europe), they remained superstar hitmakers. A Kind of Magic was their biggest album yet in England, where it reached number one, remained on the charts for 63 weeks, and spawned several hit singles -- the epic title track, the tuneful pop/rocker "Friends Will Be Friends," and one of their most haunting ballads, "Who Wants to Live Forever" (also included was the Live Aid-inspired hit anthem "One Vision," which was originally released as a single in 1985). Most of the songs were written for the movie Highlander -- "Gimme the Prize (Kurgans Theme)," "Princes of the Universe," the aforementioned "Who Wants to Live Forever," etc. -- but instead of issuing just a movie soundtrack, the band added a few non-movie tracks and made an official Queen release out of it. It may not have been as cohesive as some of their other albums, but A Kind of Magic was their best work in some time. Queen would embark on a sold-out tour of outdoor stadiums in Europe upon the albums release, which would sadly turn out to be their final tour. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 30 Title: The Miracle Released: 1989-05-22 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Party (02:24) 2 Khashoggi’s Ship (02:48) 3 The Miracle (05:02) 4 I Want It All (04:32) 5 The Invisible Man (03:58) 6 Breakthru (04:09) 7 Rain Must Fall (04:23) 8 Scandal (04:42) 9 My Baby Does Me (03:22) 10 Was It All Worth It (05:45) 11 Hang On in There (03:46) 12 Chinese Torture (01:45) 13 The Invisible Man (12″ version) (05:28) 14 Scandal (12″ mix) (06:33) |
| The Miracle : Allmusic album Review : Following their massive 1986 European stadium tour for the A Kind of Magic album, Queen took an extended break. Rumors swirled about an impending breakup, but it turned out the break was brought on by a painful marital divorce for guitarist Brian May (who subsequently battled depression and contemplated suicide), and Freddie Mercury being diagnosed with AIDS. Instead of sinking further into misery, the band regrouped, worked on each others mental state, and recorded one of their most inspired albums, 1989s The Miracle. Lyrically, the songs tend to reflect on the bands past accomplishments ("Khashoggis Ship," "Was It All Worth It") as well as the state of the world in the late 80s (the title track, "I Want It All"). Produced by the band and David Richards, The Miracle packs quite a sonic punch, recalling the rich sounds of their past classics (1976s A Day at the Races, etc.). Split 50/50 between pop ("Breakthru," "The Invisible Man," "Rain Must Fall") and heavy rock (the aforementioned "I Want It All," "Khashoggis Ship," "Was It All Worth It"), the album was another global smash, even re-establishing the band stateside (going Top 30 and attaining gold status). Along with The Game, The Miracle is Queens strongest album of the 80s. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 30 Title: Innuendo Released: 1991-02-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Innuendo (06:30) 2 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:22) 3 Headlong (04:38) 4 I Can’t Live With You (04:33) 5 Don’t Try So Hard (03:39) 6 Ride the Wild Wind (04:42) 7 All God’s People (04:21) 8 These Are the Days of Our Lives (04:15) 9 Delilah (03:35) 10 The Hitman (04:56) 11 Bijou (03:36) 12 The Show Must Go On (04:34) |
| Innuendo : Allmusic album Review : Unbeknownst to the public, Freddie Mercury had been diagnosed with the AIDS virus in the late 80s. Although his health weakened by the 90s, Mercury insisted that the band work on music until the very end; their final album turned out to be 1991s Innuendo. Although it didnt receive the same critical praise as its predecessor, 1989s The Miracle, it was another strong album and global hit (again going gold in the U.S.). With hindsight, the songs lyrics are blatantly autobiographical from Mercurys standpoint, such as the reflective "These Are the Days of Our Lives" and the bold "The Show Must Go On." Also included are a pair of tracks that deal with mankinds inability to live harmoniously (the superb epic title track and "All Gods People") and a humorous tribute to Mercurys beloved pet felines ("Delilah"). Queens heavier side is represented by both the rock radio hit "Headlong" and "The Hitman," while "Im Going Slightly Mad," "I Cant Live With You," and "Dont Try So Hard" show the bands pop sensibilities in full force, and on "Bijou," Brian May gets to show off his guitar chops. Innuendo was a fitting way to end one of rocks most successful careers. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 30 Title: Greatest Hits Ⅱ Released: 1991-10-28 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:16:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 2 Under Pressure (03:57) 3 Radio Ga Ga (05:45) 4 I Want It All (04:01) 5 I Want to Break Free (04:19) 6 Innuendo (06:30) 7 It’s a Hard Life (04:08) 8 Breakthru (04:09) 9 Who Wants to Live Forever (04:57) 1 Headlong (04:33) 2 The Miracle (05:02) 3 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:07) 4 The Invisible Man (03:58) 5 Hammer to Fall (03:40) 6 Friends Will Be Friends (04:08) 7 The Show Must Go On (04:23) 8 One Vision (04:02) |
| Greatest Hits Ⅱ : Allmusic album Review : The second volume of Queen’s Greatest Hits appeared a decade after the first; a decade after the group started its slow shift from international superstars toward ruling the world that existed outside of the United States. Apart from “Under Pressure” and “Radio Ga Ga,” all of the 17 singles here did not crack the American Top 40, but they’re well-known throughout the world, particularly the operatic anthems “A Kind of Magic,” “I Want It All,” “I Want to Break Free,” and “Who Wants to Live Forever.” Generally, the songs here favor melodrama to untrammeled rock & roll, which means while there’s nothing here that hits as hard as “Tie Your Mother Down”; there’s also nothing as light on its feet as “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” either. This is not necessarily a bad thing: nobody scaled the dramatic heights like Queen, and this captures their pomp & circumstance at its most polished. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 30 Title: The 12″ Collection Released: 1992 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:10:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 2 Radio Ga Ga (06:53) 3 Machines (or ‘Back to Humans’) (instrumental) (05:08) 4 I Want to Break Free (07:19) 5 It’s a Hard Life (05:05) 6 Hammer to Fall (05:23) 7 Man on the Prowl (06:04) 8 A Kind of Magic (06:25) 9 Pain Is So Close to Pleasure (05:59) 10 Breakthru (05:42) 11 The Invisible Man (05:28) 12 The Show Must Go On (04:34) |
 | Album: 17 of 30 Title: Classic Queen Released: 1992-03-10 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:14:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 2 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 3 Under Pressure (03:57) 4 Hammer to Fall (03:40) 5 Stone Cold Crazy (02:16) 6 One Year of Love (04:27) 7 Radio Ga Ga (05:45) 8 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:22) 9 I Want It All (04:01) 10 Tie Your Mother Down (03:45) 11 The Miracle (04:24) 12 These Are the Days of Our Lives (04:15) 13 One Vision (04:38) 14 Keep Yourself Alive (03:47) 15 Headlong (04:38) 16 Who Wants to Live Forever (05:15) 17 The Show Must Go On (04:34) |
| Classic Queen : Allmusic album Review : Essentially, this 17-track album is a second-volume Queens Greatest Hits, picking up the story from that albums 1981 release and taking it to the end of Queens career. But the album also contains a few tracks -- "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Keep Yourself Alive," and "Under Pressure" -- that appeared on that first set, as well as a couple -- "Stone Cold Crazy" and "Tie Your Mother Down" -- from the same era. The remaining 12 tracks, culled from The Works, A Kind of Magic, The Miracle, and Innuendo, represent songs that were not big hits in the U.S. Nevertheless, with a resurgence of interest in Queen and the second coming of "Bohemian Rhapsody," courtesy of Waynes World, this album returned Queen to platinum status and the U.S. Top Five for the first time since the early 80s. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 30 Title: The Queen Collection Released: 1992-11-02 Tracks: 36 Duration: 3:11:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 2 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 3 Under Pressure (03:57) 4 Hammer to Fall (03:40) 5 Stone Cold Crazy (02:16) 6 One Year of Love (04:27) 7 Radio Ga Ga (05:45) 8 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:22) 9 I Want It All (04:01) 10 Tie Your Mother Down (03:46) 11 The Miracle (04:24) 12 These Are the Days of Our Lives (04:15) 13 One Vision (04:38) 14 Keep Yourself Alive (03:47) 15 Headlong (04:38) 16 Who Wants to Live Forever (05:15) 17 The Show Must Go On (04:34) 1 We Will Rock You (02:02) 2 We Are the Champions (03:01) 3 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 4 Killer Queen (03:01) 5 Somebody to Love (04:56) 6 Fat Bottomed Girls (03:02) 7 Bicycle Race (03:02) 8 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 9 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 10 Now I’m Here (04:15) 11 Play the Game (03:32) 12 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) 13 Body Language (04:32) 14 Save Me (03:48) 15 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 16 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 17 I Want to Break Free (04:19) 1 BBC Radio One Interview With Mike Read (54:49) 2 Thank God It’s Christmas (04:20) |
 | Album: 19 of 30 Title: Greatest Hits I & II Released: 1994 Tracks: 34 Duration: 2:14:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 2 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 3 Killer Queen (03:01) 4 Fat Bottomed Girls (03:23) 5 Bicycle Race (03:02) 6 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 7 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 8 Save Me (03:48) 9 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 10 Somebody to Love (04:56) 11 Now I’m Here (04:15) 12 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 13 Play the Game (03:32) 14 Flash (02:48) 15 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) 16 We Will Rock You (02:02) 17 We Are the Champions (03:01) 1 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 2 Under Pressure (03:57) 3 Radio Ga Ga (05:45) 4 I Want It All (04:01) 5 I Want to Break Free (04:19) 6 Innuendo (06:30) 7 It’s a Hard Life (04:08) 8 Breakthru (04:09) 9 Who Wants to Live Forever (04:57) 10 Headlong (04:33) 11 The Miracle (04:54) 12 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:07) 13 The Invisible Man (03:58) 14 Hammer to Fall (03:40) 15 Friends Will Be Friends (04:08) 16 The Show Must Go On (04:23) 17 One Vision (04:02) |
 | Album: 20 of 30 Title: Made in Heaven Released: 1995-11-06 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:33:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 It’s a Beautiful Day (02:32) 2 Made in Heaven (05:25) 3 Let Me Live (04:45) 4 Mother Love (04:49) 5 My Life Has Been Saved (03:15) 6 I Was Born to Love You (04:49) 7 Heaven for Everyone (05:36) 8 Too Much Love Will Kill You (04:20) 9 You Don’t Fool Me (05:24) 10 A Winter’s Tale (03:50) 11 It’s a Beautiful Day (reprise) (03:00) 12 Yeah (00:04) 13 [untitled] (22:32) 1 Heaven for Everyone (single version) (04:43) 2 It’s a Beautiful Day (B‐side version) (03:59) 3 My Life Has Been Saved (1989 B‐side version) (03:16) 4 I Was Born to Love You (vocal & piano version) (02:56) 5 Rock in Rio Blues (live) (04:34) 6 A Winter’s Tale (Cosy Fireside mix) (03:49) |
| Made in Heaven : Allmusic album Review : During the 1980s, Queen ceased to be a big record seller in the U.S., but maintained its superstar status at home. In the 90s, following the death of Freddie Mercury, there was a brief resurgence of interest in America triggered by the inclusion of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the movie Waynes World. But in 1995, when the surviving members got around to releasing the final recordings done with Mercury in the form of Made in Heaven, the status quo had returned. The album topped the charts in Western Europe, with its single, "Heaven for Everyone," reaching the Top Ten, while in the U.S. it was on and off the charts within weeks. Musically, Made in Heaven harked back to Queens 1970s heyday with its strong melodies and hard rock guitar playing, topped by Mercurys bravura singing and some of the massed choir effects familiar from "Bohemian Rhapsody." Even if one did not know that these songs were sung in the shadow of death, that subject would be obvious. The lyrics were imbued with life-and-death issues, from the titles -- "Let Me Live," "My Life Has Been Saved," and "Too Much Love Will Kill You" -- to lines like "Its hopeless -- so hopeless to even try" ("Its a Beautiful Day"), "Waiting for possibilities/Dont see too many around" ("Made in Heaven"), and "I long for peace before I die" ("Mother Love"). The odd thing about this was that Mercurys over-the-top singing had always contained a hint of camp humor, and it continued to here, even when the sentiments clearly were as heartfelt as they were theatrically overstated. Maybe Mercury was determined to go out the same way he had come in, as a diva. If so, he succeeded. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 30 Title: The Best II Released: 1997 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:13:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) 2 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 3 Somebody to Love (04:56) 4 We Will Rock You (02:02) 5 Bicycle Race (03:02) 6 Fat Bottomed Girls (03:23) 7 Save Me (03:48) 8 Flash (02:48) 9 Under Pressure (03:57) 10 Radio Ga Ga (05:45) 11 It’s a Hard Life (04:08) 12 Who Wants to Live Forever (04:57) 13 Friends Will Be Friends (04:08) 14 I Want It All (04:01) 15 The Invisible Man (03:58) 16 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:07) 17 The Show Must Go On (04:23) 18 You Don’t Fool Me (05:24) |
 | Album: 22 of 30 Title: The Best I Released: 1997 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:11:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Killer Queen (03:01) 2 Now I’m Here (04:15) 3 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 4 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 5 We Are the Champions (03:01) 6 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 7 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 8 Play the Game (03:32) 9 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 10 I Want to Break Free (04:19) 11 The Miracle (04:54) 12 Hammer to Fall (03:40) 13 One Vision (04:02) 14 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 15 Breakthru (04:09) 16 Headlong (04:33) 17 Innuendo (06:30) 18 Heaven for Everyone (05:36) |
 | Album: 23 of 30 Title: Queen Rocks Released: 1997-11-03 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:10:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 We Will Rock You (02:02) 2 Tie Your Mother Down (03:45) 3 I Want It All (04:32) 4 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) 5 I Can’t Live With You (1997 ‘Rocks’ retake) (04:47) 6 Hammer to Fall (04:22) 7 Stone Cold Crazy (02:16) 8 Now I’m Here (04:15) 9 Fat Bottomed Girls (04:17) 10 Keep Yourself Alive (03:47) 11 Tear It Up (03:28) 12 One Vision (05:10) 13 Sheer Heart Attack (03:27) 14 I’m in Love With My Car (03:12) 15 Put Out the Fire (03:19) 16 Headlong (04:38) 17 It’s Late (06:26) 18 No‐One but You (Only the Good Die Young) (04:11) |
| Queen Rocks : Allmusic album Review : Queen were never adverse to commercialism -- after all, Freddie Mercury made sure that he recorded a full albums worth of vocal tracks on his deathbed, so his colleagues could record a posthumous album. It should come as no surprise, then, that just two years after the release of that posthumous record, the surviving members went back into the vaults to assemble Rocks, Vol. 1. As the title suggests, Rocks, Vol. 1 captures Queen at their most rockin, or, to be more accurate, their heaviest. Despite its breakneck conclusion, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not here, but "Seven Seas of Rhye," "Stone Cold Crazy," "We Will Rock You," "Sheer Heart Attack," "Fat Bottomed Girls," "I Want It All" and "Im In Love with My Car" are, along with several underappreciated album tracks, new remixes of "Tie Your Mother Down" and "I Cant Live with You," and "No One Like You," a tribute to Mercury recorded by the surviving members of Queen. In other words, Rocks, Vol. 1 is a bit of a hodgepodge and one that most fans will be able to ignore. But for casual fans of Brian Mays searing, melodic guitar, Mercurys operatic wail, and the surprisingly swinging backbeat of John Deacon and Roger Taylor, this compilation will suit their needs quite nicely. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 30 Title: Miniatures: Volume 2 Released: 1998 Tracks: 44 Duration: 2:44:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Tie Your Mother Down (04:48) 2 You Take My Breath Away (05:08) 3 Long Away (03:33) 4 The Millionaire Waltz (04:55) 5 You and I (03:25) 6 Somebody to Love (04:56) 7 White Man (04:59) 8 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 9 Drowse (03:45) 10 Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (05:54) 1 We Will Rock You (02:02) 2 We Are the Champions (03:01) 3 Sheer Heart Attack (03:27) 4 All Dead, All Dead (03:10) 5 Spread Your Wings (04:35) 6 Fight From the Inside (03:03) 7 Get Down, Make Love (03:51) 8 Sleeping on the Sidewalk (03:08) 9 Who Needs You (03:06) 10 It’s Late (06:26) 11 My Melancholy Blues (03:30) 1 Mustapha (03:01) 2 Fat Bottomed Girls (04:17) 3 Jealousy (03:13) 4 Bicycle Race (03:02) 5 If You Can’t Beat Them (04:15) 6 Let Me Entertain You (03:02) 7 Dead on Time (03:23) 8 In Only Seven Days (02:30) 9 Dreamer’s Ball (03:30) 10 Fun It (03:29) 11 Leaving Home Ain’t Easy (03:15) 12 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 13 More of That Jazz (04:16) 1 Play the Game (03:32) 2 Dragon Attack (04:19) 3 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 4 Need Your Loving Tonight (02:49) 5 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 6 Rock It (Prime Jive) (04:33) 7 Don’t Try Suicide (03:52) 8 Sail Away Sweet Sister (03:33) 9 Coming Soon (02:51) 10 Save Me (03:48) |
 | Album: 25 of 30 Title: Miniatures: Volume 1 Released: 1998 Tracks: 46 Duration: 2:41:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Keep Yourself Alive (03:47) 2 Doing All Right (04:09) 3 Great King Rat (05:43) 4 My Fairy King (04:08) 5 Liar (06:25) 6 The Night Comes Down (04:23) 7 Modern Times Rock ’n’ Roll (01:48) 8 Son and Daughter (03:23) 9 Jesus (03:44) 10 Seven Seas of Rhye… (01:15) 1 Procession (01:12) 2 Father to Son (06:14) 3 White Queen (As It Began) (04:35) 4 Some Day One Day (04:22) 5 The Loser in the End (04:03) 6 Ogre Battle (04:08) 7 The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke (02:41) 8 Nevermore (01:18) 9 The March of the Black Queen (06:33) 10 Funny How Love Is (02:50) 11 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) 1 Brighton Rock (05:11) 2 Killer Queen (03:01) 3 Tenement Funster (02:47) 4 Flick of the Wrist (03:17) 5 Lily of the Valley (01:45) 6 Now I’m Here (04:15) 7 In the Lap of the Gods (03:22) 8 Stone Cold Crazy (02:16) 9 Dear Friends (01:08) 10 Misfire (01:50) 11 Bring Back That Leroy Brown (02:15) 12 She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos) (04:09) 13 In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited (03:45) 1 Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to…… (03:43) 2 Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon (01:07) 3 I’m in Love With My Car (03:05) 4 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 5 ’39 (03:31) 6 Sweet Lady (04:03) 7 Seaside Rendezvous (02:16) 8 The Prophet’s Song (08:21) 9 Love of My Life (03:38) 10 Good Company (03:23) 11 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 12 God Save the Queen (01:15) |
 | Album: 26 of 30 Title: Greatest Karaoke Hits Released: 1998-11-18 Tracks: 32 Duration: 2:06:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:58) 2 You’re My Best Friend (02:53) 3 Somebody to Love (05:00) 4 Tie Your Mother Down (03:44) 5 We Are the Champions (03:02) 6 We Will Rock You (02:03) 7 Spread Your Wings (04:22) 8 Bicycle Race (03:04) 9 Fat Bottomed Girls (03:18) 10 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:31) 11 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:42) 12 Save Me (03:52) 13 Play the Game (03:29) 14 Another One Bites the Dust (03:36) 15 Flash (02:43) 16 Keep Yourself Alive (03:36) 1 A Kind of Magic (04:16) 2 Under Pressure (04:04) 3 Radio Ga Ga (05:36) 4 I Want It All (04:03) 5 I Want to Break Free (04:10) 6 It’s a Hard Life (04:11) 7 Breakthru (04:12) 8 Who Wants to Live Forever (04:00) 9 The Miracle (05:13) 10 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:25) 11 The Invisible Man (04:17) 12 Hammer to Fall (03:39) 13 Friends Will Be Friends (04:18) 14 The Show Must Go On (04:16) 15 One Vision (04:10) 16 I Was Born to Love You (04:52) |
 | Album: 27 of 30 Title: The Crown Jewels: A 25th Anniversary Celebration Released: 1998-11-24 Tracks: 90 Duration: 5:26:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Keep Yourself Alive (03:47) 2 Doing All Right (04:09) 3 Great King Rat (05:43) 4 My Fairy King (04:08) 5 Liar (06:25) 6 The Night Comes Down (04:23) 7 Modern Times Rock ’n’ Roll (01:48) 8 Son and Daughter (03:23) 9 Jesus (03:44) 10 Seven Seas of Rhye… (01:15) 1 Procession (01:12) 2 Father to Son (06:14) 3 White Queen (As It Began) (04:35) 4 Some Day One Day (04:22) 5 The Loser in the End (04:03) 6 Ogre Battle (04:08) 7 The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke (02:41) 8 Nevermore (01:18) 9 The March of the Black Queen (06:33) 10 Funny How Love Is (02:50) 11 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:49) 1 Brighton Rock (05:11) 2 Killer Queen (03:01) 3 Tenement Funster (02:47) 4 Flick of the Wrist (03:17) 5 Lily of the Valley (01:45) 6 Now I’m Here (04:15) 7 In the Lap of the Gods (03:22) 8 Stone Cold Crazy (02:16) 9 Dear Friends (01:08) 10 Misfire (01:50) 11 Bring Back That Leroy Brown (02:15) 12 She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos) (04:09) 13 In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited (03:45) 1 Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to…… (03:43) 2 Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon (01:07) 3 I’m in Love With My Car (03:05) 4 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 5 ’39 (03:31) 6 Sweet Lady (04:03) 7 Seaside Rendezvous (02:16) 8 The Prophet’s Song (08:21) 9 Love of My Life (03:38) 10 Good Company (03:23) 11 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 12 God Save the Queen (01:15) 1 Tie Your Mother Down (04:48) 2 You Take My Breath Away (05:08) 3 Long Away (03:33) 4 The Millionaire Waltz (04:55) 5 You and I (03:25) 6 Somebody to Love (04:56) 7 White Man (04:59) 8 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 9 Drowse (03:45) 10 Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (05:54) 1 We Will Rock You (02:02) 2 We Are the Champions (03:01) 3 Sheer Heart Attack (03:27) 4 All Dead, All Dead (03:10) 5 Spread Your Wings (04:35) 6 Fight From the Inside (03:03) 7 Get Down, Make Love (03:51) 8 Sleeping on the Sidewalk (03:08) 9 Who Needs You (03:06) 10 It’s Late (06:26) 11 My Melancholy Blues (03:30) 1 Mustapha (03:01) 2 Fat Bottomed Girls (04:17) 3 Jealousy (03:13) 4 Bicycle Race (03:02) 5 If You Can’t Beat Them (04:15) 6 Let Me Entertain You (03:02) 7 Dead on Time (03:23) 8 In Only Seven Days (02:30) 9 Dreamer’s Ball (03:30) 10 Fun It (03:29) 11 Leaving Home Ain’t Easy (03:15) 12 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 13 More of That Jazz (04:16) 1 Play the Game (03:32) 2 Dragon Attack (04:19) 3 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 4 Need Your Loving Tonight (02:49) 5 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 6 Rock It (Prime Jive) (04:33) 7 Don’t Try Suicide (03:52) 8 Sail Away Sweet Sister (03:33) 9 Coming Soon (02:51) 10 Save Me (03:48) |
 | Album: 28 of 30 Title: Greatest Hits Ⅲ Released: 1999-11-08 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:13:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Show Must Go On (live) (04:35) 2 Under Pressure (Rah mix) (04:09) 3 Barcelona (04:25) 4 Too Much Love Will Kill You (04:20) 5 Somebody to Love (live) (05:07) 6 You Don’t Fool Me (05:24) 7 Heaven for Everyone (04:37) 8 Las palabras de amor (The Words of Love) (04:31) 9 Driven by You (04:10) 10 Living on My Own (Julian Raymond mix) (03:38) 11 Let Me Live (04:45) 12 The Great Pretender (03:27) 13 Princes of the Universe (03:32) 14 Another One Bites the Dust (04:20) 15 No‐One but You (Only the Good Die Young) (04:11) 16 These Are the Days of Our Lives (04:21) 17 Thank God It’s Christmas (04:20) |
| Greatest Hits Ⅲ : Allmusic album Review : The history of Queens Greatest Hits albums is impossibly convoluted. The first album with that title was released in 1981, and it was an excellent collection, but it was deleted in America by the end of the 80s. When Hollywood acquired the rights to the Queen catalog in 1991, it didnt reissue the original Greatest Hits album. Instead, it released Classic Queen, a bastardized version of the British compilation Greatest Hits II; it included "Bohemian Rhapsody," along with a couple other tracks from Greatest Hits. Classic Queen was essentially a quick cash-in to capitalize on the bands exposure in the hit film Waynes World, and it served its purpose well. However, since it was pieced together with elements of the first two greatest-hits albums, Hollywood couldnt reissue either one. So, that year they put out their own Greatest Hits, which had the same skeleton as the British Greatest Hits, minus selections that were on Classic Queen, plus a handful of other tracks. To further complicate matters, Hollywood issued Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 in 1995, and this two-disc set contained the original British collections, which Greatest Hits III functions as a sequel to. But Greatest Hits III isnt a hits collection, its a hodgepodge of rarities. The only real hit here is George Michaels live duet with Queen on "Somebody to Love." The rest are remixes, solo cuts, and tracks completed after Freddie Mercurys death. Its nice to get some of these items on one disc, but such a collection could barely be called "hits." It wouldnt be a problem if it was billed as such, but its a sporadic collection of loose ends, a few of which are pretty good, most of which are unnecessary. If casual fans are expecting a true Greatest Hits III, they will be sorely disappointed. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 30 Title: In Vision Released: 2000-06-28 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 2 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 3 I Was Born to Love You (04:49) 4 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 5 Now I’m Here (04:15) 6 We Will Rock You (02:02) 7 We Are the Champions (03:01) 8 Flash (02:48) 9 One Vision (04:02) 10 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 11 Who Wants to Live Forever (04:57) |
 | Album: 30 of 30 Title: Greatest Hits I, II & III: The Platinum Collection Released: 2000-11-13 Tracks: 51 Duration: 3:28:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bohemian Rhapsody (05:55) 2 Another One Bites the Dust (03:35) 3 Killer Queen (03:00) 4 Fat Bottomed Girls (03:23) 5 Bicycle Race (03:02) 6 You’re My Best Friend (02:52) 7 Don’t Stop Me Now (03:30) 8 Save Me (03:48) 9 Crazy Little Thing Called Love (02:43) 10 Somebody to Love (04:56) 11 Now I’m Here (04:15) 12 Good Old‐Fashioned Lover Boy (02:54) 13 Play the Game (03:32) 14 Flash (02:48) 15 Seven Seas of Rhye (02:48) 16 We Will Rock You (02:02) 17 We Are the Champions (03:01) 1 A Kind of Magic (04:24) 2 Under Pressure (04:02) 3 Radio Ga Ga (05:45) 4 I Want It All (04:01) 5 I Want to Break Free (04:18) 6 Innuendo (06:30) 7 It’s a Hard Life (04:08) 8 Breakthru (04:09) 9 Who Wants to Live Forever (04:57) 10 Headlong (04:33) 11 The Miracle (04:54) 12 I’m Going Slightly Mad (04:07) 13 The Invisible Man (03:58) 14 Hammer to Fall (03:40) 15 Friends Will Be Friends (04:08) 16 The Show Must Go On (04:31) 17 One Vision (04:02) 1 The Show Must Go On (live) (04:35) 2 Under Pressure (Rah mix) (04:09) 3 Barcelona (04:25) 4 Too Much Love Will Kill You (04:20) 5 Somebody to Love (live) (05:07) 6 You Don’t Fool Me (05:24) 7 Heaven for Everyone (04:37) 8 Las palabras de amor (The Words of Love) (04:31) 9 Driven by You (04:10) 10 Living on My Own (03:37) 11 Let Me Live (04:45) 12 The Great Pretender (03:27) 13 Princes of the Universe (03:32) 14 Another One Bites the Dust (04:20) 15 No‐One but You (Only the Good Die Young) (04:11) 16 These Are the Days of Our Lives (04:22) 17 Thank God It’s Christmas (04:20) |