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Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

post #1 of 34
11/17/06 at 7:14am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
NUMBER ONE QUEEN

Queen was crowned with the best-selling album of all time title. The Associated Press reports the Official U-K Charts Company said Queen’s Greatest Hits record has sold more than five point four million copies in Britain since its release in 1981. And that is more that any other album. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band came in second selling four point eight million copies followed by Oasis’ 1995 album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? with four point three million sold. Queen also took the number seven spot with their Greatest Hits II record. Albums by Dire Straits, ABBA, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson and Madonna fell in the top 10 on the list which was compiled by checking more than a half-centuries worth of sales figures.

VH-1 MUSIC FIRST

Two releases by Queen in the top 10? Interesting.
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post #2 of 34
11/17/06 at 9:36am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

I'm surprised by the fairly large (12.5%) lead that GH has over Sgt. Pepper!
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post #3 of 34
11/17/06 at 1:19pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

It's had that title for a while; not really sure why it would be news unless it had overtaken something else.
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post #4 of 34
11/17/06 at 2:08pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Maybe they re-calculate the list annually. I remember a thread about this (or something like it) that went around here maybe earlier this year.
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post #5 of 34
11/18/06 at 6:29am
Thread Starter 

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aaron Silverman
Maybe they re-calculate the list annually. I remember a thread about this (or something like it) that went around here maybe earlier this year.

That was about Queen spending the longest time on the UK charts, overtaking the Beatles (yet again.)
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post #6 of 34
11/18/06 at 6:51am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

I think it's fair to say that in the UK the Beatles tend to be admired whilst Queen are loved. Bohemian Rhapsody et al get regular airplay on the radio, whilst Beatles songs are a relative rarity (certainly far less airplay than in the USA). There's a camp silliness and variety to Queen which appeals to the Brit mentality (I think it's worth adding that nobody takes Queen's songs seriously). When the Beatles tried to be silly, you got Maxwell's Silver Hammer. Enough said.
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post #7 of 34
11/19/06 at 12:01pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrew markworthy
(I think it's worth adding that nobody takes Queen's songs seriously).

Most of the idiot critics don't take Queen's music seriously but to say nobody does would be incorrect IMO.
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post #8 of 34
11/20/06 at 8:05am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

As far as the UK chart is concerned I'd take the Beatles record over Queens.

The Beatles

19 #1's

6 #2's

31 Top 10 hits in 34 years (25 between 1962 - 1970 ... 8 years)

Queen

5 #1's (and that includes Under Pressure with Bowie and the second time at number one for Bohemian Rhapsody in 1991)

6 #2's

25 Top 10 hits in 24 years
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post #9 of 34
11/20/06 at 10:40am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrew markworthy
nobody takes Queen's songs seriously
I can just PITY you and LAUGH in your face.
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post #10 of 34
11/21/06 at 12:35am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
I can just PITY you and LAUGH in your face.
I'm so glad good manners are alive and well.

I was referring to the lyrics and Queen's more portentious songs. Ah, never mind ...

Quote:
As far as the UK chart is concerned I'd take the Beatles record over Queens.
I think it's worth remembering a couple of other things. First, the Beatles, at least in their early days, could have recited the telephone directory and it'd have reached number 1. Queen always had a loyal following but could never rely on an uncritical mass market of teenage girls who'd buy anything by them. Second, it's worth taking a careful look at the 1960s charts in the UK. People tend to think that the big sellers were The Beatles, The Kinks, The Who, etc. In fact, there was a lot of MOR dross as well. Queen were arguably competing in a more like for like market against the likes of Bowie, etc.

I'm not denying that the Beatles have in objective terms more singles hits, but they arguably had less competition.

And before anyone starts the tedious argument, this doesn't mean that Queen are 'better' than the Beatles. The two bands were active at different times with different expectations and styles.

I've sometimes wondered what music some of the later pop stars would have produced if they'd started in an earlier era. In the case of Queen, I think they'd have ended up sounding like an amalgam of The Who and The Kinks.
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post #11 of 34
11/21/06 at 12:07pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrew markworthy
I'm so glad good manners are alive and well.

I was referring to the lyrics and Queen's more portentious songs. Ah, never mind ...

Maybe "nobody takes Queen's songs seriously" was the wrong choice of words.

At any rate, I understood what you meant and agree completely. Perhaps bombast without pretension would be a good way to put it.
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post #12 of 34
11/21/06 at 8:59pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Its such an unjust world that Queen have such mass acclaim and the more talented Mael Brothers of Sparks are confined to obscurity.

I also think Ray Davies is a better songwriter than Lennon, McCartney, Springsteen, etc. so I'm probably in the minority there too.
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post #13 of 34
11/22/06 at 7:46am
Thread Starter 

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg.G
Its such an unjust world that Queen have such mass acclaim and the more talented Mael Brothers of Sparks are confined to obscurity.

and ironically, Sparks had, at one time, asked Brian May to join their group.
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post #14 of 34
11/23/06 at 1:15am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
I also think Ray Davies is a better songwriter than Lennon, McCartney
If you're talking about better than Lennon and McCartney's solo outputs, I agree totally. Better than Lennon *&* McCartney? I would say that as a lyricist he was better, but I don't think his melodies are *quite* on a par. As for better than Springsteen, I've always struggled to see why 'The Boss' was so highly regarded. His early albums are fun, but by the time you get to Darkness at the Edge of Town the earnest portentiousness swamps everything. There's the occasional glimmer of the old self (e.g. Hungry Heart with that wonderful line 'we fell in love, I knew it had to end') but there's only so long I can listen to a millionaire bemoaning how miserable life is in middle America.

Other folks' mileage may differ.

Quote:
Perhaps bombast without pretension would be a good way to put it.

Aaron, neatly put.
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post #15 of 34
11/23/06 at 7:20am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg.G
Its such an unjust world that Queen have such mass acclaim and the more talented Mael Brothers of Sparks are confined to obscurity.
Is this some kind of a joke? Because it isn't funny at all. Who the **** is Mael Brothers!? And they are more talented than who!?
More talented than Freddie - the greatest singer in the history of mankind?
More talented than Brian - one of the most intelligent, interesting and beloved guitarists ever?
More talented than John - one of the most significant bass players in the world and in the same time certainly the most humble person in the whole history of rock?
More talented than Roger - percussion perfectionist?
And ALL FOUR of them are top class song-writers and what is even more important - wonderful human beings.
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post #16 of 34
11/23/06 at 3:42pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

> Its such an unjust world that Queen have such mass acclaim and the more talented Mael Brothers of Sparks are confined to obscurity.

You did mean that as a joke, right? At least when the Queen fan club meets, they aren't able to hold it in a phone booth.
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post #17 of 34
11/23/06 at 6:15pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by M
And ALL FOUR of them are top class song-writers and what is even more important - wonderful human beings.
I've always thought this was what made Queen really stand out. Many groups do have better musicians (much as I am a May fan, he's not better than, say, Clapton or Hendrix), but I am hard pressed to think of any group where ALL the members were such talented songwriters, whether individually (as they operated in the earlier years) or in collaboration. Most other groups tended to be dominated by a pair of songwriters, or one or two individuals: the Beatles and Lennon & McCartney being the most obvious.

Oh, and of course Freddie's incomparable voice.
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post #18 of 34
11/23/06 at 7:49pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yee-Ming
whether individually (as they operated in the earlier years) or in collaboration
Hi Yee-Ming!
Well, actually, althought most of the songs on the last few albums are credited as being written by 'Queen' - that was only some internal psychological thing of theirs. But in fact, with only few exceptions, they wrote individually even those later songs.
(For me it's hard to imagine that several persons could write 1 song - I believe that's quite rare.)
You have lots of sites dealing with that issue - who wrote what on Queen's later albums. You'll be surprised with some findings.
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post #19 of 34
11/24/06 at 6:53am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by M
More talented than John - one of the most significant bass players in the world and in the same time certainly the most humble person in the whole history of rock?
And don't forget after the Wembly show, Fashion Icon and role-model for the rest of us.
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post #20 of 34
11/27/06 at 10:48pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by M
Is this some kind of a joke? Because it isn't funny at all. Who the **** is Mael Brothers!? And they are more talented than who!?
More talented than Freddie - the greatest singer in the history of mankind?
More talented than Brian - one of the most intelligent, interesting and beloved guitarists ever?
More talented than John - one of the most significant bass players in the world and in the same time certainly the most humble person in the whole history of rock?
More talented than Roger - percussion perfectionist?
And ALL FOUR of them are top class song-writers and what is even more important - wonderful human beings.

I never thought of Queen as four talented individuals. Maybe I haven't heard enough of the non-radio airplay songs for that to come across. But I would have to ask: Are they more talented than the original lineup of the Who? Were they beter live than the Who? I have serious doubts unless I see or hear something to change my mind.

Regarding Sparks: http://youtube.com/watch?v=na8oDCKp6AU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=c_gDiD1Ocbk

Regarding Queen: http://starling.rinet.ru/music/queen.htm --> "One thing I must warn you about first: please, for Heaven's sake, pay no attention to Freddie Mercury and the others' lyrics. They are atrocious, horrendous, abysmal, some of the worst crap I've ever witnessed. Basically, lyrics are either supposed to mean something or just to sound cool, sometimes both. Well, Freddie and co. always wrote lyrics that did neither. The imagery in their songs is pretentious, senseless, pointless, not to mention that it's badly, oh so badly cliched - at least Jon Anderson of Yes (one of my main anti-heroes, as you probably know) did not rely so heavily on poetic formulas invented long before him, trying out his own word combinations. Freddie just seems like he's taking certain gothic poetry books off the shelf and randomly picking out quotations. Unfortunately, this unbelievably cheap trick also works for the fans - many take that great lyrical put-on for real. Only goes to show you... "

Records sales have very little to do with actual talent. Nirvana was more popular than the Pixies or Husker Du put together; Rage Against the Machine was more popular than the Dead Kennedys; Trent Reznor is much more well known than Brian Eno; David Bowie is 100 times more well known than Steve Harley; Radiohead has had more of the limelight than Joy Division ever had; Springsteen is held in much more esteem than Ray Davies; Tortoise>Neu; Depeche Mode were worshipped and Split Enz were forgotten, etc., etc.

Let me restate that I think that Ray Davies was a better songwriter than any individual Beetle. This is a hard comparison to make though when there are so many Beetles songs billed as "Lennon/McCartney." Keep in mind that Ray Davies was pretty much 90% of the heart and mind of the Kinks. His melodies weren't the greatest but they were better than Dylan's while his lyrics and themes came close to matching Dylan.
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post #21 of 34
11/28/06 at 12:13am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by M
Well, actually, althought most of the songs on the last few albums are credited as being written by 'Queen' - that was only some internal psychological thing of theirs. But in fact, with only few exceptions, they wrote individually even those later songs.
Interesting. My understanding was that because of the issue of song-writing royalties, in the early days they tried to be "fair" and each member would get, say, two songs on an 8-song album, and because of that each member would tend to be rather possessive of the song during recording, often rejecting ideas from the others as to how to arrange or re-write the song. The most notorious example quoted was the Bohemian Rhapsody single, which earned extra millions for Freddie, the songwriter -- but also earned the same extra millions for Roger Taylor, who had written the B-side (whose name escapes me, which also shows how arbitrary the whole thing can be).

By 1986 they were tired of that, and presumably had all made a fair bit of money already, so henceforth all songs were credited to "Queen", regardless of who first brought the main idea in, and collaboration was more extensive thereafter. But I guess for each song, one individual first came up with the main melody and lyrics.
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post #22 of 34
11/28/06 at 1:21pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
The most notorious example quoted was the Bohemian Rhapsody single, which earned extra millions for Freddie, the songwriter -- but also earned the same extra millions for Roger Taylor, who had written the B-side (whose name escapes me, which also shows how arbitrary the whole thing can be).

"I'm in Love with My Car."
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post #23 of 34
11/29/06 at 10:35am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Are they more talented than the original lineup of the Who? Were they beter live than the Who?

Saturn isn't as big as Jupiter, but it's still pretty freakin' huge.

(Actually, if we're talking simply technical musical prowess, I'd rank Freddie and Brian ahead of Roger and Pete, but in terms of rock songwriting genius Pete wins the prize hands-down.)
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post #24 of 34
11/29/06 at 10:37am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by M
More talented than John - one of the most significant bass players in the world and in the same time certainly the most humble person in the whole history of rock?

Just curious. . .John Deacon is certainly a fine player, but in what way do you consider him to be "one of the most significant bass players in the world?"

(Entwhistle, on the other hand. . .)
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post #25 of 34
12/4/06 at 7:15am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

I don't think of John Deacon when I think of 'big time' bass players. That's reserved for the likes of John Entwhistle, John Paul Jones or Jack Bruce, IMO.

I find it interesting, and surprising, that Queen is so much bigger in the UK than Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones. Might it have something to do with the roots and subject matter of their music (i.e. '39 or Brighton Rock) compared with the Stones and Zeppelin who focused on and took American Blues and made it their own???
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post #26 of 34
12/6/06 at 8:27pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Ok, one, I am biased as Queen is my favorite band, I have met Brian and am friends with a girl who did backups on his tour.This thread shouldn't degenerate into a praise/bash Queen thread but here's an inteteresting thing to note. How many world class rock and roll singers fell on their face at the Queen freddie Mercury tribute concert? Many. Many actually had the keys lowered for the songs because as Robert Plant said on one of the documentaries, "people just can't do a Freddie..." Plant also absolutely butchered "Innuendo" and refused to have it allowed to be used on the Concert VHS or DVD that was released. Roger Daltrey cracked his head off on "I want it all"...
Seal stated in an interview that the song he wanted to do was "Who Wants To Live Forever" because it was his favorite Queen song and then he TRIED to sing it and thought, "Oh Great, this will be the end of my career..."
My old guitar player (who has a Master's from Columbia University in Music, plays about 6 different instruments incredibly well, some at classical concert level including lute, thiorbo, guitar, harp...) when observing that Brian May was suddenly having to play his repertiore note for note in several new keys to accomodate the singers who "couldn't do a Freddie" with just a couple of days practice was astonished. All you have to do is listen to Brian playing "Brighton Rock" live on the Live Killers album where he plays with 2 delays in harmony with himself live for several minutes to see how "accomplished" a musician he is. He also built his guitar with his father when he was like 15 and the unmistakeable "Brian May sound" has been highly regarded for years by guitar players with several Brian May copies by numerous manufacturers all trying to capture it.
Here's Brian on an acoustic, playing a bluesy/then rock version of "TYMD". Pretty damned impressive.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=oR9RboAf9Q8

And John Deacon is an excellent bass player. He and Roger were an amazing "rythym section" who were solid with very nice little flourishes. Is he as flashy as Entwistle? No. But Entwistle (who bordered on overplaying 90% of the time IMHO...) couldn't hold a groove to save his ass. And Moon was sloppy as hell. Roger could be just as "all over the place" in that style when he wanted to be, (the first few Queen albums show this as well as his live drum solo in "Keep Yourself Alive" at the rainbow '74) but was technically much tighter and much more musical. The average Keith Moon fill sounds like a drunk falling down the stairs in my opinion.
And the 2 of them grooved. And rocked. And could swing. Listen to "Stone Cold Crazy" for an example of how awesome they were as a rhthym section.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VHQk6HFn4rE
and that's LIVE....

They are all VERY accomplished musicians. They all wrote and played multiple instruments. Even Roger played guitar on a few tracks like "Sheer Heart Attack", "Tenement Funster", "Drowse"...
If all one has ever heard is "the Hits" or the singles, then one should really listen to the first 5 or so albums. The diversity on Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack or A Night at the opera is mind boggling. Listen to "Death On Two Legs" and how it goes right into "Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon..." They also were pioneers in the studio. If you can watch "Classic Albums- A Night At The Opera" you would be pretty amazed at what they attempted and accomplished back in 1975. I am constantly humbled while recording and mixing my own music when I watch any behind the scenes/studio doc. stuff on them.
And Queen when they were on live were untouchable. If you ever get a chance to see Live At The Rainbow from 1974 you would be pretty amazed.


Yes, Queen were often WAY over the top, (glam era origins...) and often had questionable taste but also had many, many sincere and simply beautiful songs such as "Love Of MY Life", "You take my Breath Away" and could run the gamut to rockers like "Tie Your Mother Down" or "Brighton Rock" They are not everyone's cup of tea but to suggest that they were not good songwriters or musicians is pretty ignorant IMHO.

Also, all you need to do is watch Live Aid. With the exception of U2 and maybe Ultravox, Queen simply kicked ass that day and Bob Geldof said that "regardless of your taste in music, Queen were absolutely the best band of the day." On record. Many other artists like Sting, Elton John said the same. Considering that virtually every popular band in existence played that day, it tells you something. No sound check, fingers crossed that all the equipment is good to go, (and in Roger's case, his monitor was NOT working properly as he had to watch Freddie's fingers on the piano during "Bohemian.." to know when to come in correctly...) 20 minutes to play your tunes and connect to an audience that is not just there to see you and then watch by the end of "we are the champions" how every single person at Wembley is swaying and WAY into it and then compare and contrast that to the average audience reaction for virtually every other band that day...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xn1w3kLoOuA

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post #27 of 34
12/7/06 at 2:31pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Thank you Dave for your post.
It would be much harder for me to write such a good answer, because english is not my native language.
And I would probably just answer to Aaron (and others) only something like this...

We're all here on hometheaterforum because of DVD's, in the first place. So let's stay in that area. You will get ALL THE ANSWERS concerning Queen when you watch these DVD's:

- QUEEN "GREATEST VIDEO HITS 1"
- QUEEN "GREATEST VIDEO HITS 2"
- QUEEN "THE MAKING OF PLUS 30TH ANNIVERSARY DVD EDITION OF A NIGHT AT THE OPERA"
- QUEEN "WE WILL ROCK YOU"
- QUEEN "ON FIRE - LIVE AT THE BOWL"
- QUEEN "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS - FINAL LIVE IN JAPAN"
- QUEEN "LIVE AT WEMBLEY STADIUM"
- QUEEN + "THE FREDDIE MERCURY TRIBUTE CONCERT"
- LIVE AID
- FREDDIE MERCURY "THE VIDEO COLLECTION"
- FREDDIE MERCURY "THE UNTOLD STORY"

Queen is probably the most underrated and misunderstood band today.

I'm a huge Iron Maiden fan, I love Black Sabbath, I'm crazy about The KLF, I bow down before Kraftwerk, and I thank Public Enemy for virtually raising me to be a man that I am today - BUT QUEEN IS THE BIGGEST BAND EVER.

If you don't feel it, I can't explain that to anyone. Nor I can explain Aaron why Deacon is "one of the most significant bass players in the world". The truth is there for all to see. Some see it... and some will always talk about Beatles, Stones, Pink Floyd or The Who.

Thank you and good night.
And God save the Queen.
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post #28 of 34
12/7/06 at 3:09pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

All those others bands are great too. I don't know why people tend to pit bands and musicians against one another (I'm guilty too as evidenced by my previous post) as if it were a sport, (so and so plays faster than so and so so he's "better!!!" So and so plays more notes so he's "better". People connect with bands for many reasons. It's hard to explain exactly why but when a band "hooks" you, you just know it and get very protective.

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post #29 of 34
12/7/06 at 11:06pm

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Mack
All those others bands are great too. I don't know why people tend to pit bands and musicians against one another (I'm guilty too as evidenced by my previous post) as if it were a sport, (so and so plays faster than so and so so he's "better!!!" So and so plays more notes so he's "better". People connect with bands for many reasons. It's hard to explain exactly why but when a band "hooks" you, you just know it and get very protective.
Well put. FWIW I am a fan of both Pink Floyd and Queen, just don't ask me to choose between the two (although I tend to play more PF than Queen).

Having said that I also like Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran...
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post #30 of 34
12/8/06 at 5:06am

Re: Queen's "Greatest Hits" biggest selling album in UK history

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yee-Ming
Duran Duran...
Why that shame??? If anyone thinks that Duran Duran were just one of many stupid bands for teen girls - check their DVD's "Sing Blue Silver" and "Greatest". They were huge... and their quality and talent was never questionable.
Of course, Duran Duran were on top of the world in 1983 - BECAUSE Queen were inactive that year.
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