Queen are celebrating 40 years since the release of their “Greatest Hits” album. This album was released a mere 10 years after the band had formed, if you can get your heads around that!!
It was orginally released on 26 October 1981 and became the UK’s biggest selling album. It accrued 6 million sales of the certified copy. It also spent 942 weeks and counting on the UK Chart, including four weeks at number 1.
Greatest Hits also hit the top ten of the US Billboard 200, hitting 8th. It has also been in the US Album Charts for 413 weeks. It peaked at number 11 in 1981.
This album also include hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, “Somebody To Love”, “Radio Ga Ga” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Hammer To Fall”. The list goes on.
New Formats
The album’s ruby anniversary will be celebrated with the release of this cassette version. This special reissue will be available in five different colours, along with a new CD version with what has been described as an “exclusive slipcase”.
These will be available worldwide from July 2.
The band also released a statement, saying that a slipcased CD and a clear plastic cassette will be available for everyone to purchase. A limited number of variants will also be available on the band’s wesbite. Check that out here.
These variants will include the following:
- A Collector’s Edition CD With Exclusive Slipcase Cover signed by Brian May and Roger Taylor, bundled with all 4 band member colour cassettes and a Greatest Hits gold plated badge (limited to 1000 signed copies, but already sold out)
- Collector’s Edition Frosted Aqua Cassette – Freddie Mercury Cover
- A Collector’s Edition Transparent Pink Cassette – Brian May Cover
- Collector’s Edition Transparent Green Cassette – Roger Taylor Cover
- Collector’s Edition Transparent Blue Cassette – John Deacon Cover
Queen Celebrate 50th Anniversary
Speaking of anniversaries, 2021 marks 50 years since Queen was formed. Recently, Brian May said that while he is proud of that milestone, it is difficult to celebrate it fully without frontman and friend Freddie Mercury.
Mercury passed away in 1991.
“I think it also…because Freddie’s not here it changes our feelings a little bit. There’s always going to be that little bit of reticence in a sense”, May said. More on that here.
Speaking for Freddie, the life and times of the legendary Queen frontman will be celebrated in a new graphic novel. The novel is called Freddie Mercury: Lover of Life, Singer of Songs and will be available in November.
The book has also been described as “a journey through Freddie’s life; from his childhood in Zanzibar and India’, through his formative years in England, to becoming the rock star, known and loved by millions around the globe. The story is told in his own words, with each chapter giving a glimpse into the many facets of his life”.
Check out Nova’s report on that for more and how you can pre-order a copy here.
