Absolute Greatest
2009 greatest hits album by Queen
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Absolute Greatest is a 2009 compilation album by the British rock band Queen. The album contains 20 of their most famous songs, and is available in several formats, including the single CD edition, a 2 CD special edition featuring audio commentaries by Brian May and Roger Taylor, a 52-page hardback book with the 2 CDs, digital download, and an LP edition box set. Each track has been remastered from the original tapes.[5]
| Absolute Greatest | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | 11 November 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 1973–1995 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 79:28 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | various | |||
| Queen chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Classic Rock | [2] |
| Q | [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
A promotion running on the band's official website, Queen Online, gave fans the opportunity to guess the placings of the tracks on the album and win a prize if their answer was correct (a new track was revealed daily). The prize winner was then chosen in a random selection.[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "We Will Rock You" (from News of the World, 1977) | Brian May | 2:02 |
| 2. | "We Are the Champions" (from News of the World, 1977) | Freddie Mercury | 3:01 |
| 3. | "Radio Ga Ga" (from The Works, 1984) | Roger Taylor | 5:48 |
| 4. | "Another One Bites the Dust" (from The Game, 1980) | John Deacon | 3:35 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "I Want It All" (single version, from The Miracle, 1989) | Queen (May) | 4:01 |
| 6. | "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (from The Game, 1980) | Mercury | 2:44 |
| 7. | "A Kind of Magic" (from A Kind of Magic, 1986) | Taylor | 4:25 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Under Pressure" (with David Bowie, from Hot Space, 1982) | Queen, Bowie | 4:08 |
| 9. | "One Vision" (single version, from A Kind of Magic, 1986) | Queen (Taylor) | 4:04 |
| 10. | "You're My Best Friend" (from, A Night at the Opera, 1975) | Deacon | 2:51 |
| 11. | "Don't Stop Me Now" (from Jazz, 1978) | Mercury | 3:30 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Killer Queen" (from Sheer Heart Attack, 1974) | Mercury | 3:00 |
| 13. | "These Are the Days of Our Lives" (from Innuendo, 1991) | Queen (Taylor) | 4:13 |
| 14. | "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Greatest Hits II edit, from A Kind of Magic, 1986) | May | 4:55 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Seven Seas of Rhye" (from Queen II, 1974) | Mercury | 2:46 |
| 16. | "Heaven for Everyone" (single version, from Made in Heaven, 1995) | Taylor | 4:43 |
| 17. | "Somebody to Love" (from A Day at the Races, 1976) | Mercury | 4:55 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18. | "I Want to Break Free" (single version, from The Works, 1984) | Deacon | 4:19 |
| 19. | "The Show Must Go On" (from Innuendo, 1991) | Queen (May) | 4:32 |
| 20. | "Bohemian Rhapsody" (from A Night at the Opera, 1975) | Mercury | 5:56 |
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals, piano, guitar, keyboards, synthesiser
- Brian May - guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, synthesiser, orchestral arrangements on "Who Wants to Live Forever", co-lead vocals on "I Want It All" and "Who Wants to Live Forever"
- Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, keyboards, synthesiser, electronic drums, backing vocals
- John Deacon - bass guitar, piano, guitar, keyboards, synthesiser
- David Bowie - vocals, hand claps, finger snaps, keyboards on "Under Pressure"
- Fred Mandel - synthesiser on "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want To Break Free"
- National Philharmonic Orchestra - strings on "Who Wants To Live Forever"
- Michael Kamen - conductor and orchestral arrangements on "Who Wants To Live Forever"
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[37] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38] | Gold | 15,000^ |
| Hungary (MAHASZ)[39] | Platinum | 6,000^ |
| Ireland (IRMA)[40] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
| Italy (FIMI)[41] | Gold | 35,000* |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[42] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[43] | Gold | 10,000* |
| Portugal (AFP)[44] | Gold | 10,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[45] | 2× Platinum | 600,000^ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||