Absolute Greatest
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Absolute Greatest
| type = greatest
| artist = Queen
| cover = Queen Absolute Greatest.jpg
| alt =
| released = 11 November 2009
| recorded = 1973–1995
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Rock
| length = 79:28
| label = {{hlist|Parlophone|Hollywood}}
| producer = various
| prev_title = The Singles Collection Volume 2
| prev_year = 2009
| next_title = The Singles Collection Volume 3
| next_year = 2010
| misc =
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1660992}}
| rev2 = Classic Rock
| rev3 = Q
| rev4 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/queen/albumguide |title=Queen: Album Guide |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=12 June 2012}}
|noprose=yes
}}
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.[http://www.queenonline.com/news/1439 Press Release: Absolute Greatest] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105012016/http://www.queenonline.com/news/1439 |date=5 January 2010 }}. Queen online, 3 September 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
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.[http://www.queenonline.com/tracklistcomp Tracklisting Competition] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813074610/http://www.queenonline.com/tracklistcomp |date=13 August 2009 }}. Queen online. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = We Will Rock You
| note1 = from News of the World, 1977
| writer1 = Brian May
| length1 = 2:02
| title2 = We Are the Champions
| note2 = from News of the World, 1977
| writer2 = Freddie Mercury
| length2 = 3:01
| title3 = Radio Ga Ga
| note3 = from The Works, 1984
| writer3 = Roger Taylor
| length3 = 5:48
| title4 = Another One Bites the Dust
| note4 = from The Game, 1980
| writer4 = John Deacon
| length4 = 3:35
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| title5 = I Want It All
| note5 = single version, from The Miracle, 1989
| writer5 = Queen (May)
| length5 = 4:01
| title6 = Crazy Little Thing Called Love
| note6 = from The Game, 1980
| writer6 = Mercury
| length6 = 2:44
| title7 = A Kind of Magic
| note7 = from A Kind of Magic, 1986
| writer7 = Taylor
| length7 = 4:25
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side three
| title8 = Under Pressure
| note8 = with David Bowie, from Hot Space, 1982
| writer8 = Queen, Bowie
| length8 = 4:08
| title9 = One Vision
| note9 = single version, from A Kind of Magic, 1986
| writer9 = Queen (Taylor)
| length9 = 4:04
| title10 = You're My Best Friend
| note10 = from, A Night at the Opera, 1975
| writer10 = Deacon
| length10 = 2:51
| title11 = Don't Stop Me Now
| note11 = from Jazz, 1978
| writer11 = Mercury
| length11 = 3:30
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side four
| title12 = Killer Queen
| note12 = from Sheer Heart Attack, 1974
| writer12 = Mercury
| length12 = 3:00
| title13 = These Are the Days of Our Lives
| note13 = from Innuendo, 1991
| writer13 = Queen (Taylor)
| length13 = 4:13
| title14 = Who Wants to Live Forever
| note14 = Greatest Hits II edit, from A Kind of Magic, 1986
| writer14 = May
| length14 = 4:55
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side five
| title15 = Seven Seas of Rhye
| note15 = from Queen II, 1974
| writer15 = Mercury
| length15 = 2:46
| title16 = Heaven for Everyone
| note16 = single version, from Made in Heaven, 1995
| writer16 = Taylor
| length16 = 4:43
| title17 = Somebody to Love
| note17 = from A Day at the Races, 1976
| writer17 = Mercury
| length17 = 4:55
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side six
| title18 = I Want to Break Free
| note18 = single version, from The Works, 1984
| writer18 = Deacon
| length18 = 4:19
| title19 = The Show Must Go On
| note19 = from Innuendo, 1991
| writer19 = Queen (May)
| length19 = 4:32
| title20 = Bohemian Rhapsody
| note20 = from A Night at the Opera, 1975
| writer20 = Mercury
| length20 = 5:56
}}
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals, piano, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer
- Brian May - guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizer, 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, synthesizer, electronic drums, backing vocals
- John Deacon - bass guitar, piano, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer
- David Bowie - vocals, hand claps, finger snaps, keyboards on "Under Pressure"
- Fred Mandel - synthesizer 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
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
= Weekly charts =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2009)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Australia|18|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Austria|10|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Wallonia|22|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Denmark|6|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| French Compilations Albuns (SNEP){{cite web|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Albums_ChartRun.php |title=Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé |work=InfoDisc |language=fr |format=PHP |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820092500/http://www.infodisc.fr/Albums_ChartRun.php |archive-date=20 August 2008 |df=dmy }} Find "QUEEN" under the drop-down menu to see statistics.
|style="text-align:center;"|11 |
| {{album chart|Germany4|23|id=120965|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Hungary|4|year=2009|week=51|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| Irish Albums (IRMA){{cite web |title=Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 19 November 2009 |url=http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2009&year=2009&week=47 |publisher=GfK Chart-Track |access-date=8 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905140050/http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2009&year=2009&week=47 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 September 2017}}
| style="text-align:center" | 9 |
| {{album chart|Italy|21|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Mexico|22|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Norway|6|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Portugal|4|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Scotland|3|date=20091122|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Spain|20|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Sweden|5|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|15|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|3|date=20091122|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2010)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Flanders|15|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Netherlands|36|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| {{album chart|New Zealand|6|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2011)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Finland|15|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=21 May 2021}} |
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2018)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|10|artist=Queen|album=Absolute Greatest|access-date=2 August 2020}} |
{{col-2}}
= Year-end charts =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2009)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/2009-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 2009|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=7 February 2022}}
|style="text-align:center;"|35 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/83?dspy=2009&dspp=1|title=Årslista Album – År 2009|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv|access-date=21 May 2021}}
|style="text-align:center;"|34 |
| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20090104/37502/|title=End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2009|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=21 May 2021}}
|style="text-align:center;"|17 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Gold|certyear=2009}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Gold|source=chart|certyear=2009|id=51|relyear=2009|relmonth=11}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Hungary|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Platinum|certyear=2010|relyear=2009|relmonth=11}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Ireland|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Platinum|certyear=2009}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Gold|relyear=2009}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Platinum|source=archive}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Gold|domestic=false|relyear=2009|certyear=2010|access-date=18 April 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Gold|source=archive|certyear=2009|relyear=2009}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title=Absolute Greatest|artist=Queen|award=Platinum|number=2|id=8540-1614-2}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130529171430/http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/absolute-greatest/ Queen official website: Discography: Absolute Greatest] (no lyrics included)
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QM7LjyvHqE Television ad (official video)]
{{Queen}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Queen (band) compilation albums
Category:2009 greatest hits albums