Monday, November 12, 2018

Queen score biggest US chart success in four decades



The companion soundtrack to Queen’s biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” has delivered the band their highest-charting US album in almost four decades.

According to Billboard, the project jumps from No. 25 to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in its third week after sales of 59,000 units (up 187 percent) earned in the week ending November 8 according to Nielsen Music.

The set includes the title tune, “Under Pressure” with David Bowie, a new remix of “We Will Rock You”, and a handful of tracks from the band’s performance at Live Aid in 1985 - the first time the recordings have been released in audio form.

Issued on October 19, sales of the soundtrack have taken off following the film’s arrival in theaters worldwide where it topped the global box office with a huge opening weekend.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher, the biopic stars Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury and follows Queen from their creation in 1970 through their rise to international stardom and the Live Aid appearance.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” marks Queen’s highest-charting US album since 1980’s “The Game”, which spent five weeks at No. 1 and featured two US No. 1 hit single: “Another One Bites The Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

The film’s success has also pushed other Queen records back up the US charts, with the 2000 compilation, “Greatest Hits I II & III: The Platinum Collection”, jumping from No. 194 to No.9 with 39,000 more units (up 662 percent) sold – to deliver the iconic UK band a pair of albums in the top 10 at the same time for the first time ever – while 1981’s “Greatest Hits” climbs from No.71 to No 48 following sales of 13,000 more units (up 26 percent).


See also:

Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody film tops global box office on opening weekend
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack debuts on US charts
Queen stream final video trailer for Bohemian Rhapsody biopic
VIDEO: Queen preview We Will Rock You from Bohemian Rhapsody biopic
Search Queen at hennemusic