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Greatest Hits II (Queen album)

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Greatest Hits II
Greatest hits album by
Queen
Released28 October 1991
Recorded1981–1990
1981–1995 (2011 Japan reissue edition)
GenreRock
Length76:32
Label
Queen chronology
CD Single Box
(1991) 		Greatest Hits II
(1991) 		Classic Queen
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link
NME4/10[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[2]

Greatest Hits II is a compilation album by the British rock band Queen, released on 28 October 1991.[3] The album consisted of Queen's biggest hits between 1981 and 1991, from the UK chart-topper "Under Pressure" to "The Show Must Go On".

The compilation Greatest Hits II reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, and is the tenth best-selling album in the UK with sales of 3.9 million copies as of 2014.[4] It is the seventh best-selling album in Germany,[5] the thirteenth best-selling album in France,[6] and the best-selling album by a foreign artist in Finland.[7][8] Accumulated sales (Greatest Hits II and Classic Queen for the US and Canada combined) are in excess of 25 million worldwide.[9][10]

Freddie Mercury designed the crest on the album cover, using the astrological signs of the four members: two Leos (Roger Taylor and John Deacon), one Cancer (Brian May) and one Virgo (Mercury).[11]

Content

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The compilation contains most of Queen's hits from 1981 to 1991. The singles "Body Language", "Back Chat", "Las Palabras de Amor", "Thank God It's Christmas", "Princes of the Universe" and "Scandal" were omitted for this release. "Las Palabras de Amor", "Thank God It's Christmas", "These Are the Days of Our Lives" and "Princes of the Universe" were later included on Greatest Hits III.[12]

Release

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Greatest Hits II was released less than a month before the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury and was the last Queen release of any kind while he was still alive. The album was not initially made available in the United States and was replaced with its counterpart Classic Queen in early 1992 to capitalise on the band's renewed popularity in the country following the inclusion of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in Wayne's World.[13][14] Greatest Hits II was later made available in the US with its inclusion in two box sets, Greatest Hits I & II in 1994, and The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II & III in 2002. On 19 April 2011, Hollywood Records released the newly remastered version of Greatest Hits II in the United States as an individual album for the first time.

A companion video release entitled Greatest Flix II was released at the same time, but is currently out of print. Most of the videos are now available on the DVD Greatest Video Hits 2 with the exception of the videos from the 1991 Innuendo album.

Track listing

[edit]
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."A Kind of Magic"Roger TaylorA Kind of Magic, 19864:22
2."Under Pressure" (with David Bowie)Queen, David BowieHot Space, 19823:57
3."Radio Ga Ga"TaylorThe Works, 19845:43
4."I Want It All" (single mix)Queen (Brian May)The Miracle, 19894:01
5."I Want to Break Free" (single mix)John DeaconThe Works, 19844:18
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
6."Innuendo"Queen (Mercury/Taylor)Innuendo, 19916:27
7."It's a Hard Life"Freddie MercuryThe Works, 19844:09
8."Breakthru"Queen (Mercury/Taylor)The Miracle, 19894:09
9."Who Wants to Live Forever"MayA Kind of Magic, 19865:16
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
10."Headlong"Queen (May)Innuendo, 19914:37
11."The Miracle"Queen (Mercury/Deacon)The Miracle, 19895:01
12."I'm Going Slightly Mad"Queen (Mercury)Innuendo, 19914:22
13."The Invisible Man"Queen (Taylor)The Miracle, 19893:58
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
14."Hammer to Fall" (single mix)MayThe Works, 19843:40
15."Friends Will Be Friends"Mercury, DeaconA Kind of Magic, 19864:08
16."The Show Must Go On"Queen (May)Innuendo, 19914:37
17."One Vision" (single mix)Queen (Taylor)A Kind of Magic, 19864:02
Total length:76:32
CD version
Some tracks were edited for CD by David Richards.
No.TitleLength
1."A Kind of Magic" (early fade)4:22
2."Under Pressure" (edited version)3:58
3."Radio Ga Ga"5:43
4."I Want It All" (single version)4:01
5."I Want to Break Free" (single remix)4:18
6."Innuendo"6:27
7."It's a Hard Life"4:09
8."Breakthru"4:09
9."Who Wants to Live Forever" (edited version)4:57
10."Headlong" (original Innuendo LP edit)4:33
11."The Miracle" (early fade)4:54
12."I'm Going Slightly Mad" (original Innuendo LP edit)4:07
13."The Invisible Man"3:58
14."Hammer to Fall" (single version)3:40
15."Friends Will Be Friends"4:10
16."The Show Must Go On" (early fade-out)4:23
17."One Vision" (single version)4:01
Total length:75:57
2011 Japan reissue bonus track
Available on iTunes.
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
18."I Was Born to Love You" (From Made in Heaven, 1995)Mercury4:48
Total length:79:53

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[43] Diamond 500,000^
Australia (ARIA)[44] 8× Platinum 560,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[45] 4× Platinum 200,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[46] 2× Platinum 500,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[47] Gold 10,000‡
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[48] 2× Platinum 149,622[48]
France (SNEP)[49] Diamond 1,000,000*
Germany (BVMI)[50] 9× Gold 2,250,000^
Italy
sales: October 1991 - February 1992 		— 500,000[51]
Italy (FIMI)[52]
sales since 2009 		Platinum 50,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[54] Platinum 250,000[53]
Netherlands (NVPI)[55] 5× Platinum 500,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[56] Gold 10,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[57] 5× Platinum 500,000^
Sweden (GLF)[58] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[59] 5× Platinum 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[61] 13× Platinum 3,900,000[60]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ Quantick, David (9 November 1991). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 32.
  2. ^ Rolling Stone Album Guide
  3. ^ Queen; Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Top 40 Best Selling Albums 28 July 1956 – 14 June 2009" (PDF). BPI. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Highest Gold Platinum certifications as of 2008" (PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 January 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Disque en france" (in French). SNEP. Archived from the original on 12 November 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät kotimaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  8. ^ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät ulkomaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  9. ^ BPI – UK Best Selling Albums of All Time (14 June 2009) Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 13 June 2011
  10. ^ Queen Greatest Hits I and II Review BBC. Retrieved 17 June 2011
  11. ^ Anderson, Sarah 50 Geeky Facts About Queen, NME. Accessed 28 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Queen - Greatest Hits III". Allmusic. Retrieved 25 April 2021
  13. ^ "Hollywood Records Hails Older Queen Product". Billboard. 25 July 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  14. ^ Brown, Matthew (2012). Debussy Redux: The Impact of His Music on Popular Culture. Indiana University Press. p. 155. ISBN 9780253357168. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). Australian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  16. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  17. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  18. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). New Zealand Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  19. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). Swiss Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  20. ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1991". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  21. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). Austrian Charts (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  22. ^ "Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé". InfoDisc (in French). Archived from the original (PHP) on 18 February 2010. Find "QUEEN" under the drop-down menu to see statistics.
  23. ^ "Chartverfolgung / Queen / Longplay". Music Line (in German). Media Control Charts. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  24. ^ "Archivum: Top 40 Album". Mahasz (in Hungarian). Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  25. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  26. ^ Music & Media, vol. 9, issue 2; Jan 11, 1992
  27. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  28. ^ "Top album Classifica settimanale WK 39". FIMI. 25 September 2006. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  29. ^ a b "Los más vendidos 2018" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  30. ^ "Queen – Greatest Hits II (Album)" (ASP). Spanish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  31. ^ "Queen Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  32. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  33. ^ "Ultratop.be – Queen – Greatest Hits II" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  34. ^ "Ultratop.be – Queen – Greatest Hits II" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  35. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista sprzedaży - albumy" (in Polish). OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Note: Change the date to 08.12.2023–14.12.2023 under "zmień zakres od–do:". Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  36. ^ "Queen Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  37. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  38. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1992". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  39. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1993 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  40. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  41. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2019". Ultratop. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  42. ^ "Top 100 México - Los más vendidos 2019" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  43. ^ "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  44. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  45. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Queen – Greatest Hits II" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  46. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Queen – Greatest Hits II" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  47. ^ "Danish album certifications – Queen – Greatest Hits II". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  48. ^ a b "Queen" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  49. ^ "French album certifications – Queen – Greatest Hits Vol. 2" (in French). InfoDisc. Select QUEEN and click OK. 
  50. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Queen; 'Greatest Hits II')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  51. ^ Stansield, David (22 February 1992). "PolyGram Leader in '91 Sales Survey" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 9. p. 7 – via American Radio History.
  52. ^ "Italian album certifications – Queen – Greatest Hits II" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 27 December 2018. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Greatest Hits II" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  53. ^ "QUEEN Greatest Hits II Mexico Promo award disc". Eil.com. 30 September 1992. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  54. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Queen in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Greatest Hits II in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  55. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Queen – Greatest Hits II" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 4 August 2021. Enter Greatest Hits II in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1997 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  56. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2019 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  57. ^ Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990 (in Spanish). Iberautor Promociones Culturales. ISBN 8480486392.
  58. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  59. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Greatest Hits II')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  60. ^ "Queen's Greatest Hits becomes first album to sell 6 million copies in the UK" (webpage). Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  61. ^ "British album certifications – Queen – Greatest Hits (Vol II)". British Phonographic Industry.
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