QUEEN's 'Greatest Hits' Becomes First Album Ever To Hit 6 Million Sales In U.K.

February 10, 2014

Legendary British band QUEEN has made chart history by becoming the first act ever to reach 6 million U.K. sales of an album.

QUEEN broke chart records after surpassing the 6 million sales milestone with its 1981 "Greatest Hits" album. Britain's best-selling album of all time, a staggering one in three British families (or one in four British households) now owns a copy of the iconic act's original best-of collection featuring such classic tracks as "We Will Rock You", "Another One Bites The Dust" and their top-selling hit "Bohemian Rhapsody".

In a video message via OfficialCharts.com, QUEEN's Brian May says: "Great news, AMAZING news from the Official Charts Company! Apparently, QUEEN's 'Greatest Hits' which was released in 1981 has passed the 6 million mark in sales, which is incredible. So I just want to say thanks to everyone who has supported us through the years, and we hope to continue to serve you.”

QUEEN's Roger Taylor adds: "Wonderful. Who would have thought it! And all due to the great British public. Thank you. A great honour!"

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of the Official Charts Company comments: “Becoming the first album to pass 6 million sales is a quite incredible achievement by QUEEN and their iconic 'Greatest Hits' album. Ever since it was first released in 1981, this package of classic pop and rock tracks has been an indispensable item in every music fan's record collection — perhaps THE definitive greatest hits album!"

A true, enduring classic, the British public continue to buy QUEEN's "Greatest Hits" in their droves; some 33 years after its original release, the album regularly sells several thousand copies per week, particularly around the Christmas gifting period, a trusted stocking filler for British music fans.

Sales of the album digitally are also now racking up, having been downloaded 124,000 times in the U.K. to date, though QUEEN's "Greatest Hits" is evidently still very much an essential collectors' favorite that music lovers demand to own a coveted physical copy of.

Gennaro Castaldo of British recorded music industry body, the BPI comments: "QUEEN are a part of our music heritage now, with a timeless appeal that will ensure demand for their songs will continue as new generations of fans keep coming through."

QUEEN's "Greatest Hits" leads the way, some 900,000 copies ahead of ABBA "Gold" as the U.K.'s best-selling album of all time. ABBA last year overtook THE BEATLES "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" to take up second place in the list. And if 6 million sales isn't enough for Freddie, Brian and co, QUEEN's follow-up, "Greatest Hits II", which was released in October 1991 — a month before lead singer Freddie Mercury's untimely death — also rides high at No. 10 in the all-time Official Albums Chart, having notched up a further 3.9 million U.K. sales to date.

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