How do you organize your Queen collection?

I touched on this in the Teo Torriate HD Mix thread in the Serious Discussion Forum, but I thought I'd expand on here because I'm curious how other fan organize their collections.

I own all the Queen albums in at least one physical form, though mostly two (generally in CD and LP form). Each Physical medium I naturally keep together. The CDs I have in order of release by album and collection, followed by singles, followed by bootlegs.

On my computer, where I have everything backed up and where I have, in some cases (many demos) no original physical medium (though they are backed up on another drive and  CDs for safe keeping), things are much for precisely organized.

The folders I have are:

First, each studio album, Queen to The Cosmos Rocks, each with the original track listing plus non-album tracks related to that album. "No One But You" is in with MIH because there was no where else to put it. The 46664 tracks have their own folder as well, though it isn't numbered along with the albums because they were never really released properly.

Next I have a folder for their live album album (and I also the digital copies of the live bootlegs I have in there too).

After that, the folders are in alphabetic order by title (because Windows just does that on it's own). They look like this:

BBC VERSIONS
This covers the 24 tracks made for BBC radio, and now includes the 2011 version of SWAFIB as well.

COVER VERSIONS
Queen and Solo tracks done by other bands, organized by Queen album.

DUETS
This fold predates the "Queen+" lampshade, but is basically just that, Queen and other artists, either via re-records or remixes (Wyclef...Vanguard...etc.)

EARLY DAYS & DEMOS
Because some of the early days are demos, I decided to group the Larry Lurex, Smile, De Lane Lea and subsequent demos and outtakes all together in one folder. I've since thought about splitting the Pre-Queen material up, but then then the LL tracks were done after De Lane Lea, so no, they'll stay this way for now.

EXTENDED VERSIONS
These are the Original 12" Versions, Extended Versions and Extended Mix, though all are what I call Secondary Mixes (see below).

[Secondary Mixes:
Any deviation from the Album Versions whereby no other musical elements not recorded for that track are introduced (no artificial drum beat, sampling, etc.), including editing, extending or re-arranging original elements. In some cases, the track appeared previously in an alternate mix *before* the album version, but is still considered secondary or equal to the album.This category covers most Single Versions (Fat Bottomed Girls, Keep Yourself Alive, I Want To Break Free, etc) and most original 12" Versions. Also, things like "A Kind Of Magic" Highlander Version fall into this category. Personally, I put the HD Mix of "Teo Torriate" in here too.]

KARAOKE VERSIONS
Basically all the audio tracks from the Japanese CDs and DVDs. There were so many they earned their own folder for the sake of simplicity.

REMIXES
These are what I call the Third-Party mixes (not done by Queen or their staff, or done much later...see below).

[Third-Party Mixes:
Variations on the Album Versions where new musical elements are introduced by and from a third party, including sampling, new instrumental work or vocals.The Hollywood Records remixes, "You Don't  Fool Me" remixes and most others fit here.]

SINGLES AND ALTERNATE VERSIONS (1973 - 1979); (1980 - 1989); (1990 - 1999); (2000 - 2009) (2010 - 2019)
Each decade has its own folder, each containing those single versions, single edits, non-album live versions, compilation edits and mixes, and promo versions. The songs are organized by year of the album they're originally from, so the 2011 standalone version of "Ogre Battle" lives in the '70s folder. 

The Singles And  Alternate Versions folders are probably getting the most messy these days as more and more such edits and versions are appearing. I may re-organize these tracks, but I haven't decided on how best to do so. Should I give each album a corresponding folder of related versions? Or should single mixes be separate from edits of 12" mixes? It's something I'm thinking about. I may or may not do anything about it.

THE eYe
Like the Karaoke Mixes, there were so many they earned their own folder, just because I could be bothered sorting out edits from instrumentals. Are a labelled as to what they are ("Instrumental," "Edit," "Loop," etc.).

Anyway, I'm curious about how everyone else catalogues these tracks. 

As for the other alternate versions, I classify them thusly...

Secondary Mixes:
Any deviation from the Album Versions whereby no other musical elements not recorded for that track are introduced (no artificial drum beat, sampling, etc.), including editing, extending or re-arranging original elements. In some cases, the track appeared previously in an alternate mix *before* the album version, but is still considered secondary or equal to the album.

This category covers most Single Versions (Fat Bottomed Girls, Keep Yourself Alive, I Want To Break Free, etc) and most original 12" Versions. Also, things like "A Kind Of Magic" Highlander Version fall into this category. Personally, I put the HD Mix of "Teo Torriate" in here too.

Third-party Mixes:
Variations on the Album Versions where new musical elements are introduced by and from a third party, including sampling, new instrumental work or vocals.

The Hollywood Records remixes, "You Don't  Fool Me" remixes and most others fit here.

Re-recordings And Duets:
Any song re-recorded in full or part by the band either with or without a guest artist involved.

The "Another One Bites The Dust" Wyclef versions, Queen+, "I Can't Live With You" 1997 Re-Take, "Keep Yourself Alive" Long Lost Re-Take, "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" TOTP Version and others fall into this category.

Demos And Outtakes:
Recordings of a song made prior to the final Album Version and songs recorded during or between album sessions not included on the original album or singles.

Here are the De Lane Lea Demos, the Hot Space Demos, "Feeling Feelings," "Dog With a Bone" and the others

Non-Album Tracks:
Any released track not included on the original release of any studio or live album (excluding collections and compilations), including B-sides, Non-Album singles and other tracks granted unique, individual titles (whether or not they'd otherwise be considered Secondary Mixes)

Here we'd find "See What A Fool I've Been" B-Side Version, "I Go Crazy," "Blurred Vision," "A Kind Of A Kind Of Magic," "Stealin'" "Chinese Torture," "Rock In Rio Blues," etc.

BBC Versions:
The songs recorded for, in full or in part, or intended for, the broadcast on BBC Radio.

This covers the 24 tracks made for the BBC.

After that, I keep the Karaoke Mixes and The eYe remixes in their own category, as there are so many of each and as such earned their own separate folders. It's easier for me to keep them there, rather than break them up and 'muddy the system' as it were.

Otherwise, that covers most of the alternate versions for me. If I'm in doubt, I classify it by whichever best describes it. Sometimes I have to arbitrarily decided between two equally valid descriptions, based solely on my gut feeling.

I think it's as good a system as any and feel free to use it, everyone.

I fish mine out from between the car seats and put them back in their jewel cases.  Or some other jewel case.

I have all the albums on LP, CD and cassette - like you, each format is kept together, and the albums run in chronological order.  I stopped doing the CD bootleg thing a long while ago, so after all the albums come the boxsets, followed by the solo stuff (runs in order of Freddie, Brian and then Roger/Cross).  All the singles run in chronological order, followed again by the solo stuff. Other than iTunes, I don't keep a digital backup of the albums or singles, although on the external HDD, I keep all my demos, out-takes etc.  They are split up into folders like this:

Pre Queen
=========
- Reaction
- Wreckage
- Ibex
- LHM
- Smile
- Lurex

Queen
=======
- Demos (By album, or by session in chronological order)
- BBC Sessions
- Remixes (includes promos, eYe etc)
- Collaborations
- Rare Live (By this, I mean selected tracks that weren't performed often, such as hangman, the full SSOR and the Mandella stuff).

I don't bother really with live albums anymore - those I have, I haven't backed up.   It Keeps the folders clean and easy to follow.

The solo stuff follows the same format as the Queen folder.

PS, on Windows, your folders don't have to run in alpha order because that's how it sets them out - if you number the folders, you control the layout.

Yes, the albums are all numbered to maintain chronological order, but after that, apart from the Singles folders, I let Windows just do its thing.

In each folder, the tracks are in chronological order, as well. It's a pain when I get a new version of, say, "Black Queen," because then I have to renumber the tracks that follow. That's part of the reason why I'm reconsidering those folders now. They're getting big. The '70s folder has nearly 60 tracks in it (it grew a lot since I started). It's one of those, "It was a good idea at the time, I guess" things. Mostly, I don't bother with too much work on those, going only so far as to number the new version to place it with its fellow tracks, so I end up with two track 11s or two track 34s and eventually get sick of that and spend a few minutes renumbering the entire folder in one go.

Re: GF's post...Yes, that's where all my old mix tapes and mix CDs are, down in under the seats with coffee stains and McDonald's wrappers.

Anyone else read the book "Good Omens"? One character finds after two weeks in his glove compartment, every cassette found there will magically turn into The Best Of Queen. I think my parents had the same complaint with their glove box.

Our official CDs are upstairs next to the computer room.  If any tracks need to be 're'-ripped on the computer in the next room, they are handy.

Everything else is in the basement.

Curious as to a couple unlisted forms of media..........8-tracks and reel-to-reels:  ours are in the basement as well, but very prominently displayed.

I have 3 8-tracks picked up at yard sales for sheer novelty of sitting them to my CDs in university. They're Queen II, ANATO and NOTW. I don't think I've ever played them. I'm curious how the almost-entirely-segued tracks on Queen II would play on 8-track, when they'd constantly have to switch programs. I image there are a lot of fades in and out.

I've got files created against each album and simply house all the material relating to the album there including demos and convention recordings).  BBC Sessions are separate (of course).  Solo material I'm not bothered about but I do have a file for The Cross and their albums.

Its of far less importance to me though now than it was / would have been 20 years ago - interest has certainly dropped as the lack of quality or important releases has fallen away.  Made In Heaven being the last time I was actually really bothered about a release.  Then I heard it and found three tracks of real interest and decided that enough was enough.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimmos-Queen-Collection/148016195259937 still work in progress

Chronological order. I have The Crown Jewels representing the first eight studio albums at the moment until the new remasters come out here in the US so I don't have to shell $30 per import. Then I just need to re-buy Flash Gordon and the US domestic versions of A Kind of Magic and The Miracle for studio albums (the Argentinian issues have misspellings galore on the artwork and so forth) and Live at Wembley Stadium (I don't own Live Magic as it is pointless and also have the unedited Wembley and Budapest soundboard 1986 to compensate).

I then have CD-Rs of the bootlegs that follow the catalog. I only have Queen's studio, live and three of the compilations. I don't buy all compilations (Stone Cold Classics, Classic Queen, maroon covered Greatest Hits and The Gold Collection are not in my stash nor is the Queen + Paul Rodgers heaps of shit).

Then I have the current radio airings of In The Studio on CD-R (A Night At the Opera 35th Anniversary, News Of the World 30th Anniversary and The Game 30th Anniversary (of course I cut the tunes out and just got the interviews)).

They're all piled up in my spare room, but then I have sex with women, so it's probably not a representative comparison...