The best and worst Queen / Queen+ releases / reissues since 1991

I guess the numbers will vary that people here want to do.


My best list...

1) Queen on Fire – Live at the Bowl (Superb. Queen at their best live imo)
2) Queen Rock Montreal (on Blu-ray in particular, plus you get their Live Aid performance as a bonus)
3) Live At the Rainbow '74 (I love their 70s material the most, so this went down a treat).
4) Made In Heaven (It was nice to hear some previously unheard Freddie vocals and songs redone).
5) A Night At The Odeon Hammersmith 1975 (Decent release, although, not as exciting for me as Rainbow '74. Horrid cover though)
6) On Air (Nice to hear slightly different versions on an official release)
7) The Singles Collection 1 - 4 (I know there were complaints about this set, but it's still a nice set to own).
8) Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live in Budapest (lacking AOBTD but still nice on Blu-ray nonetheless. Again, that cover wasn't too great)

My worst list...

1) Queen+ Wyclef Jean - Another One Bites the Dust (Absolutely dire)
2) We Will Rock You - 5ive + Queen (Queen+ a shitty boy band)
2) The Cosmos Rocks (I've tried it about three, maybe four times, but I just don't care for it)
3) There Must Be More To Live Than This - Orbit mix. (Freddie's vocals made quieter? Terrible mix)
4) Queen Forever (what a disappointment overall!)
5) Queen+ Greatest Hits III (Too much of a mishmash, and that Queen+ Wyclef Jean track again)


If there's a Queen+ Lambert release, it'd probably end up on the worst list as I cannot stomach the guys vocals anymore. But then, because of that I'd have less interest in that than I did in the Cosmos Rocks (which wasn't much). Although I don't dislike Paul Rodgers voice, it doesn't do anything for me either.

As for the Deep Cuts albums, I'm not fussed either way. It's nice to hear the tracks in a different order sometimes and the covers were nice. That's about it.

I didn't add the 2012 version of Barcelona as it's not a Queen release. But I did like it a lot, I prefer it with the orchestra backing as I thought it always deserved that. Not sure where I'd place it though. Perhaps in between 6 and 7 on my best list.

Um, "The Cosmos Rocks" was THE greatest thing they have ever done period. Secondly I LOVE "The Platinum Collection". Thirdly "Their Must Be More To Life" - Orbit Mix is wonderful! And as a sequel to "Queen Rocks" "Queen Forever" is great...even Queen + Wyclef Jean is cool. The problem with the d.v.d.s you listed is that they they did not have their c.d. counter parts released with them...

[QUOTE] [b]AlexRocks wrote:[/b]

Um, "The Cosmos Rocks" was THE greatest thing they have ever done period. Secondly I LOVE "The Platinum Collection". Thirdly "Their Must Be More To Life" - Orbit Mix is wonderful! And as a sequel to "Queen Rocks" "Queen Forever" is great...even Queen + Wyclef Jean is cool. The problem with the d.v.d.s you listed is that they they did not have their c.d. counter parts released with them...[/QUOTE]

TROLLING!!

[QUOTE] [b]Day dop wrote:[/b]

I didn't add the 2012 version of Barcelona as it's not a Queen release. But I did like it a lot, I prefer it with the orchestra backing as I thought it always deserved that. Not sure where I'd place it though. Perhaps in between 6 and 7 on my best list.[/QUOTE]

I like the orchestra on its own but they don't quite unify with the vocals. How do I explain this: the vocals are just layered on top but not blended with the orchestra music much like a price tag blatantly slapped on.

Whereas the original arrangements by Mike Moran & Freddie were meticulous like certain parts were deliberately made to sound softer or louder to complement whatever emotions FM/MC were conveying.

What about Wembley 25th anniversary edition? We have 2 FULL concerts in video, a lot of Interesting bonus material. Although performance itself is not the best, the video is beautifully filmed (especially 2nd night)

Wembley near the top, especially for when it was released.

Budapest would go into the 'neutral' category for me (already have one Magic tour release).

Singles...thumbs down

Barcelona.....it lost its energy and power, which was so surprising. Staying with solo releases, most/all of Freddie's hits and such get thumbs down, other than the 'Solo Collection'

The forgettable 'Rocks' was left of the list. Thumbs down. Alternate demos and BBC versions and a few other tracks that were unavailable to us at the time would have added 'something' worth while (other than one new song).

Deep Cuts, thumbs down

The 2011 expanded remasters........thumbs down because they were so incomplete. Thank you, public library for saving me a bunch of money for a few bonus tracks.

'Return of the Champions': initial excitement, but other than 'I'm In Love With My Car' and a handful of others....thumbs down.

We have more disposable income. It's been decades since the days of buying dozens of albums/cds a year by various artists. We've only purchased half of what was listed here.

Best

1. Made in Heaven
2. Live at the Bowl
3. Wembley 2011 edition
4. Rainbow 74
5. 2011 2 disc rerererereleases

Worst
1. Any post GH2 compilation
2. Queen + Dappy
3. Queen + Wyclef Jean
4. Queen + those 3 bitches
5. Any other horrible We Will Rock You remix/collaboration release (e.g. with John Farnham, Five, the Evian children and any other I managed to remove from my memory)

Wasted opportunities a.k.a. OK, but could be brilliant if they actually gave a fuck

1. Queen on Air
2. Hammersmith 75
3. The compilation which featured the horrible remix with MJ, formerly known as Queen Love Songs
4. Budapest
5. Montreal

1 - Rainbow
2 - Milton Keynes

Nothing else is deserving of a mention although I still find myself wanting to pull out TCR just once more, but can't be bothered to spend any time programming it to just play 3 or 4 tracks..........

Best :
Made in Heaven
Rainbow
On Fire
Wembley 2003
Rock Montreal

Neutral:
Wembley 2011
On Air
Budapest, this one has the best audio from every live release

Worst:
Greatest hits III
Cosmos rocks
Forever
Rocks
Hammersmith
The extra CDs on reissues

Best :
Made in Heaven
Rainbow
On Fire
Wembley 2003
Rock Montreal
The Game Dvd audio
ANATO dvd audio
Queen orb 2011 great audio
Album vinyl collection 2015

Neutral:
Wembley 2011
On Air
Budapest, this one has the best audio from every live release

Worst:
Greatest hits III
Cosmos rocks
Forever
Rocks
Hammersmith
The extra CDs on reissues

Let Me In Your Heart Again was good -- the song, the Orbit remix, and the video(s). To hear that fantastic, rich, warm and dynamic voice again was a real treat. The song's potential was, though, wasted as just an add-on to a compilation album.

I'll be hated for this...

I liked Dappy and Brian May's song...

(Hides)

Lol. At all of you.

Great :
Made in Heaven
Days of Our Lives
Live at the Rainbow
Queen On Fire
Live at Wembley 2003
Rock Montreal
GVH1 and 2
Platinum Collection
ANATO 30th anniversary+Classic Albums docu

OK:
Rocks
No-one But You
The eYe (especially the remix set)
On Air
Hungarian Rhapsody
Hammersmith
Singles Collection
2011 Remaster Boxsets
Deep Cuts
Box of Tricks
GH3


Terrible:
Cosmos rocks
Queen Forever
Made in Heaven Films
Stone Cold Classics
The A-Z Of Queen, Volume 1
Absolute Greatest