50th Anniversary Queen 2021

I know there still be some time before the 50th anniversary of Queen.
But, let’s face it, time flies by very quickly.
What can we expect from the 50th anniversary in 2021. A goodbye/farewell tour, a Queen+Adam Lambert Studio Album, release of the anthology albums or a new compilation.

That year will also coincide with the 30th anniversary of the death of Freddie. Maybe they will release a new compilation, or something else.

I don't think the anniversary of his death is something there will be much commercial activity around.

I know Brian said he doesn't really worry about anniversaries because every year there's several 20/30/40 years since...type occasions but 50 is a big one, isn't it? 50th anniversary of Smile soon, 50th anniversary of Queen the year after, 50th anniversary of John completing the line up the year after that. Maybe we'll get the special editions albums we should have got in 2011. Can't believe we're even discussing the 10 year anniversary of those, time does fly as you say.

Some of the anniversary editions:

2005-A Night At The Opera 30th Anniversary Edition
2006-Lover of Life, Singer of Songs-Freddie Mercury's 60th Anniversary (15th anniversary of Mercury's death)
2011-Queen Live at Wembley Stadium 25th Anniversary Edition
2014-Queen Live At The Rainbow '74 (40th Anniversary)
2015-Queen A Night At The Odeon (40th Anniversary)
2016-Messenger of the Gods: The Singles-70th anniversary of Mercury's birth (25th anniversary of Mercury's death)
2017-Queen News Of The World 40th Anniversary Edition

2011-40th anniversary of Queen:
-Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits II are reissued
-Queen Deep Cuts 1/2/3
-The Queen 40th Anniversary Boxed Set
-40 Years Of Queen book is released
-Days Of Our Lives documentary is released
-Queen Orb USB Gift Box is released

2021-50th Anniversary of Queen + 30th Anniversary of Freddie's death

One would like to think they're saving some big things for their 50th anniversary. I mean, it's a 50th anniversary!!

Surely, if they haven't already exhausted a lot of the material in the 2011 album re-issues, 'On Air', and various 40th anniversary boxsets, the much talked about Anthologies collection/s would be an ideal thing to release in that year. I know there are things that weren't released in the 2011 re-issues that easily could have been but weren't, so there is hope for this collection yet (in my books anyway!). I remember distinctly Greg Brooks saying that there was an original version of the song 'Innuendo' that isn't Freddie singing. There would HAVE to be more things too, but that's one that I remember and half-expected to be on the bonus disc of the 2011 edition of the album 'Innuendo' ... but wasn't.

That'd be a start anyway. Anthologies.
Perhaps the unfinished 'Greatest Video Hits 3' ... or perhaps every video clip in one BluRay package. I don't think BluRay was even a thing when the first couple of dvds came out.

The 50th anniversary would be the perfect time to release the Anthology. It would, but I have long since stopped holding my breath. Anyway, even IF they do release the mythical anthologies, I'll bet all the money in my pockets that they'll f**k them up!

My 2 cents. Didn't take my cynicism pill today.

V.

[Kes]

The bigger consideration is contract renewal deadlines.

I think the big releases are usually geared more around those, than calendar anniversaries.

When is the next renewal deadline for their contract?

The bigger consideration is contract renewal deadlines.

I think the big releases are usually geared more around those, than calendar anniversaries.

I would suggest the opposite tbh. Contract renewals are where the quick obvious buck is aimed for... The Singles box sets and Absolute Greatest as EMI/Parlophone ran out of time, and the 2011 remasters (good as they are) when Island needed to get them back in stock.

The best stuff comes from marketable anniversaries. ANATO 30th anniversary. NOTW 40th. The band's 40th leading to an exhibition and documentary. Freddie's 60th leading to a new best of etc.

And away from Queen, artists really tap into anniversary releases. The Beatles just put Sgt Pepper out for the 50th. Bowie's camp has focused their boxset range in recent years against the 40th anniversary of Young Americans and then Heroes, before making this year about the 35th anniversary of Let's Dance.

And then you've got all the movies and TV shows joining in... A publicly identifiable birthday makes more sense than a record label needing to sign on a dotted line...

The bigger consideration is contract renewal deadlines.

I think the big releases are usually geared more around those, than calendar anniversaries.

I would suggest the opposite tbh. Contract renewals are where the quick obvious buck is aimed for... The Singles box sets and Absolute Greatest as EMI/Parlophone ran out of time, and the 2011 remasters (good as they are) when Island needed to get them back in stock.

The best stuff comes from marketable anniversaries. ANATO 30th anniversary. NOTW 40th. The band's 40th leading to an exhibition and documentary. Freddie's 60th leading to a new best of etc.

And away from Queen, artists really tap into anniversary releases. The Beatles just put Sgt Pepper out for the 50th. Bowie's camp has focused their boxset range in recent years against the 40th anniversary of Young Americans and then Heroes, before making this year about the 35th anniversary of Let's Dance.

And then you've got all the movies and TV shows joining in... A publicly identifiable birthday makes more sense than a record label needing to sign on a dotted line...

I agree. It's all about the marketing. If they release a <insert album name here> box set, it wouldn't make much of a dent. But if they market it as 40th or 50th anniversary, it would get a lot of traction. It's all about perception. 50th anniversary is an excellent marketing "hook".

V.

The 50th anniversary will be a strange one. Historically the best time to release a Boxset is in the lead up to Xmas, thus taking advantage of the market place in general. However this would be very close to November and the 30th anniversary of Freddie's death. In the past Brian has, it seems, quietly remembered and Roger says nothing.

I don't think they will want to change their stance just because it's 30 years. . But I'm sure that because of the possible timing of a 50 year release the press will pick up on the dual anniversary.

So will they bite the bullet and release something at the end of the year, or take a leap of faith, risk lower sales and go for a spring or summer release. The other choice, if they are still functioning as they are now, would be a short series of big open air shows, I somehow can't see them touring on the scale they do now in arenas by then, but who really knows.

This is just roving into the realms of fantasy, but the 50th year would be the perfect time to launch the long rumoured/bubbling 'Anthology/From The Vaults' style project with 3 quarterly boxsets each focusing on a different era with demos and live performances. Plus maybe a separate remastering/re-release of the 12" collection and a reworked version of Live Killers without censorship and a couple of extra tracks.

FTV1- '70-'75
FTV2- -'76-'82
FTV3- '84/'85-'91

Maybe the timescales need work, but to me that seems like a 'now or never' type deal. The again, perhaps it's just a case of wanting the moon when you already have the finest cheese on hand.

This is just roving into the realms of fantasy, but the 50th year would be the perfect time to launch the long rumoured/bubbling 'Anthology/From The Vaults' style project with 3 quarterly boxsets each focusing on a different era with demos and live performances. Plus maybe a separate remastering/re-release of the 12" collection and a reworked version of Live Killers without censorship and a couple of extra tracks.

FTV1- '70-'75
FTV2- -'76-'82
FTV3- '84/'85-'91

Maybe the timescales need work, but to me that seems like a 'now or never' type deal. The again, perhaps it's just a case of wanting the moon when you already have the finest cheese on hand.

I would much rather they release 5 sets of 3 albums each than 3 sets of 5 albums. It makes more sense even:

Early Days
Queen
Queen II
Sheer Heart Attack

Experimental Period
A Night At The Opera
A Day At The Races
News Of The World

Middle Period
Jazz
The Game
Flash Gordon

Early 80s
Hot Space
A Kind Of Magic
The Works

Final Chapter
The Miracle
Innuendo
Made In Heaven

Thematically, the albums fit very nicely into groups of three. I often think of the last three albums as one epic three-part album. Try it, it works great.

V.

I would much rather they release 5 sets of 3 albums each than 3 sets of 5 albums. It makes more sense even:

Early Days
Queen
Queen II
Sheer Heart Attack

Experimental Period
A Night At The Opera
A Day At The Races
News Of The World

Middle Period
Jazz
The Game
Flash Gordon

Early 80s
Hot Space
A Kind Of Magic
The Works

Final Chapter
The Miracle
Innuendo
Made In Heaven

Thematically, the albums fit very nicely into groups of three. I often think of the last three albums as one epic three-part album. Try it, it works great.

V.

Thanks, I think I might try that. My era-specific playlists are slightly less streamlined so your idea seems that little bit more practical.

Final Chapter
The Miracle
Innuendo
Made In Heaven

Thematically, the albums fit very nicely into groups of three. I often think of the last three albums as one epic three-part album. Try it, it works great.

V.

Thanks, I think I might try that. My era-specific playlists are slightly less streamlined so your idea seems that little bit more practical.

Just the core albums. No B-sides and extra CD tracks. Play the three albums back to back in the car when you go on a road trip or something. It's a triple album, I tell ya. Was It All Worth It segues very nicely into Innuendo.

V.

Made In Heaven has been a somewhat elusive album for me over the years. The only copy I have/had was my Mum's but it got scratched to pieces and we were never really motivated ro get another copy.

Very recently I relented though and got another copy and I fell in love with it almost instantly.

It gos well with Innuendo and The Miracle too, fits like a glove so thanks for suggesting that.

I decided to hear how well WIAWI fit into Innuendo as a taster first and I was suitably hyped up for Innuendo as the former track had finished but I forgot I'd left my ipod on shuffle.

So instead of sturring military drums following WIAWI, I got Delilah instead and fell about laughing.