Queen’s A Night at the Opera returns to multiple U.K. charts, hitting new peaks nearly five decades after its release thanks to a reissue tied to its fiftieth anniversary. Queen the rock band,Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon seen here in New Orleans, USA, where they are rehearsing for their forthcoming tour of South America. 21st September 1981 (Photo by Gavin Kent/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
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Queen is one of several bands that never vanish from the charts in the United Kingdom, and perhaps never will. The group is regarded as one of the most beloved of all time, and its catalog is so packed with distinct smash hits that a mix of continued sales and nonstop consumption on streaming platforms ensures that the troupe Freddie Mercury once fronted never sees its material disappear.
Typically, the focus is on several of Queen’s compilations or one or two famous tracks, but from time to time, a proper album can return. In some instances, that’s because a quiet week allows fan favorites to reappear, while in other cases — such as this frame — reissues are to thank. A Night at the Opera returns to multiple charts in the U.K. this week and even reaches a new high point on each and every one of them as it becomes a top seller yet again.
Where Did Queen’s A Night at the Opera Peak on the Charts?
A Night at the Opera is a bestseller once more in the U.K. this week. The set rebounds onto the Official Vinyl Albums, Official Physical Albums, and Official Albums Sales charts simultaneously. The title reenters all three just outside of the top 10, and hits new high points of Nos. 11, 15, and 16, respectively.
Queen’s A Night at the Opera Hits Chart Milestones
8th September 1976: British rock group Queen at Les Ambassadeurs, where they were presented with silver, gold and platinum discs for sales in excess of one million of their hit single ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. The band are, from left to right, John Deacon, Freddie Mercury (Frederick Bulsara, 1946 – 1991), Roger Taylor and Brian May. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
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As A Night at the Opera finds its way to all three purchase-focused rosters in the U.K., the full-length hits milestones on all but one of them. The Queen classic has now spent 10 weeks on the Official Vinyl Albums list and 30 on the Official Albums Sales tally. The project has racked up the most stays on the Official Physical Albums chart, where it’s now up to 37 turns throughout the years.
Queen Celebrates 50 Years of A Night at the Opera With Special Vinyl
Like so many other bands from decades past, Queen misses no opportunity to promote older projects tied to anniversaries. A Night at the Opera turns 50 this year, and the group recently delivered a clear vinyl version that came with gold labels and proved to be a must-have for longtime supporters of the rockers.
Queen dropped this special version of A Night at the Opera as part of National Album Day, a U.K. music industry initiative created to highlight the album as an art form and give labels and musicians an opportunity to release special products that can bring in much-desired physical revenue.
Later this month, a transparent blue vinyl of the A Night at the Opera single “Bohemian Rhapsody” will become available across multiple variants in early November. “Bohemian Rhapsody” could become a bestseller in the U.K. once more thanks to the upcoming drop.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” and “You’re My Best Friend”
Queen’s fourth album, A Night at the Opera, arrived in November 1975. While the group had already found commercial success in the U.K. by that point, the project — which mixed rock, metal, and pop into something truly unique and new — brought the group to the No. 1 spot on the Official Albums chart for the very first time.
In the years since A Night at the Opera arrived, many have called it Queen’s best album, thanks in large part to the massive popularity of its two singles. “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “You’re My Best Friend” were pushed more than half a year apart, and they became hugely successful in their own right, fueling sales of A Night at the Opera.
Queen Scores Multiple Charting Albums This Week
Queen sees multiple projects return to the charts this week. In addition to A Night at the Opera, the group’s The Platinum Collection finds its way to the Official Album Downloads list. Unlike A Night at the Opera, however, The Platinum Collection does not reach a new peak, as it has previously topped out at No. 4, and this frame breaks back in at No. 83.
Bohemian Rhapsody and Queen’s Greatest Hits
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 30: Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen attend ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ New York premiere at The Paris Theatre on October 30, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/WireImage)
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Two other compilations by Queen appear on at least one ranking apiece. The Bohemian Rhapsody set, which accompanied the film of the same name, dips a few spots on the Official Soundtrack Albums chart to No. 21. At the same time, the simply-named Greatest Hits appears on the Official Albums chart, as well as both the Official Albums Streaming and Official Album Downloads lists.