Source: Classic Rock Manazine

Words: Eric Mackinnon

QUEEN have reached a remarkable milestone by becoming the first act in chart history to reach six millions UK sales of an album.

A staggering one in three UK families now houses a copy of their 1981 Greatest Hits album in their music collection – including 124,000 digital versions.

The album, which contains Bohemian Rapsody, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions, has been a huge seller over the past three decades, and guitarist Brian May admitted the figures were ‘incredible’.

”I just want to say thanks to everyone who has supported us through the years, we hope to continue to serve you,” May says in a video message via Official Charts.com

Bandmate Roger Taylor adds: “Wonderful. Who would have thought it? And all due to the great British public. Thank you. A great honour!”

The Official Charts Company confirm that the album regularly sells several thousand copies per week, especially around Christmas. Martin Talbot, Chief Executive, explains: “Becoming the first album to pass six million sales is a quite incredible achievement by Queen.

“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.”

Queen lead the way at the top of the all-time pile by some 900,000 copies from Abba’s greatest hits collection Gold. Taking third spot is The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, with Adel’s 21 slightly further back in fourth and Oasis’s (What’s the Story) Morning Glory the fifth biggest selling album in UK chart history.

The official chart of the biggest UK sales for an album at this location.