Every couple of weeks, a new band comes along that are touted as being ‘Bigger Than The Beatles’. But it looks like these bands will have to change that phrase to ‘Bigger Than Queen’.
The compilers of the Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles And Albums have worked out that Queen are the most popular British band of all time.
That claim was made by working out the exact number of weeks that
various bands have spent in the British Album Chart. And Queen (CDs) have
spent 23 more weeks on the album chart than The Beatles, and 42 more
than Elvis Presley.
The majority of this chart time comes from Queen’s first two
Greatest Hits albums – the first one alone counts for 450 of the weeks.
But the band was also boosted by events like their Live Aid set,
Freddie Mercury’s death, Bohemian Rhapsody being featured in Wayne’s
World, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee concert and the godawful musical We
Will Rock You.
Now the band are touring with former Free vocalist Paul Rogers,
which will no doubt bring in more record sales, and possibly the short
burst of We Will Rock You by Robbie Williams at this weekend’s Live 8
concert is also expected to boost sales.
The top ten bands of all time in the UK are as follows:
1 - Queen (25% dead stars of West End musicals) 1,322 weeks
2 – The Beatles (50% dead cartoon scousers) 1,293 weeks
3 – Elvis Presley (100% dead star of Girls, Girls, Girls) 1,280 weeks
4 – U2 (The President Of The World and a man named after a pizza) 1,150 weeks
5 – Dire Straits (a computer delivery man that can play the guitar) 1,136 weeks
6 – Simon and Garfunkel (a midget and his goon sing folk songs) 1,114 weeks
7 – Madonna (bad actress that swears for charity) 1,032 weeks
8 – David Bowie (spaceman with different coloured eyes) 1,005 weeks
9 – Elton John (Pete Doherty‘s Dad) 989 weeks
10 – Michael Jackson (where to start….) 966 weeks
[story by Stuart Heritage]
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
Load of crap claiming theyre the biggest band of all time . You judge the size of a band by worldwide album sales and world tours and Queen are way behind with the likes of the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones etc . Ok they’ve spent a lot of weeks on the UK (I stress UK chart) but most of that would have been way down the list . If you are getting nitty gritty just look at Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd – that album of theirs alone spent 740weeks on the US albums chart (not talking about any of their other albums)
Carlos… first of all, learn your facts before opening your mouth. Queen have sold way more albums than rolling stones, and equally as much as led zeppelin, if not more. And how dare you compare track records in terms of touring when you know perfectly well that Freddie died in 91, rendering it impossible for the band to continue touring.
And Queens enduring popularity and influence definitley gives them the right to the title..
queen have sold more albums than led zeppelin,pink floyd and the rolling stones worldwide so you dont know what your talking about.the total combined album sales are far greater than those. however yes the beatles have had a lot more album sales than any of the other mentioned bands
It doesn’t say that. It says “Queen Are The Most Popular British Band Of All Time”
Also, I think you’ll find Queen are high on the worldwide overall sales. Take a look for yourself
Who really cares? They’re certainly not the best British band of all time.
They absolutely are the best British band of all time. Try watching Queen at Live Aid. No other band could’ve pulled that off. Let alone everything else they did.
No laddo, that’d be The Fall. The Fall.
MES
That’s right. If Mark E Smith wore spandex and had a tash they would be in Queen’s position now.
Anyone else prefer The Smiths?
I prefer many bands to Queen, too many to list.
queen is the greatest band of all time and freddie mercury the best performer. there is no disputing that bands like pink floyd rock but queen was a hugely consistent rock band who were always incorporating new styles into their music. and if you don’t believe me listen to bohemian rhapsody
I always laugh when I hear that song. I thought it was a joke when I first heard it.
im a big fan of smaller bands just starting off. i dont care much for bigger bands or whatever. i listen to alot of music by alot of different artists from all different time periods, and i think that queen were the most accomplished band. the beatles were obviously more popular in their time, but thats because there wasn’t much competition. i’d say queen were ahead of the lot if it came to the overall best band. yeah, freddie did have a far superior vocal talent in comparison to the rest. i think thats a major edge queen had. but when it comes down to it, most people WILL be biast and say the band they like is the best.
I’ve listened to it and I still don’t believe you. What now?
NOW realise that its a way amazing song and stop being a reject who cant appreciate good music.
loser!
Queen is the best afterall .no one could do things what they have created, A REAL ROCK BAND
The beatles’ record sales is about to reach 2 billoion units and even though Queen are one of the best bands ever, they’ve only sold 300 million units and that leaves no question. The Beatles is the biggest band of all times!
Not in the UK
Queen are more popular and have outsold them.
Queen are the greatest overall. all the other bands relied on american sales for there overall sales. QUEEN DID NOT THEY WERE NOT LIKED IN THE US DUE TO THE GAY THING.Queen had much more to offer than the other bands, even the Beatles.Here is a list;
Greatest live band – Queen
Greatest Front man – Queen
Greatest song ever – Queen
Most complete individual band members – Queen
Most other top artists paid tribute to the greatest rock performer by performing Queen songs in front of Billions!!!!!
Most varied music built around a rock sound, no other rock band has done this.
THE LIST IS ENDLESS, even now Queen and Paul Rodgers have just played live in front of over 350.000 people!!!!!
I was born in ’86. Spent most of my childhood listening to Queen songs. It is not about THE SALES. Although they have sold over 300 million and counting. It is about what makes them the biggest band ever. Put on any day an announcement that Queen is performing. The tickets will be sold instantly within hours. Why? Because people relate to their songs, because you can actually feel the huge amount of love they’ve put in their work. Because they have never replaced Freddie Mercury. Because they continue to do his work even after he is gone – trying to change the world into a better place. Because Freddie Mercury IS the best singer ever. Even better than your precious ELVIS. Music is about message. About making this world beautiful. That is what they have been doing.
All respect and love to them!
With you, darling, I agree wholeheartedly. Queen is the most popular, most talented, most memorable band in the WORLD. I think that EVERYONE knows at least ONE song by them. Just stomp twice and clap, and you’ll have 99.9 percent of the population doing it with you. Oh, and another thing that makes Queen so extraordinary is the fact that their music career didn’t end with the splitting of the band like the Beatles did. They stayed together until the day their front man died, and continue to play together. (except for John, who was too heartbroken over Freddie’s death.)
Queen is the best band in the world. God save the Queen.
You’re right it’s not about sales, it’s about the music. Every time you listen to a queen song you can feel the magic in every part, all songs from keep yourself alive to the show must go on are unique, Freddie, Roger, Brian, and john are the greatest musicians of all time, there’s no doubt about it
queen the band freddie mercury the frontman.he would not say it that way brian john rodger freddie.he would say that is queen.all four made queen.but freddie was a one off.is voice the sound the range.you could say.a kind of magic.yes i no bad pune.but the band had magic.try and pick one song it would make you think witch one do i pick.ther are so meney its hard to pick.the song who wants to live forever.well queen will.donot bet on it you will not be around to pay your bet.i am a big fan and will stay a fan.i am a farther of 5 and grangfarther of 7.my grankids love queen.they have good taste like ther grandad.so from me in manchester england.as queen would say we will rock you.
me again i would like to tell my little story.my good friend past away some time back.it was hard he had that c thing as i say i donot like the word.one time he came out of hospital.his wife put a big party on for him at a club and i did a mime of a kind of magic.just to make him smile.he had a tear in is eye.i said it was for you is wife said he is happy.he had to go back to hospital.when he past away his wife said to me would i mind if they played a kind of magic at the church i said that would be great.later that year his wife asked me could i do something like i did at the club like a freedie mime show.because she was doing a charity night to raze money for the mc.millean nurses.so i got all my freddie gear and bar mike and practised like mad to get it spot on.the night come i was ready 13 of my family with me.alot was going on getint money for the nurses i put my gear on at a room at the side of the stage the dj said be ready.then i was on runing with my flag.therwas 1.000 my family so proud.it was magic manchester.19june2010.god bless my pal bill.
HI THER L.B.M. JUST LIKE TO SAY ALLWAYS REMBER LIFE IS .A KIND OF MAGIC.
I WAS BORN TO LOVE YOU DONT STOP ME NOW. NOW IM HERE PLAY THE GAME KILLER QUEEN. ITS A HARD LIFE YOU DONT FOOL ME SAVE ME LET ME LIVE. YOU,RE MY BEST FRIEND WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER .THE SHOW MUST GO ON IM GOING SLIGHTLY MAD PLAY THE GAME I WANT TO BREAK FREE I WANT IT ALL LIVING ON MY OWN DRIVEN BY YOU THANK GOD ITS CHRISTMAS .SOMEBODY TO LOVE SAVE ME NO ONE BUT YOU WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS. FOR MY WIFE OF TINA 31 YEARS MARRIED NOT BAD A FOR AN OLD GUY.AND A FREDDIE FAN.
That’s total bullshit saying that Queen are Britain’s most popular band!
Who’s this idiot!! Queen are Britains most popular band, they are also highly rated by most of the very top performers, thats why so many of them turned out at Freddie Mercurys Tribute Watched by BILLIONS around the WORLD!!!
Nuff said
Queen rule Brittania!!!!!
It’s bullshit to say queen are not the most popular British band!!!
Queen are the biggest and best and most inventive band on the planet. Every track was engineered brilliantly by all four songwriters in the band. All artists in the ban have had huge hits around the planet. Queen brought South America, Asia and other areas together through their music. Not many bands can say they have filled out Wembley and then turn round and say Wembley is too small, so fill out and sell out Knebworth immediately with over 130,000 tickets snapped up. If only Freddie lived he would have been Prime Minister… how good would that have been. Best band, best guys, best music, best albums, best live act, best theatre… anything else… beatles who are they???
Just because you don’t like them, doesn’t mean they aren’t the greatest.
Like said before, they just broke records everywhere!
Biggest lighting
Biggest stage
Most record sales
Fastest selling concerts
Biggest crowds
Cracked the USA
Double platinums all over the shop
3 greatest hits albums (most bands struggle to make one)
numourous live albums
Ohh and they smashed live Aid in front of the whole world!
It goes on and on.
Ohh and they got a musical which is now the biggest in the world, the facts are there to see, black and White!
And look at the stars that turned out to his concert, more so and bigger than Michael Jackson, that says something!
Paul gambacini renowned music critic thinks highly of them, her majesty the queen let’s them play on her roof, Nelson Mandella let them set up and do work with his charity. There basically are another form of royalty a British owned institution!
I bet most british households own a queen song or album.
Ohh and There now making a film about them which is out next year!