The project – which will run over the course of the next year – will take Queen fans on a journey through the legendary band’s history. Presented in chronological order, the series will share Queen’s earliest shows at London’s Rainbow and Odeon through vast arenas across the entire world on a journey culminating with the band’s latest record-setting achievements with Adam Lambert.
Along with spectacular concert footage, sound checks, backstage and rare after-show access we get to explore the stories behind the songs, hits and album tracks, drawn from the extensive footage that exists in the official archive while also uncovering and sharing rare and previously unseen gems.
The first batch of weekly episodes will see “The Greatest” celebrate classic hits such as “Killer Queen”, “Somebody To Love” and, of course “Bohemian Rhapsody”, along with iconic performances at London’s The Rainbow, Hammersmith Odeon and the band’s massive outdoor Hyde Park concert in 1976.
Formed in London in 1970, Queen released their self-titled debut in 1973 and went on to become one of the biggest-selling artists in music history. The band has received multiple Ivor Novello Awards, an MTV Global Icon Award, and have two recordings enshrined in the Grammy Hall Of Fame – “Bohemian Rhapsody" and “We Will Rock You”/“We Are The Champions" – which continue to remain staples at sporting events and arenas around the world.
Queen were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001, and all four original members were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003.
Queen frontman Freddie Mercury passed away in 1991 at the age of 45 due to complications from AIDS, while bassist John Deacon retired from the music industry in 1997.
Queen hooked up with Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers for a pair of world tours in the mid-2000s before wrapping things up in 2009 – the same year Brian May and Roger Taylor would perform with Lambert for the first time on the season 8 finale of American Idol. The pairing regrouped again to perform at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards and launched a tour under the Queen + Adam Lambert banner the following year … and have been active ever since.
"The Queen story is unlike any other, and I hope fans from all around the world will enjoy celebrating the many extraordinary achievements, timeless songs, and iconic performances that Freddie, Brian, Roger and John have given us,” says series producer and creator Simon Lupton. “While we will be revisiting some of their most famous and legendary milestones, I'm hoping there will also be some surprises along the way to excite people whether they be die-hard fans, or curious newcomers. This story has so many chapters to explore, and who knows...there could well be some new ones over the course of the next 50 weeks!"
See also:
Queen and Adam Lambert reschedule UK and European tours
Queen and Adam Lambert share live highlights video
Queen and Adam Lambert share Don’t Stop Me Now fan video
Queen greatest hits package enters US Top 10 four decades after release
Search Queen at hennemusic
