Yet another "best-of" compilation that rehashes many of the same old tracks. Hard to get excited about this, but some may be interested for the mastering. Here's the info if you're interested:

Excerpted from queen online (minus the hype telling us how great the band was)

http://www.queenonline.com/news/1439

QUEEN – ABSOLUTE GREATEST
20 Years of Biggest of Queen’s Biggest Hits – In music (and pictures & live performances)
Four CD & Vinyl/Compact & Luxury Formats. 2 Digital formats.

Queen Absolute Greatest mastered by Bob Ludwig from the original flat master mix tapes.

A joyous celebration of Queen’s – and many of our own – greatest moments, Absolute Greatest also comes in very personalized versions in which band members Brian May and Roger Taylor share their own memories about the tracks chosen for this collection.

In a limited-edition book version, the Queen photo archives are opened up with 52 pages of unseen and rare photos, and handwritten song lyrics by each member of the band (including corrections and rewrites).

Certain versions provide exclusive access to online streaming of 20 of Queen’s greatest live performances.

Absolute Greatest – Queen.
UK and worldwide release (ex USA) release November 16 (EMI)
USA release November 17 (Hollywood Records)

Comes in 4 versions:

1) Standard CD version
20 tracks the ultimate best of

2) Double CD Special Edition
Comes with an extra CD featuring an audio commentary by Brian May & Roger Taylor reminiscing about the songs on the album.

3) Limited Edition Book version
Hardback 52 page A4 book
Includes:-
• The 20 track CD
• The audio commentary CD
• Previously unseen photos by Johnny Dewe Matthews, memorabilia, hand written lyrics
• Exclusive access to online streaming of 20 live performances

4) LP Box Set
• 3LP 180g Heavyweight vinyl set
• 12” soft back photo book (16 pages)
• Housed in a2 piece box (i.e. lift off lid)
• Access to the exclusive online streaming of 20 live performances

5) Digital Download equivalent of version 1 above

6) Digital Download version of version 2 above

Tracklist:-
01. We Will Rock You (Brian May)
02. We Are The Champions (Freddie Mercury)
03. Radio Ga Ga (Roger Taylor)
04. Another One Bites The Dust (John Deacon)
05. I Want It All (Queen)
06. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Freddie Mercury)
07. A Kind Of Magic (Roger Taylor)
08. Under Pressure (Queen-David Bowie)
09. One Vision (Queen)
10. You’re My Best Friend (John Deacon)
11. Don’t Stop Me Now (Freddie Mercury)
12. Killer Queen (Freddie Mercury)
13. These Are The Days Of Our Lives (Queen)
14. Who Wants To Live Forever (Brian May)
15. Seven Seas Of Rhye (Freddie Mercury)
16. Heaven For Everyone (Roger Taylor)
17. Somebody To Love (Freddie Mercury)
18. I Want To Break Free (John Deacon)
19. The Show Must Go On (Queen)
20. Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury)

Queen Absolute Greatest has been mastered by Bob Ludwig from the original flat master mix tapes.

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[bigred]Standard CD Version[/bigred]



Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NULL9E/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002NULL9E/?tag=imwan-21

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[bigred]Double CD Special Edition[/bigred]



Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IR3PQ4/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002IR3PQ4/?tag=imwan-21

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[bigred]Limited Edition Book Version[/bigred]



Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NULL9O/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002NULL9O/?tag=imwan-21

Interesting. A pretty good track listing considering how many comps there are, though it's still boring. But new remastering is intriguing and I wonder if new remasters will be on the way.
Glad we get a CD of commentary (who gives a shit?), but without John Deacon's thoughts.

They had me at "Bob Ludwig".

But I'll hold out and see if this is the start of a total remastering campaign. If Ludwig does them all, I'll get them all.

Does the world really need yet another "Greatest Hits" album by Queen. They've probably done as many hits compilations as The Doors or The Beach Boys.

True that. But there are many cases where such a collection points to a full catalogue remastering. And I find it odd that they'd make a point of crediting Ludwig and mentioning "flat master tapes" in the PR for something that's yet another GH set.

No "breath of life?"

Feh!

I agree with that agreement!

I am drooling over the vinyl LP box. But with what I have spent on the two Beatles boxes and how bad I want the Petty, Clapton and Cream vinyl boxes this one may have to wait. Damn.

Good Lord. Another Queen greatest hits? Bleh!

How about a career-spanning box set with rarities, etc? What a joke.

has queen reached "doors territory" yet?

I would love to see vintage live recordings released on CD and DVD instead.

Agreed. I would much rather see a career-spanning box that distills the band's career down to 3-4 cds. I always thought their albums (with the exception of the 1st one) were spotty. However, I find that the existing compilations ignore too many great tracks (particularly from the first two albums) to be satisfying.

I think they're pretty close.

Consider:

Absolute Greatest
Greatest Hits (w/ group photo on the cover)
Greatest Hits (red cover - basically same as above with three additional songs, and a reordered track list)
Greatest Hits Vol 2
Greatest Hits Vol 3
Classic Queen
Queen Rocks
Stone Cold Classics

And then there are the repackagings of the best-of's:

Greatest Hits Vol 1& 2 (Gold cover)
The Platinum Collection (Combines Greatest Hits Vols 1, 2 & 3)

That's not even considering the live albums, import collections, or the two box sets which repackaged the catalogue.

I have the Platinum Collection.

This!!

Any recommendations for a casual fan among those many compilations listed above?

I never sprung for the Queen CD singles boxes. Wouldn't mind if EMI in the UK follows their current trend and recompiles them onto 2 or 3 CDs in a set.

If you don't mind springing for a two disc set, go for Greatest Hits Volumes I & II in the gold slipcase.



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000000OF6/?tag=imwan-20

Modeled after the British greatest hits CDs. No bogus remixes, no + Paul Rodgers and nothing that doesn't belong there.

For whatever reason, I've seen the 3-disc Platinum Collection priced lower than the 2-disc set... YMMV.

True, but that includes the bogus Greatest Hits III, which does not belong in anyone's collection. It's full of bogus remakes, remixes, solo tracks and is full of suck. It diminishes the greatness of volumes I & II because of its sheer suckitude.

Yeah, Greatest Hits III is a hunk of crapola and my guess is they made The Platinum Collection cheaper because III was a throw-in.
I am curious about this new comp as it has a decent track listing, and yes, it's useless, but the new remastering-please tell me it's heralding a catalogue overhaul by Bob Ludwig. Please!