As Queen marks the 50th anniversary of their eponymous debut, the band is reportedly in talks to sell their catalog of music for an estimated $1.1 billion.
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The band is reportedly in the early stages, which could include everything from their 1973 self-titled debut through their 1995 album, Made in Heaven—Queen’s15th and final album following the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991. Their catalog also includes 10 live albums and two soundtracks (Flash Gordon, Highlander).
Several major music companies, including Universal Music Group and Disney Music Group, which owns the band’s catalog in North America, have been vying for the acquisition, according to a report.
If the deal goes through, it would mark the biggest artist catalog sale in history, surpassing Bruce Springsteen‘s $500 million sale of his masters and publishing to Sony in 2021. The amount would be split between the three surviving members of Queen, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon, along with the estate of Freddie Mercury.
Over the past five decades, Queen has sold 300 million records worldwide and earned nine Top 20 hits, including No. 1s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust.”
In 2018, the band saw an uptick in sales of their albums following the release of the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, which grossed more than $910 million worldwide. The film also won four Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, and two BAFTA Awards. May has hinted that he wants to work on a sequel to the 2018 Queen biopic.
In 2023, Queen will embark on their 22-date Rhapsody Tour with singer Adam Lambert in North America. Following Queen and Lambert’s European and U.K. tour in 2022, the new string of dates will kick off on Oct. 4 at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, and conclude in Los Angeles at the BMO Stadium on Nov. 12.
Second dates have also been added to New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Baltimore after the initial shows in these cities sold out.
Backed by a state-of-the-art designed stage with special effects, Queen and Lambert will perform a 150-minute set celebrating the band’s catalog of hits, including “We Will Rock You,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Radio Ga Ga,” and “Somebody To Love,” along with deeper cuts and other fan favorites.
Earlier in the year, May was also knighted by King Charles III, nearly a year after Queen and Lambert performed at the Platinum Jubilee at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the late Queen Elizabeth II‘s 70-year reign.
Photo: Express Newspapers / Getty Images
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