A Night At The Opera and “Bohemian Rhapsody” single to get lavish anniversary vinyl reissues
Queen is celebrating the 50th anniversary of their monumental multi-platinum 1975 album A Night At The Opera and legendary diamond-certified single “Bohemian Rhapsody” with opulent vinyl reissues.
Originally released in November 1975 and featuring the classic line-up of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon, A Night At The Opera was Queen’s grandest artistic statement and most successful album to that point, reaching No. 1 in five countries, including the UK.
Marking 50 years since its original release, A Night At The Opera will be reissued on lavish, crystal clear vinyl with gold labels on October 18th in the UK as part of National Album Day, and October 17th in the rest of the world.
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” which spent a record-breaking nine weeks at No. 1 in the UK singles chart on its original release, is also being reissued on October 31st as a transparent, blue heavyweight seven-inch vinyl and transparent, blue heavyweight 12-inch vinyl. It will also be available as a direct-to-consumer exclusive 12-inch picture disc and blue cassette single.
Both reissues will be released on Universal worldwide, excluding the US, where they will be released via Hollywood Records.
1975 was a pivotal year for Queen. A Night At The Opera and “Bohemian Rhapsody” propelled them to new commercial and artistic heights, sealing their status as one of the most visionary bands Britain has ever produced. Artists as diverse as the Foo Fighters and The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson have saluted their multi-faceted brilliance, with the latter describing “Bohemian Rhapsody” as “a fulfillment and an answer to a teenage prayer of artistic music.”
The single continues to be voted the best single of all time.
Queen recorded A Night At The Opera with producer Roy Thomas Baker at multiple studios, including the legendary Rockfield Studios in South Wales. It was created against a backdrop of change, with the band having recently extricated themselves from a financially crippling management contract and signed up with Elton John’s manager, John Reid.
As a result, a newfound sense of freedom courses through A Night At The Opera. Building on the ambitious musical foundations laid down by their first three albums (1973’s Queen I, 1974’s Queen II, and Sheer Heart Attack), this is the sound of a band unconfined by expectation or boundaries.
A Night At The Opera contains an entire musical universe within its 12 songs, covering virtually every style imaginable, from the vicious, glam-tinged hard rock of opening track “Death On Two Legs” to Roger Taylor’s roaring boy-racer hymn “I’m In Love With My Car,” from Freddie Mercury’s soaring, heartfelt “Love Of My Life” to the yearning sci-fi-inspired folk of Brian May’s ’39.
