Search - Queen :: Stone Cold Classics

I think you're missing the point...

Multimedia Fan | Northeast Arkansas | 04/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Read the press release on QueenOnline.com. This is a tie-in with this week's American Idol show, where they're performing all Queen songs. There are only eight contestants performing on the show, so that's all the songs that are going to be on the album in addition to the obligatory We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions additions plus some live tracks from the tour with Paul Rodgers. It wasn't meant to be the definitive greatest hits CD. If you want that, get the Platinum Collection - that's a little closer to it."

A decent 1-disc collection

Random Reviewer | Los Angeles, CA USA | 04/19/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This isn't too bad for a single-CD collection. Thankfully they realized that they don't necessarily have to include some of the sillier hit singles (like "Body Language" and "Flash"), and instead opted for FM album-oriented radio hits like "Tie Your Mother Down" and "Stone Cold Crazy" (the latter one of Metallica's influences). Those two songs give this CD more of Queen's rock feel which made the band famous, rather than too much later '80s pop. And there's a good balance between the '70s and '80s songs, showing Queen's diverse musical style. Though I can live without "You're My Best Friend" (and if you really want it you should get the actual classic album, "A Night At The Opera", which it came from), the strange omission of "Somebody To Love" is what I dropped one star for. That song was even performed on American Idol which this limited-edition disc was supposed to be tied into. Then I realized that not only did they also omit "Killer Queen", but the CD doesn't even seem full so it wasn't due to lack of space...there went the other star. But overall I still wouldn't mind giving this disc to friends as a good introduction to Queen.



But for the best Queen compilation, many fans seem to agree on buying "Greatest Hits" (with the pink CD cover) along with "Classic Queen" (with the blue cover) which were released together as companion CDs in the early '90s. (Those two discs also have a slightly better song selection than the similar 2-disc "Greatest Hits 1 & 2" and similar 3-disc "Platinum Collection".) The single-disc limited "We Will Rock You" edition of "Greatest Hits" from a couple years ago (a black cover with a picture of the four band members on the front) is probably the 2nd best overall collection."

Stone Cold GET OVER IT!

Musiclvr | USA | 07/18/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I almost didn't get a chance to write this review. I was too busy laughing.



Laughing at what, you ask? At the silliness of the violently negative reviews over this album.



I will grant you that this compilation seems to be lacking in a few important songs (most especially "You're My Best Friend" and possibly "Somebody to Love"...I'm sorry, "39" is one of my all-time favorites and even I cannot get behind the complaint of it's exclusion here). I will grant you that the addition of two Paul Rodgers songs seems a bit dubious - I don't see his face on the cover. He's not a member of Queen. If that was going to happen, why the absence of the "+ Paul Rodgers" in the title of the album? Is this the band's way of getting us used to the notion of him possibly becoming a full-fledged band member? Who cares? (He's a means to an end, folks, and that end is getting our guys back on the road and maybe getting some new Brian and Roger music...and THAT I wanna hear!)



What I care about is the fact that the band's music is reaching new audiences. I was appalled at the Queen episode of Idol...what a joke, expecting these kids (some if not most of whom obviously had no idea what they were doing) to put these songs across in manner worthy of the band. However, the main objective as I saw it was marketing. I don't know how many young Americans got turned on to Queen after that show, but I hope plenty did. Queen needs some more recognition in this country!



So I have absolutely no problem with this album, its songs (hi, it's not a greatest hits compilation so calm down, everyone) or the purpose behind its release. Will I purchase it? Why should I? I already have all those songs on multiple cds. But it wouldn't be such a bad starter for the youngsters who may have been intrigued enough after Idol to hear more. And that's a great thing! Let's keep Queen going strong!



Oh, and one question: How many of these repackaged bands feature clips of their deceased or otherwise absent band members during their present-day concerts? How many of them would rather forget those ex-members? That's the folly of those bands, but not of Queen. They're not forgetting who they are or selling out. They're moving on under the Queen banner and giving fans, myself included, what they've craved for far too long: To see and hear their heroes once again. So let's maintain our focus, shall we?

"