Single Statistics

This page includes various statistics and lists regarding Queen and solo singles, including chart performance, entry and dropout positions, length and writers. The data focuses on UK singles and considers Queen and solo singles combined, unless specified; Brian's tracks with Kerry Ellis are excluded as they are collaborations rather than solo tracks. It includes all singles upto and including the 2021 'Back To The Light' reissue, although this is excluded from most sections as it failed to chart. Downloads are not included in all sections.

General Statistics and Chart Performance
Singles Facts & Feats
Highest Charting Singles
Most Weeks On Chart
Best Worldwide Singles
Single Positions Summary
Chart Entry & Dropout Positions
The #1 Singles
Singles That Held Queen Off The Top
Charts With Multiple Queen Singles In


Other Singles Statistics
Single Length
Singles Not Released As 7"
Double-A Sided Singles
Queen Chart Performance By A-Side Author
Queen Singles Writer Couplings
UK Singles Without Promo Videos


Singles Facts & Feats


Highest Charting Singles

  1. Bohemian Rhapsody (1)
  2. Under Pressure (1)
  3. Innuendo (1)
  4. Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (1)
  5. The Five Live EP (1)
  6. We Will Rock You (with Five) (1)
  7. Living On My Own (reissue) (1)
  8. Killer Queen (2)
  9. Somebody To Love (2)
  10. We Are The Champions (2)
  11. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (2)
  12. Radio Ga Ga (2)
  13. Heaven For Everyone (2)
  14. Barcelona (Reissue) (2)
  15. I Want To Break Free (3)
  16. A Kind Of Magic (3)
  17. I Want It All (3)

Most Weeks On Chart

  1. Bohemian Rhapsody (17)
  2. I Want To Break Free (15)
  3. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (14)
  4. Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (14)
  5. Flash (13)
  6. Living On My Own (reissue) (13)
  7. We Will Rock You (with Five) (13)
  8. Killer Queen (12)
  9. Bicycle Race (12)
  10. Don't Stop Me Now (12)
  11. Heaven For Everyone (12)
  12. The Five Live EP (12)
  13. We Are The Champions (11)
  14. Under Pressure (11)
  15. A Kind Of Magic (11)

Best Worldwide Singles


Below is a list of the most successful worldwide singles, in terms of their highest chart positions in the UK, USA and Japanese charts. The average position for the stated charts is given in brackets.

UK, US & Japanese Charts

  1. Killer Queen (14)
  2. Bohemian Rhapsody (1975 issue) (20)
  3. Somebody To Love (22)
  4. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (22)
  5. We Are The Champions (26)

UK & USA Chart

  1. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (2)
  2. We Are The Champions (3)
  3. Another One Bites The Dust (4)
  4. Bohemian Rhapsody (1975 issue) (5)
  5. Killer Queen (7)

UK & Japanese Chart

  1. Killer Queen (15)
  2. Foreign Sand (Roger Taylor) (20)
  3. Bohemian Rhapsody (1975 issue) (25)
  4. Somebody To Love (27)
  5. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (33)
  6. I Was Born To Love You (Freddie Mercury) (33)

US & Japanese Chart

  1. Killer Queen (20)
  2. Bohemian Rhapsody (1975 issue) (29)
  3. Somebody To Love (32)
  4. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (33)
  5. We Are The Champions (38)

UK Chart

  1. Bohemian Rhapsody (1)
  2. Under Pressure (1)
  3. Innuendo (1)
  4. Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (1)
  5. The Five Live EP (1)
  6. Living On My Own (Freddie Mercury) (1)
  7. We Will Rock You (with Five) (1)

US Chart

  1. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (1)
  2. Another One Bites The Dust (1)
  3. The Show Must Go On (1992 reissue) (2)
  4. We Are The Champions (4)
  5. Bohemian Rhapsody (1975 issue) (9)
  6. Body Language (11)

Japanese Chart

  1. I Was Born To Love You (Queen) (1)
  2. Foreign Sand (Roger Taylor) (13)
  3. Killer Queen (27)
  4. Teo Torriatte (49)
  5. Somebody To Love (51)

Single Positions Summary


This table shows chart performance by artist, showing the number of singles released, the number which did not chart (DNC), the highest chart positions (HCP) and weeks on chart (WOC). If a single did not chart, the highest chart position is assumed to be 100. 'Queen 1973-1979' includes all singles upto 'Love Of My Life (live)', and 'Queen 1979-1986' includes 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' onwards.

  Singles DNC Best HCP Avg HCP Best WOC Avg WOC Total WOC
Queen 1973-1979 14 1 1 21.4 17 8.4 118
Queen 1979-1986 18 0 1 12.2 15 8.8 159
Queen 1989-1996 16 0 1 10.8 14 6.9 111
Queen 1997-2014 11 4 1 46.4 12 1.0 34
Roger Taylor 14 6 22 81.9 4 1.1 15
Brian May 12 2 5 51.9 9 2.8 34
Freddie Mercury 15 1 1 37.1 13 5.3 79
The Cross 5 1 74 85.2 1 0.2 1
Miscellaneous 2 2 100 100 0 0 0
Queen Overall 57 3 1 17.6 17 7.5 422
Solo Overall 49 13 1 63.5 13 2.6 129
Overall 106 16 1 42.2 17 5.2 551

Chart Entry & Dropout Positions


(these statistics are based on the UK top 40 chart)

Highest Entry Position

  1. Innuendo (1)
  2. Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (1)
  3. The Five Live EP (1)
  4. We Will Rock You (with Five) (1)
  5. Heaven For Everyone (2)
  6. I Want It All (3)
  7. Somebody To Love (4)
  8. Radio Ga Ga (4)
  9. Another One Bites The Dust (Small Soldiers) (5)
  10. Barcelona (reissue) (5)
  11. Living On My Own (reissue) (5)

Lowest Entry Position

  1. Back Chat (40)
  2. Spread Your Wings (39)
  3. Time (39)
  4. Tie Your Mother Down (38)
  5. Don't Stop Me Now (38)
  6. Surrender (38)
  7. The Amazing Spider-Man (37)
  8. The First EP (36)
  9. Thank God It's Christmas (36)
  10. Now I'm Here (35)
  11. Body Language (35)

Highest Dropout Position

  1. Back To The Light (19)
  2. A Winter's Tale (21)
  3. Breakthru' (21)
  4. The First EP (22)
  5. Nazis 1994 (22)
  6. Resurrection (23)
  7. Save Me (24)
  8. Flash (24)
  9. Headlong (24)
  10. Barcelona (reissue) (24)

Lowest Dropout Position

  1. Spread Your Wings (40)
  2. Back Chat (40)
  3. The Show Must Go On (40)
  4. The Great Pretender (40)
  5. Killer Queen (39)
  6. Friends Will Be Friends (39)
  7. Time (39)
  8. Living On My Own (Reissue) (39)
  9. Now I'm Here (38)
  10. Under Pressure (38)
  11. One Vision (38)
  12. Who Wants To Live Forever (38)
  13. Surrender (38)

The #1 Singles


The table below summarises the best selling singles before, during and after Queen singles were at the #1 spot:

Date Single Artists Weeks
22 November 1975 1. D.I.V.O.R.C.E
2. Space Oddity
9. Bohemian Rhapsody
Billy Connolly
David Bowie
Queen
1
29 November - 13 December 1975 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. You Sexy Thing
Queen
Hot Chocolate
3
20 December 1975 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine
Queen
Laurel & Hardy
1
27 December 1975 - 3 January 1976 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. I Believe In Father Christmas
Queen
Greg Lake
1
10 January 1976 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine
Queen
Laurel & Hardy
1
17 and 24 January 1976 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. Glass Of Champagne
Queen
Sailor
2
31 January 1976 1. Mamma Mia
2. Forever And Ever
3. Bohemian Rhapsody
Abba
Silk
Queen
1
14 November 1981 1. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
2. Happy Birthday
8. Under Pressure
Police
Altered Images
Queen + David Bowie
1
21 November 1981 1. Under Pressure
2. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Queen + David Bowie
Police
1
28 November 1981 1. Under Pressure
2. Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)
Queen + David Bowie
Julio Iglesias
1
5 December 1981 1. Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)
2. Under Pressure
Julio Iglesias
Queen + David Bowie
1
19 January 1991 1. Sadness Part 1
2. Crazy
['Innuendo' not yet charted]
Enigma
Seal
1
26 January 1991 1. Innuendo
2. 3AM Eternal
Queen
KLF feat. Children Of The Revolution
1
2 February 1991 1 3AM Eternal
2. Innuendo
KLF feat. Children Of The Revolution
Queen
1
14 December 1995 1. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
2. When You Tell Me That You Love Me
['Bohemian Rhapsody' not yet charted]
George Michael and Elton John
Diana Ross
1
21 December 1991 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Queen
George Michael and Elton John
1
28 December 1991 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. When You Tell Me That You Love Me
Queen
Diana Ross
1
4 - 11 January 1992 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. Justified And Ancient
Queen
KLF featuring Tammy Wynette
2
18 January 1992 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. Everybody In The Place (EP)
Queen
Prodigy
1
25 January 1992 1. Goodnight Girl
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
Wet Wet Wet
Queen
1
17 - 24 April 1993 1. Young At Heart
2. Informer
['The Five Live EP' not yet charted]
Bluebells
Snow
2
1 May 1993 1. The Five Live EP
2. Young At Heart
Queen and George Michael
Bluebells
1
8 May 1993 1. The Five Live EP
2. That's The Way Love Goes
Queen
Janet Jackson
1
15 May 1993 1. The Five Live EP
2. All That She Wants
Queen
Ace Of Base
1
22 May 1993 1. All That She Wants
2. The Five Live EP
Ace Of Base
Queen
1
7 August 1993 1. Pray
2. Living On My Own
Take That
Freddie Mercury
1
14 - 21 August 1993 1. Living On My Own
2. The Key The Secret
Freddie Mercury
Urban Cookie Collective
2
28 September 1993 1. Mr Vain
2. Living On My Own
Culture Beat
Freddie Mercury
1
22 July 2000 1. Life Is A Rollercoaster
(other chart positions unknown)
Ronan Keating
1
29 July 2000 1. We Will Rock You
(other chart positions unknown)
Queen and Five
1
5 August 2000 1.Seven Days
(other chart positions unknown)
Craig David
1

Singles That Held Queen Off The Top


Seven Queen and solo singles have stalled at no 2 in the UK singles charts, with the following singles preventing Queen reaching no. 1:
  1. 16 and 23 November 1974: 'Killer Queen' held off by 'Gonna Make You A Star' by David Essex, which spent 3 weeks at #1.
  2. 11 December 1976: 'Somebody To Love' held off by 'Under The Moon Of Love' by Showaddywaddy, which spent 3 weeks at #1.
  3. 19 and 26 November 1977: 'We Are The Champions' held off by 'Name Of The Game' by Abba, which spent 4 weeks at #1.
    3 December 1977: 'We Are The Champions' held off by 'Mull Of Kintyre' by Wings, which spent 9 weeks at #1.
  4. 24 November and 1 December 1979: 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' was held off by 'When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman' by Dr Hook, which spent 4 weeks at #1.
  5. 11 and 18 February 1984: 'Radio Ga Ga' held off by 'Relax' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, which spent 5 weeks at #1
  6. 15 and 22 August 1992: 'Barcelona' held off by 'Rhythm Is A Dancer' by Snap!, which spent 6 weeks at #1.
  7. 4 November 1995: 'Heaven For Everyone' held off by 'Gangsta's Paradise' by Coolio, which spent 2 weeks at #1.

Charts With Multiple Queen Singles In


There have been a total of 14 weeks over the years where two or more Queen or solo singles appeared in the top 40. These are:

Date Singles
22 September 1984 19. Hammer To Fall
27. Love Kills
29 September 1984 12. Love Kills
13. Hammer To Fall
6 October 1984 10. Love Kills
19. Hammer To Fall
13 October 1984 14. Love Kills
28. Hammer To Fall
20 October 1984 18. Love Kills
27. Hammer To Fall
24 May 1986 26. A Kind Of Magic
39. Time
7 December 1991 14. Driven By You
34. The Show Must Go On
14 December 1991 6. Driven By You
27. The Show Must Go On
21 December 1991 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
6. Driven By You
29. The Show Must Go On
28 December 1991 1. Bohemian Rhapsody
8. Driven By You
40. The Show Must Go On
19 June 1993 22. The Five Live EP
32. Resurrection
26 June 1993 23. Resurrection
27. The Five Live EP
23 December 1995 6. A Winter's Tale
32. Heaven For Everyone
30 December 1995 13. A Winter's Tale
27. Heaven For Everyone

Single Length


This table summarises the average length of singles, upto and including 'Isolation'. 'Queen 1973-1979' includes all singles upto 'Love Of My Life (live)', and 'Queen 1979-1986' includes 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' onwards. Reissues are included as well as the original releases.

  Number Of Singles Total Length Average Length
Queen 1973-1979 14 51:16 3:40
Queen 1979-1986 18 72:13 4:01
Queen 1989-1996 16 75:34 4:43
Queen 1997-2014 11 43:15 3:56
Roger Taylor 15 59:48 3:59
Brian May 12 47:14 3:56
Freddie Mercury 15 59:10 3:57
The Cross 5 20:27 4:05
Miscellaneous 2 7:17 3:38
Queen Overall 59 242:18 4:06
Solo Overall 49 193:56 3:57
Overall 108 436:14 4:02


Shortest Singles:

  1. Save The Badger Badger Badger (1:08)
  2. One Night In Hell (2:01)
  3. Nazis 1994 (2:36)
  4. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (2:43)
  5. Flash (2:46)
  6. Seven Seas Of Rhye (2:48)
  7. You're My Best Friend (2:50)
  8. Good Old Fashioned Loverboy (2:53)
  9. Killer Queen (2:59)
  10. We Are The Champions (3:00)

Longest Singles:

  1. Journey's End (6:56)
  2. Let Me In Your Heart Again (William Orbit Mix) (6:42)
  3. Innuendo (6:30)
  4. The Unblinking Eye (Everything Is Broken) (6:10)
  5. Bohemian Rhapsody (5:53)
  6. Radio Ga Ga (5:47)
  7. You Don't Fool Me (5:24)
  8. Why Don't We Try Again (5:22)
  9. The Golden Boy (5:14)
  10. Heaven For Everyone (5:08)

Singles Not Released As 7"


There are nineteen singles which were not officially released on the 7" format, although promos and jukebox records may exist:
  1. A Winter's Tale
  2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen + The Muppets)
  3. Bohemian Rhapsody (2015 reissue)
  4. Dear Mr Murdoch (2011 version)
  5. Flash (Vanguard Remix)
  6. Gangsters Are Running This World (although it was included as a 7" vinyl as part of an extremely limited edition boxed set)
  7. Heaven For Everyone
  8. Isolation
  9. Journey's End
  10. Let Me In Your Heart Again (William Orbit Mix)
  11. New Horizons
  12. One Night In Hell
  13. Resurrection
  14. Save The Badger Badger Badger
  15. Say It's Not True
  16. The Unblinking Eye (Everything Is Broken)
  17. We Will Rock You (with Five)
  18. We Will Rock You Vonlichten
  19. You Don't Fool Me

Double-A Sided Singles


There are six UK Queen singles which are often thought to be double-A sided singles, but in five of these cases the catalogue numbers on each side clearly identify the A and B sides. The only truly double-A sided single is 'Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives'. The singles are:

Queen Chart Performance By A-Side Author


This table summarises the chart position of singles, considering the author of the A-side track. The table includes all Queen singles upto and including 'Stormtroopers In Stilettos'. For the average highest chart position, 'Keep Yourself Alive' and 'Say It's Not True' are ignored as they did not chart. For all 'average' statistics, figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.

  Queen Roger Taylor Brian May Freddie Mercury John Deacon Other Overall
No Of Singles 13 4 14 15 7 5 57
Average HCP 12 2 15 11 18 17 13
Highest HCP 1 2 1 1 3 1 1
Average WOC 6 8 6 10 8 7 8
Total WOC 78 32 76 157 46 33 422
Debut Year 1985 1984 1973 1974 1976 1981 1973
Top 5's 2 3 1 7 2 1 16
Top 10's 6 3 2 10 4 1 26
Top 40's 13 3 11 14 7 5 53
Top 75's 13 3 11 15 7 5 54
Did Not Chart 0 1 3 0 0 0 3

The other writing combinations are:


Queen Singles Writer Couplings


The table below summarises the writers of tracks which appeared as the A and B sides on singles. In most cases the B-sides were standard across 7", 12", CD or Cassette releases, but if this is unclear, the 7" tracks are used. For a few singles there were multiple B-sides, so in these cases the first B-Side is used, these being 'Death On Two Legs' on 'The First EP', 'We Will Rock You' on 'Too Much Love Will Kill You', and 'Fat Bottomed Girls' on 'Let Me Live'. In a couple of other cases, namely 'Thank God It's Christmas' and 'No-One But You', the two B-sides had the same writer anyway so this makes no difference. Downloads are generally excluded as these are generally a single track.

  'A' Side Writer
'B' Side Writer Queen Freddie Mercury Brian May Roger Taylor John Deacon Other Writer Total
Queen 9 1 1 1   1 13
Freddie Mercury   3 4   1 3 11
Brian May 2 6 4 1 2   15
Roger Taylor   2   1 1   4
John Deacon   1 1   2   4
Other Writer 2 2 3 1 1 1 10
Total 13 15 13 4 7 5 57

The other writing combinations are:


UK Singles Without Promo Videos


There are a total of 8 UK singles for which no promo video was ever made, nor live performances used in place of a standard promo video, such as in the case of 'Las Palabras De Amor'. The singles are:

An additional single is Roger's 2011 re-recording of 'Dear Mr Murdoch' - the track appeared on Youtube, posted by the QueenOfficial account, with a video comprising various still photos of Roger, Queen, and other members. While it was posted by an official Queen account it's very unlikely that a promo video for a solo track would have pictures of the other band members in it.

For six of the singles, it is understandable why a promo video was not made, as previous singles fared badly in the charts, but for two of the tracks it is quite surprising: