Queen – A Kind of Magic (1986)
A Kind of Magic is the twelfth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 2 June 1986 by EMI Records in the UK and by Capitol Records in the US. The album was inspired by and loosely based on the soundtrack to the 1986 film Highlander (director Russell Mulcahy), with several tracks written for or influenced by scenes in the movie.
This release came after Queen’s celebrated return to form following their Live Aid performance in 1985 and became a commercial success — especially in the UK.
🎤 Album Credits
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Artist: Queen
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Title: A Kind of Magic
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Released: 2 June 1986 (UK & worldwide)
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Recorded: September 1985 – April 1986
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Studios: Musicland (Munich, Germany), Mountain Studios (Montreux, Switzerland), The Townhouse & Abbey Road (London, UK)
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Producers: Queen, Reinhold Mack, David Richards
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Label: EMI (UK), Capitol (US)
Band Members
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Freddie Mercury: Lead & backing vocals, keyboards
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Brian May: Guitar, backing vocals, synthesizers
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Roger Taylor: Drums, backing vocals
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John Deacon: Bass, guitar, keyboards
Additional contributors include Joan Armatrading (vocals on Don’t Lose Your Head), Steve Gregory (saxophone), and orchestral arrangements by Michael Kamen on Who Wants to Live Forever.
📀 Tracklist (Original LP)
Side One
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One Vision – 5:10
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A Kind of Magic – 4:24
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One Year of Love – 4:26
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Pain Is So Close to Pleasure – 4:21
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Friends Will Be Friends – 4:07
Side Two
6. Who Wants to Live Forever – 5:15
7. Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme) – 4:34
8. Don’t Lose Your Head – 4:38
9. Princes of the Universe – 3:32
Total length: ~40:42
📊 Commercial Performance & Legacy
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UK Albums Chart: #1, entered at the top and remained on the chart for over a year.
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US Billboard 200: Reached #46.
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Sales: Estimated at around 14 million copies sold worldwide.
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Critical Reception: Initially mixed, though in later years the album has been recognized as one of Queen’s defining 80s records and a classic of the decade.
This album was also Queen’s last studio album promoted with a full world tour (The Magic Tour), due to Freddie Mercury’s health issues later in life.
🎶 Hit Singles & Popular Tracks
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“One Vision” – Anthemic opener and first single after Live Aid success.
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“A Kind of Magic” – Title track and Highlander ending theme; reached #3 UK.
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“Friends Will Be Friends” – Uplifting pop‑rock single; UK Top 15.
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“Who Wants to Live Forever” – Orchestral Queen ballad with emotional depth.
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“One Year of Love” – Smooth, soulful Deacon‑penned track with strings.
Other fan favourites include “Princes of the Universe” (the Highlander theme) and the hard‑rocking “Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme)”.
🖼️ Cover Art & Visual Identity
The cover of A Kind of Magic features a stylised geometric Queen logo set against a vivid purple‑blue gradient — reflecting the album’s blend of rock energy and mystical, cinematic ambition tied to Highlander. This image became synonymous with Queen’s mid‑80s era and was featured heavily in promotional visuals during The Magic Tour.
🤩 Fun Facts
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🗡️ Highlander connection: Several songs were inspired by or written for the Highlander film, making the album a de‑facto soundtrack in spirit.
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🎸 Studio innovation: A Kind of Magic was one of Queen’s first albums to be fully recorded digitally.
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🎶 Orchestral collaboration: Who Wants to Live Forever features an orchestral arrangement conducted by Michael Kamen.
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🎤 Last tour album: It was the final Queen album to be supported by a full concert tour, The Magic Tour in 1986.
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🏆 Longevity: The album remained in the UK charts for 63 weeks, a major commercial achievement.
🧠 Trivia
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📼 The music video for “One Vision” offered fans a rare glimpse of Queen in the studio working and having fun, filmed during the recording sessions.
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🎬 The album’s title phrase “A kind of magic” is a memorable line spoken by Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) in Highlander.
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🎵 Despite mixed contemporary reviews, many fans today consider this album a classic example of Queen’s 80s creativity, balancing pop hooks, cinematic scope, and rock power.
