Queen – News of the World (1977)
News of the World is the sixth studio album by British rock band Queen, released on 28 October 1977 by EMI Records in the UK and by Elektra Records in the United States. The album marked a shift toward a more straightforward hard rock and arena rock style compared with the band’s earlier ornate productions.
🎤 Album Credits
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Artist: Queen
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Album: News of the World
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Released: 28 October 1977 (UK) / 1 November 1977 (US)
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Recorded: 6 July – 16 September 1977 (London)
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Studios: Sarm East & Wessex Sound Studios, London
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Producers: Queen & Mike Stone
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Label: EMI (UK), Elektra (US)
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Genre: Hard rock, arena rock
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Length: ~39:10
Band Personnel:
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Freddie Mercury: Lead vocals, piano
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Brian May: Guitar, backing vocals
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John Deacon: Bass guitar
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Roger Taylor: Drums, backing vocals
📀 Tracklist (Original LP)
Side One
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We Will Rock You – 2:01
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We Are the Champions – 2:59
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Sheer Heart Attack – 3:24
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All Dead, All Dead – 3:10
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Spread Your Wings – 4:36
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Fight from the Inside – 3:02
Side Two
7. Get Down, Make Love – 3:51
8. Sleeping on the Sidewalk – 3:05
9. Who Needs You – 3:07
10. It’s Late – 6:26
11. My Melancholy Blues – 3:33
📊 Commercial Performance & Legacy
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UK Albums Chart: #4
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US Billboard 200: #3
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Certifications: 4× Platinum in the US; Gold in the UK; multiple Platinum certifications worldwide.
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Reception: Initially met with mixed reviews due to its simplified rock approach, the album has since become regarded as one of Queen’s most iconic and enduring records, especially thanks to two monumental anthems.
🎨 Cover Art
The infamous cover art was created by American sci‑fi artist Frank Kelly Freas, based on a 1953 Astounding Science Fiction magazine cover of a giant robot holding a man. Queen’s version replaces the lone figure with the four band members “dead” in the robot’s grasp — a striking and memorable design that doesn’t directly tie to any song but became one of rock’s most distinctive album visuals.
🎶 Standout Tracks & Singles
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“We Will Rock You” – Brian May’s stomping anthem became a universal sports chant.
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“We Are the Champions” – Freddie Mercury’s worldwide singalong hit and Queen’s signature ballad‑anthem.
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“Spread Your Wings” – John Deacon’s inspiring, melodic single.
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“It’s Late” – Epic hard rock composition with dynamic shifts.
🤩 Fun Facts
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🥁 Two of the most famous rock anthems ever — “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” — both come from this album and remain staples at sporting events worldwide.
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🤖 The album cover robot is often nicknamed “Frank” by fans and remains one of Queen’s most iconic visuals.
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🎸 Sheer Heart Attack (the song) channels a raw, punk‑ish energy uncommon for Queen at the time.
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🧭 The band consciously moved toward a more direct rock sound on this record in response to the changing musical landscape of the late 1970s.
🧠 Trivia
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📊 The album’s two massive anthems were released on a double A‑side single and became some of Queen’s best‑selling and most influential songs.
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🎤 Fight from the Inside is one of the few Queen tracks written and sung by Roger Taylor.
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🎷 “My Melancholy Blues,” with its jazzy arrangement, shows Queen’s genre versatility even on a harder rock‑leaning album.
