Stone Cold Classics [Limited Edition]

Queen | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 11, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Hollywood Records
• ASIN: B000EQ5PH8
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,905 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

In commemoration of Queen Week on American Idol (April 11 and 12, 2006), Hollywood Records is releasing Stone Cold Classics. The disc features 12 original studio hits featuring Freddie Mercury--including "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust," and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"--plus two live bonus tracks with Paul Rodgers from Return of the Champions: "All Right Now" and "Feel Like Makin' Love."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A decent 1-disc collection, April 19, 2006

By 

Random Reviewer (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stone Cold Classics (Audio CD)

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.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I think you're missing the point..., April 11, 2006

By 

Multimedia Fan (Northeast Arkansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stone Cold Classics (Audio CD)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Something you should avoid, August 13, 2008

By 

Johnny Boy "The Record Collector" (Hockessin, DE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stone Cold Classics (Audio CD)

As a Queen fan, I'm not giving this three stars because of the music. The music, as is the case with everything Queen does, is five stars. The Paul Rodgers tracks from recently can be skipped (I am a big Bad Company, Free and The Firm fan, but it's just not Queen without Freddie Mercury).

Back in the day, 'Greatest Hits' and 'Classic Queen' were the way to go if you wanted a good Queen collection. In 2008, it is STILL the way to go. 'Stone Cold Classics' is a very unnecessary release; I am aware that this was released to promote "Queen Week" on 'American Idol,' but still, they could have done better.

How could they omit 'Killer Queen' and 'Somebody To Love,' two huge radio hits for the Queen? COME ON HOLLYWOOD RECORDS!!! I could compile a better collection than they did.

Overall, don't buy this release unless you are a die-hard who is seeking the Paul Rodgers + Queen recordings. The sound quality is nothing new; sounds like it does on 'Greatest Hits' and 'Classic Queen.'

If you are seeking a single disc Queen collection, 'Greatest Hits' and 'Classic Queen' are what you need to get. If you want two take it up a step, buy 'The Platinum Collection' and 'Greatest Hits 1 & 2,' both contain most of the material on the single discs mentioned above.

Three stars for the compilation in general, but don't get me wrong, everything here except the Paul Rodgers material is five stars. All I'm saying is look elsewhere for a better Queen collection.

Recommended only for the die-hard Queen fan. The only reason I can think you would want to buy this is for the Paul Rodgers tracks. I will say this: Don't listen to the Rodgers tracks thinking they'll be anywhere near as good as Mercury's recordings with Queen.