Classic Queen Songs Honored At The 2020 Million-Air Awards
‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and ‘We Will Rock You’ have both been aired 7 million times since their original release.
Queen had an impressive three songs honored in this year’s prestigious Million-Air awards in London. With 7 million total performances, both “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “We Will Rock You” have earned roughly 40 years of continuous play, and at 6 million performances, “We Are The Champions” has garnered over 34 years of continuous play. The combined airplay total on Queen’s three awarded singles is an astounding 20 million.
The Million-Air awards recognize iconic songs that have reached a million or more broadcast performances by UK and European songwriters and publishers.
The news comes as the band celebrates their 10th number one album in the UK with Live Around The World, which was their first number one album in 25 years since 1995’s Made in Heaven. Live Around The World is a compilation album which features highlights from the last decade of touring with Adam Lambert.
Queen are now level with Eminem, Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart, and U2 on ten UK No.1 albums each. They jump ahead of ABBA and Bob Dylan who have nine each. The band’s first bestseller in the UK was A Night At The Opera, in December 1975. Before their last triumph in 1995, they also topped the charts with A Day At The Races (1976), The Game (1980), their record-breaking first Greatest Hits collection of 1981, A Kind Of Magic (1986), The Miracle (1989), and Innuendo and Greatest Hits II (both 1991).
Receiving the news of the Million-Air awards, Brian May and Roger Taylor responded saying, “What a welcome surprise! It means a lot to us that our music is still connecting, and now reaching a whole new generation of rock fans out there. We hope to be back out there soon.”
David Ventura, Sony/ATV UK President & Co-Managing Director & Tim Major, Sony/ATV UK Co-Managing Director said, “Having already long established their place in history, Queen continues to amaze, and this was no exception. We are so proud that Live Around the World reached number one in the UK album charts and that the band was recognized for some seriously impressive ‘Million-air’ milestones at the 2020 BMI London Awards – not just for one, but for three of their iconic songs. It continues to be an honor and a privilege to work with team Queen.”
Listen to the best of Queen on Apple Music and Spotify.
