Queen hasn’t released an album of new material in more than 15 years – but that could change soon.
Roger Taylor says he’s discussed a return to the studio with fellow Queen co-founder Brian May. “I think we might,” Taylor told Uncut. “Brian and myself were talking the other day, and we both said that if we feel we have some good material, why not? We can still play. We can still sing. So I don’t see why not.”
Queen collaborated with Paul Rodgers in 2008 to complete The Cosmos Rocks. Before that, their most recent album was 1995’s Made in Heaven, which collected unfinished Freddie Mercury songs following his AIDS-related death in 1991.
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They’ve been touring with Adam Lambert since 2011, and just completed the globe-spanning Rhapsody Tour in February. Only a few songs have followed, and all of them were scraps from the Mercury era.
May revealed last year that Queen had made some tentative steps toward new songs. He also mentioned new music in 2021. “We have dabbled a little. It is just that you haven’t heard any of it,” he said. “It would have to be something so special that we would feel we would want to launch it on the public.”
Lambert has become comfortable interpreting Mercury’s songs on stage, but acknowledged the inherent risks of stepping into his shoes for any studio recording.
“It’s a lot of pressure if you think about it. If they’re going to put something out that’s new, it’s got to be at a certain level,” Lambert said. “It has to be the right thing – and I’ve always said, ‘Is it appropriate for me to be doing new material?’ I feel like it scares me.”
Queen hasn’t announced any future concerts while May recovers from a minor stroke. The band reportedly agreed to sell their recording, publishing and other rights to Sony Music for a record-smashing $1.27 billion. Then, in September, Queen announced an expanded six-CD/1-LP Collector’s Edition reissue of their 1973 debut album, now dubbed Queen I. It’s due on Oct. 25.
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