🔘 Under Pressure – Single: Oct. 1981

Released: October 30, 1981 (UK)

Label: EMI Records

Catalogue Number: EMI 5250

Format: 7" Vinyl Single

A monumental collaboration between Queen and David Bowie — a spontaneous, studio‑born classic backed with Soul Brother.

Issued as a standalone single ahead of Hot Space, Under Pressure became one of the most iconic duets in rock history.

🔘 Overview

Recorded during sessions in Montreux, Under Pressure emerged from an improvised jam between Queen and David Bowie — a rare meeting of two major forces at their creative peak. Built around John Deacon’s unforgettable bassline, Freddie Mercury and Bowie trade urgent, emotional vocals over a dynamic, shifting arrangement.

Released on October 30, 1981, the single became an instant classic, topping the UK charts and cementing its place as one of the defining anthems of the early ’80s. The B‑side, Soul Brother, offered a warm, affectionate Queen deep cut written by Mercury.

🔘 Track List (Common Configurations)

7" Vinyl — EMI 5250

A. Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie

B. Soul Brother – Queen

12" Vinyl — 12 EMI 5250

A. Under Pressure

B1. Soul Brother

B2. Under Pressure (Extended/Alternate edits, territory dependent)

Written by: Queen & David Bowie

Produced by: Queen & David Bowie

Engineered by: Reinhold Mack, David Richards

🔘 Release Details

Label: EMI Records

Formats: 7" Vinyl / 12" Vinyl

Country: UK

Year: 1981

Notes:

- Standalone single later included on Hot Space (1982)

- Spontaneous studio collaboration in Montreux

- B‑side Soul Brother exclusive to the single

- Issued in picture sleeve

🔘 Variants (Discogs‑Verified)

Variant 1

UK – EMI – EMI 5250 (1981)

Format: 7" Vinyl (Paper Label)

Variant 2

UK – EMI – 12 EMI 5250 (1981)

Format: 12" Vinyl

Variant 3

Select EU territories – EMI – 1C series (1981)

Format: 7" Vinyl (Alternate catalogue numbers)

🔘 Chart Data (BBC / Official Charts Company)

Peak Position: UK — No. 1

Weeks on Chart: 14

Chart Run (Official Charts):

08 Nov 1981 — No. 8

15 Nov 1981 — No. 1

22 Nov 1981 — No. 1

29 Nov 1981 — No. 3

06 Dec 1981 — No. 5

13 Dec 1981 — No. 7

20 Dec 1981 — No. 10

27 Dec 1981 — No. 14

03 Jan 1982 — No. 20

10 Jan 1982 — No. 28

17 Jan 1982 — No. 36

24 Jan 1982 — No. 49

31 Jan 1982 — No. 63

07 Feb 1982 — No. 79

🔘 Context & Notes

Recording Notes

The track grew from a jam session, with Bowie contributing lyrics and vocal structure while Queen shaped the arrangement. The bassline — one of rock’s most recognisable — anchors the song’s emotional intensity.

Collector Notes

Original EMI 5250 picture sleeves are highly collectible. Early 12" pressings with clean labels command strong interest.

Legacy

A towering collaboration — urgent, emotional, and timeless, standing as one of the greatest singles of the 1980s.

🔘 Related Material

Previous Queen Single

Flash (1980)

Next Queen Single

Body Language (1982)

🔘 Discography (Selected, Chronological)

Under Pressure — 1981

Body Language — 1982

Las Palabras de Amor — 1982

🔘 Mini‑Timeline

Sept. 1981 — Recorded in Montreux

Oct. 30, 1981 — UK single released

Nov. 1981 — Reaches UK No. 1

🔘 Glam Flashback

A lightning‑strike collaboration — Bowie and Mercury pushing each other to emotional heights.

🔘 Sources

EMI Records

Discogs

Official Charts Company

Queen & Bowie archival documentation