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Queen (December 1, 1986) — Live Magic Album

  • Dec 1, 1986
  • 2 min read

Artist: Queen

Label: EMI Records

Country: UK

Catalogue: EMC 3519 Release Date: December 1 1986

Type: Vinyl LP

Format: Gatefold Sleeve







TRACK LISTING

Side A

  1. One Vision (5:09)

  2. Tie Your Mother Down (2:59)

  3. Seven Seas Of Rhye (1:20)

  4. A Kind Of Magic (4:46)

  5. Under Pressure (3:38)

  6. Another One Bites The Dust (3:47)

Side B

  1. I Want To Break Free (2:37)

  2. Is This The World We Created...? (1:31)

  3. Bohemian Rhapsody (4:42) – opera section removed

  4. Hammer To Fall (5:18)

  5. Radio Ga Ga (4:27)

  6. We Will Rock You (1:33) – one verse only

  7. Friends Will Be Friends (1:09)

  8. We Are The Champions (2:01) – one verse/chorus

  9. God Save The Queen (1:18)


SLEEVE & PRESSING DETAILS

Issued in gatefold sleeve, cassette, and CD formats.

Not released in the US until August 1996.


VARIANTS

United Kingdom 1986

• Vinyl LP — EMI Records EMC 3519

• Cassette — EMI Records TC‑EMC 3519

• Compact Disc — EMI Records CDP 7 46267 2

United States 1996

• Compact Disc — Hollywood Records HR‑62042‑2


HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Queen’s second official live album, recorded during the 1986 Magic Tour at Wembley Stadium (July 11–12), Knebworth Park (August 9), and Budapest (July 27). Heavily edited and mixed by Brian May and Trip Khalaf. Peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart for 17 weeks.


COMPOSITION & RECORDING

Compiled from multiple shows on the Magic Tour. Editing removed several extended sections, including the opera segment of Bohemian Rhapsody and verses from We Are The Champions.

MUSICAL ANALYSIS A condensed live document capturing Queen’s stadium‑scale energy. The mix emphasises Freddie Mercury’s vocals and Brian May’s guitar, with crowd ambience reduced for clarity.


CULTURAL REFERENCES

Represents the closing chapter of Queen’s touring era before Mercury’s retirement from live performance. The album’s title and artwork evoke the Magic Tour’s theatrical spectacle.


CRITICAL RECEPTION

Praised for its sound quality but criticised by fans for heavy editing. Later reappraised as a concise snapshot of Queen’s final tour.


CHART PERFORMANCE

UK Albums Chart — Peaked at No. 3 Total Weeks on Chart — 17

Entry Date — December 13 1986


LIVE PERFORMANCE LEGACY

Features recordings from Queen’s final live shows with Freddie Mercury. The Wembley performances were later expanded into the full Live At Wembley ’86 release.


COMPILATION & REMASTER HISTORY Reissued on CD in 1996 by Hollywood Records (US).

Included in several box sets and remastered editions throughout the 2000s.

COLLECTOR NOTES

Gatefold sleeve with tour photography. Cassette and CD editions feature identical track listings. Original UK vinyl pressings are sought after for their clean mastering and sleeve design.


SINGLE CHRONOLOGY

Preceded by:

A Kind Of Magic (June 2 1986)

Followed by:

Who Wants To Live Forever (September 15 1986)


INFLUENCE & LEGACY

Serves as a bridge between Queen’s live dominance and their later studio focus. Captures the band’s peak stadium era and remains a key collectible for Magic Tour enthusiasts.


PERSONNEL Freddie Mercury — vocals, piano

Brian May — guitar, vocals, mixing

Roger Taylor — drums, vocals

John Deacon — bass guitar Trip Khalaf — engineer, mixing




SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts.

All magazine scans, photographs and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.


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