Flash Gordon (soundtrack)

Flash Gordon
Studio album / Soundtrack album by
Queen
Released8 December 1980
RecordedFebruary–March; October–November 1980
Studio
GenreRock
Length35:11
Label
Producer
Queen chronology
The Game
(1980) 		Flash Gordon
(1980) 		Greatest Hits
(1981)
Singles from Flash Gordon
  1. "Flash"
    Released: 24 November 1980

Flash Gordon is the first soundtrack album and ninth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 8 December 1980 by EMI Records in the UK and on 27 January 1981 by Elektra Records in the US.[1] It is one of two film soundtracks that they produced, along with Highlander. It is the soundtrack to the science fiction film Flash Gordon and features lyrics on only two tracks. "Flash's Theme" was the only single to be released from the album, under the title "Flash". The album reached number 10 on the UK charts and number 23 in the US.[2]

The album was reissued worldwide on 27 June 2011 (excluding the US and Canada, where it was released on 27 September) as part of the band's 40th anniversary.[3][4] The reissue adds an EP of related tracks.[5]

Unlike most soundtrack albums, audio from the film is prominently used in the theme song and the score selections of the album.[6]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Chicago Tribune[8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]
The Guardian[10]
Record Mirror[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[12]
Smash Hits2/10[13]
Uncut[14]
  1. ^ Prato, Greg, "Flash Gordon (OST) review", allmusic.com, retrieved 12 September 2024
  2. ^ Ross, Daniel (27 April 2009). "Flash Gordon, Queen And The Art Of The Rock OST". The Quietus. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Press Release: Second Five Albums Re-Issued on 27th June". Queen. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  4. ^ Second Set of Re-issues: Out This Week! Queen. Retrieved 7 July 2011
  5. ^ Snow, John (8 June 2021). "Queen – 'Flash Gordon' (1980) – Album Review (The Studio Album Series)". 2 Loud 2 Old Music. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  6. ^ Petridis, Alexis (15 December 2011). "Queen: Jazz; The Game; Flash Gordon; Hot Space – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Flash Gordon (soundtrack)". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  8. ^ Kot, Greg (19 April 1992). "An 18-record, 80 Million-copy Odyssey". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  9. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 2248. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  10. ^ Petridis, Alexis (15 December 2011). "Queen: Jazz; The Game; Flash Gordon; Hot Space – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  11. ^ "1980.12.13 – Record Mirror – UK – Wham! Bam! Thank you Ma'am! - QueenCuttings.com – Welcome on board!". QueenCuttings.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  12. ^ "Queen: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  13. ^ Ellen, Mark. "Albums". Smash Hits (8 January 1981): 25.
  14. ^ "Queen – Flash Gordon Soundtrack CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 18 January 2018.