Editing Queen (band) (section)

===2009–2011: Departure from EMI, 40th anniversary===
On 20 May 2009, May and Taylor performed "We Are the Champions" live on the season finale of ''[[American Idol]]'' with winner [[Kris Allen]] and runner-up [[Adam Lambert]] providing a vocal duet.<ref name="AIdol">{{cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1611896/20090520/queen.jhtml |title=Kris Allen, Adam Lambert Tear Up Queen's 'We Are The Champions' – News Story &#124; MTV News |publisher=MTV |date=20 May 2009 |access-date=2 June 2010 |archive-date=1 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401155919/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1611896/20090520/queen.jhtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> A new greatest hits compilation ''[[Absolute Greatest]]'' was released on 16 November and peaked at number 3 in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20091122/7502/|title=Chart Archive: Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – 28th November 2009|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=4 August 2011|archive-date=16 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016064223/http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20091122/7502/|url-status=live}}</ref> It contains 20 of Queen's hits spanning their career and was released in four different formats: single disc, double disc (with commentary), double disc with feature book, and a [[vinyl record]]. Before its release, Queen ran an online competition to guess the track listing as a promotion for the album.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.queenonline.com/error/404|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402201532/http://www.queenonline.com/news-archive/absolute-greatest-tracklist-revealed-/|url-status=dead|title=Absolute Greatest Tracklist Revealed!|archivedate=2 April 2012|website=www.queenonline.com}}</ref> On 15 November 2009, May and Taylor performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" live on the British TV show ''[[The X Factor (UK)|The X Factor]]'' alongside the finalists.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/x-factor-twins-john-and-edward-in-final-six-14563848.html | title = X Factor twins John and Edward in final six | newspaper = The Belfast Telegraph | date = 16 November 2009 | access-date = 16 November 2009 | archive-date = 18 November 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091118185727/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/x-factor-twins-john-and-edward-in-final-six-14563848.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

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 | quote = Many of you will have read bits and pieces on the internet about Queen changing record companies and so I wanted to confirm to you that the band have signed a new contract with Universal Music ... we would like to thank the EMI team for all their hard work over the years, the many successes and the fond memories, and of course we look forward to continuing to work with EMI Music Publishing who take care of our songwriting affairs. Next year we start working with our new record company to celebrate Queen's 40th anniversary and we will be announcing full details of the plans over the next 3 months. As Brian has already said Queen's next moves will involve 'studio work, computers and live work.
 | source = —[[Jim Beach]], Queen's Manager, on the change of record label.<ref name="label"/>
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On 20 August 2010, Queen's manager [[Jim Beach]] announced that the band had signed a new contract with Universal Music<ref name="label">{{cite web |url=http://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsaug10.html |title=Queen News August 2010 |publisher=Brianmay.com |access-date=7 November 2010 |archive-date=15 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115211003/https://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsaug10.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> after almost 40 years with [[EMI]].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7141990.ece | title = Can EMI pick up the pieces? | date = 2 June 2010 | last = Paphides | first = Pete | newspaper = [[The Times]] | location = London | access-date = 27 June 2010 | archive-date = 15 June 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110615183306/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7141990.ece | url-status = dead }}</ref> On 22 September, May confirmed that the band's new deal was with [[Island Records]], a subsidiary of [[Universal Music Group]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC_DPjh6gWA  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/GC_DPjh6gWA| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=Hardtalk Interview Part 1 |date=23 September 2010 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=20 December 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ4eeS5D8dc  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/MZ4eeS5D8dc| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=Hardtalk Interview Part 2 |date=23 September 2010 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=20 December 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Hollywood Records]] remained as the group's label in the US and Canada. For the first time since the late 1980s, Queen's catalogue now has the same distributor worldwide, as Universal distributes for both the Island and Hollywood labels (for a time in the late 1980s, Queen was on EMI-owned [[Capitol Records]] in the US).<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Collett-White|first1=Mike|title=Queen Signs To Universal, Preps Remastered Albums|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/951467/queen-signs-to-universal-preps-remastered-albums|access-date=17 July 2014|magazine=Billboard|date=8 November 2010|archive-date=7 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007005124/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/951467/queen-signs-to-universal-preps-remastered-albums|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 14 March 2011, the band's 40th anniversary, Queen's first five albums were re-released in the UK and some other territories as remastered deluxe editions; the US versions were released on 17 May.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/first-five-albums-re-released-today/|title=First Five Albums Re–Released Today!|access-date=25 May 2011|date=14 March 2011|publisher=Queen|archive-date=16 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816062124/http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/first-five-albums-re-released-today/|url-status=live}}</ref> The second five albums of Queen's back catalogue were released worldwide on 27 June, and on 27 September in the US and Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/press-release-second-five-albums-re-issued-13th-june/|title=Press Release: Second Five Albums Re-Issued on 27th June|access-date=25 May 2011|date=5 April 2011|publisher=Queen|archive-date=16 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816065349/http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/press-release-second-five-albums-re-issued-13th-june/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/second-set-re-issues-uk-pre-order-links/ |title=Second Set of Re-issues: Out This Week! |publisher=Queenonline.com |access-date=7 July 2011 |archive-date=30 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630071056/http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/second-set-re-issues-uk-pre-order-links/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The final five were released in the UK on 5 September.<ref>{{cite web|title=Press Release: Final Five Albums Re-Issued On 5th September|url=http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/press-release-final-five-albums-re-issued-5th-september/|publisher=Queenonline.com|access-date=22 July 2011|archive-date=22 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922073354/http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/press-release-final-five-albums-re-issued-5th-september/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2011, [[Jane's Addiction]] vocalist [[Perry Farrell]] said that Queen were scouting their live bassist [[Chris Chaney]] to join the band.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/2011/05/20/perry-farrell-janes-addiction-dave-sitek-queen|title=Perry Farrell Battles Queen for a Bassist, Plots Dream Lineup for Lollapalooza 2012|publisher=Spinner|access-date=25 May 2011|archive-date=28 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528054136/http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/2011/05/20/perry-farrell-janes-addiction-dave-sitek-queen|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the same month, Paul Rodgers stated he might tour with Queen again in the future.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.queenzone.com/news/paul-rodgers-to-tour-with-queen-again.aspx |title=Paul Rodgers to tour with Queen again? |publisher=Queenzone.com |date=31 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604215559/http://www.queenzone.com/news/paul-rodgers-to-tour-with-queen-again.aspx |archive-date=4 June 2011 }}</ref> At the 2011 [[Broadcast Music, Incorporated]] (BMI) Awards held in London on 4 October, Queen received the BMI Icon Award for their airplay success in the US.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/queen/59624 |title=Queen take the Icon prize at BMI Awards |work=NME |date=5 October 2011 |access-date=19 February 2020 |archive-date=1 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701004107/http://www.nme.com/news/queen/59624 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/553017 |title=Queen, the Script, Andrew Frampton, Fraser T. Smith & more honored at 2011 BMI London Awards |publisher=Bmi.com |date=4 October 2011 |access-date=5 October 2011 |archive-date=1 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801094438/http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/553017 |url-status=live }}</ref> At the [[2011 MTV Europe Music Awards]] on 6 November, Queen received the [[MTV Europe Music Award for Global Icon|Global Icon Award]], which [[Katy Perry]] presented to Brian May.<ref name="EMA"/> Queen closed the awards ceremony, with Lambert singing "The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions".<ref name="EMA">{{cite web |author=Source: Penny Newton |url=http://www.mtv.com.au/news/61c139e8-katy-perry-adam-lambert-honour-queen/ |title=Katy and Adam Honour Queen |publisher=MTV |date=6 November 2011 |access-date=7 November 2011 |archive-date=12 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912235351/http://www.mtv.com.au/news/61c139e8-katy-perry-adam-lambert-honour-queen/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The collaboration received a positive response from fans and critics, resulting in speculation about future projects together.<ref name="Sonisphere">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17100301 |title=Adam Lambert to perform with Queen at Sonisphere |publisher=BBC |date=20 February 2012 |access-date=25 December 2019 |archive-date=24 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724202732/http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17100301 |url-status=live }}</ref>