Queen announce new Dolby Atmos mix of Queen I: 'Nobody has heard it quite like this!'
Roger Taylor is finally satisfied with the record
Last updated 7th May 2025
A year after unleashing the remastered and completely rebuilt version of their seminal self-titled 1973 debut album – so revamped they retitled it ‘Queen I’ - Queen have upped the ante with the announcement of a brand new immersive Dolby Atmos release.
Released on limited-edition Audiophile Blu-ray on Friday 13th June 2025 and available to pre-order here, this new version of ‘Queen I’ boasts enhanced spatial surround that breathes new life into Queen’s epic and unique multi-layered sound.
Queen drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May both served as executive producers on the sonically ambitious release alongside the audio-production team of Justin Shirley-Smith, Joshua J Macrae and Kris Fredriksson.
A description of the process reads: ‘To mix Queen I in Dolby Atmos, the team made stems from the 2024 stereo mix, allowing them to process and pan each musical part individually, bringing new depth and dimensions to an album already bursting with invention.’
52 years after the release of ‘Queen’, Roger Taylor now believes the band have finally nailed the album: “At last, we get our first album to sound as we imagined it should sound… phew!”
Also waxing lyrical, Brian May says: “I'm particularly excited about this new Dolby Atmos version of what we now call ‘Queen I’.
“When the boys were converting the stereo rebuild into a surround experience, I was unable to be there, due to a health hiccup. So, I was very happy to have the opportunity to go back in with them recently and add my own contribution to this multichannel mix.
“There are now a few nice adventurous Easter eggs in there, which those who know the album intimately will hopefully enjoy. So the Blu-ray version is an update from the version that has currently been available to stream.
“Nobody has ever heard our first album quite like this !!!”
Justin Shirley-Smith of the audio production team enthuses: “It’s always fun working in Atmos because we are confident that the mix is already good from the stereo and this expanded sound field gives us an opportunity to feature the backing track without masking some of the intricate multi-layered elements that Queen are famous for.
“We finished the mix with Lewis Jones at Abbey Road where they have a great mix studio equipped with all the speakers required. Lewis has worked on a great many significant immersive projects and is a crucial part of the Atmos mix team.”
Rock stars immortalised with statues, including Freddie Mercury:
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Freddie Mercury statue at Lake Geneva
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Keith Richards statue in Dartford
Mick Jagger statue in Dartford
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Buddy Holly statue in Clear Lake, Iowa
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