Queen's thirteenth studio album, The Miracle, is coming back in a big way.  On November 18, EMI (U.K.) and Hollywood Records (U.S.) will expand The Miracle into a 5CD/Blu-ray/DVD/LP box set adding alternate takes, demos, rough mixes, backing tracks, B-sides, and more.  A 2-CD "highlights" edition will also be available as well as cassette and picture disc vinyl versions of the original album only.

The marathon recording period commenced in December 1987 with the specter of Freddie Mercury's HIV diagnosis (as yet unknown to the public) lingering over the band, and continued through March 1989.    Fifteen months before recording began, Queen had triumphantly concluded their Magic tour at Knebworth in Great Britain, playing before an estimated 160,000 fans.  It would turn out to be Queen's final live concert with Mercury.

The Miracle was a true collaborative effort, with the decision made early on that songwriting credits would be shared by the band - Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon - regardless of which member conceived or primarily wrote a particular song.  This democratic spirit animated the bandmates who happily checked their egos at the studio door.  The cover art of their four faces blending into one underscored this crucial point.  Even as his health was declining, Mercury's creativity and voice remained undiminished.  Five singles would ultimately be released from the album including the anthemic "I Want It All" (No. 3 U.K./No. 3 U.S. Mainstream Rock), "Breakthru" (No. 7 U.K.), "The Invisible Man" (No. 12 U.K.), "Scandal" (No. 25 U.K.), and "The Miracle" (No. 21 U.K.).  The album was similarly successful worldwide upon its release in May 1989.  It topped the U.K. Album Chart as well as charts in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands, while it reached a respectable No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

The new box set edition presents Bob Ludwig's 2011 remaster of the original 10-track album on the first disc.  CD 2, The Miracle Sessions, dives into the album sessions with 16 previously unreleased tracks including early, work-in-progress takes, demos, alternative versions ("My Baby Does Me" in its original guise as "My Baby Loves Me," "Breakthru" with real drums and bass), and the outtake "Face It Alone" which is now streaming as a preview of the box.  Other previously unissued outtakes include "Dog with a Bone," "I Guess We're Falling Out," and "You Know You Belong to Me."  Fly-on-the-wall studio chatter is also featured on this disc.  The third CD, Alternative Miracle, collates nearly a dozen unique 7" and 12" single versions and B-sides.  CD 4, Miracu-Mentals, offers the entire original album in instrumental form with the backing tracks only.  The fifth and final CD is a spoken-word set with period interviews with the band members.

The video component of The Miracle (included on both DVD and Blu-ray) brings together six promotional videos plus featurettes and interviews.  Among the material is John Deacon's final interview to date, from the set of the "Breakthru" music video.  A vinyl LP rounds out the package which adds "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (otherwise unavailable on the box set) to the album sequence.  The track was originally planned for the LP but pulled at the last minute due to a conflict over publishing rights; it would later appear on 1995's Made in Heaven.  It's included here on Side One as originally intended.  The Miracle box fleshes out the story of the album's creation with a 76-page hardcover book of liner notes, photos, memorabilia, and more, plus swag (photo prints, postcards, and a poster).

A 2CD "highlights" version pairs the 2011 Ludwig remaster with the Sessions disc.  Queen's online store is offering an exclusive cassette and limited, numbered picture disc LP of the Ludwig remaster (note that "Too Much Love Will Kill You" is not on this LP) as well as various bundles.  A 7-inch single of "Face It Alone" is also available, with an exclusive instrumental "Karaoke Version" on the B-side.

Look for all versions of Queen's The Miracle on November 18 from EMI and Hollywood Records.  You'll find the track listing and pre-order links below!

Queen, The Miracle: Collector's Edition (Parlophone (U.K.) CDP 7 92357 2, 1989 - reissued EMI/Hollywood, 2022)

5CD/BD/DVD/LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Cassette / Picture Disc LP / All Bundles: Queen Online Store

CD1 - 2011 Bob Ludwig Master

1. Party
2. Khashoggi's Ship
3. The Miracle
4. I Want It All
5. The Invisible Man
6. Breakthru
7. Rain Must Fall
8. Scandal
9. My Baby Does Me
10. Was It All Worth It

CD2 - The Miracle Sessions

1. Party (Original Take)
2. Khashoggi's Ship (Original Take)
3. The Miracle (Original Take with John's Ending)
4. I Want It All (Original Take)
5. The Invisible Man (Early Version with Guide Vocal)
6. When Love Breaks Up (Demo)
7. Breakthru (Real Drums and Bass)
8. Rain Must Fall (Demo)
9. Scandal (Original Rough Mix)
10. My Baby Loves Me
11. Was It All Worth It (Original Take)
12. You Know You Belong to Me
13. I Guess We're Falling Out (Demo)
14. Dog With a Bone
15. Water (Demo)
16. Face It Alone

CD3 - Alternative Miracle

1. I Want It All (Single Version) (Parlophone CD single QUEEN 10, 1989)
2. Hang On In There [B-Side] (Parlophone CD single QUEEN 10, 1989)
3. Breakthru (12" Version) (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 11, 1989)
4. Stealin' [B-Side] (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 11, 1989)
5. The Invisible Man (12" Version) (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 12, 1989)
6. Hijack My Heart [B-Side] (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 12, 1989)
7. Scandal (12" Version) (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 14, 1989)
8. My Life Has Been Saved [B-Side] (Parlophone 12-inch single 12QUEEN 14, 1989)
9. Stone Cold Crazy (Live At The Rainbow, London '74) [B-Side] (Parlophone 12QUEEN 15, 1989)
10. My Melancholy Blues (Live At Houston, Texas '77) [B-Side] (Parlophone 12QUEEN 15, 1989)
11. Chinese Torture [Instrumental] (from The Miracle, Island CD 277 998 7, 2011)

CD4 - Miracu-mentals

1. Party (Instrumental)
2. Khashoggi's Ship (Backing Track)
3. The Miracle (Backing Track)
4. I Want It All (Backing Track)
5. The Invisible Man (Backing Track)
6. Breakthru (Backing Track)
7. Rain Must Fall (Backing Track)
8. Scandal (Backing Track)
9. My Baby Does Me (Backing Track)
10. Was It All Worth It (Backing Track)

CD5 - The Miracle Interviews

1. Queen For An Hour (Trailer)
2. Queen For An Hour (Roger, John, Freddie & Brian with Mike Read)
3. Queen For An Hour (Trailer Outtakes)
4. Rockline (Brian & Roger with Bob Coburn)

DVD / Blu-ray - The Miracle Promo Videos

1. I Want It All (Promo Video)
2. Breakthru (Promo Video)
3. The Invisible Man (Promo Video)
4. Scandal (Promo Video)
5. The Miracle (Promo Video)
6. Was It All Worth It (Promo Video)
7. The Making of The Miracle Videos (Compiled by Rudi Dolezal, this feature contains behind the scenes footage of "I Want It All," "Scandal," "The Miracle," and "Breakthru" videos)
8. The Miracle Interviews (Interviews with Roger, Brian and John on the set of the "Breakthru" film shoot in June 1989 by Gavin Taylor. John has given no further interviews since that day.)
9. The Making of The Miracle Album Cover (Filmed in 1989, Queen's graphic designer Richard Gray talks about and demonstrates how he made the ground-breaking The Miracle album cover)

LP - Long Lost Original LP Cut

Side A

1. Party
2. Khashoggi's Ship
3. The Miracle
4. I Want It All
5. Too Much Love Will Kill You
6. The Invisible Man

Side B

1. Breakthru
2. Rain Must Fall
3. Scandal
4. My Baby Does Me
5. Was It All Worth It