Hot This Week: December 24

Three new movies make their debut atop this week's list, led by the Denzel Washington action vehicle The Equalizer 2. A posthumous album from rapper XXXTENTACION takes the top spot in music. In audiobooks, familiar favorites hold strong.

Movies 

1. The Equalizer 2 (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Smallfoot (Blu-ray)
3. Peppermint (Blu-ray)
4. Mission Impossible: Fallout (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. The Nun (Blu-ray)
6. The Happytime Murders (Blu-ray)
7. Crazy Rich Asians (Blu-ray)
8. Mile 22 (Blu-ray)
9. The Meg (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Incredibles 2 (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. XXXTENTACION, Skins
2. Meek Mill, Championships
3. Michael Buble, Christmas
4. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
5. Travis Scott, Astroworld
6. John Mellencamp, Other People's Stuff
7. Drake, Scorpion
8. Pentatonix, Christmas Is Here!
9. The Greatest Showman Soundtrack
10. Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack

Fiction

1. The Reckoning, John Grisham
2. Fire and Blood, George R.R. Martin
3. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
4. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
5. Target: Alex Cross, James Patterson
6. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
7. Past Tense, Lee Child
8. Long Road to Mercy, David Baldacci
9. Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty
10. Elevation, Stephen King

Non-Fiction

1. Becoming, Michelle Obama
2. Educated, Tara Westover
3. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
4. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
5. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
6. Fear, Bob Woodward
7. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
8. Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss
9. The Library Book, Susan Orlean
10. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson

Rock Hall Names New Inductees

Written by Jon Williams

Last week the 2019 slate of inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was announced. This year’s class comprises seven bands and solo acts: Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson, Def Leppard, the Cure, Radiohead, Roxy Music, and the Zombies. The induction ceremony will be held on Friday, March 29, 2019, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Here is a brief look at each of the acts joining the ranks of the Hall’s famous and influential members.

Stevie Nicks is the first woman to be inducted twice, as she is already included as a member of the band Fleetwood Mac, inducted in 1998. Her solo career, which is being honored this time around, began with the release of the album Bella Donna in 1981. Driven by the hit “Edge of Seventeen” as well as collaborations with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (“Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”) and Don Henley (“Leather and Lace”), it hit number one on Billboard’s album chart. Since then, she has continued to tour and record with Fleetwood Mac while maintaining a stellar solo career as well, releasing eight studio albums under her own name, most recently 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault in 2014.

Janet Jackson will take her place in the Hall alongside her famous brothers as a member of this year’s class—the Jackson 5 were inducted in 1997, and Michael Jackson joined as a solo artist in 2001. From an obviously musical family, Janet’s entrance into the world of entertainment actually started with acting. Still, she couldn’t escape the world of music, beginning her recording career as a teenager. Her breakout came with her third album, Control, released in 1986, shortly before her 20^th birthday. She has gone on to record eleven albums, with the most recent being 2015’s Unbreakable.

Def Leppard was one of the biggest rock bands in the world in the 1980s, but they have refused to be defined or constrained by the “hair metal” label. Forming in the late ‘70s, their debut album On Through the Night came out in 1980. Pyromania (1983) and Hysteria (1987) were two of the biggest albums of the decade, dominating the charts and spawning a number of singles. The band suffered through such tragedies as drummer Rick Allen losing his left arm in a car accident and the passing of guitarist Steve Clark, and their star dimmed as pop metal declined in popularity as grunge ascended. Nevertheless, they have persevered, continuing to tour and record to this day. Their latest album, the self-titled Def Leppard, came out in 2015.

The Cure formed around the same time and have undergone a number of lineup changes in their forty-plus years, with frontman Robert Smith being the only constant member. Their debut album, 1979’s Three Imaginary Boys, kicked off a rather prolific career that saw them release thirteen albums in thirty years, culminating in 2008’s 4:13 Dream (currently unavailable). While the Cure has not released an album since then, the band has been touring, and there are plans to record and release new music in 2019 in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of their debut.

Radiohead is the “newest” act of this group, forming in 1985 and bursting onto the scene with the single “Creep” in 1992. That landed on their 1993 debut album Pablo Honey, the first of their nine albums, the newest of which is 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool. The band has continued to experiment and evolve throughout their career and the accolades have followed, winning the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album three times. Their most recent release is a 20^th anniversary edition of their 1997 album OK Computer with new tracks, and members Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke have also gained acclaim in the world of film music.

Roxy Music is a highly influential art rock band that came together in 1970 and released their self-titled debut album in 1972. Their recording career lasted just ten years, but they put out eight albums in that time, the last being Avalon in 1982. Since then, the band has been an on-again off-again venture, with the individual members often contributing to lead singer Bryan Ferry’s solo albums. That was the case with 2010’s Olympia (currently unavailable), originally conceived as a Roxy Music album and even featuring Brian Eno for the first time since 1973’s For Your Pleasure, but eventually released under Ferry’s name.

The Zombies are the oldest act joining the Hall in 2019, forming in 1961. The band put out just two albums in the 1960s—their 1965 debut and 1968’s Odessey and Oracle. They disbanded around the time of that second album’s release and didn’t reunite until 1991, when they recorded the album New World (currently unavailable) and then split again. Singer Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent got back together in 1999 and have continued to tour and record since, with their most recent album being 2015’s Still Got That Hunger.

In 2019 these musicians will cement their legendary status as they join the ranks of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and your music-loving patrons will want to discover or re-discover their catalogs. Make sure you have plenty of their incredible tunes available—use the links above or SmartBrowse on our website to find their albums as well as concert films and other related media we have available.

Hot This Week: December 17

If you're looking for new media this week, look no further than our movie list, with three debuts at the top and one at the bottom, headed by the latest installment in the Tom Cruise action franchise Mission Impossible. In music, a new disc from Meek Mill wins the week. John Grisham moves up to #1 in fiction with a new novel from Nora Roberts coming in just behind, while non-fiction just sees some shuffling of titles.

Movies 

1. Mission Impossible: Fallout (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. The Nun (Blu-ray)
3. The Happytime Murders (Blu-ray)
4. Crazy Rich Asians (Blu-ray)
5. Mile 22 (Blu-ray)
6. The Meg (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. Incredibles 2 (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Searching (Blu-ray)
9. Alpha (Blu-ray)
10. Operation Finale (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Meek Mill, Championships
2. The 1975, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
3. Michael Buble, Christmas
4. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
5. Travis Scott, Astroworld
6. Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack
7. Pentatonix, Christmas Is Here!
8. Drake, Scorpion
9. The Greatest Showman Soundtrack
10. Pentatonix, A Pentatonix Christmas

Fiction

1. The Reckoning, John Grisham
2. Of Blood and Bone, Nora Roberts
3. Fire and Blood, George R.R. Martin
4. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
5. Target: Alex Cross, James Patterson
6. Past Tense, Lee Child
7. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
8. Long Road to Mercy, David Baldacci
9. Kingdom of the Blind, Louise Penny
10. Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty

Non-Fiction

1. Becoming, Michelle Obama
2. Educated, Tara Westover
3. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
4. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
5. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
6. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
7. Fear, Bob Woodward
8. The Library Book, Susan Orlean
9. Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss
10. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson

George R.R. Martin Goes Back in Time

Written by Jon Williams

For the past two weeks, a new book from George R.R. Martin has been at or near the top of the bestseller lists. No, it’s not the one that fans have been so eagerly anticipating: The Winds of Winter, the long-awaited sixth installment in his Song of Ice and Fire series. It is set in the same world, however. While the books of the series itself concern themselves with the aftermath of the rebellion that toppled the reign of the Targaryen dynasty in the fictional realm of Westeros, Fire and Blood tells the earliest history of those Targaryen kings.

A Song of Ice and Fire is probably more popularly known by the title of its first volume, A Game of Thrones. Published in 1996, it was the first book of what was originally planned as a trilogy. The next two installments, 1998’s A Clash of Kings and 2000’s A Storm of Swords, did not come close to finishing the story, as Martin’s expansive style and an increasingly involved plot necessitated expanding the series to seven books. Those plot complications have also slowed down the writing. The fourth book, A Feast for Crows, came in 2005, and the fifth, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011.

And that’s where the series stands at the moment. A vocal segment of fans has grown increasingly dismayed at the long wait for the next book, with some even speculating that Martin wouldn’t even finish the series. On a recent blog post, however, he assured fans that The Winds of Winter is still forthcoming, and that he would indeed finish the series. In the meantime, there has been plenty to keep everyone occupied. The HBO series Game of Thrones debuted its first season in 2011 and has gone on to establish itself as a television phenomenon. It surpassed the source material from the novels with its sixth season, and the eighth and final season will premiere in April of 2019. Those who are really into the books and show can learn the Dothraki language used by the fierce horse lords (including Khal Drogo, played by Aquaman's Jason Mamoa). And readers/listeners looking for more Westeros backstory will enjoy A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, detailing the adventures of hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, the future king Aegon V Targaryen.

In a related but (at least supposedly) not connected vein, Martin also offers The Ice Dragon, a tale aimed at children and young adults, a sharp contrast with the gritty and bloodthirsty mode of A Song of Ice and Fire. These fantasy worlds are what Martin is most known for, but he’s equally at home in other settings. The Wild Cards series he edits and compiles is a sci-fi alternate history of the post-WWII U.S. that has been infected with an alien virus. And while it’s currently unavailable on audiobook, his novella Nightflyers is the basis for a ten-episode TV series currently airing on Syfy.

So for your patrons who are watching Nightflyers or gearing up for the final season of Game of Thrones, or even just patiently waiting for The Winds of Winter (not to mention A Dream of Spring, the final volume), there is plenty of material from George R.R. Martin to keep them entertained. Check out the titles listed above, and be sure to visit our website to find music from Game of Thrones as well as other related materials.

Hot This Week: December 10

Just one new movie makes this week's list: the innovative thriller Searching. The 1975 take over the music chart with their new album, while popular Christmas tunes make their first appearance of the season. In fiction, Louise Penny lands her latest at #1, while one new political examination makes the list in non-fiction.

Movies 

1. Crazy Rich Asians (Blu-ray)
2. The Meg (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Searching (Blu-ray)
4. Mile 22 (Blu-ray)
5. Incredibles 2 (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. Alpha (Blu-ray)
7. Kin (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Christopher Robin (Blu-ray)
9. The Spy Who Dumped Me (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Skyscraper (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. The 1975, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
2. Michael Buble, Christmas
3. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
4. Travis Scott, Astroworld
5. Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack
6. Pentatonix, Christmas Is Here!
7. Drake, Scorpion
8. The Greatest Showman Soundtrack
9. Pentatonix, A Pentatonix Christmas
10. Post Malone, Beerbongs & Bentleys

Fiction

1. Kingdom of the Blind, Louise Penny
2. Fire and Blood, George R.R. Martin
3. The Reckoning, John Grisham
4. Target: Alex Cross, James Patterson
5. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
6. Past Tense, Lee Child
7. Long Road to Mercy, David Baldacci
8. Look Alive Twenty-Five, Janet Evanovich
9. Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty
10. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom

Non-Fiction

1. Becoming, Michelle Obama
2. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
3. Educated, Tara Westover
4. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
5. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
6. Fear, Bob Woodward
7. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
8. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
9. Trump's Enemies, Corey R. Lewandowski and David N. Bossie
10. The Library Book, Susan Orlean

Hot This Week: December 3

The smash hit movie Crazy Rich Asians makes its debut atop this week's movie list. Six new albums on the music chart are led by the latest from Mumford & Sons. While it's not the title everyone is waiting for, the new release from George R.R. Martin detailing the history of House Targaryen takes the top spot in fiction, while last week's top titles in non-fiction hold strong.


Movies 

1. Crazy Rich Asians (Blu-ray)
2. The Meg (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Mile 22 (Blu-ray)
4. Incredibles 2 (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Alpha (Blu-ray)
6. Kin (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. Christopher Robin (Blu-ray)
8. The Spy Who Dumped Me (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. Skyscraper (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Ant-Man and the Wasp (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. Mumford & Sons, Delta
2. Michael Buble, Love
3. The Greatest Showman: Reimagined
4. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
5. Mariah Carey, Caution
6. Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack
7. Travis Scott, Astroworld
8. Drake, Scorpion
9. Anderson .Paak, Oxnard
10. Lil Baby & Gunna, Drip Harder

Fiction

1. Fire and Blood, George R.R. Martin
2. Target: Alex Cross, James Patterson
3. The Reckoning, John Grisham
4. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
5. Look Alive Twenty-Five, Janet Evanovich
6. Past Tense, Lee Child
7. Long Road to Mercy, David Baldacci
8. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
9. Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty
10. Elevation, Stephen King

Non-Fiction

1. Becoming, Michelle Obama
2. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
3. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
4. Educated, Tara Westover
5. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
6. Fear, Bob Woodward
7. In Pieces, Sally Field
8. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
9. The Library Book, Susan Orlean
10. Almost Everything, Anne Lamott

The Lion King Trailer Excites Movie Fans

Written by Jon Williams

When Disney released The Lion King into theaters in 1994, it was an instant hit. Using animation to bring the classic tale of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the animal kingdom, the movie featured a star-studded voice cast including James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg, and Matthew Broderick, to name just a few. It made more than $300 million during its initial theatrical run, won Academy Awards for its music, and spawned two direct-to-video sequels, The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride and The Lion King 1½, not to mention a Broadway play.

Now, as we approach the movie’s 25^th anniversary, Disney is preparing to release a live-action (or photorealistic CGI, at least) remake of The Lion King. Coming in July of 2019, it is set to feature even more famous voices, if that’s possible, than the original. James Earl Jones will once again lend his iconic voice to Mufasa, and he’ll be joined by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover, Alfre Woodard, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and John Oliver. Oh, and Beyoncé. The first teaser trailer for the movie dropped last week during the NFL games on Thanksgiving Day and has already been viewed hundreds of millions of times online.

The new movie is being directed by Jon Favreau, who is no stranger to this type of project, having brought the 2016 live-action version of The Jungle Book following the 1967 animated classic, which is currently in Disney’s Vault. Other recent live-action updates of Disney’s animated classics include 2017’s Beauty and the Beast (from 1991’s animated version), 2015’s Cinderella (1950’s animated version, currently in the Vault), and 2010’s Alice in Wonderland (from 1951’s animated version). Lest anyone think this is a new concept, however, please recall the 1996 live-action version of 101 Dalmatians, adapted from the 1961 animated original (both of which are currently unavailable).

Of course, Disney’s lineup of animated classics is a rich vein to mine, and there are a number of other live-action adaptations in the works. 2019 will be a big year for them, with Dumbo (from director Tim Burton, who also did Alice in Wonderland) in March and Aladdin (starring Will Smith as the Genie) in May. Lady and the Tramp is also on the agenda for some point during the year, while 2020 will see an adaptation of Mulan. A remake of Pinocchio is still further out on the horizon, but has been in the news in the past couple of days due to the possibility of Tom Hanks joining the cast in the key role of Geppetto.

These live-action remakes have proved to be incredibly popular, and the original animated versions have proven to be all-time classics for generations. Make sure you have both versions of all these wonderful movies on your shelves for patrons to enjoy.

Hot This Week: November 26

There are plenty of new titles your patrons will be looking for as they come off their long holiday weekend. Three are on the movie list, led by the giant shark thriller The Meg. Five albums debut on the music chart, with the 50th anniversary reissue of the White Album landing the Beatles on the list. In fiction, the top two titles are new, while in non-fiction, the enlightening new memoir from former First Lady Michelle Obama takes over the top spot.

Movies 

1. The Meg (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Mile 22 (Blu-ray)
3. Incredibles 2 (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Alpha (Blu-ray)
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. Christopher Robin (Blu-ray)
7. Ant-Man and the Wasp (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Skyscraper (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. Hotel Transylvania 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Blackkklansman (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. Kane Brown, Experiment
2. Imagine Dragons, Origins
3. Lil Pepp, Come Over When You're Sober, Part 2
4. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
5. The Beatles, The Beatles
6. Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack
7. Drake, Scorpion
8. Travis Scott, Astroworld
9. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter V
10. Muse, Simulation Theory

Fiction

1. Look Alive Twenty-Five, Janet Evanovich
2. Long Road to Mercy, David Baldacci
3. The Reckoning, John Grisham
4. Past Tense, Lee Child
5. Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty
6. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
7. Dark Sacred Night, Michael Connelly
8. Elevation, Stephen King
9. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
10. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

Non-Fiction

1. Becoming, Michelle Obama
2. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
3. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
4. Fear, Bob Woodward
5. Educated, Tara Westover
6. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
7. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
8. Almost Everything, Anne Lamott
9. The Library Book, Susan Orlean
10. I Might Regret This, Abbi Jacobson

Hot This Week: November 19

There are plenty of new movies for patrons to enjoy during the upcoming holiday weekend, led by the blockbuster animated sequel Incredibles 2. In music, the smash success biopic Bohemian Rhapsody lands two Queen compilations on the chart, including the movie's soundtrack. The fiction list is bookended by two new novels at each end, with the latest from Lee Child at the top, while familiar favorites stand strong in non-fiction.

Movies 

1. Incredibles 2 (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. The Spy Who Dumped Me (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Ant-Man and the Wasp (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Blackkklansman (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Skyscraper (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. Hotel Transylvania 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. The Darkest Minds (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Slender Man (Blu-ray)
9. Christopher Robin (Blu-ray)
10. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
2. Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack
3. Drake, Scorpion
4. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter V
5. Travis Scott, Astroworld
6. Queen, Greatest Hits - Platinum Collection
7. Post Malone, Beerbongs & Bentleys
8. Ariana Grande, Sweetener
9. Barbra Streisand, Walls
10. Pistol Annies, Interstate Gospel

Fiction

1. Past Tense, Lee Child
2. Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty
3. The Reckoning, John Grisham
4. Dark Sacred Night, Michael Connelly
5. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
6. Elevation, Stephen King
7. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
8. Unsheltered, Barbara Kingsolver
9. The Noel Stranger, Richard Paul Evans
10. Sea of Greed, Clive Cussler and Graham Brown

Non-Fiction

1. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
2. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
3. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
4. Fear, Bob Woodward
5. Educated, Tara Westover
6. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
7. I Might Regret This, Abbi Jacobson
8. Almost Everything, Anne Lamott
9. In Pieces, Sally Field
10. The Coddling of the American Mind, Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

Bohemian Rhapsody Puts Queen Back in the Spotlight

Written by Jon Williams

Now going into its third weekend in theaters, moviegoers still can’t stop talking about Bohemian Rhapsody. The film has made over $110 million at the box office to date, already making it one of the biggest musical biopics of all time. Detailing the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen from the band’s formation in 1970 through their astonishing 1985 Live Aid performance, the movie has spurred a resurgence of interest in Queen’s timeless music.

Band members Brian May and Roger Taylor were performing together in the band Smile until Mercury joined them in 1970, when they took the name Queen. When bassist John Deacon joined in 1971, the lineup was complete. In 1973, they released their eponymous debut album, Queen, which drew some critical acclaim but otherwise garnered little attention. That started to change with the follow-up, 1974’s Queen II, which contained their first U.K. hit, “Seven Seas of Rhye,” a finished version of an instrumental track from the first album. That album’s cover art would become perhaps the most iconic image associated with the band. Their second album of 1974, Sheer Heart Attack, and its lead single “Killer Queen” helped to establish their classic sound, and brought them success in North America as well.

From there it was a rocket ship to the top as Queen produced one radio smash after another. Their fourth album, 1975’s A Night at the Opera, was the most expensive ever produced at the time. It contained the epic six-minute style mishmash “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which gave the movie its name. Their next album, the sequel A Day at the Races, spawned the hit “Somebody to Love.” And then came 1977’s News of the World, and with it, perhaps their most well-known, biggest hit: the anthem “We Will Rock You” and the accompanying ballad “We Are the Champions.” But the hits didn’t stop there—far from it. The 1978 album Jazz included such songs as “Fat Bottomed Girls,” “Bicycle Race,” and “Don’t Stop Me Now,” while 1980’s The Game brought “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” Then they showed off their versatility by finishing off 1980 with the soundtrack for the sci-fi movie Flash Gordon.

One of Queen’s big hits happened spontaneously, as David Bowie came into their studio to sing backup on a track—that performance was nixed, but while he was there, they wrote and recorded “Under Pressure.” That appears on their 1982 album Hot Space. The different sound on the album was a source of contention between Mercury and the rest of the band, and they took a break from performing live while they worked on a new album and pursued side projects. They came back with The Works in 1984, containing “Radio Ga Ga” and “I Want to Break Free.” In July of 1985 came their celebrated performance at the benefit concert Live Aid, which ranked in a 2005 poll as the greatest rock performance of all time. Energized, they recorded the 1986 album A Kind of Magic. That was followed by their final tour with Mercury, where they played to record crowds. In 1989 they released The Miracle, and followed it in 1991 with Innuendo. Mercury, who had been ill for some time, passed away later that year. Nevertheless, the band had enough leftover material, including songs recorded during previous album sessions, for Made in Heaven, released in 1995.

The movie’s popularity has brought Queen’s music back to the forefront—the soundtrack is at #3 on the current Billboard albums chart, the highest position for the band in 38 years, since The Game hit #1 in 1980. It has also brought the song “Bohemian Rhapsody” back into the Hot 100, making it just the second song to chart in three different decades (in addition to its original 1976 release, it also charted in 1992 due to its inclusion in the movie Wayne’s World). It speaks to the fact that Queen’s music is timeless, and your patrons will be looking for it now as they learn about the band and its amazing lead singer due to the incredibly popular movie. Use the links above to find their studio albums, and SmartBrowse the band’s name on our website to find their acclaimed live albums and video of their performances. And for patrons who want to dig more into their history, check out the audiobook Queen Unseen by Peter Hince.

Hot This Week: November 12

Three new movies break onto this week's list, led by the Mila Kunis/Kate McKinnon comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me. In music, a long-awaited new release by superstar crossover tenor Andrea Bocelli bumps the soundtrack to A Star Is Born from the top spot. Stephen King's new novella, his second release of the year, takes over in fiction. And in non-fiction, a memoir from Abbi Jacobson, the co-star of Broad City, is the sole newcomer of the week.

Movies 

1. The Spy Who Dumped Me (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Ant-Man and the Wasp (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Skyscraper (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Hotel Transylvania 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. Slender Man (Blu-ray)
6. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (Blu-ray)
7. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. The First Purge (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. Andrea Bocelli, Si
2. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
3. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter V
4. Drake, Scorpion
5. Travis Scott, Astroworld
6. Post Malone, Beerbongs & Bentleys
7. Ella Mai, Ella Mai
8. Quavo, Quavo Huncho
9. XXXTENTACION, ?
10. Eminem, Kamikaze

Fiction

1. Elevation, Stephen King
2. The Reckoning, John Grisham
3. Dark Sacred Night, Michael Connelly
4. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
5. Unsheltered, Barbara Kingsolver
6. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
7. A Spark of Light, Jodi Picoult
8. Ambush, James Patterson and James O. Born
9. Holy Ghost, John Sandford
10. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

Non-Fiction

1. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
2. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
3. Fear, Bob Woodward
4. Almost Everything, Anne Lamott
5. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
6. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
7. I Might Regret This, Abbi Jacobson
8. Educated, Tara Westover
9. The Coddling of the American Mind, Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
10. Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss

Hot This Week: November 5

Halloween has come and gone, and the first list of November is a slow one for new titles. The lone newcomer to the movie list is the hit musical follow-up to the first Mamma Mia film. In music, the Star Is Born soundtrack holds firm at the top for yet another week, followed by the debut LP from the rock sensation Greta Van Fleet. The fiction list is bookended by new novels, with the latest from bestselling author John Grisham topping the list. There's only one new book in non-fiction: The Library Book, a paean to the institution of libraries.

Movies 

1. Ant-Man and the Wasp (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Skyscraper (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Hotel Transylvania 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (Blu-ray | 4K)
5. The First Purge (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Reprisal (Blu-ray)
9. Solo: A Star Wars Story (Blu-ray | 4K)
10. Ocean's 8 (Blu-ray)

CD

1. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
2. Greta Van Fleet, Anthem of the Peaceful Army
3. Disturbed, Evolution
4. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter V
5. Drake, Scorpion
6. Travis Scott, Astroworld
7. Post Malone, Beerbongs & Bentleys
8. Quavo, Quavo Huncho
9. Ella Mai, Ella Mai
10. Twenty One Pilots, Trench

Fiction

1. The Reckoning, John Grisham
2. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
3. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
4. Unsheltered, Barbara Kingsolver
5. A Spark of Light, Jodi Picoult
6. Ambush, James Patterson and James O. Born
7. Holy Ghost, John Sandford
8. The Witch Elm, Tana French
9. Red War, Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills
10. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

Non-Fiction

1. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
2. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
3. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
4. Fear, Bob Woodward
5. Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss
6. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
7. Educated, Tara Westover
8. Almost Everything, Anne Lamott
9. The Library Book, Susan Orlean
10. In Pieces, Sally Field

Hot This Week: October 29

Movies

1. Skyscraper (Blu-ray | 4K)
2. Hotel Transylvania 3 (Blu-ray | 4K)
3. Ant-Man and the Wasp (Blu-ray | 4K)
4. Reprisal (Blu-ray)
5. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (Blu-ray | 4K)
6. The First Purge (Blu-ray | 4K)
7. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Blu-ray | 4K)
8. Solo: A Star Wars Story (Blu-ray | 4K)
9. Ocean's 8 (Blu-ray)
10. Hotel Artemis (Blu-ray | 4K)

CD

1. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Soundtrack
2. Quavo, Quavo Huncho
3. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter V
4. Ella Mai, Ella Mai
5. Drake, Scorpion
6. Twenty One Pilots, Trench
7. Travis Scott, Astroworld
8. Post Malone, Beerbongs & Bentleys
9. Eminem, Kamikaze
10. XXXTENTACTION, ?

Fiction

1. Every Breath, Nicholas Sparks
2. The Next Person You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
3. Unsheltered, Barbara Kingsolver
4. A Spark of Light, Jodi Picoult
5. Ambush, James Patterson and James O. Born
6. Holy Ghost, John Sandford
7. The Witch Elm, Tana French
8. Red War, Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills
9. Winter in Paradise, Elin Hilderbrand
10. When We Were Young, Karen Kingsbury

Non-Fiction

1. Ship of Fools, Tucker Carlson
2. Killing the SS, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
3. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, Stephen Hawking
4. Fear, Bob Woodward
5. This Will Only Hurt a Little, Busy Philipps
6. Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss
7. Almost Everything, Anne Lamott
8. In the Hurricane's Eye, Nathaniel Philbrick
9. Leadership, Doris Kearns Goodwin
10. In Pieces, Sally Field