Queen were an English
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
band. Formed in London in 1970 following the demise of the band
SmileSmile were a London-based blues based rock band best known as the predecessor to renowned rock band Queen. The band was formed in 1968 by Brian May, who was to become Queen's guitarist. The group included Tim Staffell as singer and bassist, and, later, drummer Roger Taylor, who also went on to...
, Queen consisted of vocalist
Freddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, best known as the frontman of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his vocal prowess and flamboyant performances...
, guitarist
Brian MayBrian Harold May, CBE, is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. As a guitarist he uses his home built guitar, "Red Special", and has composed hits such as "Tie Your Mother Down", "We Will Rock You", "Who Wants to Live Forever",...
, bassist
John DeaconJohn Richard Deacon is a retired English musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the rock band Queen. Of the four members of the band, he was the last to join and also the youngest, being only 19 years old when he joined...
and drummer
Roger TaylorRoger Taylor is an English musician best known as the percussionist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of the most influential rock drummers of the 1970s and 1980s...
. The band became popular with audiences via their hit songs, live performances, originality and showmanship. Their 1985
Live AidLive Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on . The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. Billed as the 'global jukebox', the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium, London and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia...
performance was voted the best live rock performance of all time in an industry poll. As of 2009, Queen have sold more than 300 million albums internationally.
Queen enjoyed success in the UK in the early to mid-1970s with the albums
QueenQueen is the debut album by English rock group Queen, released in July 1973. It was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker , John Anthony, and Queen....
and
Queen IIQueen II is the second album by British rock group Queen, released in March 1974. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London in August 1973, and engineered by Mike Stone...
, but it was with the release of
Sheer Heart AttackSheer Heart Attack is the third album by English rock group Queen, released November 1974. It was produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker for EMI in the UK, and Elektra in the US.-Track listing:-Brighton Rock:...
in 1974 and
A Night at the OperaA Night at the Opera is the fourth album by English rock group Queen, released in November 1975. Co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, A Night at the Opera was, at the time of its release, the most expensive album ever recorded...
the following year that the band gained international success. They have released fifteen
studio albumA studio album is an original collection of new tracks by a recording artist.It usually does not contain live recordings and/or remixes, and if it does, those tracks do not make up majority of the album and are often "bonus tracks"...
s, five
live albumA live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances. Live albums may be recorded at a single concert, or combine recordings made at multiple concerts...
s and numerous
compilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter...
s. Since Mercury's death and Deacon's retirement, May and Taylor have performed infrequently together at special events and programmes as members of other ensembles. Between 2004 to 2009 the duo collaborated with
Paul RodgersPaul Bernard Rodgers, is an English rock singer-songwriter best known for being a member of Free and Bad Company. Both bands experienced international success in the 1970s. Before establishing a career as a solo artist, he was also a member of The Firm and The Law. He has recently toured and...
, under the moniker
Queen + Paul RodgersQueen + Paul Rodgers was a collaboration between Brian May & Roger Taylor of Queen and Paul Rodgers...
. Queen was named 13th on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock list
http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2000/vh1hardrock.htm.
Early days (1968–1973)
In 1968, guitarist Brian May,a student at London's Imperial College and bassist
Tim StaffellTimothy 'Tim' Staffell is a rock singer, bass guitarist, guitarist and visual artist. He was a member of blues-rock outfit, 1984 and later Smile, a band which included guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, and which, upon Staffell's departure, hired Freddie Mercury and John Deacon to form...
decided to form a band. May placed an advertisement on the college notice board for a "
Mitch MitchellJohn "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
/
Ginger BakerPeter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith...
type" drummer; Roger Taylor, a young dental student, auditioned and got the job. The group called themselves
SmileSmile were a London-based blues based rock band best known as the predecessor to renowned rock band Queen. The band was formed in 1968 by Brian May, who was to become Queen's guitarist. The group included Tim Staffell as singer and bassist, and, later, drummer Roger Taylor, who also went on to...
.
Smile signed to
Mercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Music Group in the US, and are both subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal Music...
in 1970 and had their first session in a recording studio in Trident Studios that year.
Tim StaffellTimothy 'Tim' Staffell is a rock singer, bass guitarist, guitarist and visual artist. He was a member of blues-rock outfit, 1984 and later Smile, a band which included guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, and which, upon Staffell's departure, hired Freddie Mercury and John Deacon to form...
was attending
Ealing Art CollegeEaling Art College was in fact 'Ealing Technical College & School of Art', a further education institution on St Mary's Road, Ealing, London, England. The site today is the Ealing campus of Thames Valley University. In the early 1960s the School of Art was composed of Fashion, Graphics,...
with Farrokh Bulsara, later known as
Freddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, best known as the frontman of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his vocal prowess and flamboyant performances...
, and introduced him to the band. Bulsara soon became a keen fan. After Staffell left in 1970 to join the band
Humpy BongHumpy Bong was an early 1970s band.Singer and guitarist Jonathan Kelly was playing in a restaurant in London one night in 1969 when in walked Colin Petersen, a former child actor in Australia and drummer with the Bee Gees...
, the remaining Smile members, encouraged by Bulsara, changed their name to "Queen" and continued working together. Bulsara, who joined the group as vocalist, explained, "I thought up the name Queen. It's just a name, but it's very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid, It's a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations. I was certainly aware of gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it." The band had a number of bass players during this period who did not fit with the band's chemistry. It was not until February 1971 that they settled on John Deacon and began to rehearse for their first album.
In 1973, after a series of delays, Queen released their
eponymous debut albumQueen is the debut album by English rock group Queen, released in July 1973. It was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker , John Anthony, and Queen....
, an effort influenced by the heavy metal and progressive rock of the day. The album was received well by critics; Gordon Fletcher of
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
said "their debut album is superb", and Chicago's
Daily HeraldThe Daily Herald is a daily newspaper printed in Arlington Heights, Illinois; a suburb of Chicago. The newspaper is distributed in the north, northwest & western suburbs of Chicago...
called it an "above average debut". However, it drew little mainstream attention and the lead single "
Keep Yourself Alive"Keep Yourself Alive" is a song by English rock group Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, it was the opening track on the band's debut album Queen . It was released as Queen's first single along with "Son and Daughter" as the B-side...
", a Brian May composition, sold poorly. Greg Prato of Allmusic later called
Queen "one of the most underrated hard rock debuts of all time."
The group's second LP
Queen IIQueen II is the second album by British rock group Queen, released in March 1974. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London in August 1973, and engineered by Mike Stone...
was released in 1974. The album reached number five on the British album charts, and the Freddie Mercury-written lead single "
Seven Seas of Rhye"Seven Seas of Rhye" is a song by English rock group Queen. Written by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, it is the final track on both the group's debut album Queen and its follow-up Queen II . However, only a less-developed instrumental version was featured on the former...
," reached number ten in the UK, giving the band their first hit. The album is their heaviest and darkest release, featuring long complex instrumental passages, fantasy-themed lyrics and musical virtuosity. The band toured as support to
Mott the HoopleMott the Hoople are a 1970s English rock band with strong R&B roots and dominant in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The...
in the UK and US during this period, and they began to gain notice for their energetic and engaging stage shows. However, like its predecessor, sales of
Queen II in the US were low.
Breakthrough era (1974–1979)
Brian May was absent when the band started work on their third album,
Sheer Heart AttackSheer Heart Attack is the third album by English rock group Queen, released November 1974. It was produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker for EMI in the UK, and Elektra in the US.-Track listing:-Brighton Rock:...
, released in 1974. The album reached number two in the United Kingdom, sold well throughout Europe, and went gold in the United States. It gave the band their first real taste of commercial success. The album experimented with a variety of musical genres, including
British Music HallMusic hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
("Killer Queen"),
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
("Flick of the Wrist", "Brighton Rock", "Tenement Funster", "
Now I'm Here"Now I'm Here" is a song by the English rock band Queen. The sixth song on their third album, Sheer Heart Attack, it was written by lead guitarist Brian May while he was in hospital with hepatitis. The song is noted for its hard riff and vocal harmonies. In the UK, the song hit #11 on the charts...
", and "Stone Cold Crazy"), ballads ("Lily Of The Valley" and "Dear Friends"), ragtime ("Bring Back That Leroy Brown") and
CaribbeanThe music of the Caribbean is a diverse grouping of musical genres. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and native influences. Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside of the Caribbean include reggae, zouk, salsa, calypso, reggaeton and punta.Caribbean, Central American...
("Misfire"). At this point Queen started to move away from the progressive tendencies of their first two releases into a more radio-friendly, song-oriented style.
Sheer Heart Attack introduced new sound and melody patterns that would be refined on their next album
A Night at the Opera.
The single "Killer Queen" reached number two on the British charts, and became their first US hit, reaching number twelve in the
Billboard American Top 40American Top 40 is an internationally-syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
. It combines camp,
vaudevilleVaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
, British music hall with May’s guitar virtuosity. The album’s second single, "Now I’m Here", a more traditional
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
composition, was a number eleven hit in Britain.
In 1975, the band left for a world tour with each member in
Zandra RhodesZandra Rhodes, CBE, RDI, is an English fashion designer.Zandra Rhodes was introduced to the world of fashion by her mother, who was a fitter in a Paris fashion house and a teacher at Medway College of Art. Rhodes studied first at Medway and then at the Royal College of Art in London...
-created costumes and banks of lights and effects. They toured the US, headlining for the first time, and played in Canada for the first time in April. At the same time, the band's manager Jim Beach successfully negotiated the band out of their Trident contract. Of the options they considered, was an offer from
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands, helping to pioneer the genre...
’s manager, Peter Grant. Grant wanted them to sign with Led Zeppelin’s own production company,
Swan Song RecordsSwan Song Records was a record label launched by English rock group Led Zeppelin on 10 May 1974. It was overseen by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant and was a vehicle for the band to promote its own products as well as sign artists who found it difficult to win contracts with other major labels...
. The band found the contract unacceptable and instead, contacted
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
’s manager,
John ReidJohn Reid is a manager and music industry figure born in Paisley, Scotland currently living and working in Australia.Between 1975 and 1978, Reid was the manager of British rock group Queen and Kevin Ayers...
, who accepted the position. In April 1975 the band toured Japan for the first time.
Later that year the band recorded and released
A Night at the OperaA Night at the Opera is the fourth album by English rock group Queen, released in November 1975. Co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, A Night at the Opera was, at the time of its release, the most expensive album ever recorded...
. At the time, it was the most expensive album ever produced. Like its predecessor, the album features diverse musical styles and experimentation with stereo sound. In "The Prophet's Song", an eight-minute epic, the middle section is a
canonIn music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration . The initial melody is called the leader , while the imitative melody, which is played in a different voice, is called the follower...
, with simple phrases layered to create a full-choral sound. The album was very successful in Britain, and went
triple platinumMusic recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped a certain number of copies.Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after the precious materials gold, platinum and diamond...
in the United States. In 2003, it was ranked number 230 on Rolling Stone Magazines list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
The album also featured the hit single "
Bohemian Rhapsody"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is in the style of a stream-of-consciousness nightmare that has unusual song structure, more akin to a classical rhapsody than popular...
", which was number one in the UK for nine weeks, and is Britain’s third-best-selling single of all time; it also reached number nine in the United States (a 1992 re-release reached number two). Bohemian Rhapsody has been voted, several times, the greatest song of all time. The band decided to make a video to go with the single; the result is generally considered to have been one of the first "true" music videos ever produced. Although other bands (including
The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
) had made short promotional films or videos of songs prior to this, generally those were made for specific showings or programs (such as the Beatles' videos for "
Hey Jude"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon/McCartney. Originally titled "Hey Jules", the ballad was written to comfort John Lennon's son Julian during his parents' divorce...
" and "
RevolutionA revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
", which were specifically made to be aired on the
Smothers BrothersThe Smothers Brothers are an American music-and-comedy team, consisting of the brothers Tom and Dick Smothers. The brothers' trademark act was performing folk songs , which usually led to arguments between the siblings...
' television show). "Bohemian Rhapsody" was the first musical video offered free of charge, to any program, network or station which would air it. The second single from the album, "You're My Best Friend", which is the second song ever composed by John Deacon, and his first single, peaked at sixteen in the United States and went on to become a worldwide Top Ten hit.
By 1976, Queen were back in the studio, where they recorded
A Day at the RacesA Day at the Races is the fifth album by British rock group Queen, released in December 1976. A Day at the Races was the Queen's first completely self-produced album, and the first not to feature producer Roy Thomas Baker. Recorded at Sarm East, The Manor and Wessex Studios in England, A Day at the...
, what may be mistaken simply as a companion album to A Night at the Opera
. It again borrowed the name of a Marx BrothersThe Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
' movie, and its cover was similar to that of A Night at the Opera, a variation on the same Queen Crest. Musically, the album was by both fans’ and critics’ standards a strong effort, and reached number one on the British charts. The major hit on the album was "
Somebody to Love"Somebody to Love" is a song by English rock band Queen. Written by singer Freddie Mercury, the track featured on their 1976 album A Day at the Races, from which it was also released as the lead single.-Song:...
", a gospel-inspired song in which Mercury, May, and Taylor multi-tracked their voices to make a 100-voice gospel choir. The song went to number two in the United Kingdom, and number thirteen on the U.S. singles chart.. The album also featured one of the band's heaviest songs, Brian May’s "
Tie Your Mother Down"Tie Your Mother Down" is a rock song by Queen, written by guitarist Brian May and featuring one of rock music's most recognizable guitar riffs. It was released as a single from the band's 1976 album, A Day at the Races...
", which became a staple of their live shows.
Also in 1976, Queen played one of their most famous gigs, a 1976 free concert in
Hyde Park, LondonHyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, England and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
. It set an attendance record, with 150,000 people confirmed in the audience.
News of the WorldNews of the World is the sixth studio album by Queen, released in 1977.Containing hit songs "We Will Rock You", "We Are the Champions" and "Spread Your Wings", the album went platinum in the United Kingdom, four times platinum in the United States and achieved high certifications elsewhere...
was released a year later. It contained many songs tailor-made for live performance, including "
We Will Rock You"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004...
" and the rock ballad "
We Are the Champions"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it has since become an anthem for sporting victories and has been often used or referenced in popular culture...
", both of which reached number four in the United States and became enduring international
sports anthemsStadium anthems or sports anthems or arena anthems are a musical genre identifying songs that are played over the public address systems at stadiums and arenas during breaks in the action to rally the fans...
. Roger Taylor released his first solo effort in 1977 in the form of a single: the A-side was a cover of a song by
The ParliamentsThe Parliaments were a doo-wop quintet from Plainfield, New Jersey, formed in the back room of a barbershop in the late 1950s and named after the cigarette brand. After some early personnel changes their lineup solidified with George Clinton, Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas...
"I Wanna Testify", and the B-side was a song by Taylor called "Turn On The TV".
In 1978 the band released
JazzJazz is a 1978 album by Queen. It was the band's seventh studio album. The album's varying musical styles were alternately praised and criticised; it was subject to a viciously scathing Rolling Stone review by Dave Marsh which included the suggestion that "Queen may be the first truly fascist rock...
, including the hit singles "
Fat Bottomed Girls"Fat Bottomed Girls" is a hit single by the English rock band Queen. It was released in 1978 on the album Jazz. The song was written by Queen guitarist Brian May and was one of the few Queen songs played in an alternative guitar tuning commonly called "drop D tuning"...
" and "
Bicycle Race"Bicycle Race" is a single for the English rock band Queen. It was released on their 1978 album Jazz and written by Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury. The song is unusual for a Queen single in that it shows off the band's humorous side. Among other comic moments it has a middle eight which features...
" which were also released as a double-A-side single. This album was "the target of a bizarre marketing campaign, in which sixty-five naked women were perched atop bicycles rented from Halford's Cycles and sent racing around Wimbledon Stadium." The word "
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
" was not used in a strict sense, and the album was noted by critics for its collection of different styles,
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
not being one of them. Rolling Stone Magazine criticised it for being "dull", saying "Queen hasn’t the imagination to play jazz – Queen hasn't the imagination, for that matter, to play rock & roll." Important tracks of the album include "Dead on Time", "
Don't Stop Me Now"Don't Stop Me Now" is a 1979 hit single by Queen, from their 1978 album Jazz. Lyrics and music were written by Freddie Mercury. It was recorded in August/September 1978 in Nice, France....
", "Let Me Entertain You", and "
Mustapha"Mustapha" is a song written by Freddie Mercury and recorded by English rock band Queen. It is the first track of their 1978 album Jazz. "Mustapha" was released as a single in Germany, Spain, Yugoslavia and Bolivia in 1979, although it didn't cause much of an impact on the charts.In live...
", in which
Arabesque musicArabesque or Arabesk is a genre termed so by Turkish musicologists for Arabic-style music created in Turkey. The genre was particularly popular in Turkey in the decades from the 1960s through 1990s. As with Arabic music itself, its aesthetics have evolved over the decades...
is combined with heavy rock guitar.
The band’s first live album,
Live KillersLive Killers is a double vinyl and compact disc live album by English rock band Queen. It was released on June 26, 1979.It was recorded live during the European leg of Queen's Jazz world tour between January and March 1979. The album was self-produced by the band and was their first album to be...
, was released in 1979; it went platinum twice in the United States. They also released the very successful single "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song performed by the English rock band Queen, written by singer Freddie Mercury. While it peaked at number two in the UK, it hit number one on the U.S. charts on February 23 1980, remaining there for four consecutive weeks. It topped the charts in Australia...
", a rockabillyRockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
song done in the style of Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as Elvis and is also sometimes referred to as The King of Rock 'n' Roll or The King....
. The song made the top 10 in many countries, and was the band’s first number one single in the United States.
New sound and synthesisers (1980–1984)
Queen began the 1980s with The GameThe Game is the eighth studio album by Queen released 30 June 1980. It was the only Queen album to reach the #1 position in both the United Kingdom and the United States and became Queen's best selling studio album in the US with four million copies sold to date, tying News of the...
. It featured the singles "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song performed by the English rock band Queen, written by singer Freddie Mercury. While it peaked at number two in the UK, it hit number one on the U.S. charts on February 23 1980, remaining there for four consecutive weeks. It topped the charts in Australia...
" and "Another One Bites the Dust"Another One Bites the Dust" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by bassist John Deacon, the song featured on the group's eighth studio album The Game ....
", both of which reached number one in the United States. The album stayed number one for four weeks in the United States, and sold over four million copies. It was also the only album to ever top the Billboard
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
,
danceThis article is about dance music in general. You may also be looking for electronic dance music or dance-pop.Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, and
R&BRhythm and blues is the name given to a wide-ranging genre of popular music created by African Americans in the late 1940s and early 1950s...
charts simultaneously. The album also marked the first appearance of a synthesiser on a Queen album. Heretofore, their albums featured a distinctive "No Synthesisers were used on this Album" sleevenote. The note is widely assumed to reflect an anti-synth, pro-"hard"-rock stance by the band, but was later revealed by producer Roy Thomas Baker to be an attempt to clarify that those albums' multi-layered solos were created with guitars, not synths, as record company executives kept assuming at the time.
1980 also saw the release of
the soundtrackFlash Gordon is a 1980 album by English rock band Queen. It is the soundtrack album to the science fiction movie Flash Gordon. The track "Flash's Theme" was the only single to be released from the album, under the title "Flash". It reached number 10 in the UK charts and number 42 in the United...
Queen had recorded for
Flash GordonFlash Gordon is a 1980 science fiction film, based on the eponymous comic strip character Flash Gordon. The film was directed by Mike Hodges and produced by Dino De Laurentiis. It stars Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Chaim Topol, Max von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed and Ornella Muti...
.
In 1981, Queen became the first major rock band to play in
Latin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,501 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n stadiums. Queen played to a total audience of 479,000 people on their South American tour, including five shows in
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
and two in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
where they played to an audience of more than 130,000 people in the first night and more than 120,000 people the following night at
São PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and the world's 7th largest metropolitan area. The city is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian state. It is also the richest city in Brazil. The name of the city honors Saint Paul. São Paulo exerts strong regional influence in...
(Morumbi Stadium). In October of the same year, Queen performed for more than 150,000 fans on October 9 at Monterrey (
Estadio UniversitarioThe Estadio Universitario – nicknamed El Volcán – is a stadium property of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, located in its premises in San Nicolás....
) and 17 and 18 at Puebla (Estadio Zaragoza), Mexico.
Also in 1981, Queen worked with
David BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. Active in five decades of popular music and frequently reinventing his music and image, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
on the single "
Under Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart...
". The first-time collaboration with another artist was spontaneous, as Bowie happened to drop by the studio while Queen were recording. The band were immediately pleased with the results, but Bowie did not play the song live for several years. Upon its release, the song was extremely successful, reaching number one in Britain. The bass line was later used for
Vanilla IceRobert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper. Born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Texas and South Florida, Van Winkle released his debut album, Hooked, in 1989 through Ichiban Records, before signing a contract with SBK Records, which released a...
's 1990 hit "
Ice Ice Baby"Ice Ice Baby" is an American hip hop song written by rapper Robert "Vanilla Ice" Van Winkle and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit...
".
Later that year, Queen released their first
compilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter...
, entitled
Greatest HitsGreatest Hits is a compilation album by the British rock band Queen. The record, released on November 2, 1981, is Queen's best-selling album globally, and the UK's all-time best-selling album. Combined with Greatest Hits II, it became the definitive Queen compilation. While a domestic release with...
, which showcased the group's highlights from 1974-1981. It was highly successful, and as of 2007, it is the United Kingdom's best selling album. Taylor became the first member of the band to release his own solo album in 1981, entitled Fun In SpaceFun in Space is the debut album by the English musician Roger Taylor. Released in May 1981 in the UK and US, the album was recorded in between legs of Queen's tours for The Game and Flash Gordon albums. Taylor wrote, produced, sang and performed all of the songs himself...
.
In 1982 the band released the funkFunk is an American music genre that originated in the late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
album Hot SpaceHot Space is an album by English rock band Queen, released in 1982 . Marking a notable shift in direction from their earlier work, Queen employed many elements of disco, Pop Music, R&B and dance music on Hot Space, being partially influenced by the success of their 1980 hit "Another One Bites the...
. The band stopped touring North America after their Hot Space TourThe Hot Space Tour was a concert tour by the English rock band Queen, supporting their 1982 album Hot Space. A DVD documenting the band's June 5 1982 concert at the Milton Keynes Super Bowl outside London was released in 2004 as Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl...
, as their success there had waned, although they would perform on American television for the only time during the eighth season premiere of Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
. Queen left
Elektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009.-Beginnings:...
, their label in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, and signed onto
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
/
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Los Angeles and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group...
.
After working steadily for over ten years, Queen decided that they would not perform any live shows in 1983. During this time, they recorded a new album, and several members of the band explored side projects and solo work. May released a mini-album entitled
Star Fleet ProjectStar Fleet Project is a project of Brian May, most famous as the guitarist from Queen, which resulted in an album with the same name. The project was released as the work of "Brian May + Friends", consisting of May, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alan Gratzer , Phil Chen , and Fred Mandel Star...
, on which he collaborated with Eddie Van HalenEdward Lodewijkz "Eddie" Van Halen , is a Dutch-born American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Van Halen is widely known for his rapid guitar playing, tapping, and high frequency feedback...
. A computer musician composer in Canada, Kevin Chamberlain, helped with vocals and background music for Mercury's solo project, which was later cancelled due to creative differences.
In 1984, Queen released the album The WorksThe Works is a 1984 rock album by English band Queen. The band's eleventh studio album, it marked a partial return to their rock roots, although with a much lighter approach. It has also the heaviest electronics amongst all group albums...
, which included the successful singles "
Radio Ga Ga"Radio Ga Ga" is a song performed and recorded by Queen, written by their drummer Roger Taylor.It was released as a single with "I Go Crazy" by Brian May on the original B-side and was included on the album The Works without "I Go Crazy" . The single was an enormous worldwide success for the band...
" and "
I Want to Break Free"I Want to Break Free" is a song performed by Queen, which was written by bassist John Deacon. It featured on their 1984 album The Works. In the UK Chart, it peaked at number 3, and remained in the chart for fifteen consecutive weeks from its release in late April 1984...
". Despite these hit singles, the album failed to do well in the United States. "Radio Ga Ga" was the band's last original American Top Forty hit until 1989's "
I Want It All"I Want It All" is a song by English rock band Queen, featured on their 1989 thirteenth studio album The Miracle. Written by guitarist and backing vocalist Brian May and produced by David Richards, the song was released as the lead single from the album on 2 May 1989...
".
Queen embarked that year on a set of dates during their
The Works TourThe Works Tour was one of the largest tours by the English rock band Queen. During this tour, Queen participated in the Rock in Rio festival in 1985; the concert was released on VHS but there has not been a worldwide DVD release as of 2008...
in
BophuthatswanaBophuthatswana , officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana was a Bantustan – an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity – and nominal parliamentary democracy in the northwestern region of South Africa...
, South Africa at the arena at
Sun CitySun City is a luxury South African casino resort, situated in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located about two hours' drive from Johannesburg, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg National Park.- History :...
. Upon returning to England, they were the subject of outrage, having played there during the height of apartheid and in violation of worldwide
divestment effortsDisinvestment from South Africa was first advocated in the 1960s, in protest of South Africa's system of Apartheid, but was not implemented on a significant scale until the mid 1980s...
. The band responded to the critics by stating that they were playing music for fans in that country, and they also stressed that the concerts were played before integrated audiences.
Live Aid and later years (1985–1990)
On 12 January 1985, the band headlined two nights of the first
Rock in RioRock in Rio is a series of rock festivals held in Brazil and later in Portugal and Spain. Future festivals are planned in Poznań Three incarnations of the festival were in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991 and 2001, three in Lisbon, in 2004, 2006 and 2008, and one in Madrid in 2008. The shows were...
festival at
Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America. The city was the capital of Brazil for nearly two centuries, from 1763 to 1822 during the Portuguese colonial era, and...
(
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
). They were the main act on the 11 and 18 January lineups. On each night, they played in front of over 300,000 people. A selection of highlights of both performances was released on VHS on May with the title Queen Live in Rio
.
At Live AidLive Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on . The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. Billed as the 'global jukebox', the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium, London and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia...
, held at Wembley on 13 July 1985, Queen performed some of their greatest hits in what has been considered their best performance to date. The band, now revitalised by the response to Live Aid and the ensuing increase in record sales, ended 1985 by releasing the single "One Vision"One Vision" is a song written and recorded by the band Queen, first released as a single in 1985 and then included on their 1986 album A Kind of Magic. It was originally written by Roger Taylor about Martin Luther King, Jr., and includes lyrical references to King’s "I Have a Dream" speech...
". The song was used in the film Iron EagleIron Eagle is a 1986 action film. The films stars Jason Gedrick and Academy Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr. as Col. Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair and features the hit songs "One Vision" and "We're Not Gonna Take It" as part of its soundtrack. A young Shawnee Smith appears as one of Doug's friends...
. Also, a limited-edition boxed set containing all Queen albums to date was released under the title of "The Complete Works". The package included previously unreleased material, most notably Queen's non-album single of Christmas 1984, titled Thank God it's Christmas
.
In early 1986, Queen recorded the album A Kind of MagicA Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by English rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth studio album and their first to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy...
, containing several songs written for the Russell MulcahyRussell Mulcahy is an Australian film director.- Music videos :Russell Mulcahy's career began with making early music videos while he was working for the Seven Network in Sydney, Australia...
film HighlanderHighlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart...
. The album was very successful, producing a string of hits, including the title track, "A Kind of Magic"A Kind of Magic" is a rock song written by Roger Taylor for the film Highlander, for which Queen wrote the music. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart, but only reached number forty-two on the U.S...
." This contains the key lyrics, "There can be only one." (The phrase is a reference to the movie's plot.) Also charting from the album were "Friends Will Be Friends," "Who Wants To Live Forever?"Who Wants to Live Forever" is a power ballad by the English rock band Queen. The song is the sixth track on the album A Kind of Magic, released in June 1986, and was written by guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy...
," and the de facto
theme from Highlander,
"Princes Of The Universe"Princes of the Universe" is a song written by Freddie Mercury and performed by Queen. The song was written for the soundtrack of the movie Highlander and released on the A Kind of Magic album in 1986. This song is the only song which Mercury receives sole credit for on the entire album. Later it...
."
Later that year, Queen went on a sold-out tour (the band's largest) in support of A Kind of Magic.
The Magic TourThe Magic Tour was the biggest and final tour by the English rock band Queen with their lead singer Freddie Mercury from 1986. The next band's tour Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour began some 19 years later, after the death of Freddie Mercury and the retirement of John Deacon...
's highlight was at Wembley Stadium in London and resulted in the live double album, Queen Live At Wembley StadiumQueen at Wembley is a video recorded at Wembley Stadium, England on Saturday 12 July 1986 during Queen's Magic Tour. It was first released in 1990 as an edited VHS , then as an audio CD in 1992, followed by a DVD release as Queen: Live at Wembley Stadium to coincide with the CD rerelease in...
, released on CD and as a live concert film. They could not book Wembley for a third night because it was already booked, but they did play at
Knebworth ParkThe grounds of Knebworth House near the village of Knebworth has become a major venue for open air rock and pop concerts since 1974 when The Allman Brothers Band attracted 60,000 at the first large concert held at the venue...
. The show sold out within two hours and over 120,000 fans packed the park for what proved to be Queen's final live performance with Mercury. More than 1 million people saw Queen on the tour – 400,000 in the United Kingdom alone, a record at the time.
After working on various solo projects during 1988 (including Mercury's collaboration with
Montserrat CaballéMontserrat Concepción Bibiana Caballé Folch is a Spanish Catalan operaticsoprano.One of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century, she possesses a voice of remarkable beauty and of great range...
,
BarcelonaBarcelona is an album recorded by Freddie Mercury, the front-man of the popular British rock band Queen, and operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé. The album was recorded in 1987 and 1988, and released in 1988....
) the band released The Miracle
in 1989. The album continued the direction of A Kind of Magic,
using a pop-rock sound mixed with a few heavy numbers. It spawned the European hits "I Want It All"I Want It All" is a song by English rock band Queen, featured on their 1989 thirteenth studio album The Miracle. Written by guitarist and backing vocalist Brian May and produced by David Richards, the song was released as the lead single from the album on 2 May 1989...
," "Breakthru"Breakthru" is a song by English rock band Queen. Credited as being written by Queen, it was released in June 1989 from the album The Miracle...
," "The Invisible Man"The Invisible Man" is a song by English rock band Queen, written by drummer Roger Taylor. The song is sung mostly by Mercury but Taylor sings on parts of the song. Originally released on the album The Miracle, it was released as a single in 1989. Taylor claims that he got the inspiration to create...
," "Scandal"Scandal" is the fourth single from Queen's 1989 album The Miracle. The single was released in the United States but failed to chart, possibly due to the fact that it was released on some formats with a Capitol Records sleeve, instead of the Queen sleeves....
," and "The Miracle"The Miracle" is the fifth and last single from Queen's 1989 album The Miracle. It was composed and sung by Freddie Mercury. It was released as a single in late November 1989, some six months after the album....
."
The Miracle
also began a change in direction of Queen's songwriting philosophy. Since the band's beginning, nearly all songs had been written by and credited to a single member, with other members adding minimally. With The Miracle, however, the band's songwriting became more collaborative, and they vowed to credit the final product only to Queen as a group.
The final albums and Mercury's death (1991–1997)
After fans noticed Mercury's gaunt appearance during 1988, rumours began to spread that Mercury was suffering from
AIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus ....
. For reasons that are still not confirmed, Mercury flatly denied them at the time, insisting he was merely "exhausted" and too busy to provide interviews. However, the band decided to continue making albums free of internal conflict and differences, starting with The Miracle
and continuing with InnuendoInnuendo is a 1991 album by English rock band Queen. It is the band's fourteenth studio album and the last to be composed entirely of new material. It is also the final studio album to be released while lead singer Freddie Mercury was still alive. The album was praised by critics and fans as one...
, which was recorded during 1990 but not released until the beginning of 1991 as Mercury's health was a major factor in the delay.
Despite his deteriorating health, Mercury continued to contribute. The band released their second greatest hits compilation, Greatest Hits II, in October 1991.
On 23 November 1991, in a prepared statement made on his deathbed, Mercury confirmed that he had AIDS. Within twelve hours of that statement, he died of bronchial pneumonia, which was brought on by AIDS. His funeral service was private, held in accordance with the
ZoroastrianZoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster , after whom the religion is named. The term Zoroastrianism is, in general usage, essentially synonymous with Mazdaism, i.e...
religious faith of his family.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" was re-released as a single shortly after Mercury's death, with "These Are the Days of Our Lives" as the double A-side. The single went to number 1 for the second time in the UK. Initial proceeds from the single – approximately £1,000,000 – were donated to the
Terrence Higgins TrustTerrence Higgins Trust is a British charity that campaigns on various issues related to AIDS and HIV. In particular, the charity aims to reduce the spread of HIV and promote good sexual health ; to provide services on a national and local level to people with, affected by, or at risk of...
.
Queen's popularity increased once again in the United States after "Bohemian Rhapsody" was featured in the comedy film
Wayne's WorldWayne's World is a 1992 comedy film starring Mike Myers as Wayne Campbell and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar, hosts of the Aurora, Illinois-based cable access television show Wayne's World...
, helping the song reach number two for five weeks in the United States charts in 1992. The song was made into a Wayne's World music video, with which the band and management were delighted.
On 20 April 1992,
The Freddie Mercury Tribute ConcertThe Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness was an open-air concert held on Easter Monday, 20 April 1992 at London's Wembley Stadium, televised live worldwide to an estimated audience of 1.2 billion viewers. The concert was a tribute to the life of the late Queen frontman, Freddie...
was held at London's Wembley Stadium. Performers included
Def LeppardDef Leppard are an English rock band from Sheffield, who formed in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Largely on the strength of their albums Pyromania and Hysteria, Def Leppard became one of the top-selling rock bands throughout the 1980s, selling over 65 million albums...
,
Lisa StansfieldLisa Stansfield is a English pop singer-songwriter.-Early life and career:...
,
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
,
David BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. Active in five decades of popular music and frequently reinventing his music and image, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
,
Robert PlantRobert Anthony Plant CBE , is an English rock singer and songwriter, famous for his membership in the former rock band Led Zeppelin as the lead vocalist and lyricist, as well as for his successful solo career...
,
Tony IommiFrank Anthony "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and the sole constant band member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists...
,
Annie LennoxAnnie Lennox is a Scottish musician and recording artist. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Lennox showed aptitude in music when she was a child and later studied classical music at the Royal Academy of Music in London...
,
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band, led by frontman and co-founder Axl Rose, has gone through numerous line-up changes and controversies since its formation...
,
ExtremeExtreme is an American rock band, headed by frontmen Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt, that reached the height of their popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Among some of Extreme's musical influences are Queen and Van Halen...
,
Roger Daltrey Roger Harry Daltrey CBE is an English singer-songwriter and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who...
,
George MichaelGeorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou , best known as George Michael, is a two-time Grammy Award winning, English singer-songwriter, who has had a career as frontman of the duo Wham! as well as a soul-influenced, solo pop musician...
,
Ian HunterIan Hunter is an English singer-songwriter. He is the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974 and he again fronted them at the time of their 2009 reunion...
,
Mick RonsonMichael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is most well known for his work with David Bowie from 1970 to 1973, Bowie's glam rock period, including being part of The Spiders from Mars band.He also had a solo career, the most notable...
,
ZuccheroAdelmo Fornaciari , more commonly known by his stage name Zucchero Fornaciari, is an Italian rock singer. His music is largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock music, and alternates between ballads and more rhythmic boogie-like pieces.-Personal life:Adelmo Fornaciari was born in Reggio Emilia ...
,
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1981. Founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a local newspaper, Metallica's line-up has primarily consisted of Ulrich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, and lead guitarist Kirk...
,
Liza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American singer and actress of film, stage and television. She is the daughter of entertainer Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
,
Elizabeth TaylorDame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE , also known as Liz Taylor, is an English-born British-American actress. Known for her acting skills and beauty, as well as her Hollywood lifestyle, including many marriages...
and
Spinal TapSpinal Tap can refer to:* Spinal tap, colloquial term for a lumbar puncture*Spinal Tap , a fictional hard rock band*This Is Spinal Tap, a mockumentary portraying the same band*This Is Spinal Tap , the film's soundtrack...
, along with the three remaining members of Queen, performed many of Queen's major hits. It was a successful concert that was televised to over 1 billion viewers worldwide. The concert is listed in The Guinness Book of Records as "The largest rock star
benefit concertA benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
". It raised over £20,000,000 for AIDS charities.
The band also terminated their Capitol Records contract and signed a deal with
Hollywood RecordsHollywood Records is an American record label owned by The Walt Disney Company focused in pop and rock music.-Company history:Upon its launch in 1989, the label was initially distributed by Elektra Records in the US and Canada. Distribution in North America switched to PolyGram in 1995...
as their new U.S label.
Queen never actually disbanded, although their last album of original material, titled
Made in HeavenMade in Heaven is the fifteenth and final studio album by British rock group Queen, released in November 1995. After Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, remaining band members John Deacon, Roger Taylor and Brian May worked with vocals that Mercury recorded before he died, along with newly recorded...
, was released in 1995, four years after Mercury's death. It was constructed from Mercury's final recording sessions in 1991, plus material left over from their previous studio albums. In addition, re-worked material from Mercury's solo album Mr. Bad Guy and a track originally featured on the first album of Taylor's side-project
The CrossThe Cross were a side project of Queen's Roger Taylor that existed from 1987 to 1993 and released three albums. Although the drummer in Queen, Taylor fronted The Cross as rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist. On its debut release, the classic rock band incorporated dance influences which they...
were included. May and Taylor have often been involved in projects related to raising money for AIDS research. John Deacon's last involvement with the band was in 1997, when the band recorded the track "
No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)"No-One But You " is a song recorded by the remaining three members of the British rock band Queen following the death of Freddie Mercury. It is the only song by Queen not involving other artists that was conceived and constructed after Mercury's death. Guitarist Brian May – the writer of the song...
". It was the last song recorded by Queen, and it was released as a bonus track on the
Queen RocksQueen Rocks is a compilation album by the English rock band Queen, released in 1997.The album is a selection of songs from Queen's heavier side. It also contained one new track, "No-One But You ", which is a gentle ballad...
compilation album later that year. Due to demand from Queen fans, the song was later released as a single reaching #13 in the UK chart.
"Queen + ..." projects (1998–2003)
Several Queen related projects were developed in the following years, a few of them mere remixes with no artistic involvement from the band. In 1999, a Greatest Hits IIIGreatest Hits III is a compilation of latter-day Queen songs, the band members' solo hits and the band's collaborations with other artists . It was released on November 8, 1999.- Track listing :...
album was released. This album featured, among others, "Queen +
Wyclef JeanWyclef Neluset Jean is a multiplatinum Haitian-American musician, actor, producer and former-member of the hip hop trio The Fugees...
" on a
rapHip hop music is a musical genre which developed alongside hip hop culture, and is commonly based on concepts of loop, rapping, freestyle, DJing, scratching, sampling and beatboxing. The music is used to express concerns of political, social, and personal issues...
version of "Another One Bites the Dust"; a live version of "Somebody to Love" by
George MichaelGeorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou , best known as George Michael, is a two-time Grammy Award winning, English singer-songwriter, who has had a career as frontman of the duo Wham! as well as a soul-influenced, solo pop musician...
; and a live version of "The Show Must Go On", performed live in 1997 with Elton John.
Brian May and Roger Taylor performed together as on several occasions (award ceremonies, charity concerts, and the like), sharing vocals with various guest singers. They also recorded several covers of Queen's hits with guest vocalists, including "We Will Rock You" (with Five and later,
Britney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American singer and entertainer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to...
,
Beyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé Giselle Knowles , often referred to mononymously as Beyoncé , is an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
,
John FarnhamJohn Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham, is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964–1979, and since then he has forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist but he replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
and Pink) and "We Are the Champions" (with Robbie Williams).
In 2003, four new songs were recorded by May and Taylor for
Nelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, who held office from 1994–99. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto...
's 46664 campaign against AIDS. The studio versions of Invincible Hope
, 46664 - The Call
, and Amandla
(which included Anastacia and Dave Stewart) have not yet been released on album.
Also, in 2002, Brian May and Roger Taylor collaborated with Ben EltonBenjamin Charles "Ben" Elton is an English comedian, author, playwright and director. He was a leading figure in the alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, while more recently he has become known for his work as a novelist.-Personal life:...
to make a musical based on their greatest hits, called We Will Rock YouWe Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by English comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
. It will run until March 2010 in the Dominion Theatre, London and spawned many overseas versions.
Queen + Paul Rodgers (2004–2009)
At the end of 2004, May and Taylor announced that they would reunite and return to touring in 2005, with
Paul RodgersPaul Bernard Rodgers, is an English rock singer-songwriter best known for being a member of Free and Bad Company. Both bands experienced international success in the 1970s. Before establishing a career as a solo artist, he was also a member of The Firm and The Law. He has recently toured and...
(founder and former lead singer of
FreeFree were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968 and best known for their popular song "All Right Now". Lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become lead singer of the rock band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums...
and
Bad CompanyBad Company are an English hard rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of band members from Free , Mott the Hoople , and King Crimson . Bad Company was managed by Peter Grant, who had also guided Led Zeppelin to massive success...
). Brian May's website also stated that Rodgers would be 'featured with' Queen as
Queen + Paul RodgersQueen + Paul Rodgers was a collaboration between Brian May & Roger Taylor of Queen and Paul Rodgers...
, not replacing the late Freddie Mercury. The retired John Deacon would not be participating.
On 15 August 2006, Brian May confirmed through his website and fan club that Queen + Paul Rodgers would begin producing their first studio album beginning in October, to be recorded at a "secret location". The album, titled
The Cosmos RocksThe Cosmos Rocks is the debut studio album by Queen + Paul Rodgers released on 15 September, 2008 in the EU and 28 October, 2008 in North America. It contains 14 new tracks written by Brian May, Paul Rodgers and Roger Taylor...
, was released in Europe on 12 September 2008 and in the United States on 28 October 2008.
Queen and Paul Rodgers officially split up without animosity on 12 May, 2009. Rodgers does not rule out the possibility of working together again.
Musical style
Queen composed music that drew inspiration from many different genres of music, often with a tongue-in-cheek attitude. Among the genres they have been associated with are:
danceThis article is about dance music in general. You may also be looking for electronic dance music or dance-pop.Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
/
discoDisco is a genre of dance music that that had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
,
glam rockGlam rock is a style that developed in the UK in the post-hippie early 1970s that was "performed by singers and musicians wearing outrageous clothes, makeup, hairstyles, and platform-soled boots." The flamboyant costumes, and visual styles of glam performers were a campy, theatrical blend of...
,
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
,
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
,
pop rockPop rock is a mix of pop music and rock music utilizing a catchy pop style with light lyrics, and guitar-based songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
,
progressive rockProgressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility."...
and
psychedelic rockPsychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among garage and folk rock bands in Britain and the United States...
. Queen also wrote songs that were inspired by genres that are not typically associated with
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
, such as
countryCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
,
ragtimeRagtime is an originally American musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged", rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being...
,
operaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score. Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
,
gospelGospel music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
,
vaudevilleVaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
and
folkTraditional music is the term now used in the terminology of Grammy Awards, for what used to be called "folk music". Full details of this change can be found in the article World music terminology...
.
Sonic experimentation figured heavily in Queen's songs. A distinctive characteristic of Queen's music are the vocal harmonies which are usually composed of the voices of May, Mercury and Taylor best heard on the studio albums A Night at the Opera
and A Day at the Races. Some of the ground work for the development of this sound can be attributed to their former producer Roy Thomas Baker as well as their engineer Mike Stone. Besides vocal harmonies, Queen were also known for
multi-trackingMultitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole. This is the most common method of recording popular music...
voices to imitate the sound of a large
choirA choir, chorale, or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together is called a choir or chorus...
through overdubs. According to Brian May, there are over 180 vocal overdubs in "
Bohemian Rhapsody"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is in the style of a stream-of-consciousness nightmare that has unusual song structure, more akin to a classical rhapsody than popular...
". Many Queen songs were also written with audience participation in mind, such as "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions".
Logo
The Queen logo, also known as the Queen Crest, was designed by Mercury shortly before the release of their first album. The logo features the
zodiacIn astronomy, the zodiac is the ring of constellations that lines the ecliptic, which is the apparent path of the Sun across the sky over the course of the year. The Moon and planets also lie within the ecliptic, and so are also within the constellations of the zodiac. In astrology, the zodiac...
signs of all four members: two lions for
LeoLeo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Leo. In astrology, Leo is considered to be a "masculine", positive sign. It is also considered a fire sign and is one of four fixed signs. Leo is ruled by the Sun...
(Deacon and Taylor), a crab for
CancerCancer is the fourth astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Cancer. In western astrology, this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession of the equinoxes. In astrology, Cancer is considered a "feminine", negative sign. It is...
(May), and two
fairiesA fairy is a type of mythological being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.The word fairy derives from the term fae of medieval Western...
for
VirgoVirgo is the sixth astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Virgo. In western astrology, the sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession of the equinoxes. In astrology, Virgo is considered a "feminine", negative sign. It is also...
(Mercury). The lions are embracing a stylised letter Q, the crab is resting atop the Q with flames rising directly above it, and the fairies are each sheltering below a lion. There is also a crown inside the Q and the whole logo is over-shadowed by an enormous
phoenixThe phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird which originated in the ancient mythologies mentioned in the Phoenician Mythology and the Egyptian and later the Greek Mythology.- Appearance and Abilities :...
. The whole symbol bears a passing resemblance to the
Royal coat of arms of the United KingdomThe Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
, particularly with the lion supporters. The original logo, as found on the reverse-side of the first album cover, was a simple line drawing but more intricate colour versions were used on later album covers.
Influence
More recently Queen have been recognised as having made significant contributions to such genres as arena rock, hard rock, heavy metal, pop rock and progressive rock, amongst others. Hence the band has been cited as an influence by many other musicians. Moreover, like their music, the collection of bands and artists that have claimed to be influenced by Queen is diverse and spans different generations, countries and genres.
Some of the musicians that have cited the band as an influence include:
AnthraxAnthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene and is notable for being the first to combine heavy metal with rap music...
,
Ben Folds FiveBen Folds Five was an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprised Ben Folds on vocals, piano, and principal songwriting; Robert Sledge played bass and provided backing vocals; and Darren Jessee played drums, sang backing vocals and co-wrote some of the...
,
Kurt CobainKurt Donald Cobain was an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the rock band Nirvana....
,
Def LeppardDef Leppard are an English rock band from Sheffield, who formed in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Largely on the strength of their albums Pyromania and Hysteria, Def Leppard became one of the top-selling rock bands throughout the 1980s, selling over 65 million albums...
,
ExtremeExtreme is an American rock band, headed by frontmen Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt, that reached the height of their popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Among some of Extreme's musical influences are Queen and Van Halen...
, The Killers,
Foo FightersFoo Fighters is an American rock band formed by singer/guitarist/drummer Dave Grohl in 1995. Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution of his previous band, Nirvana, in 1994. Prior to the release of Foo Fighters in 1995, Grohl drafted Nate Mendel , William Goldsmith , and...
,
Green DayGreen Day is an American rock trio formed in 1987. The band has consisted of Billie Joe Armstrong , Mike Dirnt , and Tré Cool for the majority of its existence....
,
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band, led by frontman and co-founder Axl Rose, has gone through numerous line-up changes and controversies since its formation...
,
HelloweenHelloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band is known as one of the pioneering power metal bands, being part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene .- Walls of Jericho :...
,
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in East London, formed in 1975. The band are directed by founder, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris...
,
KansasKansas is an American rock band which became popular in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind". They have remained a classic rock radio staple and a popular touring act in North America and Europe....
,
Katy PerryKatheryn Elizabeth Hudson , better known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American singer-songwriter and musician...
, Keane ,
Manic Street PreachersManic Street Preachers are an alternative rock band from Blackwood, Wales, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield , Nicky Wire and Sean Moore...
,
Marianas TrenchMarianas Trench is a Juno award nominated Canadian punk rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia signed to 604 Records. The band released their first full length album Fix Me on October 3, 2006. Some of the demos the band sent out four years before appear on the album...
,
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1981. Founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a local newspaper, Metallica's line-up has primarily consisted of Ulrich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, and lead guitarist Kirk...
,
MikaMika , sometimes stylised MIKA, , is a London-based, Grammy-nominated and BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter, who has a recording contract with Casablanca Records and Universal Music...
,
MuseMuse are a multi award-winning British alternative rock band that formed in Teignmouth, Devon in 1994. Since its inception, the band has comprised vocalist, guitarist and pianist Matthew Bellamy; bassist and backing vocalist Christopher Wolstenholme; and drummer Dominic Howard...
,
RadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their first single, "Creep", in 1992...
,
The Smashing PumpkinsThe Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan and James Iha , the band has included D'arcy Wretzky , Jimmy Chamberlin , and Melissa Auf der Maur among its membership.Disavowing the punk rock roots shared by...
,
StyxStyx is an American rock band. Their hit songs have included "Come Sail Away", "Lady", "Mr. Roboto", "Renegade", "Babe", "Blue Collar Man" and "The Best of Times"...
,
Lady GagaStefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American recording artist. After being signed to and quickly dropped from Def Jam Records at age 19, she began performing in the rock music scene of New York City's Lower East Side...
.
Queen have also been cited as a major influence on the "
neo-classical metalNeo-classical metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that is heavily influenced by classical music. It refers to a very technical performance consisting of elements borrowed from both classical and heavy metal music...
" genre by Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen.
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1981. Founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a local newspaper, Metallica's line-up has primarily consisted of Ulrich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, and lead guitarist Kirk...
recorded a cover version of "Stone Cold Crazy", which first appeared on the "Rubaiyat — Electra's 40th Anniversary" album in 1990, and won their first Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1991. In the early '70s, Queen helped spur the
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
genre's evolution by discarding much of its
bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre created within the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
influence; the
New Wave of British Heavy MetalThe New Wave of British Heavy Metal is a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Sometimes compared to Beatlemania, the era developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep...
followed in a similar vein, fusing the music with a
punk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
sensibility and an increasing emphasis on speed.
Legacy
As of 2005, according to The Guinness Book of World Records
, Queen albums have spent a total of 1,322 weeks or twenty-seven years on the United Kingdom album charts; more time than any other musical act including The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
and Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as Elvis and is also sometimes referred to as The King of Rock 'n' Roll or The King....
. Also in 2005, with the release of their live album with Paul Rodgers, Queen moved into third place on the list of acts with the most aggregate time spent on the British record charts.
In 2006, the Greatest Hits
album was found to be the United Kingdom's all-time best selling album, with sales upwards of 5,407,587 copies, over 604,295 more copies than its nearest competitor, The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by English rock band The Beatles. Released in the UK on 1 June 1967, it became a defining album in the emerging psychedelic rock style; it has since been recognised by prominent critics and publications as one of the most influential...
. Their Greatest Hits II album came in seventh with sales upwards of 3,631,321 copies.
One of rock's most successful, influential and popular acts, the band has released a total of eighteen number one albums, eighteen number one singles, and ten number one DVDs worldwide making them one of the world's
best-selling music artists. Their total album sales have been estimated at over 300 million worldwide including 32.5 million in the United States alone as of 2004. The band is also the only group in which every member has composed more than one chart-topping single. Also, on January 2007, it was announced that Queen's Greatest Hits I & II was the most downloaded album on iTunes in the US.
Queen is also one of the most
bootleggedA bootleg recording is an audio and/or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist, or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
bands ever, according to Nick Weymouth, who manages the band's official website. A 2001 survey revealed the existence of 12,225 websites dedicated to Queen bootlegs, the highest number for any band. Bootleg recordings have contributed to the band's popularity in certain countries where Western music is censored, such as
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
. In a project called Queen: The Top 100 Bootlegs, many of these have been made officially available to download for a nominal fee from Queen's website, with profits going to the Mercury Phoenix Trust.
Queen has also been acknowledged by Vh1 as an influential rock band when their hit "Stone Cold Crazy" was named number 38 on Vh1's list of the greatest hard rock songs.
Digital realm
In conjunction with
Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts is an international developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers responsible...
, Queen released the computer game
Queen: The EyeQueen: The eYe is an action-adventure electronic video game that was released in 1998 by Electronic Arts, and featured music by the rock group Queen. The game is set in the future where the world is ruled by an all-seeing machine called "The eYe" which has eradicated everything that promotes...
in 1998, to commercial and critical failure. The music itself — tracks from Queen's vast catalogue, in many cases remixed into new instrumental versions — was by and large well received, but the game experience was hampered by poor game play. Adding to the problem was an extremely long development time, resulting in graphic elements that already seemed outdated by the time of release.
Under the supervision of May and Taylor, numerous restoration projects have been underway involving Queen's lengthy audio and video catalogue. DVD releases of their 1986 Wembley concert (titled
Live At Wembley StadiumQueen at Wembley is a video recorded at Wembley Stadium, England on Saturday 12 July 1986 during Queen's Magic Tour. It was first released in 1990 as an edited VHS , then as an audio CD in 1992, followed by a DVD release as Queen: Live at Wembley Stadium to coincide with the CD rerelease in...
) and 1982 Milton Keynes concert (Queen on Fire - Live at the BowlQueen on Fire - Live at the Bowl is a double compact disc live album by English band Queen released on October 25, 2004 in Europe and on November 9, 2004 in the US....
), and two Greatest Video Hits (Volumes 1 and 2, spanning the 1970s and 1980s) have seen the band's music remixed into 5.1Surround sound encompases a range of techniques for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. The three-dimensional sphere of human hearing can be virtually achieved with audio channels above and below the listener...
and DTSDTS, Inc. , is a company specialising in multichannel digital surround sound format used for both commercial/theatrical and consumer grade applications. It is used for in-movie sound on film, DVD, CD, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc...
surround soundSurround sound encompases a range of techniques for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. The three-dimensional sphere of human hearing can be virtually achieved with audio channels above and below the listener...
. So far, only two of the band's albums, A Night at the Opera
and The Game
, have been fully remixed into high-resolution multichannel surround on DVD-AudioDVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not intended to be a video delivery format and is not the same as video DVDs containing concert films or music videos. The first discs entered the marketplace in 2000...
. A Night at the Opera
was re-released with some revised 5.1 mixes and accompanying videos in 2005 for the 30th anniversary of the album's original release (CD+DVD-Video set). In 2007, a BluRay edition of Queen's previously released concerts Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid was released together marking their first project in 1080p HD.
Queen have been featured multiple times in the Guitar HeroGuitar Hero is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It is the first entry in the Guitar Hero series. Guitar Hero was released on November 8, 2005 in North America, April 7, 2006 in Europe and June 15, 2006 in...
franchise: a cover of "Killer Queen" in the original Guitar Hero
, "We Are The Champions", "Fat Bottomed Girls," and the Paul Rodgers collaboration "C-lebrity" in a track pack for Guitar Hero World TourGuitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was launched in North America in October 2008 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles, and a month...
, and "Under Pressure" with David Bowie in Guitar Hero 5Guitar Hero 5 is a rhythm video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
. On October 13th, 2009, Brian May revealed there was "talk "going on behind the scenes" about a dedicated Queen Rock BandRock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
game."
In March 2009, Sony Computer Entertainment released a Queen branded version of the company's karaoke franchise, SingStarSingStar is a competitive music video game series for the PlayStation consoles, developed by London Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Thirteen English-language installments of the series have been released for the PlayStation 2, and six versions for the PlayStation 3 have been...
. The game, which is available on Playstation 2 and Playstation 3, is titled SingStar Queen and has 25 songs on the PS3 and 20 on the PS2.
Film and television
Queen contributed music directly to the movies Flash GordonFlash Gordon is a 1980 science fiction film, based on the eponymous comic strip character Flash Gordon. The film was directed by Mike Hodges and produced by Dino De Laurentiis. It stars Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Chaim Topol, Max von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed and Ornella Muti...
(1980, directed by Mike HodgesMike Hodges is an English screenwriter and film director who began his career as a current affairs producer for Granada Television's World in Action series before moving into feature films....
) and HighlanderHighlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart...
(the original 1986 film, directed by
Russell MulcahyRussell Mulcahy is an Australian film director.- Music videos :Russell Mulcahy's career began with making early music videos while he was working for the Seven Network in Sydney, Australia...
). The songs, "
A Kind of MagicA Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by English rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth studio album and their first to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy...
, "One Year of Love", "
Who Wants to Live Forever"Who Wants to Live Forever" is a power ballad by the English rock band Queen. The song is the sixth track on the album A Kind of Magic, released in June 1986, and was written by guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy...
", "
Hammer to Fall"Hammer to Fall" is a 1984 hard rock song written by Brian May and performed by the British rock group Queen. It appeared on their 1984 album The Works....
", and the theme "
Princes of the Universe"Princes of the Universe" is a song written by Freddie Mercury and performed by Queen. The song was written for the soundtrack of the movie Highlander and released on the A Kind of Magic album in 1986. This song is the only song which Mercury receives sole credit for on the entire album. Later it...
" can be heard in the film. It was also used in the
Highlander TV seriesHighlander: The Series is an English language fantasy/sci-fi television series featuring Duncan MacLeod , of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander of the title. An offshoot of the Highlander movies, Highlander: The Series centered on the life of Duncan, who is a clansman to the main...
(1992–1998). "
A Kind of MagicA Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by English rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth studio album and their first to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy...
" can be heard in the beginning bar scene of "Highlander 2".
In the United States, "
Bohemian Rhapsody"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is in the style of a stream-of-consciousness nightmare that has unusual song structure, more akin to a classical rhapsody than popular...
" was re-released as a single in 1992 after appearing in
Wayne's WorldWayne's World is a 1992 comedy film starring Mike Myers as Wayne Campbell and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar, hosts of the Aurora, Illinois-based cable access television show Wayne's World...
. The single subsequently reached number two on the US Billboard chart (with "
The Show Must Go On"The Show Must Go On" is a song by English rock band Queen, featured as the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album, Innuendo. The song was written primarily by guitarist Brian May, with input from the other band members...
" as the first track on the single) and helped rekindle the band's popularity in North America.
Several films have featured their songs performed by other artists. A version of "Somebody to Love" was done by
Anne HathawayAnne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the 1999 television series Get Real, but her first prominent role was in Disney's family comedy The Princess Diaries , which established her career.She continued to appear in family films over the next three years, with...
in the 2004 film
Ella EnchantedElla Enchanted is a 2004 fairy tale-comedy film loosely based on Gail Carson Levine's 1997 novel of the same name. The film stars Anne Hathaway as Ella and Hugh Dancy as Prince Charmont...
. In 2006, Brittany MurphyBrittany Murphy is an American actress and recording artist. She has starred in films such as Just Married; Clueless; Girl, Interrupted; 8 Mile; Sin City; The Dead Girl; Uptown Girls; Happy Feet; Riding in Cars with Boys and Spun.-Early life:Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Murphy's parents divorced when...
also recorded a cover of the same song for the 2006 movie Happy FeetHappy Feet is a American-Australian computer-animated comedy-drama film with music, directed and co-written by George Miller. It was produced at Sydney-based visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic for Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures and Kingdom Feature Productions and was...
. In 2001, a version of "The Show Must Go On"The Show Must Go On" is a song by English rock band Queen, featured as the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album, Innuendo. The song was written primarily by guitarist Brian May, with input from the other band members...
" was performed by Jim BroadbentJames "Jim" Broadbent is an English theatre, film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in Iris, Moulin Rouge!, Topsy-Turvy, and Bridget Jones' Diary...
and Nicole KidmanNicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, fashion model, singer and humanitarian. In 2006, Kidman was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia's highest civilian honour. In 2006, she was also the highest-paid actress in the motion picture industry.Kidman's...
in the movie musical Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 Australian/American/British musical-romantic drama film by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth and on Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Traviata...
. The closing credits of A Knight's TaleA Knight's Tale is a action-adventure film directed, produced, and written by Brian Helgeland. The film stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, and James Purefoy as Sir Thomas Colville/Edward "the Black Prince"...
released in 2001 has a version of "
We Are the Champions"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it has since become an anthem for sporting victories and has been often used or referenced in popular culture...
" performed by
Robbie WilliamsRobert Peter Williams, better known as Robbie Williams is a BRIT Award-winning English British singer-songwriter. His career started in 1989, at the age of 15, as a dancer and singer with the pop band Take That. He left the band in 1995 to launch his solo career...
and Queen; the introduction to the same movie features
We Will Rock You"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004...
played by the medieval audience. In 1992, the film "
GladiatorGladiator is a 1992 sport film, directed by Rowdy Herrington, and starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., James Marshall, Brian Dennehy, and Robert Loggia. The film tells the story of two teenagers trapped in the world of illegal underground boxing. One is fighting to save his father's life and using the money...
" featured snippets of "We Will Rock You" performed by
WarrantWarrant is an American glam metal band from Hollywood, California that experienced success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with two multi-platinum albums...
whereas their full version was released as a single. In 2004 "Don't Stop Me Now" was featured in the bar fight scene in the cult movie
Shaun of the DeadShaun of the Dead is a 2004 British romantic zombie comedy film directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright....
, and "You're My Best Friend" played during the end credits, as well as during the 2006 film "The Break-Up".
Keeping in the tradition (since Season Five) of naming each season's episodes after songs from a famous 1970s era rock band (
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands, helping to pioneer the genre...
for the fifth season,
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
for the sixth and
The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962 in London when multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart were joined by vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early lineup...
for the seventh), the eighth and final season of
That '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television sitcom that centered on the lives of a group of teenagers living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 1976 to 12:00 AM, January 1, 1980. It debuted on the FOX television network on August 23, 1998 and ran for eight consecutive...
consisted of episodes named after Queen songs. "Bohemian Rhapsody" served as the season premiere.
On 11 April 2006 Brian May and Roger Taylor appeared on the American singing contest television show American IdolAmerican Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002 on the Fox network, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television...
. Each contestant was required to sing a Queen song during that week of the competition. Songs which appeared on the show included "
Bohemian Rhapsody"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is in the style of a stream-of-consciousness nightmare that has unusual song structure, more akin to a classical rhapsody than popular...
", "
Fat Bottomed Girls"Fat Bottomed Girls" is a hit single by the English rock band Queen. It was released in 1978 on the album Jazz. The song was written by Queen guitarist Brian May and was one of the few Queen songs played in an alternative guitar tuning commonly called "drop D tuning"...
", "
The Show Must Go On"The Show Must Go On" is a song by English rock band Queen, featured as the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album, Innuendo. The song was written primarily by guitarist Brian May, with input from the other band members...
", "
Who Wants to Live Forever"Who Wants to Live Forever" is a power ballad by the English rock band Queen. The song is the sixth track on the album A Kind of Magic, released in June 1986, and was written by guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy...
", and "
Innuendo"Innuendo" is a song by English rock band Queen. It is the opening track on the album of the same name. Though credited to the whole band, the song was mainly written by Freddie Mercury. At six and a half minutes, it is one of Queen's longest songs...
". Brian May later criticised the show for editing specific scenes, one which made the group's time with contestant
Ace YoungBrett Asa "Ace" Young is an American singer, Grammy-nominated songwriter and actor. He came to national recognition upon appearing on the fifth season of the popular reality television talent show, American Idol, although he was eliminated from the competition on April 19, 2006, finishing in...
look negative, despite it being the opposite.
Taylor and May again appeared on the
American IdolAmerican Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002 on the Fox network, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television...
Season 8 finale in May 2009, performing "We Are the Champions" with finalists Adam Lambert and Kris Allen.
Al Murray's Happy HourAl Murray's Happy Hour is a chat show presented by comedian Al Murray and produced by Avalon TV. The first series aired in early 2007. It is broadcast on the British terrestrial TV network, ITV, and the first series was broadcast on Saturday nights at 10pm. The second series aired on Fridays at 10pm...
has a Queen theme, as it uses "Don't Stop Me Now"Don't Stop Me Now" is a 1979 hit single by Queen, from their 1978 album Jazz. Lyrics and music were written by Freddie Mercury. It was recorded in August/September 1978 in Nice, France....
" for the introduction and features guest performers along with host Al MurrayAlastair James Hay "Al" Murray , is a British comedian best known for his stand-up persona, "The Pub Landlord," a stereotypical xenophobic public house licensee, and indeed earlier in his career he performed in pubs....
singing different Queen songs each episode. The remainder of Queen did appear at the end of a series of the show.
"I Was Born to Love You"I Was Born to Love You" is a 1985 song by Freddie Mercury, and was released as a single and on the Mr. Bad Guy album. After Mercury's death, Queen remixed this song for their album Made in Heaven in 1995, by having the other members play their instrumental parts over the original track.The song...
" was used as the theme song of the Japanese drama, also called dorama , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including romance, comedies, detective stories, horror, and many others...
Pride- Cast :*Takuya Kimura as Haru Satonaka*Yūko Takeuchi as Aki Murase*Kenji Sakaguchi as Yamato Hotta*Noriko Nakagoshi as Yuri Aizawa*Ryuta Sato as Makoto Shimamura*Megumi as Chika Ishikawa*Somegoro Ichikawa as Tomonori Ikegami*Saori Takizawa as Saeko Sonoda...
on
Fuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign, JOCX-TV...
in 2004, starring
Takuya Kimurais an actor and a member of the Japanese idol group SMAP. Most of the TV dramas he starred in produced high ratings in Japan. He has become one of the most well-known and successful actors/singers/entertainers in Japan and Asia.-Early life and pre-fame:...
and
Yūko Takeuchiis a Japanese actress. She made her big break with NHK's television series Asuka and JT Green's commercial. She has gone on to star in many TV shows, movies, and commercials....
. The show's soundtrack also contained other songs by Queen, including "
We Will Rock You"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004...
, "
We Are the Champions"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it has since become an anthem for sporting victories and has been often used or referenced in popular culture...
" and "
Bohemian Rhapsody"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is in the style of a stream-of-consciousness nightmare that has unusual song structure, more akin to a classical rhapsody than popular...
".
The band made tentative plans to provide material for use in "
The Hotel New HampshireThe Hotel New Hampshire is a 1984 film based on a 1981 novel of the same name by John Irving. The film was directed by Tony Richardson and stars Jodie Foster, Rob Lowe, Nastassja Kinski and Beau Bridges...
" but this project was abandoned. However, "Keep Passing The Open Windows" (which is an important catch-phrase line in the movie) did survive. The Simpsons has also made storylines in which they use Queen songs such as 'You're My Best friend'.
Musical theatre
In 2002, a musical or "rock theatrical" based on the songs of Queen, titled
We Will Rock YouWe Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by English comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
, opened at the
Dominion TheatreThe Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre on Tottenham Court Road close to St Giles' Circus and Centre Point Tower, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:...
on London's
West EndWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's "Theatreland". Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking world...
. The musical was written by British
comedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and author
Ben EltonBenjamin Charles "Ben" Elton is an English comedian, author, playwright and director. He was a leading figure in the alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, while more recently he has become known for his work as a novelist.-Personal life:...
in collaboration with Brian May and Roger Taylor, and produced by
Robert De NiroRobert Mario De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director, and producer.De Niro is well-known for his method acting and portrayals of conflicted, troubled characters and for his enduring collaboration with director Martin Scorsese...
. It has since been staged in
MadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-most populous city by urban area in the European Union after Paris and London.The city is located on the river...
and
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
, Spain;
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne city centre is the anchor of the larger geographical area and statistical division known as the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area – of which Melbourne is...
, Sydney,
PerthPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. With a population of 1,650,000 , Perth ranks fourth amongst the nation's cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average....
, and
BrisbaneBrisbane is the state capital of the Australian state of Queensland and is the largest city in that state. With an estimated population of approximately 2 million, it is also the third most populous city in Australia....
, Australia;
CologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants...
, Germany;
ViennaVienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by...
, Austria;
Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur , is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area of , has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
,
MalaysiaMalaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...
; South Africa,
Las VegasThe Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada. A small portion of the Strip lies in Las Vegas, but most of it is in the unincorporated areas of Paradise and Winchester...
United States;
ZurichZürich or Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne...
, Switzerland; Tokyo, Japan;
SeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea. With a population of over 10 million, it is one of the world's largest cities. The Seoul National Capital Area, which includes the major port city of Incheon and most of Gyeonggi-do, has 24.5 million...
, South Korea; Moscow, Russia;
VarbergVarberg is a locality and the seat of Varberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 26,041 inhabitants in 2005.Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their 'typical west coast' sandy beaches. In Varberg the coast changes from wide sandy beaches to rocky terrain that continues north into...
, Sweden;
AucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with a population approaching 1.4 million residents, percent of the country's population. Demographic trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than the rest...
, New Zealand; Toronto, Canada; Hong Kong and
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
.
The original London production was scheduled to close on Saturday, 7 October 2006 at the Dominion Theatre, but due to public demand, the show has now been extended indefinitely. We Will Rock You
has become the longest running musical ever to run at this prime London theatre, overtaking the previous record holder, the Grease
musicalGrease is a 1972 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.The show takes its name from the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class kids as they navigate the complexities of love,...
.
The launch of the musical coincided with Queen Elizabeth II'sElizabeth II is the queen regnant of sixteen independent states known informally as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,...
Golden JubileeA Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In the Commonwealth Realms :In the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms, a Golden Jubilee celebration is held in the 50th year of a monarch's reign.- For Queen Elizabeth II :...
. As part of the Jubilee celebrations Brian May performed a guitar soloGuitar solos are a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, rock, metal and jazz styles such as swing and jazz...
of "God Save the Queen"God Save the Queen", or "God Save the King", is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms. It is the national anthem of the United Kingdom and her territories and dependencies, Norfolk Island, one of the two national anthems of the Cayman Islands and New Zealand and the royal anthem of...
", as featured on Queen's A Night at the Opera
, from the roof of Buckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
. The recording of this performance was used as video for the same song on the 30th Anniversary DVD edition of A Night at the Opera.
Sean Bovim created "
Queen at the BalletQueen at the Ballet is a rock ballet created by Sean Bovim as a tribute to Freddie Mercury, that brings the legendary music of Queen vividly back to life - interpreting the stories behind classic tracks such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga and Killer Queen.- Venues :#July 6 to 15 July 2006: The...
", a tribute to Freddie Mercury, which uses Queen's music as a soundtrack for the show’s dancers, who interpret the stories behind tracks such as "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Radio Ga Ga" and "Killer Queen". Brian May has confirmed that they are considering writing a sequel to the musical. The musical is touring around the UK in 2009, playing at Manchester Palace Theatre,
Sunderland EmpireThe Sunderland Empire Theatre is located in High Street West in Sunderland, North East England. The theatre, which opened in 1907, is owned by City of Sunderland Council and operated by Live Nation UK Ltd, on behalf of Sunderland Empire Theatre Trust. On 26 June, 2009, Live Nation announced it was...
, Birmingham Hippodrome, Bristol Hippodrome, Edinburgh Playhouse.
Discography
- Queen
Queen is the debut album by English rock group Queen, released in July 1973. It was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker , John Anthony, and Queen....
(1973)
- Queen II
Queen II is the second album by British rock group Queen, released in March 1974. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London in August 1973, and engineered by Mike Stone...
(1974)
- Sheer Heart Attack
Sheer Heart Attack is the third album by English rock group Queen, released November 1974. It was produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker for EMI in the UK, and Elektra in the US.-Track listing:-Brighton Rock:...
(1974)
- A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera is the fourth album by English rock group Queen, released in November 1975. Co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Queen, A Night at the Opera was, at the time of its release, the most expensive album ever recorded...
(1975)
- A Day at the Races
A Day at the Races is the fifth album by British rock group Queen, released in December 1976. A Day at the Races was the Queen's first completely self-produced album, and the first not to feature producer Roy Thomas Baker. Recorded at Sarm East, The Manor and Wessex Studios in England, A Day at the...
(1976)
- News of the World
News of the World is the sixth studio album by Queen, released in 1977.Containing hit songs "We Will Rock You", "We Are the Champions" and "Spread Your Wings", the album went platinum in the United Kingdom, four times platinum in the United States and achieved high certifications elsewhere...
(1977)
- Jazz
Jazz is a 1978 album by Queen. It was the band's seventh studio album. The album's varying musical styles were alternately praised and criticised; it was subject to a viciously scathing Rolling Stone review by Dave Marsh which included the suggestion that "Queen may be the first truly fascist rock...
(1978)
- The Game
The Game is the eighth studio album by Queen released 30 June 1980. It was the only Queen album to reach the #1 position in both the United Kingdom and the United States and became Queen's best selling studio album in the US with four million copies sold to date, tying News of the...
(1980)
- Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is a 1980 album by English rock band Queen. It is the soundtrack album to the science fiction movie Flash Gordon. The track "Flash's Theme" was the only single to be released from the album, under the title "Flash". It reached number 10 in the UK charts and number 42 in the United...
(1980)
- Hot Space
Hot Space is an album by English rock band Queen, released in 1982 . Marking a notable shift in direction from their earlier work, Queen employed many elements of disco, Pop Music, R&B and dance music on Hot Space, being partially influenced by the success of their 1980 hit "Another One Bites the...
(1982)
- The Works
The Works is a 1984 rock album by English band Queen. The band's eleventh studio album, it marked a partial return to their rock roots, although with a much lighter approach. It has also the heaviest electronics amongst all group albums...
(1984)
- A Kind of Magic
A Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by English rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth studio album and their first to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy...
(1986)
- The Miracle (1989)
- Innuendo
Innuendo is a 1991 album by English rock band Queen. It is the band's fourteenth studio album and the last to be composed entirely of new material. It is also the final studio album to be released while lead singer Freddie Mercury was still alive. The album was praised by critics and fans as one...
(1991)
- Made in Heaven
Made in Heaven is the fifteenth and final studio album by British rock group Queen, released in November 1995. After Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, remaining band members John Deacon, Roger Taylor and Brian May worked with vocals that Mercury recorded before he died, along with newly recorded...
(1995)
See also
External links