The Queen’s enthralling music made it one of the most popular and successful bands in music history. The band’s leader, Freddy Mercury, was amongst the most charismatic performers of the last century, and Queen is still fondly remembered for its sensational concert at Live Aid.
Alongside Mercury, the band comprised Roger Taylor (drummer and vocalist), John Deacon (bass guitarist), and Brian May (vocalist and guitarist). In 2018, the biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, immortalized the group’s story.
How, then, do you come up with a list of the best songs for such an iconic band? As challenging as it was, we have made an attempt:
Five Best Queen Songs to Stream
1) Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody, part of the A Night at the Opera album, is a six-minute masterpiece. From wildly shifting tones to omitting a chorus, this song broke many of the songwriting rules of its time.
The band spent weeks (along with a small fortune) on creating this epic, producing layer after layer of vocals until it became physically impossible for the tape to accommodate any more. The song’s story is not exactly cohesive, although the narrator clearly suffering from a terrible past and perpetual frustration.
The song is the only one to have become the Christmas No.1 in two different years – initially in 1975 and then, 1991 after Mercury’s death. In December 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody was officially recognized as the most-streamed track of the 20th century.
2) We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You, along with, We Are the Champions, have become the unofficial anthems for every sports event. Part of the News of the World album, the two songs were released as a double-A-side single, reaching No.4 in the US and No.2 in the UK.
In 2000, the song was covered by the boy band 5ive, featuring guest appearances from Roger Taylor on the drums and Brian May on the guitar, and hit No.1 on the charts in the UK.
3) Killer Queen
By the time Killer Queen was dropped in 1974, the band had been around for four years.
Despite that, this song is what introduced many rock fans to Queen – and safe to say, the band could not have picked a better song for this purpose. Killer Queen is the perfect demonstration of Mercury’s soaring vocals and eclectic lyrics, as well as Brian May’s masterful guitar playing.
It hit number 12 on the US charts, and showed the world that the band was only getting started.
4) Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Mercury wrote Crazy Little Things Called Love during a bubble bath at the Hof Hotel in Munich. According to Mercury, he is a very loving person, and it was love that inspired that song.
Crazy Little Thing Called Love is vintage Queen fun, and was covered by a lot of other musicians. Showaddywaddy, Michael Buble, Diana Ross, and Dwight Yoakam are among the singers to have recorded versions of the song.
5) The Show Must Go On
By the time Queen started working on the 1991 Long Play, Innuendo, Freddy Mercury knew he did not have much time left. He was determined to deliver a final masterpiece, and Brian May came up with The Show Must Go On as a tribute to Mercury’s undying determination and drive. The song ends the album with a message of hope and resilience, and, despite his ill health, Mercury’s vocals were the strongest they have ever been.
Unfortunately, Freddy Mercury’s condition continued to go downhill at an alarming rate, and the band was thus unable to perform the album live. The iconic Queen leader passed away just nine months after the album came out.
Wrapping Up
As mentioned, it is impossible to handpick the five best songs for a band that influenced – and continues to influence – pop culture around the world. This list was our humble attempt at doing so, and we will have absolutely no complaints should you choose to disagree with it.
Summary:
Queen came together in 1970, and, over the last five decades, has had a tremendous impact on pop culture in the west and around the world. We have come up with a list of arguably the top five Queen songs: Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, Killer Queen, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and The Show Must Go On.
Eric Dalius is The Executive Chairman of MuzicSwipe, a music and content discovery platform designed to maximize artist discovery and optimize fan relationships. He also hosts the weekly podcast “FULLSPEED,” showcasing conversations with trailblazing entrepreneurs from various fields. Through the “Eric Dalius Foundation,” Eric has created four scholarships for US students. Connect with Eric on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Entrepreneur.com.