Queen

Queen are a rock group from London, formed in 1970. The core line-up consists of Freddie Mercury on lead vocals and piano, Brian May on guitar and vocals, Roger Taylor on drums and vocals, and John Deacon on bass. Earlier members include Mike Grose, Barry Mitchell and Doug Bogie. The band is associated with art rock, baroque pop, classic rock, disco, glam rock and hard rock.

Formation and early years

Before Queen, Brian May and Roger Taylor play together in Smile. Freddie Mercury, who follows Smile, encourages them to experiment with stage and recording techniques and joins in 1970, also proposing the name Queen. John Deacon joins in February 1971, before the release of the band’s debut album in 1973.

Recording career

Queen first chart in the UK with their second album, Queen II, in 1974. Later that year, Sheer Heart Attack follows, and A Night at the Opera arrives in 1975. That album includes “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which tops the UK singles chart for nine weeks and helps popularise the music video format. In 1977, News of the World includes “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions”, both of which become widely used sporting anthems.

By the early 1980s, Queen are one of the largest stadium rock bands in the world. “Another One Bites the Dust”, from The Game in 1980, becomes their best-selling single. Their 1981 compilation Greatest Hits becomes the best-selling album in the UK and is certified 9× Platinum in the United States.

Later years and legacy

Queen’s 1985 Live Aid performance is regarded as one of the most celebrated in rock history. Mercury’s final performance with the band takes place at Knebworth in August 1986. The band then release The Miracle in 1989 and Innuendo in 1991. Mercury publicly reveals his AIDS diagnosis in November 1991 and dies the following day from bronchopneumonia. A final album featuring his vocals, Made in Heaven, is released in 1995.

Deacon retires in 1997, while May and Taylor continue performing together. From 2004, they tour as Queen + with Paul Rodgers until 2009 and with Adam Lambert from 2011. Queen remain one of the best-selling music artists worldwide, with estimated sales of 250 million to 300 million.

Awards and honours

Queen receive the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 1990, are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and all four members are inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. They also receive the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection in 2005, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, and the Polar Music Prize in 2025.

Studio albums

Queen (1973), Queen II (1974), Sheer Heart Attack (1974), A Night at the Opera (1975), A Day at the Races (1976), News of the World (1977), Jazz (1978), The Game (1980), Flash Gordon (1980), Hot Space (1982), The Works (1984), A Kind of Magic (1986), The Miracle (1989), Innuendo (1991), Made in Heaven (1995).