Originally published February 7, 2014
In the music industry, there are always those voices you can’t seem to forget. Freddie Mercury is one of those extravagant voices. Paired with the talent of Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor, an unforgettable British rock band emerged—Queen.
Originally, Brian May and Roger Taylor were involved in a band called Smile. After a band member left, a fan, Mercury, encouraged them to continue on and experiment with different sounds. He then joined the band and they renamed it Queen.
The band enjoyed success in England with their first two albums but gained the bulk of their fame from Sheer Heart Attack and A Night at the Opera. As the 1980s rolled around, Queen was known as one of the most famous stadium rock bands.
In the early '90s, Mercury passed away from an AIDS complication and in 1997, Deacon retired. May and Taylor continued to play shows, with Paul Rodgers and most recently American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert.
Queen became Rock n Roll Hall of Famers in 2001. It would be hard to believe if someone says they’ve never heard a Queen song. With all of their hits and musical talent, one is bound to know at least five.
Click next and countdown the top 10 Queen songs with us. It’ll be tough, though—there are so many great ones.