Queen is a legendary British rock band that was founded in London in 1970 by the iconic Freddie Mercury on lead vocals and piano, Brian May on guitar and vocals, Roger Taylor on drums and vocals, and later joined by John Deacon on bass. Initially influenced by progressive rock, hard rock, and heavy metal, Queen transitioned into more mainstream styles like arena rock and pop rock. Before the formation of Queen, May and Taylor played together in Smile, encouraged by Mercury who later joined the band and suggested the name ‘Queen’. Deacon joined shortly after, and the band released their self-titled debut album in 1973. Their breakthrough came with the albums ‘Queen II’ in 1974, ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ and ‘A Night at the Opera’ in 1975, featuring the iconic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Queen’s 1977 album ‘News of the World’ solidified their status with hits like ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘We Are the Champions’. By the early 1980s, Queen became one of the biggest stadium rock bands globally.
Queen’s success continued with chart-toppers like ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ in 1980 and the best-selling ‘Greatest Hits’ album in 1981. Their extraordinary performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert remains a milestone in rock history. Despite Mercury’s private battle with AIDS, Queen released albums like ‘The Miracle’ in 1989 and ‘Innuendo’ in 1991. Mercury’s public revelation of his illness in 1991 shocked the world, and his unfortunate passing from bronchopneumonia due to AIDS marked a turning point for the band. ‘Made in Heaven’, released in 1995, featured Mercury’s vocals, and the band continued with sporadic appearances. Queen’s influence on popular culture has been immense, with record sales exceeding 250 million worldwide. Their accolades include the Brit Award, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, solidifying their legendary status in music history.