Queen is considered one of the most successful rock bands of all time and one of the bestselling bands in the United Kingdom. A key point to their success is the wide range of music they can play professionally. Their songs range from hard rock to piano-based pop and everything in between. Queen has much more hits than ten, but we at The Dope Lists have chosen the Top 10 songs from our point of view.
“Somebody to Love”
This song is one of the different Queen songs because of the gospel elements the band used to create it. The song became successful not only in the UK (their home country) but also in the USA, where it reached the second and thirteenth place on the charts. The most impressive part of the song is the ability of the band to create the sound of a 100 person choir by using only three voices with voice layering. The song is written by the frontman and the band’s vocalist – Freddie Mercury and represents a soul-searching piece that asks what role God has in life without love. The vocalist has often cited his love for Aretha Franklin as a significant influence in creating “Somebody to Love.”
“I Want to Break Free”
This is maybe their most controversial song. Because it is mostly known not because of the composition or the performance but for the video. The band is all dressed up as women in the clip, a parody of the British soap opera Coronation Street. The parody was well received in Great Britain but was very controversial in the US, and it was also banned from MTV. This ban reflected on the charts. The song was in 45th place on the American charts at its best. The song is also recognized as an anthem of fight and strength against oppression.
“Radio Gaga”
The single was released just before the song “I want to Break Free.” It became a massive hit internationally. Actually “Radio Gaga” reached first place on the charts in 19 countries. The single was recorded in 1983 and released in January 1984. It was a comment on television and its rising power against radio popularity. The song lyrics are also about the music video and MTV, which was emerging as a strong competitor of the radio as a medium for promoting albums. The video of “Radio Gaga” was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award in 1984. It’s surely one of the Top 10 Queen songs.
“Under Pressure”
This single was initially recorded in 1981 by Queen and David Bowie and became successful worldwide. “Under Pressure” was rated on 31 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs in the 1980s. The song was played at every Queen’s concert from 1981 until 1986, when they stopped touring. What made the song different from the others is the bass line, which is defined as one of the best in modern music history. The rapper Vanilla Ice used the bass line in his hit song “Ice Ice Baby.”
“Another One Bites the Dust”
This is one of the most well-received and favored songs of all. The single appeared in almost every vital music chart internationally. It is defined as Queen’s best-selling single of all time, with sales of only 7 million copies. The Billboard‘s All-Time Top Songs list rewarded this song with 34th place. “Another One Bites the Dust” was also nominated for an AMA and Grammy. It was covered but also parodied by a vast number of artists.
“We Will Rock You”
This song is one of the most famous Queen’s songs. It is considered one of the band’s best songs and ranked as one of the best songs of all time for a long period. It is often used in sports events, covered, parodied, and sampled. The song itself has a simple beat, there is a brief guitar solo, and it’s mostly acapella.
“Fat Bottomed Girls”
The song was highly ranked even though it was not so well received compared to other Queen hits. It had uniqueness because of the consideration for greatness to sing along. The guitar’s tuning was bluesy and the only song of this band that they played in an alternative guitar tuning.
“Don’t Stop Me Now”
The longevity and airplay of the song made it one of the best and most popular songs of the band, even though it was not a huge hit originally. Mercury played the piano in this song, Roger Taylor was the guitarist, and John Deacon played the drums. The multitrack harmony vocals in the chorus were the main feature of “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Its success was prolonged because they played it in commercials and shows for years. It was also ranked as one of the most “feel-good” songs of all time.
“We Are the Champions”
This song is defined as a power ballad. It was written by Freddie Mercury and is still one of the most recognizable rock anthems of all time. It became successful worldwide. In 2011 a team of researchers discovered that the song was the catchiest song in all of modern history. It became an anthem for victories in sports events and was covered by other famous musicians in different musical genres, for instance, Green Day and Katy Perry
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
Few people can argue that this song is the best in Queen’s history. It reached near the top of many charts. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is still played regularly nowadays and continues its appearance on lists of the best songs of all time. The song is considered to have become a masterpiece years earlier in its time. The song length is 6 minutes with a complex composition: numerous sections included an intro, a ballad, an opera-style part, and a hard rock part. People unfamiliar with the song would have a hard time understating the whole song because all the sections are so different but still blend well when listened together.
So, rock fans, we hope you enjoyed our list of the top ten Queen songs. Whatever we say about this legendary band, it just wouldn’t be enough. Did we miss one or two of their best tunes ever? Let us know in the comments!
FAQ:
What are the most popular Queen songs in order?
We can’t give you a specific order, but consider songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” “Show Must Go On,” and “We Will Rock You.”
What are the best Queen music videos?
Everybody likes different videos, but we really love “Radio Ga Ga,” “I Want to Break Free,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” There are some more, though!
What are the best slow songs by Queen?
The band have some really beautiful slow songs. Don’t miss to check records like “Lily of the Valley,” “Love of My Life,” and “Nevermore”.