The Best Band of the 80’s? The Best Band of All Time?
Introduction
In virtually everything that exists, there will always be a conversation about who the best to do it ever was. Whether it be basketball, or chess there is an argument to be made. When it comes to something as subjective as music is there really a “best” or is that a manner of opinion. No matter what there is no way to definitively prove something like greatness, but the mere fact that there is an argument itself is but to promote the exceptionality of the individual. Today RockLoft would like to walk you through why we believe that the band Queen may be the best to ever do it. To some this may be obvious, to others this may be flagrantly incorrect, however I’m sure you will be convinced by the end of this article.
What is Greatness?
To assess something like greatness it’s important to use a literal definition to properly attribute such a thing in any way.
Greatness: Remarkable in magnitude degree or effectiveness.
To put it plainly I will be judging Queen’s musical components and the overall ensemble of their top hits and reviewing the various aspects that make Queen great. Undoubtably a great band, but are they the greatest to ever do it?
Band Composition
Brian May
Freddie Mercury
Brian May is an incredible guitarist, his ability to play in coordination with the large ensemble of instruments, fading into the melody while maintaining a playful and contributory nature is rivaled by very few. Not to mention his iconic solos being instantly recognizable, and even having a staple on the progression of modern music as Queens genre-less style of music was truly influential.
With an unmatched vocal range that mirrored that of an Oprah singer with the lows and soul of a blues singer at times, Mercury is how most know the band, and is not only iconic but THE FACTOR in what makes Queen. There is no Queen without Freddie Mercury as proved by the bands failure to thrive post Freddie’s mortem.
John Deacon
While often not the most technical player, and much more simplistic than guitarist Brian May, Deacon has potentially the most iconic bass rifts of all time. Another One Bite’s The Dust, and Under Pressure, both top Queen songs that are really defined by the bass of the song.
Roger Taylor
Roger Taylor, as most drummers are, is not the way most know the band in fact many may not even recognize the name. Despite this he played a massive role in contributing to the ensemble of instruments, specifically in songs like Bohemian rhapsody where his drums clash against the other instruments creating a beautiful contrast. His consistent performances throughout their music makes him an incredibly valuable part of the band.
What Made Them Work
Despite all these musicians being incredibly talented their individual musical prowess isn’t what creates such incredible music. It’s the contributory nature of the band that makes them truly so great. With no instrument hogging the spotlight, they all seem to share it and contrast with Freddie’s vocals. This is what makes them great, when these band members are playing together, they can form a symphony of musical genius that seamlessly creates some of the best songs ever made.
It’s important to note that not one of them (even Mercury prior to his death) managed to produce music of this caliber without the band being of completion. Yet another reason the band was so great, it doesn’t matter if the musicians are great, it’s how the pieces of the puzzle fit together that truly matters.
Bohemian Rhapsody
It’s not right to discuss Queen without first talking about Bohemian Rhapsody. A song that means so many things, to so many people. It’s a song that truly defies time and genre. The song features many instruments, an opera like Mercury performance, and clashing drums building tension throughout the song, only to be relieved by one of the most iconic solos of all time from guitarist Brian May.
This song is longer than most songs at the time (5 minutes 53 seconds), and famously denounced by their prior record label, this song has defied all odds. With near 2 billion plays on Spotify, this song is a clear all time great. From major feature films to the car with your dad, it’s a guarantee just about everyone has heard this song.
A song that is so effective despite its length, and unusual nature, that even Queen haters probably like. This is the reason they are the best of all time, if you would like to understand what Queen they were truly about, or why are the greatest. This right here is why; Bohemian rhapsody is an homage to the best rock and roll band to touch this earth.
Awesome article -I’ll definitely have to check this band out and can’t wait to add some of their music to my playlists!
Thanks for reading our article! Glad to know that you’ve enjoyed our article about Queen. Feel free to tell us if there are any other rock bands that you’d like for us to talk about!
Agree, there’d be no Queen without the Fredster!
Freddie Mercury really is a legend. Are there any other rocknroll artists that you think are on the same level?