Queen, made up of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon was formed in 1971. Two years later, they signed their first recording contract for EMI, released their first album, “Queen”, and performed on their first major UK tour. “Queen II” was released in 1974, in that same year the band saw their first U.S. tour and their first headlining UK tour.

 

In 1975, the band’s single “Bohemian Rhapsody” topped the charts in the UK for nine weeks straight. As if this wasn’t enough to celebrate, their other single, “A Night at the Opera” gave them their first silver album. By the spring of 1976, all four members were in the UK Top Twenty. 

 

The late 70s and early 80s continued to bring the band success, with the release of their first live album, “Live Killers”, the opportunity to write the score for “Flash Gordon”, and their album “The Game” went Platinum five times in Canada. Over the years, their fame and popularity continued to build.

 

Sadly, on November 24th 1991, Freddie Mercury passed away, a day after publicly announcing his AIDS diagnosis. “Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives” was released as a tribute to Freddie and to raise money for the Terrence Higgins Trust. The three remaining members completed the track they had started in 1995, “Made in Heaven”, and released it worldwide. In 2002, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.