"We are the champions... my friends. And we'll keep on fighting till the end."

In 1977, the British rock band, Queen, produced one of the most recognized and memorable rock anthems known to man: We Are the Champions. Although it is a song that has been played at sporting events and it's easily identifiable, it is just one of the many great achievements of Queen. From its formation in 1971, Queen has proved to make a significant impact in rock history.

Queen first started off as a band named Smile which had two of the original Queen members: Brian May and Roger Taylor. Freddie Mercury was a huge fan of Smile and offered his advice and encouraged them to innovate and experiment more. Soon he joined Smile, and thus changed the name to Queen. Before their recording first album, John Deacon joined them as well.

In 1973, they released their first album: Queen , which was followed quickly by Queen II . The albums did well in the UK for the band's debut. But the major turning points for Queen were Sheer Heart Attack and A Night at the Opera, which featured Bohemian Rhapsody. The widespread popularity and acclaim helped boost the band to international fame.

Like any band, Queen's style evolved throughout their reign. However, one thing never changed about their music, their creativity and their innovation in their work. There is no particular or specific style that they are associated with, but they did draw inspiration and combine from various styles ranging from heavy metal to opera. Nevertheless, their experimentation, ingenuity, and of course the magic of Freddie, allowed them to rise above the rest.

Queen has served as an inspiration to many modern artists such as Lady Gaga and Mika, along with many bands such as Nirvana and Metallica, (just to name a few). Even with Freddie gone, Queen is the dream that many rock bands hope to achieve, after all, they are the champions.

"No time for losers, cause we are the champions... of the world."



