I like the idea of consulting their live act to put a label on the band. I listened to the "Live at the Bowl" album a couple days ago and was surprised to hear how they were able to turn material from Hot Space into loud rock songs.
I would vote that Queen was a rock band. It seems that that is what they wanted to be.
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Let's not forget that the very definition of rock is no limitations. That's how I see it anyway, and that's how Freddie saw it. Freddie loved the idea that he could do whatever he wanted in the rock and roll scene. It was perfect for him, for he had a love for many genres of music.
So, regardless of what types of songs Queen played, it was meant to push rock and roll to the edge of it's definition. If you listen to Aerosmith's gold album (greatest hits) you'll find that their isn't much variety in their music. It's all very straight forward. When you listen to Queen's greatest hits you'll find that they were more than a rock band. They were THE ROCK BAND.
They were a band that didn't believe in the traditional crap of three chord progressions and other simple formulas to composing music (of course they did it, but only to a certain extent). They threw in mock operas, waltzes, vaudiville, big band, experimented with thrash metal (very early, possibly the first), baroque, folk rock, ETC
So when you get right down to it, Queen were the ultimate rock group. I wouldn't classify them as pop. Pop was only a part of Queen. If you were to classify them as pop, you might as well classify them as a vaudiville band.
That's my theory anyway...
So, regardless of what types of songs Queen played, it was meant to push rock and roll to the edge of it's definition. If you listen to Aerosmith's gold album (greatest hits) you'll find that their isn't much variety in their music. It's all very straight forward. When you listen to Queen's greatest hits you'll find that they were more than a rock band. They were THE ROCK BAND.
They were a band that didn't believe in the traditional crap of three chord progressions and other simple formulas to composing music (of course they did it, but only to a certain extent). They threw in mock operas, waltzes, vaudiville, big band, experimented with thrash metal (very early, possibly the first), baroque, folk rock, ETC
So when you get right down to it, Queen were the ultimate rock group. I wouldn't classify them as pop. Pop was only a part of Queen. If you were to classify them as pop, you might as well classify them as a vaudiville band.
That's my theory anyway...
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=#FFFFFF>The Invisible Man wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Let's not forget that the very definition of rock is no limitations. That's how I see it anyway, and that's how Freddie saw it. Freddie loved the idea that he could do whatever he wanted in the rock and roll scene. It was perfect for him, for he had a love for many genres of music.
So, regardless of what types of songs Queen played, it was meant to push rock and roll to the edge of it's definition. If you listen to Aerosmith's gold album (greatest hits) you'll find that their isn't much variety in their music. It's all very straight forward. When you listen to Queen's greatest hits you'll find that they were more than a rock band. They were THE ROCK BAND.
They were a band that didn't believe in the traditional crap of three chord progressions and other simple formulas to composing music (of course they did it, but only to a certain extent). They threw in mock operas, waltzes, vaudiville, big band, experimented with thrash metal (very early, possibly the first), baroque, folk rock, ETC
So when you get right down to it, Queen were the ultimate rock group. I wouldn't classify them as pop. Pop was only a part of Queen. If you were to classify them as pop, you might as well classify them as a vaudiville band.
That's my theory anyway...
[/QUOTE] I agree with everything you said, but Queen were all over the map and that's what I love about them. your so right when you said that queen were one of the first to play thrash metal. One of my favorite bands is Judas priest and they are considered the "metal Gods" who helped form thrash metal, but their first real heavy album was in 1976, queen already released songs like Stone cold crazy and great king rat, orge battle and countless others. Of course sabbath was the true first metal band, but even that was slow and cruncy metal. Yes, queen never truly got the credit they deserved in helping shape thrash metal. I heard one of rob halfords favorite albums of all time were Queen and Queen2.
So, regardless of what types of songs Queen played, it was meant to push rock and roll to the edge of it's definition. If you listen to Aerosmith's gold album (greatest hits) you'll find that their isn't much variety in their music. It's all very straight forward. When you listen to Queen's greatest hits you'll find that they were more than a rock band. They were THE ROCK BAND.
They were a band that didn't believe in the traditional crap of three chord progressions and other simple formulas to composing music (of course they did it, but only to a certain extent). They threw in mock operas, waltzes, vaudiville, big band, experimented with thrash metal (very early, possibly the first), baroque, folk rock, ETC
So when you get right down to it, Queen were the ultimate rock group. I wouldn't classify them as pop. Pop was only a part of Queen. If you were to classify them as pop, you might as well classify them as a vaudiville band.
That's my theory anyway...
[/QUOTE] I agree with everything you said, but Queen were all over the map and that's what I love about them. your so right when you said that queen were one of the first to play thrash metal. One of my favorite bands is Judas priest and they are considered the "metal Gods" who helped form thrash metal, but their first real heavy album was in 1976, queen already released songs like Stone cold crazy and great king rat, orge battle and countless others. Of course sabbath was the true first metal band, but even that was slow and cruncy metal. Yes, queen never truly got the credit they deserved in helping shape thrash metal. I heard one of rob halfords favorite albums of all time were Queen and Queen2.
Rob Halford said that the only music he has on his ipod is every single Priest song and every single Queen song.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=#FFFFFF>The Invisible Man wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Rob Halford said that the only music he has on his ipod is every single Priest song and every single Queen song.[/QUOTE] That's awsome, I never heard that one.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Freddie's #1 Fan Forever wrote: [/QUOTENAME]OK, so I am waiting to hear your views here. I hope to hear some... outrageous things! [/QUOTE]
Keep in mind that one of their most famous songs is called "We Will Rock You"...
...and NOT... "We Will Pop You"! :-)
Keep in mind that one of their most famous songs is called "We Will Rock You"...
...and NOT... "We Will Pop You"! :-)
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]mike hunt wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color=#FFFFFF>The Invisible Man wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Rob Halford said that the only music he has on his ipod is every single Priest song and every single Queen song.[/QUOTE] That's awsome, I never heard that one. [/QUOTE]
He said this in the Classic Rock Magazine that was dedicated to Freddie Mercury. (the October issue I believe...I could be wrong).
He said this in the Classic Rock Magazine that was dedicated to Freddie Mercury. (the October issue I believe...I could be wrong).
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]FriedChicken<br><font size=1>The Almighty</font> wrote: [/QUOTENAME]They played Rock, that is pop(ular)
I don't count pop as a genre. For example Mozart was pop in his time. [/QUOTE]
I don't count pop as a genre. For example Mozart was pop in his time. [/QUOTE]
All of the stuff you'd class as pop from the 80s strictly speaking is rock anyway.
If you look at the evolution of rock from bluesy artists like Fats Domino to the heavy metal of Black Sabbath, there are no real fundamental similarities in sound. There is much less difference in style between Radio Ga Ga and Death On Two Legs for example.
Rock is such a diverse genre, that strictly speaking Marvin Gaye, Eminem and Outkast are rock. Hip Hop developed and slowly evolved through artists like Prince and Run DMC. If bands like Yes are classed as progressive rock, then there is no doubt that hip-hop is a rock subgenre.
The poppy elements seen in Queen in the 80s, and by artists like Madonna certainly stem from rock. It is still far-fetched from traditional pop like Bing Crosby however.
Just a little run down of what is and isn't rock! I suppose it is safe to say Queen were pop-rock, as pop music tends to be more melody orientated, whilst rock from the start was always beat and scale orientated.
Queen combined the two in many versatile ways throughout their career.
If you look at the evolution of rock from bluesy artists like Fats Domino to the heavy metal of Black Sabbath, there are no real fundamental similarities in sound. There is much less difference in style between Radio Ga Ga and Death On Two Legs for example.
Rock is such a diverse genre, that strictly speaking Marvin Gaye, Eminem and Outkast are rock. Hip Hop developed and slowly evolved through artists like Prince and Run DMC. If bands like Yes are classed as progressive rock, then there is no doubt that hip-hop is a rock subgenre.
The poppy elements seen in Queen in the 80s, and by artists like Madonna certainly stem from rock. It is still far-fetched from traditional pop like Bing Crosby however.
Just a little run down of what is and isn't rock! I suppose it is safe to say Queen were pop-rock, as pop music tends to be more melody orientated, whilst rock from the start was always beat and scale orientated.
Queen combined the two in many versatile ways throughout their career.
As Patti Russo once nice said: There are music genres and there is QUEEN!
When they play live you can tell they are a rock band - compare a Queen concert to WestLifes.
The easiest way to compare how the music moved with the times is by listening to GH1 & GH2, they are totally different sounds.
The easiest way to compare how the music moved with the times is by listening to GH1 & GH2, they are totally different sounds.
Queen: Hard rock, heavy metal
Queen II: Prog-rock, heavy metal
Sheer Heart Attack: Hard rock, heavy metal
ANATO: Progressive rock, hard rock
ADATR: Progressive rock
NOTW: Hard rock
Jazz: Hard rock,
The Game: Pop rock
Hot Space: Funk, disco
Works: Pop rock
AKOM: Pop rock, hard rock
Miracle: Pop rock, hard rock
Innuendo: Hard rock, pop rock,
MIH: Pop rock
There you have it.
Queen II: Prog-rock, heavy metal
Sheer Heart Attack: Hard rock, heavy metal
ANATO: Progressive rock, hard rock
ADATR: Progressive rock
NOTW: Hard rock
Jazz: Hard rock,
The Game: Pop rock
Hot Space: Funk, disco
Works: Pop rock
AKOM: Pop rock, hard rock
Miracle: Pop rock, hard rock
Innuendo: Hard rock, pop rock,
MIH: Pop rock
There you have it.