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allmusic.com...

Few bands embodied the fearless creativity and attitude of 1970s rock like Queen. Embracing the exaggerated pomp of prog rock and heavy metal and the quaintness of vaudevillian music hall in equal measure, the British quartet colored their complex arrangements with camp and bombast, creating a huge, mock-operatic sound layered with guitars and overdubbed vocals. For years, their albums boasted the motto "no synthesizers were used on this record," signaling their allegiance with post-Led Zeppelin hard rock bands. But balancing this seriousness, vocalist Freddie Mercury brought an extravagant sense of fun to Queen, pushing them toward kitschy humor and pseudo-classical arrangements as epitomized in their best-known song, "Bohemian Rhapsody." Blessed with an extensive range and perfect pitch, Mercury was one of the most charismatic and technically gifted rock singers of his generation, his larger-than-life reputation bolstered by a wry, outspoken sense of humor and an array of era-defining stage costumes. Through his legendary theatrical performances, Queen became one of the most popular bands in the world in the mid-'70s, topping the charts in England and regularly cracking the Billboard 200 Top Ten.