The only band in history with a number one hit from every member
It’s a simple premise that a band will stand a better chance of achieving success when a number of the members are genuinely great songwriters. You only have to look at the lasting cultural impact of groups such as The Beatles, The Who and The Rolling Stones – who have numerous hits penned by different members – to recognise the importance.
Then we have Queen, who, aside from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, have had the most potent lineup of songwriters in rock and roll history. One of the most successful acts of all time, their fusion of hard rock, prog, metal and pop was widely effective, with their stylistic breadth influenced by all four members who brought something unique to the fold. Famously, Queen was fronted by frontman Freddie Mercury and backed by guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon, and drummer Roger Taylor.
While the quartet became increasingly pop-oriented as their chapter with Mercury continued before he died in 1991, the band still produced artistic goods and many memorable moments. It was a perfect lineup in that each element fit seamlessly without overshadowing the others, and as with every genuinely great act, all four members chipped in with songwriting responsibilities. Not only was this fulfilling their democratic duty, but they were so effective as musicians that each member scored a number one hit.
Why every member of Queen wrote hit songs
What makes Queen such a rare anomaly is how each member managed to inject their worldview into the band’s catalogue without ever derailing the larger vision. It wasn’t just that they could write cracking songs, it was that they wrote distinctly and instantly recognisable Queen songs. Deacon’s pop instincts, Mercury’s theatrical proclivity, May’s guitar-led dramatics and Taylor’s off-kilter edge all bent to the shared aim of making music that didn’t just sound different, but felt like it came from a completely separate plane. When they were at their best, it was less a band writing music and more like a machine where every cog wrote its own (very flamboyant) code.
That internal balance also explains their longevity. So many bands implode under the weight of egos, but Queen’s democracy meant no one was ever boxed into a role. A hit might come from the bassist, a fan favourite from the drummer, and the closer from the guitarist. It made the records unpredictable and the band harder to imitate. You could copy the theatrics, you could try to hit the high notes, but without four distinct minds pushing in the same direction, no one else stood a bloody chance.
Demonstrating the power of the classic lineup of Queen, they are the only group in history in which every member has composed more than one chart-topping single. Accordingly, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame two years later.
It’s worth noting that these hits didn’t always top the charts in the US or UK, although they often did. Take some of Freddie Mercury’s number one triumphs, for instance. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is widely regarded as Queen’s definitive track. It spent nine weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart upon its release, then returned for another five weeks following his death. Today, it’s the UK’s third-best-selling single of all time.
As for guitarist Brian May, his much shorter list of number ones includes the anthemic ‘We Will Rock You’. The song was released in 1977 as a single from the classic record News of the World and went to the top of the charts in their home country.
Elsewhere, bassist John Deacon provided the quartet with the Chic-inspired transatlantic smash ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ in 1980 and 1984’s ‘I Want to Break Free’, which topped the charts in a handful of European nations.
Not done there; even drummer Roger Taylor had a knack for writing number one smash hits. The synth-heavy 1984 hit ‘Radio Ga Ga’ was his creation and climbed to number one in countries such as Denmark, Italy and Portugal, but not in the UK or US. Another track of his, ‘A Kind of Magic’, written for the cult 1986 fantasy movie Highlander, dominated the rankings in Argentina and Spain.
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