Just one note - hardcore fans tend to miss the big hits due to over-exposure, and will often choose tracks that they see as under-recognized. I aimed to balance out those two sides of the coin.
30. '39 - a densely layered track, Brian May's supreme statement connecting his two biggest loves, astronomy and music.
29. A Kind Of Magic - a huge worldwide hit, one of the best tracks Roger Taylor wrote for Queen
28. White Queen - one of the strongest early Queen tracks, sheer musical bliss for the last minute
27. I Was Born To Love You - Brian, Roger and John bring life to a Freddie solo track for the final Queen album
26. A Winter's Tale - Mercury's last composition, solemnly envisioning a seasonal snapshot he would never see again
25. Radio Ga Ga - Roger Taylor's answer to Video Killed The Radio Star
24. It's Late - one of Brian May's best and most revealing tracks
23. The Millionaire Waltz - a genre-crossing suite, one of Mercury's greatest achievements
22. Good Company - Brian May's ode to skiffle and big band, including a brilliant guitar orchestration emulating brass and woodwind instruments
21. Love Of My Life - undoubtedly Mercury's best ballad
20. Stone Cold Crazy - proof that Queen were pioneers of speed metal alongside Deep Purple and Black Sabbath
19. Fairy Feller's Master Stroke - as close to progressive rock as Queen would ever get
18. It's A Hard Life - one of the few 80s tracks comparable to their 70s musical depth
17. The Miracle - brilliant arrangement, unabashed optimism from Mercury facing his mortality
16. Keep Yourself Alive - the opening track on the opening album, debuting a unique sound for the 70s
15. Under Pressure - Queen and Bowie spontaneously unite to create a classic
14. Bicycle Race - silliness on the surface, very complex underneath
13. Innuendo - last epic Queen song
12. Liar - first epic Queen song
11. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 50s-inspired exercise in pop minimalism
10. My Fairy King - the first hints of Freddie being a brilliant writer and arranger
9. The Show Must Go On - although a few tracks came later, this is generally seen as Freddie's grand farewell song
8. The March Of The Black Queen - seen by many as the predecessor to BoRhap
7. Seven Seas Of Rhye - first chart entry, Queen's first big exposure
6. Another One Bites The Dust - Queen's biggest US hit, crossing over to black radio stations and charts
5. Don't Stop Me Now - Freddie's timeless classic on self-indulgence in life
4. Killer Queen - first big hit, the first time they made their unique sound completely accessible
3. Somebody To Love - Aretha-inspired pop gospel perfection
2. We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions - iconic, period.
1. Bohemian Rhapsody - beyond all doubt, the most enduring Queen track of all time, encompassing every one of their trademarks
I have to say that I agree with maybe 80-90% of the list above. Not in the same order, though, but these are almost the same I'd pick for such a list too. And the descriptions match what I think of these songs as well.
The Real Wizard wrote:
Just one note - hardcore fans tend to miss the big hits due to over-exposure, and will often choose tracks that they see as under-recognized. I aimed to balance out those two sides of the coin.
30. '39 - a densely layered track, Brian May's supreme statement connecting his two biggest loves, astronomy and music.
29. A Kind Of Magic - a huge worldwide hit, one of the best tracks Roger Taylor wrote for Queen
28. White Queen - one of the strongest early Queen tracks, sheer musical bliss for the last minute
27. I Was Born To Love You - Brian, Roger and John bring life to a Freddie solo track for the final Queen album
26. A Winter's Tale - Mercury's last composition, solemnly envisioning a seasonal snapshot he would never see again
25. Radio Ga Ga - Roger Taylor's answer to Video Killed The Radio Star
24. It's Late - one of Brian May's best and most revealing tracks
23. The Millionaire Waltz - a genre-crossing suite, one of Mercury's greatest achievements
22. Good Company - Brian May's ode to skiffle and big band, including a brilliant guitar orchestration emulating brass and woodwind instruments
21. Love Of My Life - undoubtedly Mercury's best ballad
20. Stone Cold Crazy - proof that Queen were pioneers of speed metal alongside Deep Purple and Black Sabbath
19. Fairy Feller's Master Stroke - as close to progressive rock as Queen would ever get
18. It's A Hard Life - one of the few 80s tracks comparable to their 70s musical depth
17. The Miracle - brilliant arrangement, unabashed optimism from Mercury facing his mortality
16. Keep Yourself Alive - the opening track on the opening album, debuting a unique sound for the 70s
15. Under Pressure - Queen and Bowie spontaneously unite to create a classic
14. Bicycle Race - silliness on the surface, very complex underneath
13. Innuendo - last epic Queen song
12. Liar - first epic Queen song
11. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 50s-inspired exercise in pop minimalism
10. My Fairy King - the first hints of Freddie being a brilliant writer and arranger
9. The Show Must Go On - although a few tracks came later, this is generally seen as Freddie's grand farewell song
8. The March Of The Black Queen - seen by many as the predecessor to BoRhap
7. Seven Seas Of Rhye - first chart entry, Queen's first big exposure
6. Another One Bites The Dust - Queen's biggest US hit, crossing over to black radio stations and charts
5. Don't Stop Me Now - Freddie's timeless classic on self-indulgence in life
4. Killer Queen - first big hit, the first time they made their unique sound completely accessible
3. Somebody To Love - Aretha-inspired pop gospel perfection
2. We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions - iconic, period.
1. Bohemian Rhapsody - beyond all doubt, the most enduring Queen track of all time, encompassing every one of their trademarks
great List, But personally would Exclude "born to love you" and include any number of songs, like Who wants to live forever?, or These are The days of our lives....also, the early works such as flick of The Wrist should have a place in the top 30..Death On two legs?...
Well, it is really hard to choose 30 tracks but here is my list of what I call Queen Master Pieces.
1. Bohemian Rhapsody.
2. Somebody to love.
3. The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke.
4. The march of the Black Queen.
5. My fairy King.
6. Great King Rat.
7. Flick of the Wrist.
8. Brighton Rock.
9. Jesus.
10. If you can’t beat them.
11. Don’t try suicide.
12. Sail away sweet sister.
13. Dancer.
14. Action this day.
15. Rock it (Prime Jive).
16. Soul Brother.
17. Coming soon.
18. Cool cat.
19. Save me.
20. Friend will be Friends.
21. Innuendo.
22. Made in heaven.
23. The miracle.
24. It’s a hard life.
25. Tear it up.
26. We are the champions-We will rock you.
27. Bicycle race.
28. Sheer heart attack.
29. Dead on time.
30. The millionaire Waltz.
1. nevermore
2. somebody to love
3. my fairy king
4. don't stop me now
5. fairy fella's masterstroke
6. liar
7. march of the black queen
8. seven seas of rhye
9. millionaire waltz
10. my melancholy blues
11. father to son
12. doing alright
13. funny how love is
14. in the lap of the gods (revisited)
15. night comes down
16. it's late
17. spread your wings
18. good oldfashioned loverboy
19. bohemian rhapsody
20. modern times rock n roll
21. now i'm here
22. i'm in love with my car
23. one vision
24. these are the days of our lives
25. great king rat
26. innuendo
27. show must go on
28. keep passing the open windows
29. fat bottomed girls
30. you're my best friend
you can probably tell my leanings are toward 70s songs and freddie compositions