It's hard to classify Queen the band as part of a specific genre but it's safe to say that most of their songs were Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Pop-Rock and Progressive Rock. But Wikipedia says that they were also Psychedelic Rock and Punk Rock? WTF is that supposed to be a joke? Psychedelic where? And Punk Rock?
I have a few friends who I never knew until recently were Queen fans. They told me that Queen was the "greatest" metal band ever and were pioneers of "heavy metal, power metal and speed metal". lol really funny. What genre does "Hammer to Fall" lie in?
I think you can classify "Stone Cold Crazy" as proto-'Speed Metal', while "Princes of the Universe" borders on 'Power Metal', I think.
I read somewhere(Wikipedia??) that "'39" was Folk-Rock. British Folk? I wouldn't know since I'm only familiar with American Folk-Rock and only one British-Folk song if "Stairway to Heaven" counts...
Wikipedia also says that Queen played Country. Which album/song?
PS: Never trust Wikipedia.
Speed metal, yes Stone Cold Crazy would fall into that genre, Dead On Time as well, I think. Modern Time R'n'R as well, perhaps?
Punk - Sheer Heart Attack, the song.
'39 is Folk-ish, as well as songs such as Long Away and Someday, One Day.
Psychedelic Rock - perhaps The Night Comes Down? I'm not too familar with the genre.
Country? I don't think they really did that.
Yes, they were pioneers in heavy rock music. Their first two albums are pretty heavy for their time.
Thanks for the replies. Sheer Heart Attack...punk rock? I've always thought it was something like pseudo-punk. I read on Wikipedia that they were poking fun at the punk-rockers of the time who accused Queen of selling out to the media in the song. I've always thought "Hammer To Fall" was 'Power Metal' like "Princes of the Universe"...it could be Pop-Rock like you said or more like Pop-Metal or something. :P I'm not so well versed in many pure metal bands except Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Black Sabbath and the Glam Metal bands of the '80s like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, etc...
I think the Psychedelic Rock tag is wrong though...were any of them even under the influence of hallucinogenic/psychedelic drugs like LSD during their heydays?
The thing is ... defining any genre is difficult. What is pop? What is bluegrass? What is jazz?
If "metal" is always blues-based, then much of Metallica's work isn't "metal"; or if "metal" relies on fast distorted solos, then many songs by Iron Maiden aren't "metal", but 'Larger Than Life' (Backstreet Boys) is. And so on...
What would you call:
- Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
- Seaside Rendezvous
- Good Old Fashioned Loverboy
- Bring Back That Leroy Brown
- Good Company
"Music Hall Pop" or "Retro Swing"?
And how would you categorize:
- March of the Black Queen
- Fairy Fellers Master Stroke
- Nevermore
- Lily of the Valley
"Fairy pop"? "Fantasmadelic"?
Queen are unique, because whatever style you tag to their music, you always know it's Queen - no matter who sings lead or who composed the song.
Nummer2 wrote: What would you call:
- Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
- Seaside Rendezvous
- Good Old Fashioned Loverboy
- Bring Back That Leroy Brown
- Good Company
"Music Hall Pop" or "Retro Swing"?
I believe it's like 'vaudeville-pop' style, as seaside is discribed in the making of ANOTO.
And how would you categorize:
- March of the Black Queen
- Fairy Fellers Master Stroke
- Nevermore
- Lily of the Valley
"Fairy pop"? "Fantasmadelic"?
Queen are unique, because whatever style you tag to their music, you always know it's Queen - no matter who sings lead or who composed the song.