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TexasKing 
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 Topic: Queen, one of the most adored bands in Britain?
Posted: July 13 2017 at 15:16 |
Why is Queen much more adored in their homeland than in the rest of the world? It seems they are in top 3 most popular rock bands in Britain and the British public is much less polarized on Queen than e.g. American. How that band have such a big appeal on Brits, bigger than on any other rock public worldwide? Is it a matter of British taste?
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ExittheLemming
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Posted: July 13 2017 at 21:03 |
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Despite some 300 million sales globally, Queen were always viewed with some suspicion in the USA as
their provocative cocktail of pomp, glam, vaudeville twee and 'campness aforethought' did not sit
easily with the regimented corp d'esprit of the heavily armoured division of rock fans. Amongst the
'earnest and hirsute', Fred and his troupers were considered too faggy to be heavy, too glib to be
deep, too shiny to be dark and too goddamn ironic to be assimilated into any 'our gang versus the
establishment' rallying cry.
The rest of the world seemed more forgiving of their undermining of the traditional testosterone
grunt of rawk and it could be argued that Europeans in particular, were more cognisant of the
stylistic reference points that Queen employed (Noel Coward, cabaret, Music-Hall, Ivor Novello,
operetta and those daring stage outfits worn by Mercury that were tantamount to Privates on
Parade)
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Thatfabulousalien
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Posted: July 13 2017 at 21:05 |
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The weird thing with Queen is that their hits seem to be universally adored anywhere, everywhere and by everyone I've seen, yet nobody has heard any of their back catalog
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Classical music isn't dead, it's more alive than it's ever been. It's just not on MTV.
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Dellinger
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Posted: July 13 2017 at 21:39 |
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I have the impression that Queen is one of the most beloved bands in general, and didn't think it was mostly on Britain. My impression would be that the biggest, most legendary bands... at least classic rock bands (60's, 70's) would be The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Queen.
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jude111
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Posted: July 13 2017 at 22:37 |
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I grew up in Florida in the late 70s and early 80s, and Queen was on the radio all the time: Bohemian Rhapsody, You're My Best Friend, We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions, Somebody to Love, Killer Queen, Fat Bottomed Girls/Bicycle Races, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Another One Bites the Dust, Play the Game. I wonder if a day ever went by when I didn't hear Queen on the radio? They were as ubiquitous as Floyd, the Beatles, and the Stones.
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Atavachron
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Posted: July 13 2017 at 23:15 |
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Queen had the audacity to be both flamboyant and totally rockin', and they were so honest a so damn good that they didn't care... and no one else did either. Anyone who's seen enough rock shows will tell you what Queen was able to do live was unparalleled and put to shame the macho groups like Zep and Van Halen and the Who and Sabbath. Maybe the only rock band ever that was so tight, so capable and professional, that they could wear as many under-the-navel onesies and platform shoes and still walk on water.
In many ways, the finest rock band to ever grace a stage.
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"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy
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Manuel
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Posted: July 14 2017 at 07:00 |
 Thatfabulousalien wrote:
The weird thing with Queen is that their hits seem to be universally adored anywhere, everywhere and by everyone I've seen, yet nobody has heard any of their back catalog |
Indeed. Their most popular/later work is what got exposed to the general public, whereas the earlier/more progressive material is mostly ignored by most.
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The.Crimson.King
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Posted: July 14 2017 at 09:47 |
In my corner of the US, from the time I was 14 and Killer Queen hit the radio waves they were a constant presence at least until '82's Hot Space. At that time, their back catalog took over and kept them relevant. Probably helped that they always had a tour stop in the SF Bay Area where I saw them in '77, '78 & '80 
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dr wu23
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Posted: July 14 2017 at 10:43 |
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I don't know.....I've never been a big fan. I do like the odd song here and there but overall one of those bands I can take or leave.
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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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rogerthat
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Posted: July 14 2017 at 21:36 |
TexasKing wrote:
Why is Queen much more adored in their homeland than in the rest of the world?It seems they are in top 3 most popular rock bands in Britain and the British public is much less polarized on Queen than e.g. American. How that band have such a big appeal on Brits, bigger than on any other rock public worldwide? Is it a matter of British taste?
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I don't know, they were very popular in India too, not talking sales but just name recognition. One of THE big 70s rock bands people tend to name along side LZ, Who, DP. If I see the sales of albums like News of the World or The Game, they actually performed better in USA than in the rest of the world (including UK). The Game was only Gold in UK but 4 x Platinum in USA. It was the critics, led by Christgau, who seemed to thoroughly dislike Queen and/or view them with mostly unwarranted suspicion. They had similar views on ABBA who have some similarities to Queen (I know Queen fans will never forgive me for saying this) and who also sold well in USA just like everywhere else. The American band Sparks (whom I would argue both the aforesaid bands owe a huge debt to) found reception to their music in their homeland so hostile that they moved to UK and subsequently enjoyed their biggest success which of course was pretty modest compared to Queen or ABBA and understandably so.
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The Dark Elf
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Posted: July 14 2017 at 22:59 |
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We played Ogre Battles and Stone Cold Crazy until we went deaf in high school in the mid-70s.
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SteveG
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Posted: July 15 2017 at 04:32 |
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I'm sure my perception is not accurate, but it seems that Queen's popularity rose in the US after the fact, (after Freddie's death) with song dropping in movies like Wayne's World. I have friends that were into Queen back in the day starting with Killer Queen, but they were in the minority.
Edited by SteveG - July 15 2017 at 04:33
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dr prog
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Posted: July 16 2017 at 21:31 |
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Don't like em much. Glam sucks lol
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All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.
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Luqueasaur
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Posted: July 24 2017 at 07:20 |
If you think Queen is only absurdly loved in Britain, pls come to Brasil!!!!
Seriously, not only SA featured one of Queen's hugest tour - which implies one of world's hugest tour - but to this day they are revered, especially Freddie Mercury, as amazingly lovable musicians. Anyone who doesn't like Queen and is over 40, in Brazil, has undeniably been in a coma in the 80s. Medical statement.
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Jeffro
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Posted: July 24 2017 at 08:14 |
Thatfabulousalien wrote:
The weird thing with Queen is that their hits seem to be universally adored anywhere, everywhere and by everyone I've seen, yet nobody has heard any of their back catalog |
I've tried but their inherent quirkyness pretty much means I'm not going to like much more that what gets played on the radio, along with a few other select songs. I admire their approach to making music. I love that they don't fit into the typical rock band mold of the time but much of their work just doesn't resonate with me.
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chopper
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Posted: July 24 2017 at 08:22 |
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Some British bands don't go down well in the US - The Jam and XTC are two that spring to mind - but I don't know about Queen.
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miamiscot
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Posted: July 24 2017 at 14:54 |
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Bohemian Rhapsody was a great song. Everything else - not so much.
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jude111
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Posted: July 24 2017 at 17:24 |
miamiscot wrote:
Bohemian Rhapsody was a great song. Everything else - not so much. |
Right, anyone can write a song like Killer Queen and Somebody to Love, and anyone can play the guitar like Brian May and sing like Freddie Mercury. I mean, I don't know about you, but I try my best *not* to write Billboard top ten songs and make albums that connect with tens of millions of people. It would be an absolute nightmare if, in throwing a tour, I kept selling out massive stadiums everywhere I went, all over the world. Imagine how horrible it would be to write a song like "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" in 1977, and 40 years later people still sing it at sporting events, knowing every line of the songs. Or even worse, writing "Another One Bites the Dust," which ends up being a key sample in the burgeoning genre of hip-hop, endlessly sampled 40 years later.
Edited by jude111 - July 24 2017 at 17:28
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siLLy puPPy
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Posted: July 24 2017 at 17:49 |
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Personally as an USAmerican, i have never met anyone who didn't like Queen. They were and are very much a staple of almost everyone's musical diet no matter where you're interest lies. They clicked with metalheads, progheads, classic rock lovers and also with people who don't like harder rock but made an exception for Queen. If anything i think more than geographically speaking, people are divided between the pre-The Game era and the questionable mediocrity that followed
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Arnulf Floyd
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Posted: July 25 2017 at 02:31 |
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Queen is loved not only in Britain but and in my country, is one of most played bands at national radio stations
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Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
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Queen, one of the most adored bands in Britain?