Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970 by Freddie
Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals) and Roger
Taylor (drums, vocals), later joined by John Deacon (bass). Their
earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and
heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional
and radio-friendly works by incorporating further styles, such as
arena rock and pop rock. Before forming Queen, May and Taylor had
played together in the band Smile. Mercury was a fan of Smile and
encouraged them to experiment with more elaborate stage and
recording techniques. He joined in 1970 and suggested the name
"Queen". Deacon was recruited in February 1971, before the band
released their eponymous debut album in 1973. Queen first charted in
the UK with their second album, Queen II, in 1974. Sheer Heart
Attack later that year and A Night at the Opera in 1975 brought them
international success. The latter featured "Bohemian Rhapsody",
which stayed at number one in the UK for nine weeks and helped
popularise the music video format. The band's 1977 album News of the
World contained "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions", which
have become anthems at sporting events. By the early 1980s, Queen
were one of the biggest stadium rock bands in the world. "Another
One Bites the Dust" from The Game (1980) became their best-selling
single, while their 1981 compilation album Greatest Hits is the
best-selling album in the UK and is certified nine times platinum in
the US. Their performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert is ranked
among the greatest in rock history by various publications. In
August 1986, Mercury gave his last performance with Queen at
Knebworth, England. In 1991, he died of bronchopneumonia, a
complication of AIDS. Deacon retired in 1997. Since 2004, May and
Taylor have toured as "Queen +", with vocalists Paul Rodgers and
Adam Lambert. Queen have been a global presence in popular culture
for more than half a century. Estimates of their record sales range
from 250 million to 300 million, making them one of the world's
best-selling music artists. In 1990, Queen received the Brit Award
for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. They were inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and with each member
having composed hit singles all four were inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2005 they received the Ivor
Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection from the British
Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors, and in 2018 they
were presented the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.