10 Most Successful Queen Biggest Hits on the Official UK Charts (1973-2025)
- Robbie - ChattingTracks
- Apr 17
- 17 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Queen's "Greatest Hits" stands as the best-selling album in British history with seven million copies sold and an incredible 1,147 weeks on the UK Albums Chart.
The band's dominance on the UK charts is legendary—six Number 1 singles and ten Number 1 albums tell only part of their story. Their music has stayed in the Top 75 for 463 weeks, proving its enduring appeal.
The band's biggest hits have shaped British music history, from their operatic masterpiece "Bohemian Rhapsody" to the stadium-shaking "We Will Rock You." You'll soon find the fascinating stories behind Queen's chart-topping singles that reached number one between 1970 and 2025.
Image Source: Official Charts
Released on October 31, 1975, "Bohemian Rhapsody" became Queen's greatest hit on the UK charts. The band released it as the lead single from their fourth studio album A Night at the Opera.
The Story Behind Queen's First Number 1 Hit
Freddie Mercury's creative genius brought this nearly six-minute musical masterpiece to life. The song blends ballad, opera, and complex rock elements that challenged the typical three-minute radio-friendly format of the 1970s. DJ Kenny Everett gave the song its breakthrough moment on his Capital Radio show. He teased his listeners with fragments and played it 14 times in just two days. Mercury later explained that "Bohemian Rhapsody" came together from several songs he'd written, and some parts dated back to Queen's earliest days.
Record-Breaking Chart Performance and Sales Figures
The song's rise to fame was meteoric. It jumped from Number 47 to Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in just four weeks. Queen's masterpiece dominated the charts for nine straight weeks after its release—a record at that time. The song's UK sales reached an incredible 2.62 million copies, making it the third best-selling single ever and the 1970s' biggest hit.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" sold over six million copies worldwide. The song reached diamond status in the US in 2021, representing 10 million or more in sales and stream equivalents. Queen became the first British band to earn the Diamond Song Award. Digital platforms show the song's lasting appeal with 1.17 billion Spotify streams (the most streamed pre-2000 songs) and over 2 billion YouTube views.
The Only Song to Reach Christmas Number 1 Twice (1975 and 1991)
The song stands alone as the only track to hit Christmas Number 1 in the UK twice with the same version. It topped the Christmas charts first in 1975 and again in 1991 after Freddie Mercury's death. The song became the longest Christmas Number 1 at almost six minutes, despite its un-festive lyrics about killing a man. Its holiday season success meant it topped charts across four different years: 1975/76 and 1991/92.
Cultural Impact and Enduring Legacy
"Bohemian Rhapsody" has become part of our cultural DNA. The Grammy Hall of Fame inducted the song in 2004, and Rolling Stone magazine readers named Mercury's vocal performance rock history's best. The song found new life in the 1992 film Wayne's World, climbing back to Number 2 in the US charts.
December 2018 marked another milestone when "Bohemian Rhapsody" became the world's most-streamed song of the 20th Century with 1.6 billion global streams. The song's video reached one billion YouTube views in July 2019—the first pre-1990s video to achieve this feat. A 2018 biographical film sharing the song's name introduced Queen's music to a new generation.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" remains Queen's defining masterpiece and one of UK chart history's most remarkable singles. Its unconventional structure and record-breaking achievements tell a timeless classic's story.
Image Source: Official Charts
Queen's "We Are The Champions" has grown beyond its rock roots to become the ultimate victory celebration. This iconic song stands as one of Queen's most influential cultural touchstones, though it never reached the top spot on UK charts.
Chart Performance and Commercial Success
Queen released "We Are The Champions" as a single on October 7, 1977, and it climbed to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song stayed strong for 12 weeks on the chart with 7 weeks in the Top 10. ABBA's "Name of the Game" and Wings' "Mull of Kintyre" kept it from the top spot, but its commercial success soared despite that.
The song's global impact matched its UK success. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in America and number 3 in Canada. Most regions got "We Are The Champions" as a double A-side with "We Will Rock You". This created one of rock history's most memorable song pairs. Radio stations and Queen concerts typically played these tracks back-to-back, turning them into a unified anthem.
The song's appeal hasn't faded even after four decades. It hit number 2 on both the Official Physical Singles Chart and Official Vinyl Singles Chart in 2017-2018, showing its lasting commercial power.
How It Became a Sporting Anthem
Freddie Mercury designed "We Are The Champions" to get crowds involved. He explained in a 1978 interview: "I was thinking about football when I wrote it. I wanted a participation song, something that the fans could latch on to. Of course, I've given it more theatrical subtlety than an ordinary football chant".
His vision came true spectacularly. The song now plays at sporting events worldwide. FIFA chose it as their official theme for the 1994 World Cup. The French charts welcomed it back at number 10 during their 1998 World Cup.
Science backs up the song's anthem status. Researchers at Goldsmiths University of London crowned it the catchiest song ever in 2011. Their study of thousands of volunteers found key elements that make songs singable: long musical phrases with detail, multiple pitch changes in the hook, and powerful male vocals. Mercury's composition shines with all these features.
Musical Composition and Production
The song's musical structure shows Queen's sophisticated composition skills. Mercury's piano leads the way, supported by Roger Taylor's drums and John Deacon's bass. Brian May added guitar parts that grow throughout the song and peak with a solo during the final chorus.
This rock anthem packs surprising complexity. It uses many jazz chords (major and minor 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th harmonies), while its choruses feature four and five-part vocal harmonies. The song moves through several key changes and unusual chord progressions, using diminished and suspended chords rarely heard in rock music.
Mercury's vocals push boundaries, reaching C5 in both belted and falsetto styles. The song starts with an intimate, Broadway-style verse before exploding into its triumphant chorus—perfectly showing how to build musical tension and release.
Queen worked with Mike Stone to produce a song that's both complex and easy to love—a trademark of their biggest hits.
Image Source: This Day In Music
The unexpected pairing of two music giants in 1981 gave birth to "Under Pressure." The song became Queen's third UK number-one hit and later earned the title of second-best collaboration of all time from Rolling Stone.
Behind the Number 1 Hit Collaboration
A chance encounter at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland turned into rock history. Bowie had dropped by while Queen recorded their album Hot Space to sing backing vocals on "Cool Cat". Roger Taylor remembers it differently: "David came in one night and we were playing other people's songs for fun, just jamming. In the end, David said, 'This is stupid, why don't we just write one?'".
The creative process was spontaneous yet filled with tension. Brian May noted, "It was hard because you had four very precocious boys and David, who was precocious enough for all of us". The song grew from Queen's track "Feel Like" and transformed when Bowie joined in. John Deacon created the iconic three-note bassline that Stylus magazine would later crown as the greatest bassline of all time.
The vocal performances came together through an avant-garde method. Bowie and Mercury recorded their parts separately without hearing each other's contributions. May explained, "The vocal was constructed in a very novel way... Everybody just goes in there with no ideas, no notes, and sings the first thing that comes into their head over the backing track". This unique approach led to Mercury's memorable scatting introduction and gave the song its distinctive cut-and-paste feel.
Chart Statistics and Commercial Performance
The song debuted at number 8 on the UK charts on November 14, 1981. It climbed to number 1 the following week. The track managed to keep the top spot for two consecutive weeks (November 21-28, 1981) before it began to fall. The single stayed on the UK charts for 11 weeks, with 5 weeks in the Top 10 and 6 weeks in the Top 20.
Both artists celebrated their third UK number 1 hit with this release. The song's popularity dipped after Christmas, falling to position 35 by December 20. By January 17, 1982, it had dropped to number 48.
Musical Innovation and Influence
"Under Pressure" has earned its place in music history. Critics have called it "an utterly majestic, otherworldly duet" that captured "the effortless grace of Queen's mid-'70s peak" while being "underscored with a truly affecting melancholy heart".
The song's influence lives on today. Vanilla Ice sampled the distinctive bassline for "Ice Ice Baby" in 1990, which led to a lawsuit when he didn't credit Queen or Bowie. The original artists eventually received songwriting credit. The track continues to appear in advertising campaigns, featuring in a 2024 Adidas commercial narrated by David Beckham.
Without a doubt, "Under Pressure" stands as one of music's most memorable collaborations. Jack Whatley of Far Out Magazine puts it perfectly: "With all the animosity, wine, cocaine, and vocal battles which helped come together to birth the song, what remains is an incredibly powerful and poignant pop song that we will likely not see matched in our lifetimes".
Image Source: QueenOnline.com - News
Queen's rockabilly experiment began in a Munich hotel bathtub with just a guitar and a few chords. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" became one of Queen's most spontaneous creations that marked a clear shift from their complex production style.
Freddie Mercury's Songwriting Process
The year was 1979 when inspiration hit Mercury as he relaxed in the bath at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich. Roger Taylor confirmed the story: "Fred did write the song in the bath in about 10 minutes". Mercury later explained how the song's constraints shaped its creation: "I did that on the guitar, which I can't play for nuts, and in one way it was quite a good thing because I was restricted, knowing only a few chords".
These limitations sparked his creativity. Mercury saw the song's potential right away and acted quickly. He rushed to the studio with drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon, worried that guitarist Brian May might make the simple composition too complex. Brian May remembered it this way: "By the time I got there, it was almost done".
UK Chart Performance and Reception
The song landed on the UK Singles Chart at position 33 on October 20, 1979. It climbed rapidly and peaked at number 2 on November 24, staying there for two straight weeks. The track spent 6 weeks in the UK Top 10 during its 14-week chart run.
Dr. Hook's "When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman" kept the song from reaching number one. The song achieved something even more remarkable in America - it became Queen's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting February 23, 1980, it ruled the charts for four straight weeks.
The song's popularity continues today. By 2024, it had racked up over one billion streams on Spotify, proving its status as one of Queen's most beloved hits.
How It Showcased Queen's Versatility
Mercury created this song "as a tribute to Elvis Presley", showing the band could step beyond their progressive rock roots. Brian May noted, "Freddie was very fond of Elvis, and of Cliff [Richard]".
The song marked another first - Mercury played rhythm guitar both in the studio and on stage. He told Circus magazine in 1980: "It took sheer guts and bravery. The first couple of nights were nerve-wracking, but it was okay after that".
Recording pushed other band members to try new things. Engineer Reinhold Mack convinced Brian May to use Roger Taylor's Telecaster and a Mesa/Boogie amplifier - gear May didn't like. "I don't want to play a Telecaster," May said at first, "It doesn't suit my style". Despite that, this change helped create the authentic rockabilly sound that made the song unique in Queen's catalogue.
Image Source: Official Charts
"Don't Stop Me Now" stands apart from Queen's chart-topping hits. The song started as a modest contender before it revolutionised into one of the band's most beloved anthems years after its release.
Original Chart Performance
Queen released "Don't Stop Me Now" on January 26, 1979, as the second single from their jazz-influenced seventh album. The song debuted at number 44 on the UK Singles Chart. It slowly made its way up to number 9 by March 31, 1979 – its highest position. This performance couldn't match many of Queen's signature hits. The song vanished from the charts after just 12 weeks, seemingly destined to become a minor entry in Queen's impressive catalogue.
The American reception proved even more disappointing, with the song reaching only number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. Roger Taylor later revealed that the band didn't even play it during their 1978 Jazz Tour of US arenas – a clear sign of the song's modest beginnings.
Resurgence Through Film and Advertising
The song found new life decades later. Its cultural breakthrough moment came from its memorable appearance in the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead. This introduced the track to a new generation of fans. Advertisers soon noticed its infectious energy.
The song has become a staple in commercial media. Toyota, Silk almond milk, Amazon, L'Oreal, and American Idol all featured "Don't Stop Me Now" in their 2019 advertisements. Each new commercial placement helped propel its growing popularity.
Streaming Success in the Digital Era
The numbers tell an amazing story of the song's digital growth:
2013: 7.04 million streams
2015: 24.3 million streams
2017: 63.8 million streams
2018: 115.6 million streams
March 2019 marked a milestone as the song reached 500 million plays on Spotify – almost twice the streams of any Rolling Stones, U2, or Led Zeppelin song on the platform. The song now ranks as Queen's second most-streamed track after "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Fan Favourite Status
Scientists have recognised the song's mood-lifting qualities. Research by cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Jacob Jolij ranks it as the most uplifting song from the past 50 years. The study found its perfect mix of positive lyrics, upbeat tempo (150 beats per minute), and major musical key creates the ideal "feel-good" formula.
The song's infectious appeal makes it the ninth most-requested track on popular karaoke apps. SiriusXM DJ Rachel Steele explains, "People use it as this personal anthem... with today's empowerment movement, and being an individual and not letting anyone get in your way".
Image Source: LinkedIn
Queen's powerful statement on the changing media dynamics of the 1980s, "Radio Ga Ga," started with a toddler's babble and Roger Taylor's concerns about music's visual direction.
Roger Taylor's Commentary on Music Television
The iconic track had an unusual beginning. Taylor's young son Felix listened to a bad song and uttered "radio ca ca." This simple moment sparked Taylor's creativity during Queen's 1983 recording sessions for The Works album in Los Angeles. Mercury rejected his other songs, so Taylor worked alone with a drum machine and synthesiser to develop the concept.
Taylor wanted to speak about television and music videos taking over radio's cultural significance. "That's part of what the song's about. The fact that they [music videos] seem to be taking over almost from the aural side, the visual side seems to be almost more important," Taylor explained. The band spent over £100,000 on a striking video inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis, despite the song's criticism of visual media.
UK Chart Success and Global Reception
"Radio Ga Ga" made its mark on the UK Singles Chart at number 4 on January 29, 1984. The song reached number 2 by February 5 and stayed there for two weeks. Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax" kept it from reaching the top spot. The song's popularity showed in its impressive 9-week chart run, with 5 weeks in the Top 10 and 11 weeks in the Top 100. People loved it so much that it returned to the charts in April 1984.
Iconic Live Aid Performance Impact
The song reached its pinnacle during Queen's legendary Live Aid performance on July 13, 1985. After opening with "Bohemian Rhapsody," Queen played "Radio Ga Ga" while 72,000 fans at Wembley Stadium clapped in perfect unison, copying the video's synchronised movements.
This performance became rock history's unforgettable moment. Brian May later said, "It became one of the first great proofs of the power of television"—a funny twist for a song that criticised television's growing power over radio. Elton John had to perform next and asked Mercury, "Great performance Fred, just one question. How the fuck do we follow that?"
Image Source: BBC
What British audiences loved as comedy turned into controversy for American viewers. "I Want To Break Free" became a perfect example of transatlantic cultural disconnect after its release on April 2, 1984.
UK Chart Performance vs International Reception
The second single from Queen's The Works album became a 15-week-old hit in Britain. It reached number 3 on the Official UK Singles Chart and spent 7 weeks in the Top 10. The song's reception varied dramatically across countries. Dutch audiences particularly embraced it, making it number 1 for two weeks.
American listeners gave the song a lukewarm response, and it peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100. CBS Records executive Walter Yetnikoff reportedly called the music video "rubbish," which explained the stark contrast between British success and American indifference.
The Controversial Music Video
Queen parodied the popular British soap opera Coronation Street based on Roger Taylor's girlfriend's suggestion. The band members dressed in full drag—Mercury played barmaid Bet Lynch, May wore hair curlers, Deacon portrayed an elderly woman, and Taylor appeared as a schoolgirl. British viewers instantly got the soap opera reference, but American audiences missed the cultural context completely.
Brian May remembered the hostile reception during their promotional tour. "I remember being on the promo tour in the Midwest of America and people's faces turning ashen. They would say, 'No, we can't play this... it looks homosexual'". MTV either banned or rarely showed the video, which prompted Roger Taylor to call them "very narrow-minded".
John Deacon's Songwriting Contribution
John Deacon's songwriting talents, though less recognised than Mercury or May's work, produced several Queen classics including "I Want To Break Free". His straightforward lyrics about needing independence struck a chord differently worldwide. South American audiences saw it as a political statement against dictatorships.
This cultural misunderstanding created what May described as a "hole" in Queen's connection with American audiences that lasted until the early 1990s.
Image Source: Official Charts
Freddie Mercury's gospel masterpiece "Somebody To Love" ranks among Queen's most technically demanding yet emotionally powerful hits from their 1976 album A Day at the Races. The Queen of Soul herself inspired this remarkable creation.
Freddie Mercury's Vocal Showcase
Mercury crafted what many call his finest vocal performance, drawing inspiration from Aretha Franklin. The track demonstrates his extraordinary range—from a deep G#2 in the closing choral verse to an astounding falsetto G#5 during the melisma sections. His tribute to gospel music came from a deep appreciation of Franklin's work. "I was sort of incensed by the Gospel approach that she had on her albums, the earlier albums," Mercury later explained.
Brian May's recollections make this performance even more remarkable. "Freddie came in very well prepared with a lot of vocal parts. We just worked our way through it. A very good feeling. I always remember feeling 'This is going to be something great'". Mercury believed this song surpassed "Bohemian Rhapsody," and stated: "For my estimation, I think a song like 'Somebody To Love' from the writing aspect is a better song".
UK Singles Chart Experience
The song reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1976. Showaddywaddy's "Under the Moon of Love" kept it from the top spot. The track's success showed in its impressive run—7 weeks in the Top 10 and 9 weeks total on the chart.
Modern streaming platforms have given the song new life. The track reached position 95 on the 2018 Official Streaming Chart. Its popularity grew further in 2021, climbing to number 7 on the Official Physical Singles Chart and number 3 on the Official Vinyl Singles Chart.
Critical Reception and Legacy
The song's sophisticated composition caught critics' attention quickly. Billboard highlighted how it "grabs attention with gimmicks such as changes in volume and tempo and the use of classical music elements". Record World praised how "the group continues to stretch the limitations of the commercial single" through its "operatic overtures".
Three singers—Mercury, May, and Taylor—created what sounds like a 100-voice gospel choir through intricate vocal track layering, similar to "Bohemian Rhapsody". The Los Angeles Times praised its "gospel-tinged urgency" that managed to keep "the English band's knack for arrangements that are at once off-beat, yet well within the broad rock mainstream".
The song stands among Queen's finest work of the 1970s, alongside "Bohemian Rhapsody." It perfectly balances Mercury's artistic vision with commercial appeal.
Image Source: Amazon UK
Queen's twelfth album marked their triumphant return after Live Aid, with "A Kind Of Magic" becoming a hit single and the lifeblood of an unofficial film soundtrack.
Connexion to the Highlander Film
Queen saw just 20 minutes of rough footage from director Russell Mulcahy's fantasy film Highlander and felt so impressed they wanted to create the entire soundtrack. The band ended up contributing six tracks to the film, though they were asked to provide just the theme song. Roger Taylor caught onto Christopher Lambert's character Connor MacLeod saying "a kind of magic", which sparked what would become a signature hit. The album's lyrics like "There can be only one" and "Don't lose your head" tie directly to Highlander's immortality-focused narrative.
UK Chart Statistics and Performance
"A Kind Of Magic" landed at position 16 on the UK Singles Chart when it was released on March 17, 1986. The song climbed steadily and reached number 3, staying in the Top 10 for six weeks during its 11-week chart run.
The album's success soared even higher, hitting number 1 when it was released on June 14, 1986—Queen's first chart-topper since The Game. First-week sales hit an impressive 100,000 copies, and the album stayed on the charts for 57 straight weeks, with 16 of those in the Top 10.
Roger Taylor's Songwriting Contribution
Roger Taylor originally wrote "A Kind Of Magic" as Highlander's closing credits music. Taylor created the melody and chords as a "filmic" tune, but the single version turned out very different from what appeared in the film. Freddie Mercury reshaped Taylor's work by adding the trademark bass guitar riff, and instrumental sections, and creating a new mix with David Richards.
Taylor said Mercury changed it from a "cinematic rock song" to "an infectious pop song", which shows the band's shared creative process at work.
Image Source: uDiscover Music
Queen's venture into disco-funk gave them their biggest hit ever. "Another One Bites The Dust" became their best-selling track with over 7 million copies sold worldwide.
John Deacon's Bass-Driven Composition
The band's quiet bassist created the catchy riff that drives the song. Deacon drew direct inspiration from Chic's "Good Times" for his bassline. He spent time in Chic's studio before writing the track. His first version had a light-hearted cowboy theme with Wild West lyrics. "To 'bite the dust' is a cowboy phrase, and that's all I had at first," Deacon explained. The heavier sound they recorded in Munich led him to completely change the lyrics.
Deacon showed his musical range by playing most instruments on the recording: bass, piano, electric guitar, and handclaps[442]. Roger Taylor added a drum loop while Brian May created noise effects using an Eventide Harmonizer.
Chart Performance in the UK vs US
The song climbed to number 7 on the UK Singles Chart on September 27, 1980. US audiences loved it even more. The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for three straight weeks from October 4-18, 1980. It dominated the Billboard charts with 15 weeks in the top 10 and spent 31 weeks total - longer than any other song that year.
How It Broadened Queen's Audience
Michael Jackson's suggestion to release it as a single helped "Another One Bites The Dust" find new listeners. The song peaked at number 2 on both the US R&B and Disco charts[441], marking Queen's first breakthrough in these genres. Brian May remembered, "There was an instant where we were the biggest thing in the world".
Sampling and Cultural Impact
Early hip-hop artists built on the song's foundation. Grandmaster Flash mixed between Chic's and Queen's basslines in "The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel". The track's tempo of 110 beats per minute made it perfect for CPR training.
Conclusion
Queen's chart success from 1973 to 2025 paints an incredible story of state-of-the-art music and commercial success. The band never stuck to one formula. They created unique masterpieces that ranged from the operatic "Bohemian Rhapsody" to the rockabilly-inspired "Crazy Little Thing Called Love."
The band's diverse catalogue grew from each member's songwriting talent. Mercury's theatrical style gave birth to "Somebody to Love." Taylor captured cultural commentary in "Radio Ga Ga." May's guitar wizardry boosted every track, while Deacon's infectious basslines powered hits like "Another One Bites the Dust."
Musical trends changed, but Queen's songs showed remarkable staying power. "Don't Stop Me Now" evolved from a modest hit to dominate streaming platforms. "Bohemian Rhapsody" made history as the only song that ever spread Christmas cheer at Number 1 twice with the same version.
Six Number 1 singles, ten Number 1 albums, and 463 weeks in the Top 75 showcase Queen's chart dominance. Numbers alone can't capture their enduring impact on British music. Their songs keep finding new audiences and prove that truly great music surpasses time and trends.
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