Queen's Studio Albums Trivia Quiz

Queen had been gigging around London for two years before they had an opportunity to do some proper recording in a studio with the goal of producing a demo tape. The first five songs they recorded were "Keep Yourself Alive," "The Night Comes Down," "Great King Rat," "Jesus," and "Liar," which ended up comprising half of the ten tracks on their eponymous debut album.

It still took some time to get their first album recorded, as they had difficulty finding a studio willing to take them on. A recommendation finally got them into Trident Studios, and they were able to put together their first album over a period of about seven months in 1972, mostly recording on evenings and weekends.

"Queen" was released on July 13th, 1973 in the UK, and on September 4th in the USA. As a debut album, it was received rather lukewarmly. It reached Number 32 on the UK Albums chart, and only to Number 83 on the US Billboard 200 (in 1974), although it did manage to peak at Number 24 in the UK the following year.

Composition breakdown:
5 songs written by Freddy Mercury
3 songs written by Brian May
1 song written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by Brian May and Tim Staffell (while in the band Smile)

"Queen II" was recorded at Trident Studios, as with their debut album, but this time the band insisted on having prime daytime scheduling to do their recordings. Even so, the process was rather long and drawn out, and it took over six months to finalize the album (August to February).

The lone single from the album, "Seven Seas of Rhye," was originally introduced on "Queen" in a shortened, instrumental form. Written by Freddie Mercury, it was their first single to make it onto the charts, reaching Number Ten on the UK Singles Chart.

"Queen II" shucked the usual 'A' and 'B' sides and went with 'Side White' and 'Side Black' in a pseudo-concept album with lighter, emotional songs on the white side, and darker, fantasy themes on the black side. The album is also known for its iconic cover design, which featured the four band members' faces in a diamond position on a black background.

On the charts, "Queen II" fared better than its predecessor, reaching Number Five on the UK Albums Chart, and Number 49 on the US Billboard 200.

Composition breakdown:
6 songs written by Freddy Mercury
4 songs written by Brian May
1 song written by Roger Taylor

Queen's third studio album, "Sheer Heart Attack," took the band about four months to produce, working through health issues (Brian May was briefly hospitalized) and utilizing four different studios over that timeframe. Even with these issues, the album was released in the same calendar year as "Queen II."

The album was released on November 8th, 1974, and continued the upward trajectory in the charts, reaching Number Two on the UK Albums Chart, and Number 12 on the US Billboard 200. It also featured their first international hit single with "Killer Queen," reaching the top ten in six different countries, including Number Two on the UK Singles Chart. In the USA, it reached Number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Composition breakdown:
6 songs written by Freddy Mercury
4 songs written by Brian May
1 song written by John Deacon
1 song written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by all four together

Queen's fourth studio album was recorded amidst contract disputes with Trident Studios, as they had received none of their profits from their previous three albums. With their star on the rise, it was crucial to the group that they gain control over their own music. Using other studios, the band needed four months to complete the album, which was released in November of 1975.

And a good thing, too, as "A Night at the Opera" became immensely successful, reaching Number One in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Finland and the Netherlands, and making the top ten in additional six countries (including Number Four on the US Billboard 200). In addition to the album's success, the lead single "Bohemian Rhapsody," despite being twice as long as the typical single release, gave them their first Number One hit. They reached Number One on the UK Singles (and four other countries) and got up to Number Nine on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Composition breakdown:
5 songs written by Freddy Mercury
4 songs written by Brian May, plus one traditional song that he arranged
1 song written by John Deacon
1 song written by Roger Taylor

After a six-month tour following their fourth album, Queen got back to work on "A Day at the Races," which was released in December of 1976. They spent five months working on it as their first self-produced album, and somewhat connected to "A Night at the Opera" in that they had a similar eclectic mix of songs and both used the title of a Marx Brothers movie.

"A Day at the Races" proved to be the band's second straight Number One release for the UK, and it reached Number Five on the US Billboard 200. The album had five single releases, with the lead single ("Somebody to Love") reaching Number Two in the UK, and Number 13 in the USA.

Composition breakdown:
4 songs written by Brian May
4 songs written by Freddy Mercury
1 song written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by John Deacon

"News of the World" was recorded between July and September of 1977, and was released on October 28th. The album saw a return to a simpler rock style, albeit still with the characteristic Queen sound. While not quite as strong a showing on the charts as the previous two albums, "News of the World" still made a respectable Number Four on the UK Albums Chart, and Number Three on the US Billboard 200. It still managed to reach Number One in the Netherlands and in France.

Of course, as far as single releases went, "News of the World" featured the fan-favourites "We Will Rock You" and "We are the Champions." While they are presented on the album in that order, they were released as singles with "We are the Champions" on the A-side, and "We Will Rock You" on the B-side. "Champions" reached Number Two on the UK Singles Chart, and got up to Number Four on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Composition breakdown:
4 songs written by Brian May
3 songs written by Freddy Mercury
2 songs written by John Deacon
2 songs written by Roger Taylor

Due to tax issues, the band did their recordings for their seventh album at two studios in France, and Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland. While in Montreux, the band members attended the Montreux Jazz Festival, which was likely the inspiration for the album's title, "Jazz". It didn't actually have any songs that would be considered in the jazz style, and the final track ("More of That Jazz") was a loop song that included bits of many of the other songs on the album.

"Jazz" was released on November 10th, 1978 to mixed reviews, but with a solid showing in the charts, reaching Number Two on the UK Albums Chart, while reaching Number Six on the US Billboard 200. Five singles were released from the album, with "Bicycle Race" and "Fat Bottomed Girls" being released as lead together as a double A-side. They reached Number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, and Number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Composition breakdown:
5 songs written by Freddy Mercury
4 songs written by Brian May
2 songs written by John Deacon
2 songs written by Roger Taylor

The material for "The Game" was recorded during two separated stints, with the first session in June/July of 1979, after a successful touring season. The bulk of the recording was done between February and May of 1980, and the album was released at the end of June. "The Game" also featured the first use of a synthesizer in their music, notably featured on the first track of the album, entitled "Play the Game."

The album would prove to be one of Queen's most successful, reaching Number One in both the UK and the USA. Their lead single, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," reached at Number Two in the UK, and Number One in the USA, but it was "Another One Bites the Dust" that became their best-selling single, with over seven million copies sold (it also reached Number One in the USA).

Composition breakdown:

3 songs written by Brian May
3 songs written by Freddy Mercury
2 songs written by John Deacon
2 songs written by Roger Taylor

Released on December 8th, 1980, "Flash Gordon" was Queen's ninth studio album and their first soundtrack album. It reached Number Ten on the UK Albums Chart, and Number 23 on the US Billboard 200. The "Flash Gordon" movie was released on December 5th in the USA, and on the 11th in the UK.

It had just one single, which was released as "Flash," but was titled "Flash's Theme" on the album. ("Football Fight" was on the B-side). It also managed to reach Number Ten in the UK, but only peaked at Number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

In addition to the band's (mostly instrumental) soundtrack pieces, British composer Howard Blake also contributed to the movie's score, and was credited on Queen's album with co-writing two of the tracks, and for including 'additional orchestral arrangements.'

Composition breakdown:

5 songs written by Brian May, plus one by Richard Wagner that he arranged
4 songs written by Freddy Mercury
3 songs written by Roger Taylor
2 songs written by John Deacon
1 song written by May and Taylor together
1 song written by May and Howard Blake together
1 song written by Mercury and Blake together

Queen's tenth studio album was recorded between June of 1981 and March of 1982, with a release date of May 4th. With the success of "Another One Bites the Dust" from the previous album, the band moved to more of a disco and pop style than they had previously done, including their first time use of a drum machine. "Hot Space" reached Number Four on the UK Albums Chart, but only got up to Number 22 on the US Billboard 200.

In spite of its lackluster performance in the United States, the collaboration of David Bowie and Queen on the lead single release "Under Pressure" was a hit in the UK, reaching Number One on the UK Singles Chart (it only made it to Number 29 in the USA). "Under Pressure" was recorded earlier than the rest of the album tracks, and was released as a single about six months prior to the album proper.

Composition breakdown:

3 songs written by Brian May
3 songs written by Freddy Mercury
2 songs written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by John Deacon
1 song written by Deacon and Mercury together
1 song written by all four together, with David Bowie

Queen's 11th studio album was recorded in Los Angeles (USA) and in Munich (Germany) over five months between August, 1983 and January, 1984, with "The Works" being released on February 27th. Prior to beginning their recording sessions, the band had taken a break from touring and from each other, allowing time for the members to pursue individual projects. When they came back together to begin recording, the inspiration for the 11th album title came when Taylor purportedly said, "Let's give them the works!"

"The Works" reached Number Two on the UK, but only hit Number 23 on the US Billboard 200. The album had four single releases, with the lead single, "Radio Ga-Ga," reaching Number Two on the UK Singles Chart, and Number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

3 songs written by Freddy Mercury
2 songs written by Brian May
1 song written by John Deacon
1 song written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by May and Mercury together
1 song written by May and Taylor together

"A Kind of Magic" was released on June 2nd, 1986 as Queen's 12th studio album, with six of the nine songs on the album used in the "Highlander" film, which was released in March of the same year. Since there was never a soundtrack released for the movie, "A Kind of Magic" became the unofficial soundtrack of the film.

The album's lead single, which was not one of the "Highlander" songs, was "One Vision." It reached Number Seven on the UK Singles Chart, and only got up to Number 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Faring somewhat better in the charts was the album's third single release and title track, "A Kind of Magic," which reached Number Three in the UK and Number 42 in the USA.

Composition breakdown:
2 songs written by Brian May
2 songs written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by John Deacon
1 song written by Freddy Mercury
2 songs written by Deacon and Mercury together
1 song written by all four together

When Queen began recording "The Miracle" in January of 1988, the band members were dealing with the reality of Freddie Mercury's AIDS diagnosis from the previous April. No public announcement had been made, however, so the world at large was unaware of Mercury's health issues. The band spent a full year on the recording, finishing up in January of 1989, with an album release date of May 22nd. While their 13th album topped the UK Albums Chart, it only reached Number 24 on the US Billboard 200.

Of the five singles released from "The Miracle," the lead single "I Want It All" fared the best, reaching Number Three in both the UK and on the US Mainstream Rock Chart, but only making it to Number 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Composition breakdown:
2 songs written by Brian May
1 song written by Freddy Mercury
1 song written by Roger Taylor
3 songs written by Deacon and Mercury
1 song written by Mercury and Taylor
1 song written by Deacon, May and Mercury
1 song written by all four together

"Innuendo," the 14th studio album by Queen, marked the last album that Freddie Mercury recorded before his death in November of 1991. The band did not tour after the release of "The Miracle," due to Mercury's health, but all that was said publicly was that they wanted a break from the usual album-tour routine. "Innuendo" was recorded over a span of over a year and a half (March, 1989 to November, 1990), and wasn't released until February 4th, 1991.

"Innuendo" reached Number One on the UK Albums Chart, as well as in an additional six countries, but only reached Number 30 on the US Billboard 200. The lead single (of five) from the album was the title track "Innuendo," and it became the band's third Number One single in the UK. It didn't chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, but it reached Number 17 on the US Mainstream Rock Chart.

Composition breakdown:
3 songs written by Brian May
3 songs written by Freddy Mercury
2 songs written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by May and Mercury
1 song written by Mercury and Taylor
1 song written by Deacon, May and Mercury
1 song written by Mercury and Mike Moran

After they were done with "Innuendo," Freddie Mercury tried to record as many vocals as he could while he was able. He left instructions for the rest of the band members to complete the songs after he was gone. In addition to those late recordings, May, Taylor and Deacon also utilized older recordings to make a complete album, which they began working on in earnest in October of 1993. They took their time, completing recordings in February of 1995, with Freddie Mercury's legacy album, "Made in Heaven," finally released on November 6th.

"Made in Heaven" reached Number One on the UK Album Chart (and in 11 other countries), and Number 58 on the US Billboard 200. The lead single (of six) from the album was "Heaven for Everyone," which reached Number Two in the UK. It was originally released on Roger Taylor's 1988 album with the band The Cross, with Freddie Mercury as guest vocalist. The song was reworked by Queen for "Made in Heaven."

Writing credits for their final album were mostly given as 'Queen,' meaning that all four band members were included in the credits.

Composition breakdown:
8 songs written by Queen
2 songs written by Freddie Mercury
1 songs written by Roger Taylor
1 song written by May and Mercury
1 song written by May, Frank Musker, and Elizabeth Lamers