Released on October 31st, 1975, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” has stood the test of time and remains one of the most iconic songs in the history of rock music. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the song continues to captivate new generations of fans, and to mark the occasion, it was reissued earlier this month on blue vinyl, instantly propelling it back to the No. 1 spot on the UK charts.
Brian May reflected on the enduring power of the song, saying, “The song still resonates deeply with audiences. When we play it at the Royal Albert Hall with a full orchestra and a 150-piece choir, it feels fresh and exciting. The reaction we get from people is just amazing.” With nearly 3 billion streams on Spotify, the original studio version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” remains at the heart of popular culture, continuing to have an immense impact on listeners across the world.
In this episode of Queen The Greatest, we dive into the evolution of “Bohemian Rhapsody” over five decades, with a collection of archive live footage showcasing performances from each era.
The story begins in December 1975 at the Hammersmith Odeon, where Queen performed the song for the first time in front of a camera. Freddie Mercury, dressed in a silk suit, delivered a segment of the song as part of a medley, before the full version was incorporated into the band’s live shows. It wouldn’t be until their 1977 US tour that “Bohemian Rhapsody” was performed in its entirety on stage.
The episode cuts to the historic Live Aid concert in 1985, where Freddie, poised at the piano with Pepsi cups balanced on the lid, performed the song to an audience of over one and a half billion people worldwide. This 21-minute set became one of the most famous live performances in rock history, and was later faithfully recreated in the 2018 Bohemian Rhapsody film, which went on to become the highest-grossing music biopic of all time.
The journey continues with the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, where Axl Rose, Elton John, and other guest artists joined Queen to perform the song in tribute to Freddie, sending Wembley Stadium into a frenzy of excitement.
Next, we travel to the 2003 46664 concert in Cape Town, South Africa, where Brian and Roger Taylor joined the Soweto Gospel Choir to perform the song in honour of Nelson Mandela, raising funds for the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Finally, the story brings us to New Year’s Eve 2014, where Adam Lambert fronted Queen for a performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” in front of London’s Big Ben, with Freddie’s image projected onto the stage. The song, now timeless, remains as powerful as ever.
As Brian May aptly puts it, “Bohemian Rhapsody will always be there. It’s truly immortal, and that’s a wonderful feeling.”