The shortlist will include all UK Top 75 hits, including collaborations with the band following Freddie Mercury’s death. The vote is now open, with listeners able to vote at www.bbc.co.uk/queenvote for their top three songs. The vote closes at 23:59 on Wednesday 8th March. The results will revealed in a countdown chart, Your Ultimate Queen Song, available on BBC Sounds from Friday 31st March and broadcast on Radio 2 on Monday 10th April at 4pm.
Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor formed Queen in 1971, releasing their first album in 1973. Across the next 50 years, they sold over 300 million records worldwide – making them one of the best-selling artists in history – and sold out record-breaking tours worldwide. The band have won Brits and Ivor Novello Awards, have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were the first ever band to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, with Bohemian Rhapsody also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2018, Queen received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Following Freddie’s tragic death in November 1991 and John Deacon retiring from the band in the early 90s, Queen + Adam Lambert, the US singer/songwriter, have enjoyed a fruitful collaboration since 2012, and have toured extensively across North and South America, Europe, the UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Steve Wright said: “Can you remember when Queen had their first number one? I can: it was 1975 with Bohemian Rhapsody. I’d never heard anything quite like it before, so do now cast your votes and let’s find out What’s Your Ultimate Queen Song?”
Jeff Smith, Radio 2’s Head of Music, said: “We know Radio 2 listeners love the brilliant, timeless music of Queen, so we’re taking their biggest hits and creating a vote so that we can find out which of their classic songs our audiences loves the most. Steve Wright’s countdown on BBC Sounds and Radio 2 will be the perfect soundtrack whatever you’re doing over Easter!”
Roger Taylor said: “We’ll be fascinated to hear which songs are their favourites.”
Sir Brian May said: “Thanks Radio 2 and thanks dear Zoe Ball! What a great compliment! I will be waiting anxiously for the result, but it’s nice to know that whatever happens, the winning song will be ours. Happy breakfasting folks, and keep voting!”
Additionally, on BBC Sounds from Friday 31st March there will be a Queen Artist Icons Collection. This includes Queen: The Fans Story – an hour long show which hears from a variety of musician fans who have worked with the band, covered their music, seen them live and been inspired by them. Sound-tracked by some of Queen’s biggest hits, the show features personal memories and stories shared by the likes of Shania Twain, Belinda Carlisle, Tom Chaplin, Francis Rossi, Sir Bob Geldof and more, plus current frontman, Adam Lambert. There will be fascinating insights and compelling stories taking listeners through the decades of Queen’s reign, a reminder of why they are so loved by fans across the generations. This programme, produced by BBC Audio, will also be broadcast on Radio 2 on Monday 10th April, from 7-8pm.
Also in the Artist Icons Collection is Queen At The BBC which features the band themselves talking to BBC presenters, including John Peel, Johnnie Walker and Bob Harris, across the decades, their music being played on vinyl and Queen sessions at the BBC. From this classic archive, Queen discuss their latest releases, live performances, how they recorded and composed classics such as Bohemian Rhapsody, and the excitement about their first plays on BBC radio and television shows like The Old Grey Whistle Test. Following the tragic death of Freddie Mercury, listeners also hear what he would have wanted the band to do and their work at his Wembley Stadium tribute concert. This programme, produced by BBC Audio, will also be broadcast on Radio 2 on Monday 10th April, 8-9pm.
On Friday 24th February, BBC Four offers viewers another chance to see three Queen programmes. Queen at the BBC (9-10pm) takes viewers on a trip through the archives for an hour of some of the band’s greatest musical moments. This is followed by Freddie Mercury: The Final Act (10-11.30pm), which recounts the final chapter of Freddie Mercury’s life and how, after his tragic death, Queen staged the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium. Finally, viewers can relive the band’s Christmas Eve show in 1975 at London’s Hammersmith Odeon in Queen: The Legendary 1975 Concert (11.30pm-12.30am).
Previous listener votes on Radio 2 have led to tens of thousands of listeners voting for their favourite songs by some of the world’s best loved artists, including George Michael and Take That, and for the Ultimate Animated Movie Song, Ultimate Rom Com Song and All-Time Greatest Song for a Musical.
BBC Radio 2 is the UK’s most listened to radio station, with a weekly audience of 14.29 million (RAJAR Q4, 2022), and won Station Of The Year at the Music Week 2021 awards. The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show is most listened to breakfast show in the UK with an audience of 7.14 million (RAJAR Q4, 2022). The network’s presenters include Michael Ball, Zoe Ball, Rob Beckett, Tony Blackburn, OJ Borg, Rev. Kate Bottley, Ken Bruce, Rylan, Fearne Cotton, Sara Cox, Jamie Cullum, Gary Davies, Paul Gambaccini, Angela Griffin, Bob Harris, Vernon Kay, Cerys Matthews, Scott Mills, Jason Mohammad, Trevor Nelson, Dermot O’Leary, Elaine Paige, Mark Radcliffe, Romesh Ranganathan, DJ Spoony, Liza Tarbuck, Jeremy Vine, Michelle Visage, Johnnie Walker, Jo Whiley, Phil Williams, Claudia Winkleman and Steve Wright.