On November 2nd, Bohemian Rhapsody hits theaters nationwide. The movie is centered around Queen beginning from their early days — especially how Freddie Mercury broke barriers and stereotypes to become the beloved performer the world remembers him as — leading up to the band’s iconic performance at Live Aid in 1985. The movie stars Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello and more, and is directed by Bryan Singer.
The movie is named for one of Queen’s most epic musical works of art, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a rock odyssey of a song that has touched the lives of fans and artists across genres since its release in 1975. Everyone from Zac Brown Band, to Panic! at the Disco has covered the track regularly in concert.
In support of Bohemian Rhapsody, and to call attention to the tremendous impact that Queen has made, iHeartRadio in partnership with 20th Century Fox has asked many of today’s biggest artists about how the band has influenced them. Foo Fighters‘ Taylor Hawkins, Shawn Mendes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Luke Bryan, Mike Shinoda, Backstreet Boys, and many more open up about the legendary rock band and their significant contributions to the music industry. Take a look what they said below.
Shawn Mendes: “Freddie Mercury is one of the most free people ever to watch perform. And I just think of how he was just so out there, and that’s why people loved him.”
Mike Shinoda: “They came out, and they just plowed their way through massive songs, and the way they mashed them together, you know, you just left exhausted. The band had so much energy and power and great songs.”
5 Seconds of Summer: “They intertwined crowd participation into their music. They also were a people’s band. They felt that anyone could go and see them.”
Alessia Cara: “I think my favorite Queen song is probably ‘Somebody to Love’ because it’s beautiful.”
Luke Bryan: “You could tell that Freddie Mercury, you know, he left it out there on the stage every night, and that’s what you should do when you’re a rock star.”
The Struts: “Queen’s music came into my life and everything changed. Just the way they approached the music. It’s kind of impossible to keep track of who hasn’t been influenced by Queen at one point in their life.”
Danity Kane: “You gotta put Queen up there, because they just kinda transcended an idea of just one thing. You got everything. You got style, you got fashion, you got soul, and then beyond that, you have a story.”
Jason Mraz: “Queen reminds me that genres and stereotypes don’t really matter. You should pull together all of your influences to be your unique self.
The Vamps: “They were very experimental. They pushed the band’s music into different genres, and reinvented themselves every time.
Bryce Vine: “Who doesn’t have a memory attached to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’?”
Backstreet Boys: “Music, visuals, wardrobe, stage presence, harmonies. Like, the whole thing.”
Elle King: “I think Queen could be cited as a major influence for anybody.”
Laura Marano: “They really just broke barriers with their songwriting, and I think, inspired a lot of people to not just be in a box. You know, go explore your creativity.”
Lynyrd Skynyrd: “They were one of the most innovative bands for their time. You know, way out front.”
Ryan Tedder: “They’re up there in the top five most influential artists of all time.”
Dillon Francis: “All their records are timeless records because every single person knows them.”
Troye Sivan: “Thank you for the music, your absolutely insane talent. You’re forever an inspiration to me and countless other people.”
