#19 - Queen, A Night at the Opera

Release Year: 1975

Genre: Rock Opera

How much do I like my favorite track on the album? 14.4 points

Bohemian Rhapsody

An absolute marvel in production. I love this so much. Rock opera? Where did it go. The lyrics somehow have become more meaningful with age. And - we get Freddie for a whole near 6 mins. This is what happens when the best vocalist of the 20th century is paired with a vocal marathon. Sent shivers down my spine chimes, body’s achin’ all the time. Everything about this is perfect. No other band, and certainly no other vocalist, could have been successful with this. Or been creative enough to do it.

How did/does this album influence my own taste in music overall? 14.4 points

I really like Queen. For many reasons, but mainly, “Bohemian Rhapsody” was and is just so utterly brilliant and spurs on so much creativity that it feels like it has great influence over my choices in general.

Does this album hold up since its release? 12.8 points

Don’t get me wrong, there are some bonafide hits on this album. But the album as a whole just isn’t it.

What percentage of the album do I listen to? 7.14 points

I skip a lot. And honestly, this is a classic example of 2 songs carrying an entire album on their back. And that is ok.

What did/do the critics think of this album? 8 points

Critics essentially agree with me here, it gets a pretty decent score because it does feel like this was a revolution, even if it’s just one track on the album.

What is the sentimental value to me of the album? 11.2 points

Sentimentality on this one is a bit lower. I love it, but it’s tough for me to sit and listen to the whole thing at times.

What was the artists involvement of the production of the album - songwriting, instrumentals, vocals, uniqueness? 13.6 points

Lots of production, writing, etc was done by all members. I just personally view some of the songwriting as fairly weak and fairly repetitive.

Overall Rating out of 100 points = 81.5 points

This album is a super interesting experience. It’s Rock Opera though, so it gets a pass on its weirdness. There’s awesome mixing that you can really get the full experience of if you listen with some high quality speakers. “Good Company” is a weird carnival-y sounding piece with some weaker Freddie vocals. “You’re My Best Friend” is an obvious classic. Realizing I’ve been heavily critical of this album. I promise you though, I do like it a lot.