10 Hard Rock Bands Who Kept The Same Lineup
6. Queen
A lot of people tend to think that Queen wouldn't have risen to prominence if not for Freddie Mercury. Given his status as one of the greatest frontmen of all time, it's hard to see the band having any staying power without him up front. Mercury may have had the spirit of the band in him, but what made Queen unique is the power of four musical masterminds working in sync.
Just beside Mercury's operatic tone, Brian May constructed some of the greatest guitar parts in rock, making guitar concertos on nearly every record. People tend to just leave it at that, but Roger Taylor was the real rock and roll side of the band, with a raspy voice that gave the band's album tracks an added edge. There isn't usually that much love for John Deacon outside of the bassline in "Another One Bites the Dust," but his songs like "You're My Best Friend" and "I Want to Break Free" are still known as some of the band's biggest hits.
When Mercury passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1991, the band disbanded knowing there was no way to replace him. Though they often pop up with people like Adam Lambert and Paul Rogers, the remaining band members always play as a tribute to their friend and bandmate rather than an artistic progression.