10 Most Influential British Acts On American Rock

Out of all the great British groups praised for their brilliance, non other is as universally appreciated as Queen. Even the most ardent detractors of rock, find it difficult to not enjoy their music. Whether it's the joyous celebration of life, Don't Stop Me Know; the yearning for personal expression, I Want To Break Free; or the exclamation of self-confidence, We Are The Champions, something will tickle your fancy.

Queen championed onstage theatrics; made operatic vocals cool, and were responsible for bringing '70s heavy metal into the mainstream. We often think of the Beatles as the most gifted collective of musicians, but Queen were equally as rich in musical talent. Freddie Mercury's charisma was unrivalled. He conducted the crowd like they were an orchestra, using his voice as the baton. Roger Taylor not only offered a wealth of drumming talent, but his vocal ranges augmented, Mercury's perfectly. The often overlooked, but so integral, John Deacon, was the black horse of song writing. He gave us hits like: Another One Bites The Dust, I Want to Break Free and Under Pressure, to name a few. And, of course, Brian May is arguably one of the greatest guitarist of all time.

Queen has a unifying affect unlike any other rock group, no doubt due to the respect and adulation for their frontman, but also because their songs feel so universally relevant, even today . When it comes to British rock royalty, few come close to Queen.