We Will Rock You (Queen) – 1977

Written after a 1977 Queen concert, this mega-hit is instantly recognizable today. In an interview, Brian May explained that ‘We Will Rock You’ was a reaction to the audience becoming a bigger part of the show than Queen itself as a band. With that in mind, band members Freddie and Brian thought it would be interesting to write a song specifically for audience participation.

At the end of the 1977 show, Queen were astonished when the crowd began singing the classic football anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Inspired by the experience, the band wanted to make an anthem for their fans to sing or even stomp along to as well.