Though the
Zeppelin-derived hard rock found on Queen's first few albums put the band on the map, it was 1975's
A Night at the Opera that showed the full scope of the group's abilities and ambitions. There's a sprinkling of driving '70s-style rock here, but eclecticism is the order of the day. From the concert-harp-laced ballad "Love of My Life" to the vaudeville shuffle of "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" and bassist John Deacon's pure pop gem, "You're My Best Friend," the album amply demonstrates the range of styles these accomplished songwriters and musicians were capable of exploring. Though the late Freddie Mercury's superhuman voice often took center stage, Queen was a band of equals -- Brian May's folk-rocker "'39" and the aforementioned Deacon composition are as important to the structure of this album as its acknowledged centerpiece, "Bohemian Rhapsody." On "Rhapsody," Mercury overdubbed his voice countless times to produce a mock-operatic choral effect that simultaneously takes advantage of and satirizes the use of classical elements in '70s rock. The quirky, inventive tune turned the band into a worldwide sensation.