10 Queen albums ranked according to Billboard Top 200

Queen is a band known 'round the world for their diversity and innovative sound. Formed in London in 1970, the band drew their original influences from heavy metal and hard rock and would later venture into arena rock. With over 40 albums total, it isn't easy to pinpoint their best ones. Here we list the top 10 Queen albums according to Billboard Top 200.

Billboard Magazine published the top albums and EPs of the week in the United States in their Billboard Top 200. This list ranks the most popular albums by blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums.

There is a chart history for every band within Billboard's catalog, and below are 10 of Queen's albums listed from the peak position on Billboard's list.

The Game - peaked at No. 1 for 5 weeks

Released on June 30, 1980, The Game was the band's eighth studio album and featured two mega hits. "Another One Bites the Dust" and "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love," both charted at No. 1 in the US.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Soundtrack)

The soundtrack to the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody is an album that became one of Queen's top-selling albums in over 40 years. The songs included are previously released and unreleased recordings, including their impressive Live Aid performance. This album consists of an amazing reworking of the "20th Century Fox Fanfare" played by Brian May.

News Of the World

The 1977 album News of the World was the band's sixth studio album and included the iconic anthems "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You." This album had a heavier sound and changed from their symphonic rock to a hard rock sound. Another great track from this album is "Sheer Heart Attack," written by drummer Roger Taylor.

A Night At the Opera

At the time, A Night At the Opera was the most expensive album ever produced. The album title was named after the Marx Brothers' film and included many new instruments like a double bass, harp, ukulele, and more. "Bohemian Rhapsody" was included on this album and was the band's first UK No. 1. It is a diverse set of songs comprising a wide range of styles like music hall, ballads, dixieland, hard & progressive rock.

Queen's best albums

Classic Queen

Released in 1992, Classic Queen was considered a US version of Greatest Hits II and was released after the popularity of the movie Wayne's World and the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991. These events spurred the renewed popularity of Queen in the US. The album included "Bohemian Rhapsody," the song featured in the film that Wayne & Garth rocked out to in their car.

A Day At the Races

A Day At the Races is the band's first completely self-produced album which was a companion to A Night at the Opera, and both albums were named for Marx Brothers' films. The album is an eclectic list of songs ranging from the rockin' sounds of "Tie Your Mother Down" to the beautiful ballad "You Take My Breath Away."

Jazz

It is difficult to believe Jazz ranks as one of the top 10 albums for the band as they received much criticism for it. Despite the negativity, the album did give fans the "Bicycle Race" & "Fat Bottomed Girls, which were also edited into one single and "Don't Stop Me Now." There were some critics who praised the album for its diversity and exaggeration, which "made it fun."

Greatest Hits I II & III: The Platinum Collection

The box set, released in 2000, is a compilation of three of Queen's great hits albums and was originally released on the Parlophone label. The three-CD set included a booklet of song facts and images. The album would peak in 2018, after the release of the Bohemian Rhapsody film.

Greatest Hits

In 1981, Queen released their first Greatest Hits album, which showcased their biggest hits since 1974. There was no universal track listing as each territory's track depended on which singles were released and successful there. It ranks as one of the longest charting albums in the US and spent 548 weeks on Billboard 200 as of June 2023. It has been certified 9x platinum in the US and 23x platinum in the UK.

Sheer Heart Attack

Released in 1974, this album featured more conventional rock tracks than the previous albums. Sheer Heart Attack would set the classic Queen sound and launch the band into mainstream popularity. This album would mark the first in which each member wrote at least one song. "Killer Queen" was the band's first single to hit the top 20 in the US, peaking at No. 12.

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