Queen
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Queen is a British rock band whose artistic trajectory intersected directly with David Bowie at the start of the 1980s, resulting in one of the most recognisable collaborations in popular music history.
While Bowie and Queen followed largely separate creative paths, their shared work demonstrates a rare moment where two major artistic forces merged organically in both studio and cultural impact.
- Formed: 1970, London
- Members: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon
- Shared song with Bowie: “Under Pressure” (1981)
- Bowie connection: Studio collaboration & shared live era
Parallel careers
Throughout the 1970s, Queen and David Bowie emerged as leading figures in British rock, each redefining the boundaries of performance, identity and musical ambition.
Although stylistically different, both rejected the idea that rock music should remain static or bound by genre convention.
The Montreux sessions
In 1981, David Bowie encountered Queen while the band was recording at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland.
Bowie joined the sessions informally, leading to extended improvisations that would eventually crystallise into a finished song.
Shared songs
- Under Pressure (1981) — co-written and recorded by David Bowie and Queen. The song was built from studio improvisations, with Bowie contributing lyrics, vocal structure and melodic direction.
Shared performances and public moments
- Live Aid – Wembley Stadium (1985) — David Bowie and Queen appeared on the same global broadcast event, each delivering landmark performances that defined the concert’s legacy.
Creative tension and respect
Accounts from the Montreux sessions describe creative tension, particularly between Bowie and Freddie Mercury, both of whom possessed strong artistic instincts and leadership styles.
This tension proved productive, resulting in a song that balanced discipline, emotion and immediacy.
Cultural impact of “Under Pressure”
“Under Pressure” became one of the defining recordings of the early 1980s, addressing themes of anxiety, empathy and social responsibility.
The song’s enduring popularity reflects the unique chemistry between Bowie and Queen — a collaboration that neither could have achieved alone.
Place within Bowie’s universe
Within David Bowie’s extended creative universe, Queen occupies a unique position: not as a recurring collaborator, but as a singular, high-impact convergence.
Their shared work stands as proof that Bowie’s most powerful collaborations often emerged from spontaneous, unplanned encounters.