Queen is making headlines, and the reason for it is a bit strange.
The iconic band’s equally iconic Greatest Hits collection is now available on Yoto, which touts itself as a “screen-free audio player for children.” This Greatest Hits collection has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. It’s understandable why: It features Queen’s biggest hits all in one place.
However, much ado has been made about this Greatest Hits collection on Yoto for one reason: It doesn’t feature their hit song “Fat Bottomed Girls.”
This omission has led to a number of outlets claiming “wokeness.” Notably, the Daily Mail reported this news with a headline of “We will woke you! Classic Queen song Fat Bottomed Girls is mysteriously dropped from the group’s new Greatest Hits collection.” A New York Post columnist also wrote an op-ed about the move with the headline “Don’t stop ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ from making the rocking world go round.”
On the Yoto listing for Queen’s Greatest Hits, it states, “Please note that the lyrics in some of these songs contain adult themes, including occasional references to violence and drugs. These are the original and unedited recordings. Whilst no swear words are used, parental discretion is advised when playing this content to or around younger children.”
In other words: Yoto erred on the side of caution and opted to remove “Fat Bottomed Girls.” Why? Because maybe a song asking multiple times whether or not a woman with a big butt will “take me home tonight” might not be appropriate for the children that use Yoto. (Also, heaven forbid you have to explain the inspiration behind the lyric “Get on your bikes and ride.”)
Queen: Their 30 Best Songs Ranked
Queen is one of rock’s most beloved bands of all time, and that love has grown in recent years.
In large part, the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody is to thank for this. The hit film grossed over $910 million dollars worldwide. Bohemian Rhapsody was also a critical darling winning four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Rami Malek’s performance as Freddie Mercury.
The film also brought renewed attention to Queen’s music. In the six months following the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, the Queen catalog generated $18 million in revenue thanks to major boosts in sales and streams. This has also led to reports in May 2023 that the Queen catalog could be the latest to hit the market for a major sale. At the time, the catalog was estimated to sell for over $1 billion.
Whether the Queen catalog sells for a big price tag is yet to be determined. However, what has already been determined is just how much this band absolutely rocks. Queen’s music touches on many different subgenres in rock, from glam to hard rock, while also dabbling with elements of prog, funk, pop and disco. Their remarkable catalog left few stones unturned; not many bands can claim that.
Ranking Queen songs is a unique challenge. For starters, they have so many hits, but many of their album tracks are strong, too. Because of the diversity of the subgenres they explored, comparing one track to another often feels like an apples-and-oranges scenario. There are so many factors that can help determine any given rank. This includes something as mundane as your general mood to your own personal rock subgenre preferences. Frankly, it feels like an impossible task, but we have taken it on with gusto.
In honor of the band’s self-titled debut album turning 50 today (it was released July 13 in the U.K. and a few weeks later in America), here are Queen’s best songs ranked. Get “Ready Freddie” for the debating to begin!
