It's quite comical to remember that studio execs told the members of Queen that no one would listen to their six minute song - as dramatized in the Oscar winning 2018 biopic of the same name Bohemian Rhapsody - because after the song was released in 1975, the world hasn't stopped listening to it since.
The song peaked at No. 1 all over Europe and No. 9 in the US (we're always a little off the mark when it comes to groundbreaking music). It managed to survive the 80s as a pillar of 70s progressive rock. The song's accessibility outlived its prog rock contemporaries even as the rebels down at CBGBs made it their mission to strip rock music of elaborate compositions and three minute solos. Then, it rose to prominence again in the 90s when it was featured in the iconic car scene in Wayne's World. The movie's success reminded the country just how objectively good the track was. If hardcore metal heads like Wayne and Garth could rock out to it there was no one on earth who could resist the charms of Freddie Mercury's six minute rock opera. Thus, cementing "Bohemian Rhapsody" as one of the most beloved classic rock songs to this day. Not even technological advances could dethrone the opus. In 2018, it was reported that Queen's hit was the most streamed song of the century.
It's long history proves that the song is evergreen, always reminding people of great pop cultural events of the past and always at the ready to create more for new generations. A recently viral TikTok video that has been circulating on Twitter is just one more testament to the power of "Bohemian Rhapsody." In the video, Shelbi (@shelbisgayvodka on Twitter & @notlikethecar on TikTok) lip-syncs the song's most dramatic section. Thanks to a three part mirror, she is able to become Roger Taylor, Brian May, and Freddie Mercury all at once.
Check out the video below and revel in the unapologetic flamboyance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that has prompted creativity like this for 44 years and counting.
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