Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” has another claim to rock royalty.
In a ranking updated in September, the band’s 1975 classic holds the No. 1 spot on Planet Rock’s list of the 500 greatest rock songs of all time, beating out Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” which landed at No. 2.
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View this post on InstagramThe countdown, originally revealed in January and voted on by thousands of Planet Rock listeners, puts the six-minute Queen epic ahead of some of rock’s most celebrated songs. Planet Rock noted that “Stairway to Heaven” missed the top spot “by just a handful of votes.”
A Risky Song That Made Chart History
Written by Freddie Mercury, “Bohemian Rhapsody” was released on Oct. 31, 1975, as the lead single from Queen’s album A Night at the Opera. Its unusual structure—moving from a piano ballad to an operatic section before erupting into hard rock—was a gamble at a time when radio singles were typically much shorter.
The gamble paid off.
According to the Official Charts, the song climbed to No. 1 in the United Kingdom within four weeks. It stayed there for nine weeks, becoming the 1975 Christmas No. 1. It returned to the top after Mercury died in 1991, and its appearance in Wayne’s World helped introduce it to another generation of fans. In the United States, the song initially peaked at No. 9 in 1976 before reaching No. 2 in 1992.
The Classic Still Rules the Streaming Era
Nearly five decades after its release, “Bohemian Rhapsody” continues to attract listeners well beyond its original audience. It has surpassed 2.6 billion Spotify streams, making it the most-streamed classic rock song from the 20th century, according to a December 2025 Parade report.
Queen guitarist Brian May reflected on the song’s staying power in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying, “‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ doesn’t get old, does it?” He then corrected himself: “The music doesn’t seem to get old.”
Planet Rock’s September ranking update offers another reminder of that longevity. “Bohemian Rhapsody” may have sounded risky in 1975, but its enduring popularity has made it one of rock’s defining songs.
Related: 1958 Bonkers Novelty Song From Sheb Wooley Became a 6-Week No. 1 Hit, and Still Gets Play 68 Years Later
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