The Game (Queen album)
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| The Game (Queen album) | |
|---|---|
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| Name | The Game |
| Type | studio |
| Artist | Queen |
| Released | 30 June 1980 |
| Recorded | 1979–1980 |
| Studio | Super Bear Studios, Nice; Mountain Studios, Montreux; Musicland Studios, Munich |
| Length | 35:42 |
| Label | EMI (UK), Elektra (US) |
| Producer | Queen, Mack |
| Prev title | Live Killers |
| Prev year | 1979 |
| Next title | Flash Gordon |
| Next year | 1980 |
The Game (Queen album)
The Game is the eighth studio album by Queen, released in 1980. The record marked a stylistic shift toward a more concise pop and rock sound and featured the band's first US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single. Produced by Queen with Reinhold Mack and recorded across studios in Nice, Montreux, and Munich, the album became a commercial milestone in the band's career.
Background and Recording
Following the tour for Live Killers and the completion of the Jazz era activities, Queen entered Super Bear Studios in Nice in 1979 before moving sessions to Mountain Studios in Montreux and Musicland Studios in Munich. The band worked with producer Reinhold Mack, whose prior collaborations included engineering for Electric Light Orchestra and Scorpions. Recording incorporated technologies and techniques familiar to studios used by Queen during the late 1970s, including multitrack recording at Mountain Studios, where the band had worked with David Bowie-era engineers and maintained links to Rolling Stones-associated personnel. The sessions were framed by contemporaneous music industry shifts around Live Aid-era production approaches and touring schedules involving venues like Wembley Stadium in the following decade.
Composition and Musical Style
The album's songwriting credits are divided among Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. Compositionally, tracks blend rock, pop, funk, and synth-driven arrangements; this stylistic variety reflected influences from artists such as Michael Jackson, David Bowie, and Glam rock contemporaries. Use of the Roland synthesizer marked a departure for a band previously known for eschewing synthesizers on albums like A Night at the Opera. Guitar-driven anthems sit alongside rhythm-focused tunes by John Deacon and vocal showcases from Freddie Mercury, illustrating the band's range shown across previous works like Sheer Heart Attack and News of the World. Lyrically, themes range from personal introspection to dancefloor-oriented narratives comparable to tracks from The Rolling Stones and Prince.
Release and Promotion
Released on 30 June 1980 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States, the album's promotion included television appearances and interviews on programs in BBC Television markets and US outlets like American Bandstand. Promotional strategies referenced record label campaigns used by contemporaries such as Pink Floyd and AC/DC, leveraging single releases to drive album sales. Packaging featured a minimalist aesthetic compared with earlier ornate covers like A Night at the Opera; the band also filmed promotional videos, a practice shared with acts like Queen's peers Queen and David Bowie.
Singles and Chart Performance
The lead single, a synth-heavy track penned by John Deacon, became the band's first US number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, outperforming contemporaneous singles by AC/DC and The Police. Subsequent singles included compositions by Freddie Mercury and Brian May, which charted across the UK Singles Chart, Billboard Top Tracks, and European national charts such as the Dutch Top 40 and the German Album Chart. The record's singles achieved varied success in markets including Canada, Australia, and across Europe, reflecting the band's growing international appeal cultivated since their breakthrough with Bohemian Rhapsody.
Critical Reception
Contemporary reviews in publications such as Melody Maker, NME, and Rolling Stone offered mixed assessments, praising the concise songwriting and production while critiquing shifts away from the elaborate arrangements of earlier albums like A Night at the Opera. Retrospective evaluations in outlets like AllMusic and music historians associated with BBC documentaries have tended to reassess the album more favorably, noting its influence on 1980s pop-rock production and its role in solidifying Queen's mainstream status alongside artists like Michael Jackson and Prince.
Commercial Performance and Certifications
The Game achieved multi-platinum certifications in multiple territories, topping the album charts in the United States, United Kingdom, and several European countries. Sales milestones included high certifications from national bodies such as the Recording Industry Association of America and the British Phonographic Industry, placing it among the band's best-selling releases alongside Greatest Hits (Queen album). The commercial performance propelled Queen into larger stadium tours and broadcast appearances with peers on major festival bills like Live Aid lineups in the mid-1980s.
Legacy and Influence
The album's integration of synthesizers and pop sensibilities influenced a generation of artists spanning pop rock and arena rock, with subsequent musicians citing the record when referencing transitions toward danceable rock in the 1980s. Its chart-topping single altered perceptions of Queen in the United States market, impacting collaborations and cross-genre experiments involving figures such as David Bowie and later acts including Foo Fighters and Muse. The Game remains a reference point in studies of late-20th-century popular music history and in retrospectives hosted by institutions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Category:Queen (band) albums Category:1980 albums