Queen becomes first British band to reach Diamond status with 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
"Is this real life? Is this just fantasy?"
It's real, Queen.
Queen was unveiled as the first British band to own a RIAA-certified Diamond single Thursday morning, as their 1975 single "Bohemian Rhapsody" has logged 10 million sales or stream equivalents in the United States.
"This is incredible news," Queen's lead guitarist Brian May said in a statement, per the band's official website. "At times like this I have to pinch myself to be sure it’s real. All those wild dreams we had—this is beyond any of them. Huge thanks to all who have believed in us over the years."
The track's official music video has been viewed over 1.2 billion times on YouTube:
Queen formed in 1971, led by the late Freddie Mercury's unmistakable vocals. May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor rounded out the original quartet. Queen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001—10 years after Mercury (real name Farrokh Bulsara died of complications from AIDS.
In 2018, dramatic biopic Bohemian Rhapsody hit theaters with Rami Malik portraying Mercury. The Bryan Singer-directed film won four Oscars.
Most recently, Queen has been comprised of May and Taylor with Adam Lambert serving as the lead vocalist.
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