To ask what is so captivating about Freddie Mercury?

[shalalalalalala]

I just can't get enough of him and it genuinely makes my heart so sad to think about what he went through, and how he did it so graciously.

I was only mid teens when he died and the older I've got the more I feel this sense of being in complete awe of him.

I think a lot of today's music is just pure shite!

Anyone else?

Rather than live his life as a liar and a cheat, he told Mary the truth, that he thought he was gay. Back in those days, that was a massive deal. Lots of respect for Mary Austin herself, she never spilt the beans did she?

I often wonder what direction he would have taken musically had he lived. I can easily imagine he might have composed musicals like Elton and certainly would have done more opera. Dance music collaboration maybe?

Oh Freddie!
Such a voice, such grace, such panache.
He really was one of a kind.

The Media always disliked Queen, largely down to the ingrained homophobia of the time. It didn't surprise me when the film got critically panned, I don't think the band have ever had the support of the media, it has always been fan-driven success. It was a huge box office hit but you'll be hard pressed to find a critic who will call it anything but rubbish.

I love how he used to phone his cats to talk to them when he was on tour 😍

I've only recently seen the film and I absolutely sobbed at the end even though I obviously knew he died. It was such a tragedy.

Queen never really entered my radar but I liked the film and that made me watch the Live Aid footage on YouTube which I had never seen before. Not really my cup of tea, but a great talent.

You could say the same (or worse) about Morrissey.

Oh yes.

Morrissey almost makes Anne Widdicombe look like a nice friendly person.

His talent, charisma and that he’s been immortalised by sadly dying a young man. I’m 46 now so been alive longer than Freddie which is a very strange thought, he achieved so much in his too short life.

The footage of him at Live Aid, all those people eating out of the palm of his hand is incredible.

He knew how to play the stage. He was at heart a showman. I grew up with Queen due to my mum playing a lot of 80s music. I love almost all of the known songs.

Live Aid footage.

One of the comments says 'God, give us Freddie back, we‘ll give you the Kardashians'

The Live Aid set stills give me goosebumps- I also wonder how on earth Freddie got into those trousers!

I think that despite all the documentaries and biographies about Queen, we don’t really know the real Freddie and I think that adds to his appeal. He was very clever at separating stage Freddie and real life Freddie and no doubt, good Freddie and bad Freddie.

I absolutely agree there’s not any other singer as good as Freddie but I can’t help thinking if he had lived he would not have been the legend that he is now. I don’t believe he would have courted social media like a lot of the big stars nowadays and his need to try different musical genres wouldn’t have kept him at the top of the charts in the fickle music world. I also don’t believe that he would have given two fucks about it though!!!

The fact that he was the greatest singer and showman in the history of rock music might have something to do with it. And i’m not even the biggest Queen fan. I quite like some of their early stuff, when they were a proper rock band, but i’m less keen on the later middle-of-the road stuff.

To answer the OPs question, as a front man he has/had few equals if any.

He was mesmerising! I saw Queen in concert and I will never forget his voice, so amazing live, and his immense presence as he strutted around the stage in his white singlet and tight jeans. He really was an icon. I imagine that if he had lived he would have quit rock and rock and opened a cat sanctuary.

I reckon they’d still be touring & selling out stadiums had he lived. Freddie was too much of a showman to retire.

I never really got it at the time but have appreciated it much more in recent years. His voice and charisma were a one off and he seemed a genuine person.

I think it was a massive mistake for them to have played in South Africa and I think the band have acknowledged this.

He seemed to be a gentle soul who had an extraordinary gift although I wish he had acknowledged his Asian heritage more. The NF were very prevalent at the time and it would’ve helped Asians and other minorities feel stronger if they had an openly proud rock star who they could identify with.

Love love love him. I have to ration how much I watch/listen to him as I get totally immersed and go off down a FM rabbit hole for weeks. DD2 (7) hates him and cries every time I play his music

Queen. Rock music for people who don't like rock music.

Totally overrated, and in fact a load of rubbish.

Still, he made millions out of it.

Amazing how people deify these ridiculous rock musicians. Bizarre. They're usually up to their eyes in drugs and sex, nothing to admire whatsoever. Deluded.

DH had Who Wants To Live Forever played at his funeral. It was one of two songs he was adamant he wanted. Walking into the chapel behind the coffin to that made the hairs stand up all over my body, despite my grief. He had good taste, my man.

Nopes, sorry. I'm with Rockbird's DS. I was an '80s teen and I would turn the radio off to avoid Queen. Still do.

FM did/does nothing for me in any way. I find his voice quite grating.

It's nice reading everyone's enthusiasm for something they love though :) :)

AndNoneForGretchenWieners