# David Bowie vs Queen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 4, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092 "2013-01-04T18:49:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/21 "2013-01-04T21:33:54Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Confused-where’s the option for Roxy Music at? The same place the option for T-Rex is. I chose Bowie, FWIW. Hopefully [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiXjbI3kRus) outweighs the one with Jagger. It’s certainly one of the more surreal videos I’ve ever seen, and Crosby’s reaction is worth watching all by itself. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/22 "2013-01-04T21:34:54Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > To me, not comparable - both had glam in their appearance, but Queen are over-the-top Stadium-level entertainers; Bowie is a quirky, persona-and-style-changing innovator. And it’s hard to compare high-energy rockers to a performer of many styles, whose rock output was relatively limited. ---
**Author:** ![Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eugene_of_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/23 "2013-01-04T21:35:35Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Confused-where’s the option for Roxy Music at? Bravo! It’s not a substantive poll, is it? Similar but different enough that I like them equally for different reasons. Obviously Queen is more of a power group. I say more of. Bowie was/is more of an artiste. Similar in their glam characteristics but two different sub-categories. Roxy would be in there sort of between the two, all three being in my wheelhouse. Bowie in this poll, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/24 "2013-01-04T21:39:05Z")
My own criterion: **Put together a “Best Of” album _limiting_ all selections to "deep cuts"** Gimme _Queen’s Greatest Hits I & II_ any day of the week, but I’m not going to come up with a very lengthy playlist if I am limited to songs that didn’t make those compilations. I could easily put together a great Bowie compilation _even while omitting_ every song that ever appeared on an Bowie “Hits” compilation. And Bowie’s later work not measuring up to his early work means little since his early work was so good that one could easily record a decent album that nonetheless doesn’t measure up to those classics. He dipped a bit mid-80s then put out two Tin Machine albums that were quite good. He dipped a bit in the 90s but then put out three good albums in a row 1999, 2002, and 2003. Queen doesn’t _have_ any “later work” and there’s no reason to believe they would have aged flawlessly. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/25 "2013-01-04T21:39:12Z")
Fat bottomed girls make the rockin’ world go 'round. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/26 "2013-01-04T21:42:24Z")
> [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](#): > > I can’t believe Queen is winning in the poll right now. I hate when the SDMB is wrong. Yeah, I’ll either be dead or in jail if Queen wins. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/27 "2013-01-04T21:47:05Z")
I can’t pick one over the other, too much good stuff from both catalogs. [slight aside]I would like to say that I really enjoyed Bowie’s Glass Spider tour, which was panned by critics at the time. Even if Alomar had issues with sharing the spotlight with Frampton, they had some amazing back-and-forths on lead guitar. [/slight aside] ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/28 "2013-01-04T22:06:19Z")
Even though I like Queen, this is Bowie by a mile for me. They aren’t really similar though. It’s like comparing U2 and Prince. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/29 "2013-01-04T22:27:58Z")
It’s apples and oranges for me, but I went Queen. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/30 "2013-01-04T22:50:22Z")
Bowie. I certainly did not like everything he did, but some of it was excellent, always original and inventive, and often really pushing the envelope. Queen was just another rock band: a very good one, but not all that original or outstanding. I have to agree that this is very much an apples to oranges comparison. Why are we asked to compare these two particular acts from that era rather than others? Do they have anything in common besides singers with non-standard sexual orientation? ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/31 "2013-01-04T22:55:01Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > ? Do they have anything in common besides singers with non-standard sexual orientation? Under Pressure comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/32 "2013-01-04T23:18:26Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Queen was just another rock band: a very good one, but not all that original or outstanding. I’m not sure I would say that. Their fusion of a classical and operatic sound with hard stadium rock strikes me as unique. I really can’t think of any other band that sounds like Queen. The older I get, the more I appreciate Queen. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/33 "2013-01-04T23:28:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not sure I would say that. Their fusion of a classical and operatic sound with hard stadium rock strikes me as unique. I really can’t think of any other band that sounds like Queen. The older I get, the more I appreciate Queen. Queen does things in a lot of different styles. I am in no way an expert, but what of their songs other than Bohemian Rhapsody use operatic and/or classical sounds? I can’t think of any off the top of my head. Again, no expert, but I guess I always assumed Bohemian Rhapsody was odd even for them. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/34 "2013-01-04T23:35:05Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Queen does things in a lot of different styles. I am in no way an expert, but what of their songs other than Bohemian Rhapsody use operatic and/or classical sounds? I can’t think of any off the top of my head. Again, no expert, but I guess I always assumed Bohemian Rhapsody was odd even for them. Well, _Somebody to Love_ definitely has operatic aspects to it. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/35 "2013-01-04T23:36:23Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Well, _Somebody to Love_ definitely has operatic aspects to it. That has always struck me as Queen’s take on gospel. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/36 "2013-01-04T23:42:01Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Queen does things in a lot of different styles. I am in no way an expert, but what of their songs other than Bohemian Rhapsody use operatic and/or classical sounds? I can’t think of any off the top of my head. Again, no expert, but I guess I always assumed Bohemian Rhapsody was odd even for them. Maybe “musical” sounds are closer to what I mean. “Bicycle Race,” “Flash,” “We Are The Champions,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Somebody to Love,” etc. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/37 "2013-01-04T23:46:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Maybe “musical” sounds are closer to what I mean. “Bicycle Race,” “Flash,” “We Are The Champions,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Somebody to Love,” etc. I want to emphasize that I wasn’t trying to challenge you, only to learn. Written words can come off snarky when they aren’t meant that way. Queen definitely did a lot of different sounds, and yeah, there are lots of hints of Broadway musicals and other big-voiced, dramatic sounds. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/38 "2013-01-04T23:54:16Z")
Queen. But just barely. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/39 "2013-01-04T23:58:53Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I want to emphasize that I wasn’t trying to challenge you, only to learn. Written words can come off snarky when they aren’t meant that way. No worries. I didn’t take it that way. But I think “Broadway musical” does describe a little closer to the feeling I’m trying to convey. Their music had a certain unique bombast to it, and gorgeous orchestration that was more reminiscent of opera and Broadway musicals to me than your average rock music. Part of that is the piano in the music; part of it is Freddie Mercury’s voice and vocal range; part of it is the song writing structure itself. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092/40 "2013-01-05T00:06:26Z")
I used to be a huge Bowie fan but a lot of my tastes seem to have changed as I got older, and this is one. Queen but by a nose only. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-bowie-vs-queen/646092.md?page=3)