03-15-2001 – CNN – Queen roll into Hall of Fame

LONDON, England — British rock band Queen are amongst a list of musicians lined up for the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Queen, fronted by the flamboyant Freddie Mercury who died in 1991 from an AIDS-related illness, were one of Britain’s biggest musical exports during the 1970s and 80s.

The band sold over 100 million records around the world, rocking stadiums with hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We are the Champions,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

A spokesperson said the band’s citation for entry read: “In the golden era of glam-rock and gorgeously hyper-produced theatrical extravaganzas…no group came close in either concept or execution to Queen.”

Other acts being inducted in 2001 include U.S. hard rockers Aerosmith, singer/songwriter Paul Simon and the self-proclaimed “King of Pop” Michael Jackson.

Queen will join a long line of British musical giants who have become part of the Hall of Fame’s Inductee list, which includes the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who.

To celebrate the occasion, the group’s surviving members — Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, will give a rare live performance at the star-studded ceremony in New York on March 19.

Last year Queen topped the British charts after a long absence when it teamed up with pop group “5ive” for a remake of “We Will Rock You.”

British comedian and novelist Ben Elton is working with the band on a new musical featuring their songs.

They hope to hit London’s theatreland with the musical by the end of this year.