The Beatles are the most influential band in history.

Influence: the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others. Queen was a great band, no doubt about it. You can even say Queen was an influential band. But the question at hand is "Who is the MOST influential band?" Queen was great, yes, but they merely influenced a small group of people. Where the Beatles influenced a generation. Still making if very safe to say that the Beatles are the most influential band in history. Unfortunately it is impossible to know what would have happened without the Beatles and without the British Invasion. But with the support you and I both presented, as well as statements made by several artist; without the Beatles there would be no invasion and without the invasion their would be no Queen. Along with countless other english artists that came to America after the Beatles success. To say the Beatles were strictly pop is an odd statement since the band created and implemented many crazes. One in particular would be that of the style you are referencing in Bohemian Rhapsody, Theatrical Rock. For the time lets dissect what is said to be one of the worlds greatest selling and most important albums in history, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band (1967). Within this album you will find the style of theatrical rock you are referring to, this album as a whole shows that exact unheard of style, eight years earlier. Each song is a completely different "act" in the show being portrayed by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Star, with the first song being used as their intro. Introducing our factitious band and bandleader, Billy Shears. This idea is not something the Beatles created, in fact this idea was used amongst the Beatles biggest competitors of the time, their American version, the Beach Boys. The idea used by many before and many after but made most famous by the Beatles, would be that of a "concept album". Basically having a theme, using different style of music, such as ballads, guitar and drum solos, and opera. But to counter-argue your argument at a more local level, lets look at the Beatle song "A day in the life"(1967). After listening to "A day in the life" you will notice many similarities between the two songs, "Bohemia Rhapsody" and "A day in the life". If that song does not satisfy my argument take a look at any Beach Boy song off of their album "Pet Sounds"(1966). Lets take a look at another portion of your argument, live performances. Yes I agree Queen was terrific live, Freddie Mercury was spectacular. But let us remember how Live performances came about. Before the Beatles Rock and Roll was only about 10 or so years old, leaving the Beatles a lot of room to experiment. With that they began putting together concerts and tours at venues that held some 60,000 people. Now I am not saying that the Beatles created concerts and tours, not in the least. But I am however saying they were the first to put a concert on in a venue of that size. Another major influence on music of yesterday and today. During the time of the Beatles success the managed to turn music and society on its side. Before we get into the influence on society lets talk quickly about their success at music videos. During this time period you did not see or know what these people (stars) looked like, they did not have MTV or Youtube, they had Ed Sullivan and films. The Beatles had several films throughout their career such as, A Hard Days Night (1964) and Help! (1965). Within the Beatles film you would notice that there was dialog, humor, and mostly music, creating what we now know as music videos. The Beatles films were designed to be song after song with video images with some dialog in between paving the way for MTV and other artists. "...they influenced many other films. Today when we watch TV and see quick cutting, hand-held cameras, interviews conducted on the run with moving targets, quickly intercut snatches of dialogue, music under documentary action and all the other trademarks of the modern style, we are looking at the children of A Hard Day's Night".- Robert Ebert (Film Critic) I completely agree, Queen was a great band. Freddie Mercury has to be one of the greatest entertainers of all time. As you have proven in your closing statement, "Queen created music unimaginable to most, becoming the greatest rock band of all time", you may not fully understand the argument at hand. This argument is not a battle of who the better band is, this argument is a battle of who the most influential band is.