Queen: How did fans help create 'We Will Rock You'?

Explore the creative process behind the song "We will rock you" by Queen.

Sometimes, the best ideas don’t come from detailed planning, they come from being in the moment, listening to what’s around you, and building off the energy that’s right in front of you.

This is exactly what happened to Queen in 1977, when they played a massive show in the U.K. and something unusual happened.

After Queen finished their set, thousands of fans didn’t just cheer, they began singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ back to the band, as loud as they could.

What if: After the show, guitarist Brian May had a bold idea: "What if the audience wasn’t just singing along, what if they were part of the music itself?"

Instead of sticking to traditional rock songs, Queen decided to create something completely new: a track built for the audience to become the band.

The creative process:

• Step 1: Keep it simple. In the studio, Queen experimented with a basic but powerful idea: a rhythm made entirely of stomping and clapping, something anyone could join.

  
  

• Step 2: Layer it to sound massive. They stomped their feet on the studio floor and clapped their hands, recording it over and over to build a thunderous, stadium-sized sound.

  
  

• Step 3: Write for the crowd. Freddie Mercury crafted lyrics designed to be chanted in unison: "We will, we will rock you!"

The result: In just a few hours, they had created one of the most famous stadium anthems in history.

The Lesson: Queen didn’t just create a song, they designed it for their audience, making them part of the experience. For businesses, this is key: it’s sometimes not enough to serve your customers —> engage them. When you co-create with your audience and tap into their energy, you’re not just delivering a product; you’re creating something they want to be part of.