A song as legendary as Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” seems as if it’s already reached any milestone imaginable. But, this month, the song reach yet another landmark, this time on YouTube.

A Look at Queen’s Legendary ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Single

“Bohemian Rhapsody” was such a wild concept for a song when Freddie Mercury envisioned it decades ago. Queen was supposed to be a rock band, but they broke all of the rules when they decided to release this track. Anything but commercial, “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a six-minute epic track that refused to conform or fit into any mold. This song had no chorus. It really didn’t have a genre. It was just there, beautiful, and ready for the world to consume it. It has so much confidence, drama and heart. Congratulations to Queen for pulling off such a special song.

This has been a huge year for “Bohemian Rhapsody,” too, since Queen honored the legendary track’s 50th anniversary in October. In honor of the anniversary, Queen released the single on transparent blue heavyweight 12-inch vinyl, as a 12-inch picture disc, as well as a blue cassette single.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” arrived on Queen’s seminal A Night at the Opera. It was a special song for the band, because it marked their first No. 1 single in the U.K. and spent nine weeks on the top of that tally.

Today, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is way more than a song. It’s a legacy. It’s a shared experience, a theatrical singalong, a reminder that music can be strange, emotional and beautiful all at once. Rock history changed when Queen released “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and it truly changed for the better.

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.