Queen

The Game

First released1980

The Game, Queen's eighth studio album, was recorded between December 1979 and April 1980 at the Record Plant in Los Angeles and Musicland Studios in Munich, with producer Reinhold Mack and engineer Jorgen Michaelsen overseeing sessions. The album marked a significant shift toward more accessible, radio-friendly pop and disco-influenced sounds, reflecting the band's commercial ambitions during the early 1980s. Notable technical choices included the use of synthesizers and drum machines more prominently than previous Queen records, particularly on tracks like "Another One Bites the Dust," which featured a distinctive bass line and became one of their biggest hits. The production process was influenced by the band's observation of contemporary pop trends and their desire to compete with the synthesizer-driven new wave movement dominating the charts. The album's polished production and commercial focus represented a departure from their earlier progressive rock style and proved commercially successful, reaching number one in multiple countries.