Mr. Bad Guy

After 15 years at the helm of British rock legends Queen, singer Freddie Mercury finally released his first solo album, Mr. Bad Guy, while the band was on hiatus in 1985. As Queen's vocal signature and creative leader, it was only natural that many aspects of the group's sound would carry over into Mercury's solo work; however, the frontman still does a commendable job of stretching into uncharted territory. The synthesizers of "Let's Turn It On" announce that Queen's typical guitar heaviness will be conspicuously absent throughout the album, while extravagance will be at an all-time high. "I Was Born to Love You," the album's leadoff single, elevates '70s disco and '80s dance influences to a level of blatant pop silliness that Queen would never dare approach. Mercury also combines his acoustic piano playing with synthesizer-driven backing tracks for the beautifully dramatic "Made in Heaven" and "Your Kind of Lover," which transforms from a simple lounge number (piano and singer) into a Latin-flavored pop workout.