Editing Queen (band) (section)

===1983–1984: ''The Works'' ===
After the Hot Space Tour concluded with a concert at [[MetLife Dome|Seibu Lions Stadium]] in [[Tokorozawa, Saitama|Tokorozawa]], Japan in November 1982, Queen decided they would take a significant amount of time off. May later said at that point, "we hated each other for a while".{{sfn|Blake|2010|p=273}} The band reconvened nine months later to begin recording a new album at the [[Record Plant Studios]], Los Angeles and [[Musicland Studios]], Munich.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chapman |first1=Phil |title=The Dead Straight Guide to Queen |date=2017 |publisher=This Day In Music Books}}</ref> Several members of the band also explored side projects and solo work. Taylor released his second solo album, ''[[Strange Frontier]]''. May released the mini-album ''[[Star Fleet Project]]'', collaborating with [[Eddie Van Halen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockalbumreviews.co.uk/rock-albums/1980s-rock-albums/brian-may-star-fleet-project-1983/|title=Brian May – Star Fleet Project (1983)|author=Andy Doherty|date=3 September 2009|website=Rock Album Reviews|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208093715/http://www.rockalbumreviews.co.uk/rock-albums/1980s-rock-albums/brian-may-star-fleet-project-1983/|archive-date=8 December 2012 }}</ref> Queen left [[Elektra Records]], their label in the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, and signed onto [[EMI]]/[[Capitol Records]].{{sfn|Blake|2016}}

[[File:Queen 1984 011.jpg|thumb|Queen on stage in Frankfurt, West Germany in 1984]]
In February 1984, Queen released their eleventh studio album, ''[[The Works (Queen album)|The Works]]''. Hit singles included "[[Radio Ga Ga]]", which makes a nostalgic defence of the radio format, "[[Hammer to Fall]]" and "[[I Want to Break Free]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=10 things you may not know about Queen's biggest 80s hits |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C6GqGSRcDydqhJNh5xpgyZ/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-queens-biggest-80s-hits |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=BBC |archive-date=6 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106210430/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C6GqGSRcDydqhJNh5xpgyZ/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-queens-biggest-80s-hits |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Lazell, Barry (1989) ''Rock movers & shakers'' p.404. [[Billboard Publications]], Inc.,</ref> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' hailed the album as "the ''[[Led Zeppelin II]]'' of the eighties."{{sfn|Blake|2016}} In the UK ''The Works'' went triple platinum and remained in the albums chart for two years.<ref>Tobler, John ''Who's who in rock & roll'' p.1971. Crescent Books, 1991</ref> The album failed to do well in the US, where, in addition to issues with their new record label Capitol Records (who had recently severed ties with their independent promotions teams due to a government report on [[payola]]),{{sfn|Blake|2016}} the cross-dressing video for "I Want to Break Free", a spoof of the British soap opera ''[[Coronation Street]]'', proved controversial and was banned by [[MTV]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-best-singles-of-1984-pops-greatest-year-163322/queen-i-want-to-break-free-171668/|title=100 Best Singles of 1984: Pop's Greatest Year|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=17 September 2014|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106104515/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-best-singles-of-1984-pops-greatest-year-163322/queen-i-want-to-break-free-171668/|url-status=live}}</ref> The concept of the video came from Roger Taylor via a suggestion from his girlfriend.{{sfn|Blake|2016}} He told ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' magazine: "We had done some really serious, epic videos in the past, and we just thought we'd have some fun. We wanted people to know that we didn't take ourselves too seriously, that we could still laugh at ourselves."<ref>{{cite news |title=10 things you may not know about Queen's biggest 80s hits |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C6GqGSRcDydqhJNh5xpgyZ/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-queens-biggest-80s-hits |first=Fraser |last=McAlpine |date=29 November 2018 |agency=BBC |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106210430/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C6GqGSRcDydqhJNh5xpgyZ/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-queens-biggest-80s-hits |url-status=live }}</ref> Director of the video [[David Mallet (director)|David Mallet]] said Mercury was reluctant to do it, commenting "it was a hell of a job to get him out of the dressing room".{{sfn|Blake|2016}}

That year, Queen began [[The Works Tour]], the first tour to feature keyboardist [[Spike Edney]] as an extra live musician. The tour featured nine sold-out dates in October in [[Bophuthatswana]], South Africa, at the arena in [[Sun City, North West|Sun City]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen/works1984.html|title=Queen on tour: The Works 1984|publisher=Queenconcerts.com|access-date=12 July 2011|archive-date=19 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419050757/http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen/works1984.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="hotshotdigital">{{Cite web|title=Freddie Mercury Biography|publisher=Hot Shot Digital|url=http://hotshotdigital.com/WellAlwaysRemember/FreddieMercuryBio.html|access-date=15 February 2007|archive-date=17 February 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217080247/http://www.hotshotdigital.com/WellAlwaysRemember/FreddieMercuryBio.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Upon returning to England, they were the subject of outrage, having played in South Africa during the height of [[apartheid]] and in violation of worldwide [[Disinvestment from South Africa|divestment efforts]] and a United Nations cultural boycott. The band responded to the critics by stating that they were playing music for fans in South Africa, and they also stressed that the concerts were played before integrated audiences.{{sfn|Sutcliffe|2009|p={{page needed|date=May 2020}}}} Queen donated to a school for the deaf and blind as a philanthropic gesture but were fined by the [[Musicians' Union (UK)|British Musicians' Union]] and placed on the United Nations' [[blacklisting|blacklisted]] artists.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/jan/14/2|title=The sins of St Freddie|work=The Guardian|author=[[John Harris (critic)|John Harris]]|date=14 January 2005|access-date=18 December 2013|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202111236/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/jan/14/2|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, Taylor voiced his regret for the decision to perform at Sun City, saying that "we went with the best intentions, but I still think it was kind of a mistake."<ref name="Scarlett 2021">{{cite web |last1=Scarlett |first1=Liz |title=Roger Taylor admits that Queen's cultural boycott-breaking trip to apartheid-era South Africa was 'a mistake' |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/roger-taylor-admits-that-queens-cultural-boycott-breaking-trip-to-apartheid-era-south-africa-was-a-mistake |website=Classic Rock |publisher=Future plc |access-date=23 November 2022 |ref=Scarlett 2021 |date=28 December 2021 |archive-date=23 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123200348/https://www.loudersound.com/news/roger-taylor-admits-that-queens-cultural-boycott-breaking-trip-to-apartheid-era-south-africa-was-a-mistake |url-status=live }}</ref>