Hot Space is the tenth studio album by British rock band Queen, released in May 1982. Marking a notable shift in direction from their earlier work, the band employed many elements of disco, pop music, R&B and dance music on the album, being partially influenced by the success of their 1980 hit Another One Bites the Dust. This made the album less popular with fans who preferred the traditional rock style they had come to associate with the band.

Queen’s decision to record a dance-oriented album germinated with the massive success in the US of Another One Bites the Dust (and to a lesser extent, the UK success of the song too). The album’s second single, Body Language, did peak at #11 on the US charts.

Under Pressure, Queen’s collaboration with David Bowie, was released in 1981 and became the band’s second #1 hit in the UK. The song was a separate project and recorded ahead of the album, before the controversy over Queen’s new sound (disco-influenced rock music).

In July 2004, Q magazine listed “Hot Space” as one of the top fifteen albums where great rock acts lost the plot. Most of the album was recorded in Munich during the most turbulent period in the band’s history, and Roger Taylor and Brian May lamented the new sound, with both being very critical of the influence Mercury’s manager Paul Prenter had on the singer. Estimated sales of the album currently stand at five million copies.

Tracklist:

Staying Power
Dancer
Back Chat
Body Language
Action This Day
Put Out the Fire
Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)
Calling All Girls
Las palabras de amor (The Words of Love)
Cool Cat
Under Pressure

Legend: Side A / Side B – Record Company – Catalogue number – Country (Year) ~ Notes