With
Queen
officially enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,
Hollywood Records
reintroduces the band yet again with the release of
Platinum Collection, Vols. 1-3
. While
Vols. I & II
are full of
classics you already know by heart, the third cobbles together odds and sods from the far corners of
's canon along with solo cuts from
Freddie Mercury
and
Brian May
. Opening with the operatic rock classic "Bohemian Rhapsody," it's easy to hear not only how this British quartet achieved the kind of global acclaim that ensured they'd be enshrined alongside the likes of
the Beatles
Led Zeppelin
. When they weren't dabbling in playful, '50s-flavored rock & roll ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), catchy glam ("Killer Queen"), or hard-edged funk ("Another One Bites the Dust"),
was capable of delivering heartfelt love letters ("You're My Best Friend"). The band's '80s output is equally intriguing, ranging from the hard-hitting "Headlong" to duets with
David Bowie
("Under Pressure") and soaring movie anthems ("One Vision"). The third volume features more movie themes ("Princes of the Universe"),
covering
the Platters
("The Great Pretender"), and cameos by contemporary artists like
Wyclef Jean
,
George Michael
, and
Elton John
.