Queensryche is a heavy metal band that started with four friends in 1981 in their hometown of Bellevue, Washington. In 1982, the band released their first album on their own record label 206. The album sold over 60,000 copies and had recording executives lined up for Queensryche to sign with them. The band chose EMI and then hit the studio to re-record their self-titled album and gear up for a national release. Over the next ten years, Queensryche carved a niche for themselves in the heavy metal scene by releasing four more albums and touring with established bands like; Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, AC/DC, Ozzy Osborne and Bon Jovi.

In 1988, Queensryche released Mindcrime, a concept album that was a huge commercial breakthrough for the band which went double-platinum. But their best album was still to come, 1990’s Empire put them in the MTV public eye by winning them a Viewer’s Choice Award and selling more than four million copies and producing such hits as “Silent Lucidity,” “Jet City Woman,” and “Another Rainy Night (Without You).” Trouble eventually found the band in 1997 when their recording company, EMI, went bankrupt 10 weeks after the release of their latest album, The Now Frontier. They canceled their current tour and simultaneously their guitar player left the band. The position was filled in 1998 by long time friend Kelly Gray and Queensryche signed with Atlantic and released Q2K in 2000.

After more than 20 years of playing and producing albums, Queensryche continues to have successful tours. Queensryche concert tickets sell fast; sometimes forcing them to add on more shows to meet the public demand. But the love for their music spurs them on to continue making new albums and to keep touring for their fan base. Very few hair bands survived the grunge era in the early 90’s, but Queensryche has proven that there is still a market for their genre and will continue to support it for as long as they are able.