Hollywood — The iconic band Queen kicked off the 91st Academy Awards on Sunday -- an evening of shining performances that began with a headbanger and finished with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper tickling the ivories and tugging the heartstrings.

Here's a round-up of the night's notable musical performances.

Queen rocks it

British legends Queen featuring frontman Adam Lambert delivered a rollicking performance of "We Will Rock You" to open Tinseltown's biggest night.

The group -- the subject of the nominated film "Bohemian Rhapsody" -- then brought the crowd to its feet with a rendition of the classic "We Are The Champions."

Roger Taylor struck the thundering notes of the song's iconic drumbeat, as Lambert, 37, ran onto the stage sporting a sparkling blue jacket and black cravat.

The British band's 71-year-old guitarist Brian May, who is also an astrophysicist, delivered a signature solo while Lambert impressed with his versatile vocal range.

Lambert has been touring with the band since 2011, in place of the late Freddie Mercury -- the storied sinuous performer played by Rami Malek in the sprawling biopic.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" ended the night with four awards, including best actor for Malek.

It's a woman's world

Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson delivered an impassioned performance of "I'll Fight," the song from the biographical documentary "RBG" about US Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Wearing a pantsuit with an ultra-long black train that mirrored judges' robes -- an apparent nod to the film's theme of a strong woman making it in a man's world -- Hudson belted out the ballad "I'll Fight" by Diane Warren, which was nominated for best original song.

Her wide-ranging vocals were on show but many on social media criticized Hudson for being a bit off-key, roaring through a lengthy flat note.

Hudson -- tapped to play soul icon Aretha Franklin in an upcoming biopic -- won a best supporting actress Oscar in 2007 for "Dreamgirls."

Midler delights with 'Poppins'

Veteran Bette Midler dazzled with her rendition of "The Place Where Lost Things Go" from the film "Mary Poppins Returns."

Keegan Michael-Key introduced Midler, 73, after twirling down to the stage from the ceiling with an umbrella, just like the beloved lead character of the Disney film.

The singer, actress and Broadway star traded the nanny uniform of Poppins for a colorful cleavage-baring floral gown to deliver the song, which was performed in the film by actress Emily Blunt.

"Could I have ever imagined that one day Bette Midler would sing a song I co-wrote with Scott Wittman for a sequel to 'Mary Poppins' at the Academy Awards?! My heart is exploding!!!" gushed song co-writer Marc Shaiman prior to Sunday's show.

Gaga, Cooper bring the heat

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper had the mercury rising with their intimate performance of the hit "Shallow" from their film "A Star Is Born."

The pair walked onto the stage from their front row seats, with Cooper tapping into the raspy vocals he cultivated for the film while Gaga delivered her heart-thumping guttural wail.

The emotional performance saw the co-stars of the reimagined classic Hollywood tale finish sitting next to each other at the piano, faces nearly touching, exchanging intimate glances.

Moments later, a tearful Gaga won her first Oscar for best original song for the runaway hit about seeking greater fulfillment from live and love.

"I've worked hard for a long time, and it's not about, you know, it's not about winning. But what it's about is not giving up. If you have a dream, fight for it," she told the audience. — AFP