A new study shows the UK is a nation of tribute acts fans and one act comes out on top every time. New research, conducted by TUI, the world’s leading package holiday company, revealed the top 10 cover acts loved by the nation – and Queen appears to have seriously ‘rocked’ us.

The band, fronted by Freddie Mercury, topped the charts when it came to being both Brits’ favourite tribute performer and cover song to hear, with iconic hit ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ scoring a massive 41% of votes.

Mercury himself proved even more popular, garnering nearly half (42%) of votes for favourite act to hear covered in a tribute show.

Brits are very invested in their holiday leisure time.

The study found that seven in 10 Brits are taking entertainment options into serious consideration before booking a trip away.

Incredibly, 75% of survey participants said they would select seeing a tribute act over going to the pub.

Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters (68%) selected tribute performances as one of their favourite forms of entertainment during a trip abroad, beating out alternatives like karaoke (43%) and nightclubs (37%).

When it comes to watching a good tribute band, Brits prefer classic hits from artists who have stood the test of time.

ABBA was particularly popular, as were old timers Whitney Houston, Elvis Presley, Tina Turner and Tom Jones.

Younger faces such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Beyonce were included in the selection but didn’t make the top 10.

Ed Sheeran and Adele scored highly though, coming in at sixth and 10th place respectively.

Other fan favourites included Take That, Coldplay and Tina Turner.

The top five songs following Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ were Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay, Tina Turner’s ‘Simply the Best’, and ABBA’s ‘Super Trouper’.

A whopping 85% of holidaying Brits make an effort to attend performances by cover acts while away, with a fifth (20%) watching a performer every night, and the majority (65%) seeing a couple over a week-long break.

TUI offers a range of package holidays for cover band fans with a regularly rotating schedule of entertainment offered by its hotels.

Taking holidaymakers to their dream destinations in over 80 locations, TUI says tribute acts are universally popular but hold a very special place in the hearts of British customers.

“Entertainment is central to so many of our customers’ holidays, and tribute acts are always a big draw across all destinations,” said Shelley O'Prey, TUI's Senior Entertainment & Customer Experience Manager.

"That’s why we handpick the UK’s best tribute artists and fly them out to our TUI BLUE Sensatori resorts on a weekly basis.

“Interestingly the most popular acts can vary depending on the location and time of year. In Turkey, for example, you can expect to see a packed audience over the summer with contemporary acts like Adele, Pink, Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran impersonators.

“Whereas during the winter season in destinations like the Spanish islands, favourite acts include the likes of Tina Turner, Robbie Williams, Dolly Parton, Tom Jones and George Michael.”

As a nation, Brits have many reasons for enjoying performers mimicking our favourite stars.

Nearly half (43%) of those surveyed found tribute acts equally as enjoyable as the original artists.

Money also played a part, with close to 3 in 10 finding tributes more accessible or affordable than other alternatives.

But what do we love so much about a good cover band?

According to the study, this passion brings back memories of specific times in life (45%) and nostalgia also plays a part with 36% reminded of past shows or concerts that they have attended.

Almost four in 10 participants reported feeling happy and uplifted following a night of tribute act performances.

And 38% feel closer to beloved artists that they never got to see live.

As for what makes for the best tribute act?

Over half of Brits (53%) say originality is key; the cover performance needs to be as close to the original artist as possible.

And it’s not just about their dulcet tones but also about their charisma, with 44% loving it when a good act engages with the crowd.

FACT BOX: TOP 10 TRIBUTE ACTS REVEALED