Brian May has spent more than five decades cementing his place as one of rock's most celebrated guitarists. As the co-founder and lead guitarist of Queen, the English musician helped create timeless hits including "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions." On Sunday, May celebrates his 79th birthday, marking another milestone in his legendary career.
The only child of Ruth Irving and Harold May, Brian May was born at a nursing home in England and got his education at a local primary school. For college, he attended Imperial College London to study math and physics, where he met Roger Taylor, who would soon be his band member in Queen. Before their Queen days, Taylor and May joined the progressive band Smile.
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Queen was a popular British rock band that consisted of May, Taylor, Freddie Mercury and John Deacon. In 1973, the lineup was officially established and they released their self-titled debut album. The rock band didn't gain their success until they released their second album, Queen II, a year later, which charted in the UK.
In 1975, Queen released "Bohemian Rhapsody," which became the band's No. 1 hit, topping the charts internationally and popularizing music videos. They continued to release strings of hits such as "We Will Rock You," "We Are The Champions", "Another One Bites the Dust" and many more, throughout the decade.
"We thought, 'this is going to be a nice track for our new album [A Night at the Opera],' which hopefully is going to save us, because we’re seriously in debt and in a very bad situation as regards management," May told Big Issue when talking about the success of "Bohemian Rhapsody."
"We certainly weren’t thinking in terms of number ones, we just felt it was the best song on the album,” Taylor added. “It was the most arresting, unusual thing."
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Queen released a total of 15 studio albums, with their most recent being Made in Heaven in 1995, their final record, which the band put out four years after their lead singer, Freddie Mercury, passed away from AIDS.
"I never heard him go, 'This is really awful. My life is [explicit]. I'm going to die.' Never, never, never. He was an amazingly strong person," May said while speaking about his former bandmate. He also explained that the last time he saw Mercury was with his wife Anita, and they visited Mercury at his home.
"I was talking about things in his garden, saying, 'That's really interesting,'" May recalled, remembering one of their last conversations.
"'Guys, you don't need to feel like you need to make conversation.'" Mercury told him. "'I'm just so happy that you're here. So even if we say nothing, it's just having these moments.'"
Freddie Mercury and Brian May performing on stage on September 1, 1984, in Wembley Arena.Phil Dent/Redferns
Although Queen's chart-topping era was decades ago, May remains active both on and off the stage. He continues to perform with Queen and Adam Lambert, bringing the band's catalog to audiences around the world while also connecting with fans through his social media. Beyond music, May is a passionate advocate for animal welfare and has continued his work as an astrophysicist, balancing his career in rock with his long-standing interest in science.
As May celebrates his 79th birthday, his influence on rock music remains as strong as ever. His distinctive guitar sound, innovative songwriting and unforgettable performances helped define Queen's legacy and inspired countless musicians across generations. Decades after the band's biggest hits first topped the charts, May's contributions continue to resonate, ensuring his place as one of the most influential guitarists in rock history.
Related: Queen’s Brian May, 78, Admits He Hasn’t Spoken to Former Bandmate in Years
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