Queen became one of the most popular English rock bands. The group became known for combining hard rock and showy “glam” rock music with layered guitars and intricate vocal harmonies. The group’s lead singer, Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), was known for his soaring, operatic vocals and theatrical stage presence. The group’s guitarist, Brian May (1947-…), became known for the distinctive sound of his homemade guitar. May built the guitar, called the Red Special, with his father when May was a teenager. He played this guitar on all of Queen’s albums and at live performances, and he continues to play it today. May ranks as one of rock’s most influential and innovative guitarists. 
In 1968, May formed a group called Smile with drummer Roger Taylor (1949-…) and lead singer and bassist Tim Staffell. The members of Smile befriended Farrokh “Freddie” Bulsara while attending Ealing Art College in London, England. Staffell left Smile to sing for another band, allowing Bulsara to take over as lead singer. In 1970, encouraged by Bulsara, the group changed its name to Queen. Soon afterward, Bulsara changed his last name to Mercury. The bassist John Deacon (1951-…) joined the group in 1971. In addition to playing instruments, May and Taylor also sang. The band’s four members all wrote songs for Queen. 
The group’s first album, Queen, was released in 1973. The albums Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack were released in 1974. Queen’s fourth album, A Night at the Opera (1975), was a breakthrough for the group. It featured the huge hit “Bohemian Rhapsody,” written by Mercury. It has been called one of the greatest songs in rock and popular music. The song is a six-minute musical suite consisting of several movements. A groundbreaking promotional music video accompanied the song’s release. The video greatly added to the song’s popularity.
Queen also became known for its anthemlike songs, often played at sporting events, including “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” (both 1977). The group’s other hits include “Killer Queen” (1974); “Somebody to Love” and “You’re My Best Friend” (both 1976); “Fat Bottomed Girls” and “Bicycle Race” (both 1978); “Don’t Stop Me Now” (1979); “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (both 1980); “Under Pressure” (1981), created with the English musician David Bowie; and “I Want to Break Free” and “Radio Ga Ga” (both 1984). After A Night at the Opera, Queen released 10 more studio albums with Mercury. The group also released 10 live albums with Mercury. All the group’s members also worked on solo projects.
Mercury died of complications from AIDS on Nov. 24, 1991. The album Made in Heaven (1995), released after Mercury’s death, featured his vocals. Deacon retired in 1997. Queen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
The English vocalist Paul Rodgers, the former lead singer of the popular rock groups Free and Bad Company, performed with May and Taylor from 2004 to 2009. The collaboration, known as Queen + Paul Rodgers, released the studio album The Cosmos Rocks (2008), as well as two live albums.
The American singer Adam Lambert has toured with May and Taylor since 2011. Lambert gained fame in 2009 as a contestant on the singing competition television series “American Idol.” The collaboration known as Queen + Adam Lambert has released two live albums.
In 2005, May was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the music industry. In 2023, he was appointed a knight bachelor of the United Kingdom, for services to music and to charity. And in 2020, Taylor was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to music.
May is also an astrophysicist. He cofounded Asteroid Day, launched in 2014, to raise global awareness about asteroids. In 2016, the United Nations (UN) declared June 30 Asteroid Day (also known as International Asteroid Day). In 2015, May was a science team collaborator on New Horizons, a mission of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to study Pluto.
Bohemian Rhapsody, a motion picture about Mercury’s life and career with Queen, was released in 2018. The film helped renew interest in the band.
