History of Brian May in Timeline

Share: FB Share X Share Reddit Share Reddit Share
Brian May

Brian May is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal welfare activist, and astrophysicist. He is best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the rock band Queen, co-founding it with Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor. May's guitar skills and songwriting were integral to Queen's success, making them one of the most influential and popular bands of all time. Beyond music, he holds a PhD in astrophysics and is an advocate for animal rights.

1946: Brian May's parents get married

In 1946, Brian May's Scottish mother, Ruth Irving (née Fletcher), married his English father, Harold May, at Moulin in Perthshire, Scotland.

July 1947: Brian May's Birth

On 19 July 1947, Brian Harold May was born at Gloucester House Nursing Home in Hampton Hill, near Twickenham, Middlesex.

Others born on this day/year

1958: Influence of Cliff Richard and the Shadows

Brian May's early musical influences included Cliff Richard and The Shadows, who he considered "the most metallic thing(s) out at the time".

1968: Formation of Smile

In 1968, Brian May formed the band Smile with Tim Staffell and later, Roger Taylor.

1968: May graduates from Imperial College London

In 1968, Brian May graduated with a BSc degree in physics with honours from Imperial College London.

1970: Using Sixpence as Plectrum

Brian May prefers to use coins, particularly a sixpence from the farewell proof set of 1970, instead of a traditional plastic plectrum, as he feels their rigidity provides more control when playing the guitar.

1970: PhD Studies at Imperial College

In 1970, Brian May began studying for a PhD degree at Imperial College London, focusing on reflected light from interplanetary dust and the velocity of dust in the plane of the Solar System.

1970: Mercury joins to form Queen

In 1970, Freddie Mercury joined Brian May and Roger Taylor to form the rock band Queen.

1970: Smile disbands after Staffell's departure

In 1970, Smile disbanded after Tim Staffell's departure, leaving behind a catalogue of nine songs.

1971: Brian May's Unique Guitar Style

In 1971, Brian May already had a unique and recognizable guitar style with incredible finesse and fluidity, making his work instantly identifiable.

1971: Astrophysics Work Started

In 1971, Brian May started work that would eventually result in him earning a PhD degree in astrophysics from Imperial College London in 2007.

1971: Influence of Genesis' The Musical Box

In 1971, Brian May was influenced by Steve Hackett, guitarist of Genesis, particularly his harmony guitar solo at the end of the band's song "The Musical Box".

1971: John Deacon completes Queen's line-up

In 1971, John Deacon completed the line-up for Queen, cementing the band's formation.

1972: Playing Steinway Piano

From 1972, Brian May occasionally played Freddie Mercury's 1972 Steinway piano, such as on "Save Me" and "Flash".

1973: Started collecting Les Diableries

In 1973, Brian May's purchase of his first card started May on a lifelong and worldwide search for Les Diableries, which are stereoscopic photographs depicting scenes of daily life in Hell.

1974: Abandoning Doctoral Studies

In 1974, Brian May abandoned his doctoral studies at Imperial College due to Queen's international success, though he co-authored two research papers based on his observations at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife.

1975: Red Special Replicas

From 1975 onwards, Brian May had several replicas made of the Red Special guitar for live and recording purposes.

1976: Marriage to Christine Mullen

In 1976, Brian May married Christine Mullen.

1977: Greco BM90 Guitar

In 1977, the Greco BM90 Red Special replica was featured in the promo video of "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy".

1979: Use of Synthesisers

From 1979 onwards, Brian May also played synthesisers, organ, and programmed drum-machines for both Queen and outside projects.

1980: "Play the Game" Guitar

In 1980, Brian May used a Stratocaster copy on the video for "Play the Game".

1982: John Birch Guitar Smash

In 1982, Brian May smashed a Red Special replica made by John Birch during a concert in the US.

1983: Star Fleet Project Recorded

In 1983, Brian May and Eddie Van Halen recorded the mini album "Star Fleet Project" in Los Angeles.

1984: Brian May forms his first band

Brian May formed his first band in 1984, named 1984 after George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, with vocalist and bassist Tim Staffell.

1984: Guild Guitars

From 1984 to 1993, Guild guitars were used as backup guitars for Brian May.

1984: Guild Red Special Replica

In 1984, Guild released the first official Red Special replica for mass production. However, Brian May was not happy with its solid-body construction and the non-replica DiMarzio pick-ups, leading to the production of only 300 guitars.

1985: Queen writes One Vision

After the Live Aid concert in 1985, Queen wrote the song "One Vision" together, with Brian May primarily contributing the music.

1985: Queen's Performance at Live Aid

In 1985, Queen gave an acclaimed performance at Live Aid, solidifying their status as one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

August 1986: Anita Dobson's single reaches number four on the UK Singles Chart

In August 1986, Anita Dobson's song "Anyone Can Fall in Love", which added lyrics to the EastEnders theme tune, reached number four on the UK Singles Chart. Brian May worked with actress Anita Dobson on her first album, most noted for the song "Anyone Can Fall in Love",

1986: Queen's Performances until 1986

From the mid-1970s until 1986, Queen played at some of the biggest venues in the world.

1986: Meeting Anita Dobson

In 1986, Brian May met actress Anita Dobson.

1986: "Princes of the Universe" Guitar

In 1986, Brian May used a Washburn RR2V guitar on the video for "Princes of the Universe".

1988: May contributes guitar solos to Black Sabbath and Living in a Box

In 1988, Brian May contributed guitar solos to the song "When Death Calls" on Black Sabbath's 14th album Headless Cross, and the Living in a Box track "Blow The House Down" on the album Gatecrashing.

1988: Separation from Christine Mullen

In 1988, Brian May separated from Christine Mullen.

1989: Inspiration for "I Want It All"

In 1989, Anita Dobson inspired Brian May to write the hit song "I Want It All".

1989: Album Releases

In 1989, both Black Sabbath's Headless Cross and Living in a Box's Gatecrashing, featuring May's guitar solos, were released.

1989: Queen for an Hour Interview

In 1989, during the Queen for an Hour interview on BBC Radio 1, Brian May listed Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton as his guitar heroes.

1989: The Miracle album Release

In 1989, for their album "The Miracle", all tracks were credited to the entire band, with May composing "I Want It All" and "Scandal".

October 1991: May participates in Guitar Legends festival

On 19 October 1991, Brian May took part in the Guitar Legends guitar festival in Seville, Spain, with a band including Cozy Powell, Mike Moran, and Rick Wakeman.

November 1991: Death of Freddie Mercury and Brian May's Response

In the aftermath of Freddie Mercury's death in November 1991, Brian May dealt with his grief by committing to work, including finishing his solo album, Back to the Light.

1991: Death of Freddie Mercury

In 1991, Freddie Mercury passed away, leading to a hiatus for Queen after the tribute concert in 1992.

1991: Guitar World Interview

In a 1991 interview for Guitar World magazine, Brian May referred to The Who as "my inspiration".

December 1992: Smile Reunion

On 22 December 1992, Smile reunited for several songs. Taylor's band The Cross were headliners, and he brought May and Staffell on to play "Earth" and "If I Were a Carpenter".

1992: Don't Fall Away from Me

In 1992, Hackett recorded "Don't Fall Away from Me", a song co-written by May and Hackett, for release on his The Unauthorised Biography compilation album.

1992: Tribute concert for Freddie Mercury

In 1992, a tribute concert was held in memory of Freddie Mercury.

1992: Work on Made in Heaven album begins

In 1992, work began on the album Made in Heaven by Deacon and May, but was left until a later date due to other commitments.

1992: Formation of The Brian May Band

In late 1992, The Brian May Band was officially formed.

February 1993: The Brian May Band world tour begins

On 23 February 1993, The Brian May Band began its world tour in the US, supporting Guns N' Roses.

June 1993: The Brian May Band releases Live at the Brixton Academy

On 15 June 1993, The Brian May Band did a show in London that would end up as The Brian May Band's only release as a collective, namely Live at the Brixton Academy.

December 1993: Brian May returns to the studio to work on the final Queen studio album

After the tour ended on 18 December 1993, May returned to the studio with fellow surviving Queen band members Roger Taylor and John Deacon to work on tracks that became Made in Heaven, the final Queen studio album.

1993: Guild Guitars

From 1984 to 1993, Guild guitars were used as backup guitars for Brian May.

1993: Guild's Second Red Special Replica

In 1993, Guild made a second replica of the Red Special, producing just 1000 copies, some of which Brian May owns and uses as back-ups.

1995: May begins working on a solo album of covers tentatively titled Heroes

In 1995, May began working on a new solo album of covers tentatively titled Heroes, in addition to working on various film and television projects and other collaborations.

1995: Release of 'Made in Heaven'

In 1995, Queen released 'Made in Heaven'.

1996: Co-Composing Il Colosso

In 1996, Brian May co-composed a mini-opera with Lee Holdridge, titled Il Colosso, for Steve Barron's film The Adventures of Pinocchio. May performed the opera with Jerry Hadley, Sissel Kyrkjebo, and Just William.

1996: "Too Much Love Will Kill You" wins Ivor Novello Award

In 1996, the song "Too Much Love Will Kill You" won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically & Lyrically, which Brian May collaborated as a songwriter.

1997: Fryers Guitars

From 1997 to 1998, Fryers guitars were used both live and in the studio by Brian May.

1997: Queen releases tribute single to Mercury

In 1997, Queen released "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)", a tribute single to Freddie Mercury written by Brian May.

April 1998: Death of Cozy Powell and tour disruption

On 5 April 1998, Cozy Powell was killed in a car accident, causing a disruption to the upcoming Brian May Band tour.

1998: Fryers Guitars

From 1997 to 1998, Fryers guitars were used both live and in the studio by Brian May.

1998: Fryer's Restoration of the Old Lady

In 1998, Greg Fryer restored the Old Lady (Brian May's original Red Special) and created two guitars almost identical to the original, which May uses as back-ups.

November 2000: Marriage to Anita Dobson

On 18 November 2000, Brian May married Anita Dobson.

2000: Switch to Fryer's Booster

In 2000, Brian May switched to Fryer's booster, which provides less boost than the TB-83, for his guitar tone.

2000: Feedback 86 album released

In 2000, Steve Hackett's album Feedback 86, featuring Brian May's guitar work on "Cassandra" and "Slot Machine", was commercially released.

2001: Queen inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

In 2001, Queen, including Brian May, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2003: Guyton Guitars

From 2003 to present, Guyton guitars have been used as backup guitars for Brian May.

2003: "Badger Badger Badger" Cartoon Meme

In May 2013, Brian May teamed up with Brian Blessed, and Jonti "Weebl" Picking, and animal welfare groups to form Team Badger, a coalition to fight the planned cull of badgers. With Weebl and Blessed, May recorded a single, "Save the Badger Badger Badger"—a mashup of Weebl's viral 2003 Flash cartoon meme, "Badger Badger Badger", and Queen's "Flash", featuring vocals by Blessed.

2004: Building The Spade Guitar

Around 2004, Brian May gave the plans for a second guitar design, originally conceived during the Red Special's construction, to guitar luthier Andrew Guyton. Guyton modified the plans slightly and built the guitar, named "The Spade", which also became known as "The Guitar That Time Forgot".

2004: Queen + Paul Rodgers tour announcement

In 2004, Brian May and Roger Taylor announced they were going on tour for the first time in 18 years as "Queen", along with Paul Rodgers.

2004: Guitarist Interview

In 2004, Brian May told Guitarist that "I don't think anyone has epitomised riff writing better than Jimmy Page – he's one of the great brains of rock music".

2004: Preserving the Hunting Act

In 2010, Brian May's animal welfare group's primary concern is to ensure that the Hunting Act 2004 and other laws protecting animals are retained in situ.

2005: May appointed CBE

In 2005, Brian May was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the music industry and for charity work.

2005: May voted seventh-greatest guitarist

In 2005, Brian May was voted the seventh-greatest guitarist of all time in a Planet Rock poll.

2005: Queen + Paul Rodgers tour

Throughout 2005, "Queen + Paul Rodgers" played in South Africa, Europe, Aruba, and Japan.

October 2006: Re-registering for Doctorate

In October 2006, Brian May re-registered for his doctorate at Imperial College London.

November 2006: Collaboration with Cliff Richard

In November 2006, Brian May collaborated with Cliff Richard on a re-recording of the 1958 hit "Move It" for Richard's duets album, Two's Company, released on 6 November 2006.

2006: Queen + Paul Rodgers tour

Throughout 2006, "Queen + Paul Rodgers" played in North America.

January 2007: Guitar World Top Solos

In January 2007, readers of Guitar World voted Brian May's guitar solos on "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Brighton Rock" into the "top 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of all time", ranking them at No.20 and No.41 respectively.

August 2007: Thesis Submission

In August 2007, Brian May submitted his thesis, "A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud," at Imperial College, one year earlier than estimated.

September 2007: Thesis Approval

In September 2007, Brian May's revised thesis was approved after a viva voce, some 37 years after it was commenced.

October 2007: Visiting Researcher at Imperial College

In October 2007, Brian May was appointed a visiting researcher in Imperial College and continued his interest in astronomy and involvement with the Imperial Astrophysics Group.

November 2007: Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University

In November 2007, Brian May was appointed chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.

2007: May Earns PhD in Astrophysics

In 2007, Brian May earned a PhD degree in astrophysics from Imperial College London for work started in 1971.

May 2008: Graduation Ceremony

On 14 May 2008, Brian May graduated at the awards ceremony of Imperial College, held in the Royal Albert Hall.

June 2008: Asteroid Named After Brian May

On 18 June 2008, Asteroid 52665 Brianmay was named after Brian May, suggested by Patrick Moore.

2008: May becomes Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University

In 2008, Brian May became Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.

2008: Queen + Paul Rodgers release an album

In 2008, Queen + Paul Rodgers released a new album titled The Cosmos Rocks and supported it with a major tour.

May 2009: Paul Rodgers Leaves Queen

In May 2009, Paul Rodgers left the band Queen.

2009: Publication of 'A Village Lost and Found'

In 2009, Brian May, with co-author Elena Vidal, published his second book, A Village Lost and Found, on the work of English stereophotography innovator T. R. Williams.

A Village Lost and Found
A Village Lost and Found

September 2010: BBC HARDtalk Interview

In September 2010, Brian May said in an interview with Stephen Sackur for BBC's HARDtalk that he would rather be remembered for his animal welfare work than for his music or scientific work.

October 2010: Award from IFAW

In October 2010, Brian May received an award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare in recognition of his animal welfare work.

2010: Formation of Save Me Organization

In 2010, Brian May formed the animal welfare organization Save Me, named after the Queen song. It campaigns for the protection of wild animals, especially preventing hunting of foxes and culling of badgers.

2010: Conservative Party Policies

In 2010, despite being a lifelong Conservative Party voter, Brian May stated that their policies on fox hunting and the culling of badgers meant he did not vote for them in the UK general election.

2011: Adam Lambert recruited as vocalist

In 2011, Adam Lambert was recruited as a vocalist for Queen.

2011: Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists

In 2011, Brian May was ranked number 26 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

March 2012: Contribution to Bow Group Paper

In March 2012, Brian May contributed the foreword to a Bow Group paper urging the government to reconsider its plans to cull badgers, stating that culling does not work.

2012: Land Purchase in Bere Regis

In 2012, Brian May bought land in Bere Regis, Dorset, that was threatened by building development.

2012: Awarded Saxby Medal

In 2012, Brian May was awarded The Royal Photographic Society's Saxby Medal for achievement in the field of three-dimensional imaging.

2012: May ranked second-greatest guitarist in Guitar World poll

In 2012, Brian May was ranked the second-greatest guitarist in a Guitar World magazine readers poll.

2012: Queen + Adam Lambert tour Europe

In 2012, Queen + Adam Lambert toured Europe.

January 2013: Guest on Stargazing Live

On 8 January 2013, Brian May was a guest on the first episode of the third series of the BBC's Stargazing Live.

May 2013: Formation of Team Badger

In May 2013, Brian May teamed up with Brian Blessed, Jonti "Weebl" Picking, and animal welfare groups to form Team Badger, a coalition to fight the planned cull of badgers.

June 2013: Formation of Artful Badger and Friends

In June 2013, naturalist Sir David Attenborough and rock guitarist Slash joined Brian May to form a supergroup, Artful Badger and Friends, and released a song dedicated to badgers, "Badger Swagger".

September 2013: "Save the Badger Badger Badger" Charts

On 1 September 2013, "Save the Badger Badger Badger" charted at No. 79 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 39 on the UK iTunes chart, and No. 1 on the iTunes Rock chart.

October 2013: Publication of Diableries: Stereoscopic Adventures in Hell

On 10 October 2013, the book Diableries: Stereoscopic Adventures in Hell by Brian May, Denis Pellerin and Paula Fleming was published.

Diableries: Stereoscopic Adventures in Hell
Diableries: Stereoscopic Adventures in Hell

2013: Stepping down as Chancellor

Brian May held the post of chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University until 2013.

2013: Charity Collaboration with Jean-Pierre Danel

In 2013, Brian May joined French guitar player Jean-Pierre Danel for a charity Danel launched for the benefit of animal rights in France.

2013: New Damselfly Species Named After May

In 2013, a new species of damselfly from Brazil was named Heteragrion brianmayi, paying tribute to the 40th anniversary of Queen's founding.

2013: May's Wood Creation

In 2013, with the support of local villagers, Brian May initiated a project to create an area of woodland called May's Wood (or "the Brian May Wood") in Bere Regis, Dorset.

June 2014: Contribution to Picasso Stereoscopic Photographs Book

Brian May made a technical contribution to the book accompanying the exhibition 'Stereoscopic Photographs of Pablo Picasso by Robert Mouzillat', held at the Holburne Museum in Bath, England, from February to June 2014. His 3D Owl viewer is used to view the photographs in 3D.

2014: Co-founding Asteroid Day

In 2014, Brian May co-founded Asteroid Day with Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, B612 Foundation COO Danica Remy, and German filmmaker Grigorij Richters.

2014: Queen + Adam Lambert World Tour

In 2014, Queen + Adam Lambert toured the world.

July 2015: Criticism of David Cameron and Fox Hunting

In July 2015, Brian May criticised UK Prime Minister David Cameron for giving members of parliament a free vote on amending the ban on fox hunting. He described the Countryside Alliance as "a bunch of lying bastards".

July 2015: Science Team Collaborator

On 17 July 2015, during the New Horizons Pluto flyby NASA press conference, Brian May was introduced as a science team collaborator.

2015: Considered Running as an Independent MP

In 2015, Brian May considered standing as an independent Member of Parliament and started a "Common Decency" project. He also endorsed the parliamentary candidacy of the Green Party's Caroline Lucas and Conservative Party candidate Henry Smith.

2015: Queen + Adam Lambert World Tour

In 2015, Queen + Adam Lambert continued their world tour.

2016: Starmus Festival Performance

In 2016, Brian May was a guest at the Starmus Festival, where he performed on stage with composer Hans Zimmer.

2016: Queen + Adam Lambert Festival Tour

In 2016, Queen + Adam Lambert played the Festival Tour.

June 2017: Endorsement of Jeremy Corbyn

In June 2017, Brian May endorsed Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2017 general election.

2017: Publication of Queen in 3-D

In 2017, Brian May published Queen in 3-D, chronicling the group's 50-year history. It contains over 300 of his own stereoscopic photos and is the first book about the band published by one of its members. Included with the book is May's patented OWL Stereoscopic Viewer.

Queen in 3-D: Bohemian Rhapsody Edition: 2019
Queen in 3-D: Bohemian Rhapsody Edition: 2019

October 2018: Criticism of Brexit and Theresa May

In October 2018, Brian May criticised Brexit as "the stupidest thing we ever tried to do" and said that Prime Minister Theresa May was "driven by vanity and thirst for power".

December 2018: New Horizons Kuiper Belt Object Flyby Watch Party

From 31 December 2018 until 1 January 2019, Brian May attended the watch party for the New Horizons flyby of the Kuiper belt object, 486958 Arrokoth.

2018: Portrayal in Bohemian Rhapsody

In 2018, Brian May was portrayed by Gwilym Lee in the biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody. May himself served as a creative and musical consultant for the film.

Loading Video...

2018: Queen receives the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2018, the band Queen received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

January 2019: New Horizons Kuiper Belt Object Flyby Watch Party

From 31 December 2018 until 1 January 2019, Brian May attended the watch party for the New Horizons flyby of the Kuiper belt object, 486958 Arrokoth, and performed an updated version of his "New Horizons" celebratory song.

2019: The Sunday Times Rich List

According to The Sunday Times Rich List of 2019, Brian May is worth £160 million.

2019: Advocacy Against Henoko Bay Landfill

In 2019, Brian May advocated voting in opposition to the landfill work at Henoko Bay for the expansion of the base in Okinawa, Japan.

2019: Criticism of Media and Election Endorsement

In 2019, Brian May criticised the media's conduct and found it "impossible" to vote for either Jeremy Corbyn or Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom general election. Following the Conservative victory, May urged followers to congratulate Johnson.

2019: Lawrence J. Burpee Medal

In 2019, Brian May was awarded the Lawrence J. Burpee Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for outstanding contributions to the advancement of geography.

May 2020: Heart Attack and Stent Insertion

In May 2020, Brian May experienced a small heart attack that required the insertion of three stents into three blocked arteries.

2020: Contribution to Asteroid Research and JAXA Award

In 2020, Brian May participated in the team that contributed stereography images of numerical simulations of asteroid disruptions and re-accumulations, published in Nature Communications. The publication presented a scenario of formation of the asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu. For his contribution by making stereoscopic images of Ryugu, May was awarded the JAXA Hayabusa2 Honor Award in 2020.

2020: Veganuary challenge

In 2020, Brian May, became vegan after taking part in the Veganuary challenge and stated that meat eating is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021: Contribution to Double Asteroid Research

In 2021, Brian May contributed the stereography images of the structural stability of double asteroid (65803) Didymos, the target of the NASA DART and ESA Hera missions, in a publication in the peer-reviewed journal Icarus. He is also on the advisory board of the NEO-MAPP project (Near-Earth-Object Modelling and Payloads for Protection).

2021: Criticism of Boris Johnson's COVID-19 Response

In 2021, Brian May criticized Boris Johnson for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it inadequate.

2021: Honorary Fellowships from Royal Holloway College

In 2021, Brian May was awarded an honorary fellowship and Denis Pellerin was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Literature from the Royal Holloway College, University of London for their work to preserve Victorian stereoscopy through the London Stereoscopic Company.

June 2022: Queen + Adam Lambert at Platinum Party at the Palace

On 4 June 2022, Queen + Adam Lambert opened the Platinum Party at the Palace outside Buckingham Palace to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. During their three-song set, Brian May appeared in front of the Victoria Memorial monument as they opened with "We Will Rock You", which was introduced in a comedy segment where the Queen and Paddington Bear tapped their tea cups to the beat of the song.

Loading Video...

September 2022: Awarded Stephen Hawking Medal

In September 2022, Brian May was awarded the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication at the Starmus IV festival in Yerevan, Armenia.

December 2022: Made a Knight Bachelor

In December 2022, Brian May was made a Knight Bachelor in the 2023 New Year Honours.

March 2023: Officially Knighted

In March 2023, Brian May was officially knighted by the King.

2023: May contributes to NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission and knighted

In 2023, Brian May contributed to NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission and was knighted by King Charles III in the New Year Honours for services to music and charity.

2023: May ranked on Rolling Stone's list

In 2023, Brian May was ranked at No. 33 on Rolling Stone's list of 250 greatest guitarists of all time.

September 2024: Resignation from RSPCA Vice-Presidency

In September 2024, Brian May resigned his position as vice-president of the RSPCA after "damning evidence" emerged of animal welfare failings at RSPCA Assured farms.

September 2024: Suffered a Minor Stroke

In September 2024, Brian May revealed that he had suffered a minor stroke which rendered him temporarily without use of his left arm, though May noted he was still able to play guitar.

2024: Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me Documentary

In 2024, Brian May released Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me, a documentary exploring the necessity of badger culling for bovine TB prevention. It was the culmination of a four-year investigation.