Brian May Turns 79 Today: Celebrating the Queen Guitar Legend's Extraordinary Legacy
Queen guitarist Brian May celebrates his 79th birthday today (19 July 2026) and fans across the world will be remembering him once again in another respect.
May is one of rock music’s most influential musicians and, with a career of over five decades of making great guitar work and songwriting and science and charity work, the rock industry has a lot of great people who love him.
Born in Hampton, Middlesex, England, Brian Harold May developed an interest in music and engineering at an early age. With his father he built the now famous Red Special guitar from wood from a fireplace and other household material.
The handmade instrument would become one of the most familiar guitars in rock history and would give Queen that distinctive sound.
May founded Queen in 1970 with Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. The band’s unique style, which combined rock, opera, pop and theatrical performances quickly became a worldwide phenomenon and Queen became one of the best-selling bands of all time and sold millions of albums.
Brian May’s signature guitar work can be heard on legendary songs like Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions, Don't Stop Me Now, Hammer to Fall, and The Show Must Go On.
His layered guitar harmonies, melodic solos and unmistakable tone have inspired generations of musicians and remain among the most celebrated sounds in rock music.
May is more than a guitarist; he is also a songwriter. He penned some of Queen’s greatest hits, Who Wants to Live Forever, I Want It All, Save Me, Fat Bottomed Girls, Tie Your Mother Down, and Flash. His songwriting was instrumental in making Queen famous.
One of the most unique things about Brian May's life is his love of education and science. Although he delayed his studies at Queen's rise to fame, he came back years later to obtain a PhD in astrophysics.
His research on interplanetary dust was widely reported so he was among the few internationally celebrated musicians who received a PhD in the field.
May is also known for his stance towards wildlife conservation and animal welfare.
Through numerous campaigns and charitable initiatives, he has consistently advocated for environmental protection and the ethical treatment of animals and has used his global platform to support meaningful causes.
Even today Brian May continues to play with Queen with vocalist Adam Lambert. That Queen’s timeless music is still popular with both old-school fans and young fans and long-term music fans with an audience and still draws huge audiences in a big way.
Brian May is in his 79th birthday Sunday and the tributes from fans, fellow musicians and celebrities on social media are growing daily. He was a perfect rock artist, from the age of birth his guitar as a homemade guitar to the top guitarists in rock history.
Brian May’s legacy extends far beyond music.
Whether it’s memorable performances, groundbreaking songwriting, scientific achievements, or humanitarian work, he’s a real icon and his influence will be felt for generations to come.
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