Biography
Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and astrophysicist. He is the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. He was the co-founder of Queen with lead singer Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor, having previously performed with Taylor in the band Smile, and bass player John Deacon. As a member of Queen, he became regarded as a virtuoso musician and he was identified with a distinctive sound created through his layered guitar work, often using a home-built electric guitar called the Red Special. He has a short cameo in Queen's biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
Acted in 17
2020s
- 2025
Andrea Bocelli - The Celebration：30th Anniversary
Movie
- 2024
The Yardbirds - In Their Own Words
Movie
Adam Lambert: Out, Loud and Proud
Movie
Jean-Michel Jarre - Starmus: Bridge from the Future
Movie
Jean-Michel Jarre - Bridge from the Future
Movie
2010s
- 2011
My Chemical Romance: Reading Festival 2011
Movie
2000s
- 2007
Queen: Rock Montreal & Live Aid
Movie
Queen: We Are The Champions - Live In Europe
Movie
- 2001
Queen - Rock Montreal
Movie
1990s
- 1997
The Rhythm of Life
TV
- 1994
Paul Rodgers And Friends - Live At Montreux
Movie
1980s
- 1986
Queen: Live at Wembley Stadium
Guitars
- 1982
1970s
- 1978
Young Music Show
TV
- 1973
Queen: Queen I
Movie
Sound 9
2010s
- 2018
- 2015
51 Degrees North
Original Music Composer
- 2014
One Night in Hell
Music
1990s
- 1999
Furia
Original Music Composer
- 1997
Queen: Made in Heaven
Music
1980s
- 1986
- 1982
The Man Who Saved the World
Music
We Will Rock You
Songs
- 1980
Produced 5
2020s
- 2026
Midnight Dreamers
Producer
- 2022
Rhapsody Over London
Executive Producer
2010s
- 2018
2000s
- 2004
Queen on Fire: Live at the Bowl
Executive Producer
- 2001
Queen - Heaven
Producer
Wrote 1
2010s
- 2017
Queen: Rock the World
Writer
Appearances154
2020s
- 2025
- 2024
Katy Perry: Night of a Lifetime
Self
Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration
Self
Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me
Self
Queen: We Are the Champions – The Story of the Greatest Sports Anthem of All Time
Self
The Rory Gallagher Story
Self
Rory Gallagher: Calling Card
Self
60 Songs: BBC Two at 60
Self (archive footage)
- 2023
Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari
Self
Rock: the origin
Self (archive footage)
- 2022
Meat Loaf - A Celebration Of Life
Self
Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert
Self
Rhapsody Over London
Self
ABBA V Queen
Self (archive footage)
Platinum Party at the Palace
Self
- 2021
Queen at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
Der Echte Freddie Mercury - Die Münchner Jahre
Self
- 2020
Die Helene Fischer Show - Meine schönsten Momente
Self (archive footage)
Queen: The Band that Rocked the World
Self
Queen + Adam Lambert: Live Around The World
Self - Guitar
Queen + Adam Lambert: Tour Watch Party
Self
We are the Champions - 50 Jahre Queen
Self
Queen + Adam Lambert: Fire Fight Australia
Self
2010s
- 2019
Queen + Adam Lambert - Great Lawn in Central Park
Self
13 Moments That Made Freddie Mercury and Queen
Self (archive footage)
The Day We Walked on the Moon
Self
The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story
Self - Guitar Player Queen
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2019 Induction Ceremony
Self
Bohemian Rhapsody: Recreating Live Aid
Self
The Look and Sound of Queen
Self
- 2018
- 2017
Queen : The American Dream
Self (archive footage)
QUEEN - News Of The World [40th Anniversary]
Self
Queen: Rock the World
Self - Member Queen
Buddy Holly: Rave On
Self
- 2016
Freedom : La Story de George Michael
Self (archive footage)
Tangerine Dream: Sound from Another World
Self
Queen & Adam Lambert: Rock in Rio (Lisboa)
Self
Queen: A Night in Bohemia
Self (archive footage)
- 2015
Queen: From Rags to Rhapsody
Self - Queen
The Ritchie Blackmore Story
Self
Queen and Adam Lambert: Rock in Rio 2015
Self - Guitars
- 2014
Queen + Adam Lambert: Rock Big Ben Live
Self - Guitars
Die Helene Fischer Show 2014
Self
The Nation's Favourite Queen Song
Self
The Joy of the Guitar Riff
Self
Brian May & Kerry Ellis - The Candlelight Concerts Live at Montreux
Self
Bad Company | The Official Authorized 40th Anniversary Documentary
Self
- 2013
Queen + Adam Lambert: iHeart Radio Music Festival
Self
The Sunflower Superjam 2012
Self
Queen: Live at the Prince's Trust Rock Gala 2010
Self
- 2012
London 2012 Olympic Games
Self · 1 episode
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender
Self
Queen: A Magic Year
Self (archive footage)
London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony: A Symphony of British Music
Self
Queen + Adam Lambert: Live in Kyiv, Ukraine
Self
The Story of Musicals
Self · 1 episode
- 2011
Foo Fighters The Roundhouse Concert
Self - Guest Guitar
Brian May's Brief History of 3D
Self - Host
Queen: Days of Our Lives
Self
Top of the Pops, 1964 to 1975 - Big Hits
Self
I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
Self
Vox Pop: How Dartford Powered the British Beat Boom
Self
- 2010
2000s
- 2009
Queen + Paul Rodgers: Live in Ukraine
Self
- 2008
The Story of the Yardbirds
Self
- 2007
Queen Under Review: 1973-1980
Self (archive footage)
Queen: Rock Case Studies
Self (archive footage)
Seven Ages of Rock
Self · 7 episodes
- 2006
Foo Fighters: Hyde Park
Self - Guest
The Very Best of Freddie Mercury and Queen
Self
Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic
Self
Queen: On the Rock Trail
Self
Queen + Paul Rodgers: Super Live In Japan
Self
- 2005
Queen + Paul Rodgers: Return of the Champions
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
Self
Live Aid Against All Odds
Self
The Strat Pack: Live in Concert
Self
- 2004
The Story of Bohemian Rhapsody
Self
Live Aid
Self
Zucchero | Zu and co.: Live at Royal Albert Hall
Self
Queen on Fire: Live at the Bowl
Self (Vocals / Guitar)
- 2003
Queen: Greatest Video Hits 2
Self - Queen
Pavarotti & Friends for SOS Iraq
Self - Performer
- 2002
Queen: Greatest Video Hits
Self (archive footage)
Inside the Rhapsody
Self
Party at the Palace: The Queen's Concerts, Buckingham Palace
Self - Performer
Jerry Lee Lewis and Friends
Self
Killer Queen!
Self (archive footage)
Queen - The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 10th Anniversary Documentary
Self
Queen: Live at the Museum Square Amsterdam
Self
- 2001
Queen - Heaven
Self
Motörhead: 25 & Alive Boneshaker
Self
- 2000
Freddie Mercury: The Untold Story
Self
1990s
- 1999
Queen: Is This the Real Life?
Self
- 1998
- 1997
- 1995
The Queen Phenomenon
Self
- 1994
The Brian May Band - Live at the Brixton Academy
Self
- 1993
Brian May - Live in Barcelona 1993
Self
- 1992
Pavarotti & Friends
Self
Metallica: A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica
Self
Queen - We Are The Champions - Final Live In Japan 1985
Self
- 1991
Guitar Legends EXPO '92 at Sevilla - The Hard Rock Night
Self - Guitar
Queen: Days of Our Lives
Self
Queen: Greatest Flix II
Self (archive footage)
Queen: Greatest Flix I and II
Self (archive footage)
Guitar
Self
- 1990
Bon Jovi | Access All Areas: A Rock & Roll Odyssey
Self
1980s
- 1989
Queen : Rare Live – A Concert Through Time and Space
Self (archive footage)
Hard 'N Heavy Volume 3
Self
- 1988
This Morning
Self · 1 episode
- 1987
Queen: Magic Years - A Visual Anthology
Self
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 2
Self
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 1
Self
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 3
Self
- 1986
Queen: Live in Budapest
Self
Queen: Live in Japan 1982
Self
Prince's Trust Rock Gala - Volume 1
Self
- 1985
Queen: Live Aid
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Live Aid
Self
Queen: Live in Rio
Self - Vocal, Guitar
- 1984
Red Hot Rock
Self - Queen Guitarist
- 1982
We Will Rock You
Self
QUEEN - The Hot Space Box
Self
- 1981
Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
Self
Queen: Live in Argentina
Self
Queen: Greatest Flix
Self (archive footage)
- 1980
The Queen Special
Self
1970s
- 1979
Queen: Live At Budokan
Self
Live Killers
Self - Guitar
- 1977
Queen: Definitive Houston
Self
Queen: Live at Earl's Court Arena
Self
- 1976
Queen: Live in Hyde Park
Self
- 1975
Queen: A Night at the Odeon
Self - Guitar
- 1974
Queen: Live at the Rainbow '74
Self
- 1971
Thanked in the credits1
2000s
- 2005
