Photo: Raph_PH / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
What fascinates me most about Brian May is that he refused to choose between his two obsessions. Most rock stars would have let the doctorate gather dust forever once Queen conquered the world; May kept looking at the stars and finished his astrophysics PhD anyway. That tells you everything about his character — curiosity without ego. His guitar voice is instantly recognizable, an orchestra of layered harmonies nobody has convincingly imitated since. And there is something deeply democratic about writing We Will Rock You, a song any crowd can perform with feet and hands alone. He strikes me as proof that intelligence and showmanship are not opposites but multipliers.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Brian May
- Name (Japanese)
- ブライアン・メイ
- Reading
- ぶらいあん・めい
- Born
- July 19, 1947 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Boar
- Origin
- Hampton, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- guitarist / astrophysicist / singer / composer / singer-songwriter
2. Background
- University
- Imperial College London
Awards & achievements
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Order of the Badge of Honour
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- 2011 Audience Award for Most Popular Show
- honorary doctor of the University of Exeter
- honorary doctor of the University of Hertfordshire
- Order of the British Empire
- Knight Bachelor
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | We Will Rock You | — | |
| Notable work | Who Wants to Live Forever | — | |
| Notable work | The Show Must Go On | — | |
| Notable work | I Want It All | — | |
| Notable work | Too Much Love Will Kill You | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Brian May born?
Born July 19, 1947 (age 79).
Where is Brian May from?
Brian May is from Hampton, United Kingdom.
What does Brian May do?
Brian May works as guitarist, astrophysicist, singer, composer, singer-songwriter.
What is Brian May known for?
Notable works include We Will Rock You, Who Wants to Live Forever, The Show Must Go On.
Guitarist — see all → · Astrophysicist — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.