Brian May is a British musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, author, and astrophysicist born on July 19, 1947. He is famous as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen which he co-founded with singer Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor. May previously performed with Taylor in the blues rock band Smile. He wrote numerous hits for Queen, including We Will Rock You, I Want It All, and The Show Must Go On. He is a virtuoso musician, identified with a distinctive sound created through his layered guitar work. May earn a PhD degree in astrophysics from Imperial College London in 2007 and is a co-founder of the awareness campaign Asteroid Day. In 2023, he was knighted by King Charles III for services to music and charity.