Freddie Mercury and Queen went on to release a series of even more successful albums including “A Day at the Races,” “News of the World,” and “Jazz.” The albums included more infamous songs like “Fat Bottomed Girls,” “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”
Freddie Mercury is regarded as one of the greatest lead singers in rock music history. Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara on Sept. 5, 1946, in Zanzibar, fronted the band Queen with his flamboyant stage persona and a four-octave vocal range. On Nov. 24, 1991, Freddie died from bronchial pneumonia as a result of AIDS. In honor of the legendary singer, take a look back at his illustrious life as he made history with Queen.
Born in Zanzibar and raised in India, Freddie Mercury took an interest in music from a young age, beginning with piano lessons at seven. By the age of 17, Mercury and his family relocated to England where he joined a series of bands and furthered his interest in music by getting a degree in arts.
It was in 1970 that Mercury met guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor and the trio formed the band Queen. The band performed their first gig on July 18, 1970.
After trying out a few bass players, the band finally found John Deacon in 1971 and together, the four members of Queen got to work on their demo album.
After signing a record deal with Trident Studios in 1972, the band started their first studio album. After two albums that failed to gain much recognition at the time, the band finally hit success with “Sheer Heart Attack” in 1974. It was the first time the band was recognized around the world, including their first hit in the U.S., “Killer Queen.”
By 1975, Freddie and Queen began their tour around the world with big stops in the U.S., Canada and Japan. It was the same year they released their most infamous album to date, “A Night at the Opera.”
Most of Queen’s greatest songs – 10 of 17 songs on their “Greatest Hits” album, in fact – were written by Mercury himself. They include “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Seven Seas of Rhye,” “Bicycle Race” and “We Are the Champions.”
“A Night at the Opera” was a hit in their native Britain, but it also went triple platinum in the United States. Here, the band poses with their platinum albums during a reception back in 1976. The album also contained their most popular song, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which was number one in the UK for nine weeks.
Freddie was not only known for his wide vocal range, but also his explosive live performances. He was known for putting on quite the show in an array of flashy, fashionable outfits while getting the entire audience involved.
Freddie Mercury and Queen went on to release a series of even more successful albums including “A Day at the Races,” “News of the World,” and “Jazz.” The albums included more infamous songs like “Fat Bottomed Girls,” “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”
Freddie Mercury, left, bassist John Deacon and guitarist Brian May, perform live on Sept. 3, 1984.
Queen headlined both nights of the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil in 1985 before putting on one of their most notable performances later that year. On July 13, 1985, Queen played in front of the biggest live television audience for the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium. 72,000 people sang, danced and clapped in unison throughout the performance as Queen stole the show from the other musicians.
“The Magic Tour” of 1986 had been almost completely sold-out, with hundreds of thousands of people from across Europe getting to see Queen live that summer. The tour sold-out London’s Wembley Stadium twice. It was the final show, however, in Stevenage, England, that held a lasting honor: it was the last show that Queen ever performed live with Freddie Mercury.
It was also around this time that Mercury got sick. After the 1986 tour, Mercury looked more and more gaunt during appearances. It was later discovered that he had been diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1987. Despite his declining health, the band continued recording albums, including “The Miracle” in 1989 and “Innuendo” in 1991.
While on his deathbed, Mercury prepared a statement where he went public with his AIDS diagnosis. Within 24 hours, Mercury died from bronchial pneumonia on Nov. 24, 1991. He was only 45. Fans flocked to his London home to leave flowers and cards, pictured here, the following day.
Freddie Mercury was cremated and his ashes were handed over to his best friend and former lover Mary Austin. Mercury had a long-term relationship with Austin dating back into the 1970s and the two remained friends even after Mercury came out as gay. He said on many occasions that Austin was his best and only friend.
Mercury’s legend lived on well past his death as Queen’s songs still remain popular. There is a wax statue of him at Madame Tussauds in London, as well as a massive statue in Montreux, Switzerland, pictured here.
To honor his 70th birthday in 2016, Brian May unveiled an English Heritage Blue Plaque, commemorating where Freddie Mercury lived in Feltham, England, on Sept. 1, 2016.
