View source for Freddie Mercury

{{Short description|British rock musician (1946–1991)}}
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{{Infobox person
| name               = Freddie Mercury
| image              = Freddie Mercury performing in New Haven, CT, November 1977.jpg
| caption            = Mercury in 1977
| birth_name         = Farrokh Bulsara<!--Do not change birth name to new name; he changed it-->
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1946|09|05|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Stone Town]], Sultanate of Zanzibar (today [[Tanzania]])<!-- DO NOT WIKILINK THIS, ACCORDING TO: [[MOS:GEOLINK]] -->
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1991|11|24|1946|09|05|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[Kensington]], London, England
| resting_place      = 
| othername          = {{flatlist|
* Freddie Bulsara
* Larry Lurex<ref name="lurex">{{cite news |last=Runtagh |first=Jordan |title=Freddie Mercury: 10 Things You Didn't Know Queen Singer Did |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/freddie-mercury-10-things-you-didnt-know-queen-singer-did-114828/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=23 November 2016 |access-date=23 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823093059/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/freddie-mercury-10-things-you-didnt-know-queen-singer-did-114828/ |archive-date=23 August 2018}}</ref>
}}
| alma_mater         = {{plainlist|
* [[West Thames College|Isleworth Polytechnic College]]
* [[Ealing Art College]]}}
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
}}
| partner            = {{unbulleted list
| Mary Austin (1970–1976)
| Jim Hutton  (1985–1991)
}}
| children           = <!--Please do not add alleged daughter unless a reliable source confirms her parentage-->
| years_active       = 1969–1991
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed            = yes
| background       = solo_singer
| genre            = {{flatlist|
* [[Rock music|Rock]]
* [[Pop music|pop]]
}}
| instruments      = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* piano
* keyboards<!--- If you think an instrument should be listed, a discussion to reach consensus is needed first per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox musical_artist#instrument--->
}}
| label            = {{flatlist|
* [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
* [[Polydor]]
* [[EMI Records|EMI]]
* [[Parlophone]]
* [[Hollywood Records|Hollywood]]
}}
| past_member_of   = {{flatlist|
* [[Queen (band)|Queen]]
* Ibex
* [[Sour Milk Sea (band)|Sour Milk Sea]]
}}
}}
| signature          = Freddie Mercury signature 2.svg
| signature_alt      = Freddie Mercury's signature
}}

'''Freddie Mercury'''<!--This was not just a performing handle. Mercury legally changed his name. He is listed in death and probate records as 'Frederick Mercury'.--> (born '''Farrokh Bulsara'''; 5 September 1946&nbsp;– 24 November 1991) was a British singer and songwriter<!--[[MOS:BIO]] – Nationality: the country of which the person was a citizen when the person became notable. Mercury, as is noted throughout the article, became notable as a British citizen/singer--> who achieved global fame as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band [[Queen (band)|Queen]]. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music, he is<!--Do not change to "was"; he is still known for this--> known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-[[octave]] [[vocal range]]. Mercury defied the conventions of a rock frontman with his theatrical style, influencing the artistic direction of Queen.

Born in 1946 in [[Sultanate of Zanzibar|Zanzibar]] to Indian parents from the [[Parsis|Parsi]] community, Mercury attended British boarding schools in India from the age of eight and returned to Zanzibar after secondary school. In 1964, his family fled the [[Zanzibar Revolution]], moving to [[Middlesex]], England. Having previously studied and written music, he formed Queen in 1970 with guitarist [[Brian May]] and drummer [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]]. Mercury wrote numerous hits for Queen, including "[[Killer Queen]]", "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]", "[[Somebody to Love (Queen song)|Somebody to Love]]", "[[We Are the Champions]]", "[[Don't Stop Me Now]]" and "[[Crazy Little Thing Called Love]]". His charismatic stage performances often saw him interact with the audience, as displayed at the 1985 [[Live Aid]] concert. He also led a solo career and was a producer and guest musician for other artists.

Mercury was diagnosed with [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] in 1987. He continued to record with Queen, and was posthumously featured on their final album, ''[[Made in Heaven]]'' (1995). In 1991, the day after publicly announcing his diagnosis, he died from complications of the disease at the age of 45. In 1992, [[The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert|a concert in tribute to him]] was held at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], in benefit of AIDS awareness.

As a member of Queen, Mercury was posthumously inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2001, the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 2003, and the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]] in 2004. In 1990, he and the other Queen members received the [[Brit Award]] for [[Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music|Outstanding Contribution to British Music]]. One year after his death, Mercury received the same award individually.<!--This is what text says in article below--> In 2005, Queen were awarded an [[Ivor Novello Award]] for Outstanding Song Collection from the [[British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors]]. In 2002, Mercury was voted number 58 in the [[BBC]]'s poll of the [[100 Greatest Britons]].

==Early life==
===Zanzibar and India===

Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in [[Stone Town]] in the [[British protectorate]] of [[Sultanate of Zanzibar|Zanzibar]] (now part of [[Tanzania]]) on 5 September 1946.<ref name="LindaB_2000"/><ref name="inourstar.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.inoutstar.com/news/Freddie-Mercury-real-name-Farrokh-Bulsara-1876.html |title=Freddie Mercury (real name Farrokh Bulsara) Biography |publisher=Inout Star |access-date=11 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810151824/http://www.inoutstar.com/news/Freddie-Mercury-real-name-Farrokh-Bulsara-1876.html|archive-date=10 August 2011}}</ref> His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara,{{efn|The Bulsara family gets its name from Bulsar, now [[Valsad]], a city and district that is now in the Indian state of [[Gujarat]]. In the 17th century, Bulsar was one of the five centres of the [[Zoroastrian]] religion (the other four were also in what is today Gujarat) and consequently "Bulsara" is a relatively common name among Parsi Zoroastrians.}}<ref>{{cite web |last=May |first=Brian |author-link=Brian May |title=Freddie's Mum – R.I.P. |url=http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbnov16a.html#07 |publisher=brianmay.com |date=18 November 2016 |access-date=21 April 2022 |archive-date=14 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114112556/https://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbnov16a.html#07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> were from the [[Parsi]] community of western India. The Bulsaras had origins in the city of Bulsar (now [[Valsad]]) in [[Gujarat]].{{efn|On Mercury's birth certificate, his parents identified as "Nationality: British Indian" and "Race: [[Parsi]]".<ref name="LindaB_2000"/> The Parsis are an ethnic group of [[Persian people|Persian]] origin and have lived on the Indian subcontinent for more than a thousand years.}}<ref name="LindaB_2000"/> He had a younger sister, Kashmira (b. 1952).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Simpson |first1=George |title=Freddie Mercury's sister shuts down myth on Queen singer's death |url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1625948/Freddie-Mercury-sister-Kashmira-Bulsara-Freddie-Mercury-death |work=[[Daily Express]] |date=15 June 2022 |language=en |access-date=23 December 2022 |archive-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910064138/https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1625948/Freddie-Mercury-sister-Kashmira-Bulsara-Freddie-Mercury-death |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Whitfield |first=David |title=Freddie Mercury's sister Kashmira on the success of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' – and what happened when the Queen legend used to visit her in Nottingham |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/whats-on/music-nightlife/freddie-mercurys-sister-kashmira-success-2710630 |newspaper=Nottingham Post |date=3 April 2019 |access-date=4 April 2019 |archive-date=4 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404130104/https://www.nottinghampost.com/whats-on/music-nightlife/freddie-mercurys-sister-kashmira-success-2710630 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Canning |first=Tom |title=Why Freddie Mercury will always be the champion to his Notts relatives |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/celebs-tv/freddie-always-champion-notts-relatives-160630 |newspaper=Nottingham Post |date=12 August 2011 |access-date=21 April 2022 |archive-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016155402/https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/celebs-tv/freddie-always-champion-notts-relatives-160630 |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| header =
| width = 200
| image1 = Freddie Mercury's birthplace.jpg
| width1 =
| alt1 =
| caption1 = The house in [[Zanzibar]] where Mercury lived in his early years
| image2 = Freddie Mercury's stamp collection.jpg
| width2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Mercury's stamp album at the [[Postal Museum, London|Postal Museum]] in London
}}
The family had moved to Zanzibar so that Bomi could continue his job as a cashier at the [[British Colonial Office]]. As Parsis, the Bulsaras practised [[Zoroastrianism]].<ref name="Sky 1992 8–9">{{citation|last=Sky|first=Rick|year=1992|title=The Show Must Go On|place=London|publisher= Fontana |isbn= 978-0-00-637843-3|pages=8–9}}</ref> Mercury was born with four [[hyperdontia|extra incisors]], to which he attributed his enhanced vocal range.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/review-bohemian-rhapsody-wont-rock-malek-223428252.html|title=Review: 'Bohemian Rhapsody' won't rock you, but Malek will|date=29 October 2018|first=Jake|last=Coyle|agency=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|access-date=30 October 2018|archive-date=30 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330080438/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/review-bohemian-rhapsody-wont-rock-malek-223428252.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bohemian-rhapsody-rami-malek-sinking-ones-teeth-into-a-role/ "'Bohemian Rhapsody': Sinking one's teeth into a role"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304034022/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bohemian-rhapsody-rami-malek-sinking-ones-teeth-into-a-role/ |date=4 March 2019 }}. CBS News. Retrieved 3 March 2019</ref> As Zanzibar was a British protectorate until 1963, Mercury was born a [[British subject]], and on 2 June 1969 was registered a [[citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies]] after the family had emigrated to England.<ref>[https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C15734168 "Registrations of British Nationality. Certificate Number: R1/117889 . Name: Frederick Bulsara also known as Freddie Mercury"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005193609/https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C15734168 |date=5 October 2019 }}. National Archives.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2019</ref>

Mercury spent most of his childhood in India, where he began taking piano lessons at the age of seven while living with relatives.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100808050139/http://www.queenonline.com/history/35 Queen Online – History: Freddie Mercury], Archived on 8 August 2010.</ref> In 1954, at the age of eight, Mercury was sent to study at [[St. Peter's School, Panchgani|St. Peter's School]], a British-style boarding school for boys, in [[Panchgani]] near [[Bombay]].<ref name="Jones_1998">{{harvnb|Jones|2011}}.</ref>
Inheriting his father's interest in [[philately]], between 9 and 12 years old Mercury collected stamps, many of which were from the British Commonwealth.<ref name="Stamps"/> One of the rare personal possessions of Mercury in museum ownership, his stamp album is displayed in the collection of the [[Postal Museum, London|Postal Museum]] in London.<ref name="Stamps">{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury's 'priceless' stamp collection to be celebrated |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jun/11/freddie-mercurys-priceless-stamp-collection-to-be-celebrated |access-date=9 July 2023 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910064138/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jun/11/freddie-mercurys-priceless-stamp-collection-to-be-celebrated |url-status=live }}</ref> At the age of 12, he formed a school band, [[the Hectics]], and covered [[rock and roll]] artists such as [[Cliff Richard]], [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Little Richard]].<ref name="Hodkinson_2004"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8828994/Freddie-Mercurys-family-tell-of-singers-pride-in-his-Asian-heritage.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8828994/Freddie-Mercurys-family-tell-of-singers-pride-in-his-Asian-heritage.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Freddie Mercury's family tell of singer's pride in his Asian heritage|last=Bhatia|first=Shekhar|journal=The Daily Telegraph|date=16 October 2011|access-date=27 February 2018|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> One of Mercury's former bandmates from the Hectics has said "the only music he listened to, and played, was Western pop music".<ref>{{cite web| url =http://scroll.in/article/815380/freddie-bucky-mercury-the-12-year-old-rockstar-from-panchgani| title ='Freddie Mercury was a prodigy': Rock star's Panchgani school bandmates remember 'Bucky'| last =Alikhan| first =Anvar| date =5 September 2016| website =Scroll.in| access-date =5 September 2016| archive-date =6 September 2022| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220906222257/https://scroll.in/article/815380/freddie-bucky-mercury-the-12-year-old-rockstar-from-panchgani| url-status =live}}</ref> A friend recalls that he had "an uncanny ability to listen to the radio and replay what he heard on piano".<ref name="O'Donnell_2005"/> It was also at St. Peter's where he began to call himself "Freddie". In February 1963, he moved back to Zanzibar where he joined his parents at their flat.<ref>{{cite book|author=Jones, Lesley-Ann |page=[https://archive.org/details/mercuryintimateb00jone/page/327 327]|title=Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury|url=https://archive.org/details/mercuryintimateb00jone|url-access=registration |date=2012|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4516-6397-6}}</ref>

===Fleeing to England===

In the spring of 1964, Mercury and his family fled to England from Zanzibar to escape the violence of the [[Zanzibar Revolution|revolution]] against the [[Sultan of Zanzibar]] and his mainly Arab government,<ref name="Januszczak_1996"/> in which thousands of ethnic Arabs and Indians were killed.<ref name=Plekhanov/> They moved to 19 Hamilton Close, [[Feltham]], [[Middlesex]], a town {{convert|13|mi|km}} west of central London. The Bulsaras briefly relocated to 122 Hamilton Road, before settling into a small house at 22 Gladstone Avenue in late October.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=UkNatArchives |number=1141345508939784193 |date=19 June 2019 |title=Farrokh Bulsara fled to England from Zanzibar in 1964 as a refugee to escape the violence of the revolution for independence. He's more widely known as #FreddieMercury, lead singer of the band #Queen. This is his registration of British citizenship from 1969 #RefugeeWeek |link=https://twitter.com/UkNatArchives/status/1141345508939784193}}</ref> After first studying art at [[Isleworth Polytechnic]] in [[West London]], Mercury studied graphic art and design at [[Ealing Art College]], graduating with a diploma in 1969.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica2">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Freddie Mercury, British singer and songwriter|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Freddie-Mercury|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica Online]]|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=10 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410013217/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Freddie-Mercury|url-status=live}}</ref> He later used these skills to design heraldic arms for his band Queen.<ref name="Queen logo">{{cite web |last1=Garlak |title=10 The best Rock/Metal Bands Logos |url=https://www.tooft.com/10-rockmetal-bands-logos/ |website=Tooft Design |access-date=30 January 2021 |archive-date=6 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306074906/https://www.tooft.com/10-rockmetal-bands-logos/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:FREDDIE MERCURY (FRED BULSARA) 1946-1991 Singer and Songwriter lived here.jpg|thumb|upright|[[English Heritage]] [[blue plaque]] at 22 Gladstone Avenue, Feltham, London]]
Following graduation, Mercury joined a series of bands and sold second-hand Edwardian clothes and scarves in [[Kensington Market, London|Kensington Market]] in London with drummer and future bandmate [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]]. Taylor recalls, "Back then, I didn't really know him as a singer—he was just my mate. My crazy mate! If there was fun to be had, Freddie and I were usually involved."<ref>{{cite news |title=Roger Taylor 'I remember' |url=https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/celebrities/roger-taylor-i-remember |access-date=4 March 2020 |work=Reader's Digest |archive-date=31 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731203646/https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/celebrities/roger-taylor-i-remember |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also held a job as a baggage handler at [[Heathrow Airport]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury fans hit Heathrow to celebrate Queen star's stint as a baggage handler |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/freddie-mercury-fans-hit-heathrow-to-celebrate-queen-star-s-stint-as-a-baggage-handler-bg5jkmjrv |access-date=5 September 2018 |newspaper=[[The Times]] |archive-date=16 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616170613/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/freddie-mercury-fans-hit-heathrow-to-celebrate-queen-star-s-stint-as-a-baggage-handler-bg5jkmjrv |url-status=live }}</ref> Other friends from the time remember him as a quiet and shy young man with a great interest in music.<ref name=student/> In 1969, he joined [[Liverpool]]-based band Ibex, later renamed Wreckage, which played "very [[Hendrix]]-style, heavy blues".<ref>{{cite book |last=Tremlett |first=George |date=1976 |title=The Queen Story |publisher=Futura Publications |page=38 |isbn=0860074129}}</ref> He briefly lived in a flat above the Dovedale Towers, a pub on [[Penny Lane, Liverpool|Penny Lane]] in Liverpool's [[Mossley Hill]] district.<ref>{{citation|last=Hodkinson|first=Mark|title=Queen The Early Years|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=1995|isbn=978-0-7119-6012-1|page=117}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://musicblog.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/07/the-pub-that-hosted-john-lenno.html |title=The pub that hosted John Lennon and Freddie Mercury needs your band...<!-- ellipsis in the original --> |work=[[Liverpool Echo]] |department=Jade's Music Blog |publisher=Musicblog.merseyblogs.co.uk |date=8 August 2008 |access-date=8 February 2014 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202112938/http://musicblog.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/07/the-pub-that-hosted-john-lenno.html |archive-date=2 February 2014}}</ref> When this band failed to take off, he joined an [[Oxford]]-based band, [[Sour Milk Sea (band)|Sour Milk Sea]], but by early 1970 this group had broken up as well.<ref name="Skala_2006"/>

In April 1970, Mercury teamed up with Taylor and guitarist [[Brian May]] to become lead singer of their band [[Smile (band)|Smile]].<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica2"/> They were joined by bassist [[John Deacon]] in 1971. Despite the reservations of the other members and [[Trident Studios]], the band's initial management, Mercury chose the name "Queen" for the new band. He later said, "It's very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid. It's a strong name, very universal and immediate. I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it."<ref name="Highleyman_2005"/> At about the same time, he legally [[Name change#United Kingdom|changed his surname]], Bulsara, to Mercury.<ref name=Sutcliffe/>

Shortly before the release of Queen's [[Queen (Queen album)|self-titled first album]], Mercury designed the band's logo, known as the "Queen crest".<ref name="Queen logo"/> The logo combines the [[zodiac]] signs of the four band members: two lions for Deacon and Taylor (sign [[Leo (astrology)|Leo]]), a crab for May ([[Cancer (astrology)|Cancer]]), and two fairies for Mercury ([[Virgo (astrology)|Virgo]]).<ref name="Queen logo"/> The lions embrace a stylised letter Q, the crab rests atop the letter with flames rising directly above it, and the fairies are each sheltering below a lion.<ref name="Queen logo"/> A crown is shown inside the Q, and the whole logo is over-shadowed by an enormous [[phoenix (mythology)|phoenix]]. The Queen crest bears a passing resemblance to the [[Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom]], particularly with the lion supporters.<ref name="Queen logo"/>

==Artistry==
===Vocals===
[[File:Freddie Mercury range (F2-F6, with falsetto).svg|thumb|upright|Mercury's vocal range]]
Although Mercury's speaking voice naturally fell in the [[baritone]] range, he delivered most songs in the [[tenor]] range.<ref>{{Citation |author1=Evans, David |author2=Peter Freestone |title=Freddie Mercury: an intimate memoir by the man who knew him best |publisher=Omnibus |location=London |year=2001 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AH8zZsbmB98C&pg=PA108|pages= 108–9 |isbn=978-0-7119-8674-9}}</ref> His known vocal range extended from [[Bass (voice type)|bass]] low F ([[Scientific pitch notation|F{{sub|2}}]]) to [[soprano]] high F (F{{sub|6}}).<ref name="soto">{{citation|last=Soto-Morettini|first=D.|title=Popular Singing: A Practical Guide To: Pop, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Country and Gospel|year=2006|publisher=A & C Black|isbn=978-0713672664}}</ref> He could [[Belting (music)|belt]] up to [[tenor]] high F (F{{sub|5}}).<ref name="soto"/> Biographer [[David Bret]] described his voice as "escalating within a few bars from a deep, throaty rock-growl to tender, vibrant tenor, then on to a high-pitched, perfect [[coloratura]], pure and crystalline in the upper reaches".<ref name="Bret_1996_26">{{harvnb|Bret|1996|p=26}}.</ref> Spanish [[soprano]] [[Montserrat Caballé]], with whom Mercury recorded an album, expressed her opinion that "the difference between Freddie and almost all the other rock stars was that he was selling the voice".<ref name="Cain_2006"/> She adds:

<blockquote>His technique was astonishing. No problem of [[tempo]], he sang with an incisive sense of rhythm, his vocal placement was very good and he was able to glide effortlessly from a register to another. He also had a great musicality. His phrasing was subtle, delicate and sweet or energetic and slamming. He was able to find the right colouring or expressive nuance for each word.<ref name="soto"/></blockquote>

[[File:FreddieMercurySinging1977.jpg|thumb|upright|Mercury singing on stage in November 1977]]
[[The Who]] lead singer [[Roger Daltrey]] described Mercury as "the best virtuoso rock 'n' roll singer of all time. He could sing anything in any style. He could change his style from line to line and, God, that's an art. And he was brilliant at it."<ref>O'Donnell, Jim (2013). ''Queen Magic: Freddie Mercury Tribute and Brian May Interview''. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. {{ISBN|978-1491235393}}</ref> Discussing what type of person he wanted to play the [[Jesus|lead role]] in his musical ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'', [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]] said: "He has to be of enormous charisma, but he also has to be a genuine, genuine rock tenor. That's what it is. Really think Freddie Mercury, I mean that's the kind of range we're talking about."<ref>{{cite news|first=Brian|last=Love|title=Andrew Lloyd Webber: 'Jesus actor must have Freddie Mercury range'|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a360807/andrew-lloyd-webber-jesus-actor-must-have-freddie-mercury-range/|date=18 January 2012|access-date=24 November 2019|work=[[Digital Spy]]|archive-date=15 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415114742/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a360807/andrew-lloyd-webber-jesus-actor-must-have-freddie-mercury-range/|url-status=live}}</ref>

A research team undertook a study in 2016 to understand the appeal behind Mercury's voice.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/04/25/475611808/why-freddie-mercurys-voice-was-so-great-as-explained-by-science |title=Why Freddie Mercury's Voice Was So Great, As Explained By Science |website=NPR.org |publisher=NPR News "All Things Considered" |date=25 April 2016 |access-date=30 April 2016 |archive-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016155418/https://www.npr.org/2016/04/25/475611808/why-freddie-mercurys-voice-was-so-great-as-explained-by-science |url-status=live }}</ref> Led by Professor Christian Herbst, the team identified his notably faster [[vibrato]] and use of [[subharmonics]] as unique characteristics of Mercury's voice, particularly in comparison to opera singers.<ref name="journal">{{cite journal |first1=Christian T.|last1=Herbst|first2=Stellan|last2=Hertegard| first3=Daniel|last3= Zangger-Borch|first4= Per-Åke|last4= Lindestad |title=Freddie Mercury—acoustic analysis of speaking fundamental frequency, vibrato, and subharmonics |date=15 April 2016 | journal=Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology |volume=42 |pages=29–38|number=1 |doi=10.3109/14015439.2016.1156737|pmid=27079680|s2cid=11434921| issn = 1401-5439}}</ref> The research team studied vocal samples from 23 commercially available Queen recordings, his solo work, and a series of interviews of the late artist. They also used an [[endoscopic]] video camera to study a rock singer brought in to imitate Mercury's singing voice.<ref name="journal" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/science/scientists-explain-freddie-mercurys-incredible-singing-voice |title=Scientists explain Freddie Mercury's incredible singing voice |date=19 April 2016 |publisher=Fox News |access-date=30 April 2016 |archive-date=1 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701165001/http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016/04/19/scientists-explain-freddie-mercurys-incredible-singing-voice.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Songwriting===
Mercury wrote 10 of the 17 songs on Queen's ''[[Greatest Hits (Queen album)|Greatest Hits]]'' album: "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]", "[[Seven Seas of Rhye]]", "[[Killer Queen]]", "[[Somebody to Love (Queen song)|Somebody to Love]]", "[[Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy]]", "[[We Are the Champions]]", "[[Bicycle Race]]", "[[Don't Stop Me Now]]", "[[Crazy Little Thing Called Love]]", and "[[Play the Game (song)|Play the Game]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/greatest-hits-vols-1-2-r220568|title=Queen – Greatest Hits, Vols. 1|work=AllMusic|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-date=23 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423133651/http://www.allmusic.com/album/greatest-hits-vols-1-2-mw0000177971|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2003 Mercury was posthumously inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] with the rest of Queen, and in 2005 all four band members were awarded an [[Ivor Novello Award]] for Outstanding Song Collection from the [[British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/ceremony/entry/C3124/207916|title=2003 Award and Induction Ceremony: Queen|publisher=Songwritershalloffame.org|access-date=8 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217214545/http://songwritershalloffame.org/ceremony/entry/C3124/207916|archive-date=17 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="Ivors">{{cite web|url=http://theivors.com/archive/2000-2009/the-ivors-2005/|title=The 50th Ivor Novello Awards|date=26 May 2005|website=theivors.com|publisher=[[The Ivors]]|access-date=8 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142213/http://theivors.com/archive/2000-2009/the-ivors-2005/|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The most notable aspect of his songwriting involved the wide range of genres that he used, which included, among other styles, [[rockabilly]], [[progressive rock]], [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]], [[gospel music|gospel]], and [[disco]]. As he explained in a 1986 interview, "I hate doing the same thing again and again and again. I like to see what's happening now in music, film and theatre and incorporate all of those things."<ref name = "Wenner_2001"/> Compared to many popular songwriters, Mercury also tended to write musically complex material. For example, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is non-cyclical in structure and comprises dozens of [[chord (music)|chords]].<ref name = "Queen_1992"/><ref name="Aledort_2003"/> He also wrote six songs from ''[[Queen II]]'' which deal with multiple key changes and complex material. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", on the other hand, contains only a few chords. Although Mercury often wrote very intricate [[harmonies]], he said that he could barely read music.<ref name="Coleman_1981"/> He composed most of his songs on the piano and used a wide variety of key signatures.<ref name="Queen_1992"/>

===Live performer===
[[File:Queen 1984 0009.jpg|thumb|upright|Mercury performing live in September 1984]]
Mercury was noted for his live performances, which were often delivered to stadium audiences around the world. He displayed a highly theatrical style that often evoked a great deal of participation from the crowd.<ref name="Hince">{{cite news |title=What Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury Was Really Like: An Insider's Story |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/what-freddie-mercury-was-really-like-an-insider-s-story |access-date=29 March 2020 |work=Louder Sound |archive-date=29 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329103836/https://www.loudersound.com/features/what-freddie-mercury-was-really-like-an-insider-s-story |url-status=live }}</ref> A writer for ''[[The Spectator]]'' described him as "a performer out to tease, shock and ultimately charm his audience with various extravagant versions of himself."<ref name="Blaikie_1996"/> [[David Bowie]], who performed at the [[Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert]] and recorded the song "[[Under Pressure]]" with Queen, praised Mercury's performance style, saying: "Of all the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest&nbsp;... he took it over the edge. And of course, I always admired a man who wears tights. I only saw him in concert once and as they say, he was definitely a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand."<ref name=Ressner/> Queen guitarist Brian May wrote that Mercury could make "the last person at the back of the furthest stand in a stadium feel that he was connected".<ref>{{cite web |author1=May, Brian |url=https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/happy-birthday-freddie-mercury.html |title=Happy birthday, Freddie Mercury |publisher=Googleblog.blogspot.com |date=4 September 2011 |access-date=9 February 2014 |archive-date=23 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323161820/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/happy-birthday-freddie-mercury.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Mercury's main prop on stage was a broken [[microphone stand#Bottomless microphone stand|microphone stand]]; after accidentally snapping it off the heavy base during an early performance, he realised it could be used in endless ways.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lenig |first=Stuart |date=2010 |title=The Twisted Tale of Glam Rock |location=Santa Barbara CA |publisher=Praeger |isbn= 978-0313379864 |page=81}}</ref>

One of Mercury's most notable performances with Queen took place at [[Live Aid]] in 1985.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica2"/> Queen's performance at the event has since been voted by a group of music executives as the greatest live performance in the history of rock music. The results were aired on a television program called "The World's Greatest Gigs".<ref name="Minchin_2005"/><ref name="BBC_2005b"/> Mercury's powerful, sustained note during the [[a cappella]] section came to be known as "The Note Heard Round the World".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/feature/a658048/30-fun-facts-for-the-30th-birthday-of-live-aid/|title=30 fun facts for the 30th birthday of Live Aid|last=McKee|first=Briony|date=13 July 2015|website=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=26 February 2016|archive-date=11 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211085443/http://www.digitalspy.com/music/feature/a658048/30-fun-facts-for-the-30th-birthday-of-live-aid/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2018/11/opinions/queen-live-aid-cnnphotos/|title=33 years later, Queen's Live Aid performance is still pure magic|last=Thomas|first=Holly|date=6 November 2018|publisher=CNN|access-date=18 November 2018|archive-date=18 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118081506/https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2018/11/opinions/queen-live-aid-cnnphotos/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2005, [[John Harris (critic)|John Harris]] wrote, "Those who compile lists of Great Rock Frontmen and award the top spots to [[Mick Jagger]], [[Robert Plant]] et al are guilty of a terrible oversight. Freddie, as evidenced by his [[Dionysian]] Live Aid performance, was easily the most godlike of them all."<ref name="Harris_2005"/> Photographer [[Denis O'Regan]], who captured a definitive pose of Mercury on stage—arched back, knee bent and facing toward the sky—during his final tour with Queen in 1986, commented "Freddie was a once-in-a-lifetime showman".<ref>{{cite news |first=Dave |last=Simpson |title=Freddie Mercury in his definitive pose – Denis O'Regan's best photograph |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/nov/16/freddie-mercury-queen-denis-o-regan-my-best-photograph-manchester |date=16 November 2022 |access-date=19 November 2022 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910064138/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/nov/16/freddie-mercury-queen-denis-o-regan-my-best-photograph-manchester |url-status=live }}</ref> Queen roadie Peter Hince states, "It wasn't just about his voice but the way he commanded the stage. For him it was all about interacting with the audience and knowing how to get them on his side. And he gave everything in every show."<ref name="Hince"/>

Throughout his career, Mercury performed an estimated 700 concerts in countries around the world with Queen. A notable aspect of Queen concerts was the large scale involved.<ref name = "Wenner_2001"/> He once explained, "We're the [[Cecil B. DeMille]] of rock and roll, always wanting to do things bigger and better."<ref name="Wenner_2001"/> The band was the first ever to play in South American stadiums, breaking worldwide records for concert attendance in the [[Morumbi Stadium]] in São Paulo in 1981.<ref name="Bret_1996_91">{{harvnb|Bret|1996|p=91}}.</ref> In 1986, Queen also played behind the [[Iron Curtain]] when they performed to a crowd of 80,000 in [[Budapest]], in what was one of the biggest rock concerts ever held in Eastern Europe.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4SQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT85|title=Queen Plays For 80,000 Rock Fans In Budapest|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=27 September 2014|date=16 August 1986|archive-date=10 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910064147/https://books.google.com/books?id=4SQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT85#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> Mercury's [[Knebworth Festival|final live performance]] with Queen took place on 9 August 1986 at [[Knebworth House|Knebworth Park]] in England and drew an attendance estimated as high as 200,000.{{sfn|Blake|2016}} A week prior to Knebworth, May recalled Mercury saying "I'm not going to be doing this forever. This is probably the last time."{{sfn|Blake|2016}} With the British national anthem "[[God Save the Queen]]" playing at the end of the concert, Mercury's final act on stage saw him draped in a robe, holding a golden crown aloft, bidding farewell to the crowd.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Grech|first1=Herman|title=Mercury's magic lives forever|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111120/local/Mercury-s-magic-lives-forever.394705|issue=8 February 2015|newspaper=[[The Times (Malta)]]|date=20 November 2011|access-date=8 February 2015|archive-date=30 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330025604/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111120/local/Mercury-s-magic-lives-forever.394705|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=knebworth/>

===Instrumentalist===
[[File:Queen 1984 012.jpg|thumb|Mercury playing rhythm guitar during a Queen concert in Frankfurt, West Germany, 1984]]
As a young boy in India, Mercury received formal piano training up to the age of nine. Later on, while living in London, he learned guitar. Much of the music he liked was guitar-oriented: his favourite artists at the time were [[the Who]], [[the Beatles]], [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[David Bowie]], and [[Led Zeppelin]]. He was often self-deprecating about his skills on both instruments. Brian May said that Mercury "had a wonderful touch on the piano. He could play what came from inside him like nobody else – incredible rhythm, incredible passion and feeling."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Inglis |first1=Ian |title=Popular Music And Television In Britain |date=2013 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing |page=51}}</ref> Keyboardist [[Rick Wakeman]] praised Mercury's playing style, saying he "discovered [the piano] for himself" and successfully composed a number of Queen songs on the instrument.<ref>{{cite news |title=Perspectives: Freddie Mercury Saved My Life with Alfie Boe, ITV, review: 'an interesting reflection on raw talent versus technical virtuosity' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10837091/Perspectives-Freddie-Mercury-Saved-My-Life-with-Alfie-Boe-ITV-review-an-interesting-reflection-on-raw-talent-versus-technical-virtuosity.html |date=18 May 2014 |first1=Ceri |last1=Radford |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10837091/Perspectives-Freddie-Mercury-Saved-My-Life-with-Alfie-Boe-ITV-review-an-interesting-reflection-on-raw-talent-versus-technical-virtuosity.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=11 June 2021 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref> From the early 1980s Mercury began extensively using guest keyboardists. Most notably, he enlisted [[Fred Mandel]] (a Canadian musician who also worked for [[Pink Floyd]], [[Elton John]], and [[Supertramp]]) for his first solo project. From 1982 Mercury collaborated with Morgan Fisher (who performed with Queen in concert during the Hot Space leg),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen.html|title=Complete Queen live concertography|last=Mr.Scully|website=Queen Concerts|access-date=8 January 2018|archive-date=24 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424131632/http://www.queenconcerts.com/live/queen.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and from 1985 onward Mercury collaborated with [[Michael Moran (music producer)|Mike Moran]] (in the studio) and [[Spike Edney]] (in concert).<ref name="LesleyJones"/>

Mercury played the piano in many of Queen's most popular songs, including "[[Killer Queen]]", "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]", "[[Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy]]", "[[We Are the Champions]]", "[[Somebody to Love (Queen song)|Somebody to Love]]", and "[[Don't Stop Me Now]]". He used concert [[grand piano]]s (such as a [[C. Bechstein|Bechstein]]) and, occasionally, other keyboard instruments such as the [[harpsichord]]. From 1980 onward, he also made frequent use of synthesisers in the studio. Brian May said that Mercury used the piano less over time because he wanted to walk around on stage and entertain the audience.<ref name = "Longfellow_2006"/><ref name="Independent 5 Things">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/freddie-mercury-death-anniversary-25-years-queen-things-you-may-not-know-a7436266.html|title=Freddie Mercury 25th anniversary: 5 things you may not know about the Queen legend|date=24 November 2016|first=Roisin|last=O'Connor|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=21 January 2019|archive-date=21 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121232439/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/freddie-mercury-death-anniversary-25-years-queen-things-you-may-not-know-a7436266.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Although he wrote many lines for the guitar, Mercury possessed only rudimentary skills on the instrument. Songs like "[[Ogre Battle (song)|Ogre Battle]]" and "[[Crazy Little Thing Called Love]]" were composed on the guitar; the latter featured Mercury playing rhythm guitar on stage and in the studio.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/interviews/queen/circus-1980/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426075034/http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/interviews/queen/circus-1980/|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 April 2011|title=Lights! Action! Sound! It's That Crazy Little Thing Called Queen|publisher=Queenonline.com|access-date=27 September 2014|year=1980}}</ref>

===Solo career===
As well as his work with Queen, Mercury put out two solo albums and several singles. Although his solo work was not as commercially successful as most Queen albums, the two off-Queen albums and several of the singles debuted in the top 10 of the [[UK music charts]]. His first solo effort goes back to 1972 under the pseudonym '''Larry Lurex''', when [[Trident Studios]]' house engineer Robin Geoffrey Cable was working in a musical project, at the time when Queen were recording their debut album; Cable enlisted Mercury to perform lead vocals on the songs "[[I Can Hear Music]]" and "[[Goin' Back]]", both were released together as a single in 1973.<ref name="lurex" /> Eleven years later, Mercury contributed to the soundtrack for the restoration of the 1927 [[Fritz Lang]] film ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]''. The song [[Love Kills (Freddie Mercury song)|"Love Kills"]] was written for the film by [[Giorgio Moroder]] in collaboration with Mercury, and produced by Moroder and [[Reinhold Mack|Mack]]; in 1984 it debuted at the number 10 position in the [[UK singles chart]].<ref name = "ReesCrampton_1999_809"/>

{{Quote box|width=25%|quote=I won't be touring on my own or splitting up with Queen. Without the others I would be nothing. The press always makes out that I'm the wild one and they're all quiet, but it's not true. I've got some wild stories about Brian May you wouldn't believe.|source=—Mercury on his solo career, January 1985.<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury: The Man, The Star ...<!-- ellipsis in the original --> In His Own Words |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/freddie-mercury-queen-quotes/ |access-date=27 February 2018 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |archive-date=26 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026215034/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/freddie-mercury-queen-quotes/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

Mercury's two full albums outside the band were ''[[Mr. Bad Guy]]'' (1985) and ''[[Barcelona (Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé album)|Barcelona]]'' (1988).<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica2"/> His first album, ''Mr. Bad Guy'', debuted in the top ten of the [[UK Album Charts]].<ref name="ReesCrampton_1999_809">{{harvnb|Rees|Crampton|1999|p=809}}.</ref> In 1993, a remix of "[[Living on My Own]]", a single from the album, [[List of posthumous number ones on the UK Singles Chart|posthumously reached number one]] on the UK singles chart. The song also garnered Mercury a posthumous [[Ivor Novello Award]] from the [[British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors]].<ref name="ReesCrampton_1999_811">{{harvnb|Rees|Crampton|1999|p=811}}.</ref> AllMusic critic Eduardo Rivadavia described ''Mr. Bad Guy'' as "outstanding from start to finish" and expressed his view that Mercury "did a commendable job of stretching into uncharted territory".<ref name="Rivadavia_notdated"/>

Mercury's second album, ''Barcelona'', recorded with Spanish [[soprano]] vocalist [[Montserrat Caballé]], combines elements of popular music and opera. Many critics were uncertain what to make of the album; one referred to it as "the most bizarre CD of the year".<ref name="Bradley_1992"/> The album was a commercial success,<ref>Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The encyclopedia of popular music: Louvin, Charlie – Paul, Clarence, Volume 5''. Macmillan. p. 3633. {{ISBN|9780333741344}}</ref> and the [[Barcelona (Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé song)|album's title track]] debuted at No.&nbsp;8 in the UK and was also a hit in Spain.<ref name="ReesCrampton_1999_810">{{harvnb|Rees|Crampton|1999|p=810}}.</ref> The title track received massive airplay as the official anthem of the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] (held in [[Barcelona]] one year after Mercury's death). Caballé sang it live at the opening of the Olympics with Mercury's part played on a screen, and again before the start of the [[1999 UEFA Champions League Final]] between [[Manchester United]] and [[Bayern Munich]] in Barcelona.<ref>{{cite news |title=World-renowned Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballé who performed 'Barcelona' with Freddie Mercury, dies aged 85 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/spanish-opera-singer-montserrat-caball-who-performed-barcelona-with-freddy-mercury-dies-aged-85-a3955101.html |access-date=22 December 2018 |newspaper=Evening Standard |archive-date=6 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406092807/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/spanish-opera-singer-montserrat-caball-who-performed-barcelona-with-freddy-mercury-dies-aged-85-a3955101.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In addition to the two solo albums, Mercury released several singles, including his own version of the 1950s hit "[[The Great Pretender#Freddie Mercury's version|The Great Pretender]]" by [[the Platters]], which peaked at number four in the UK in 1987. In September 2006 a compilation album featuring Mercury's solo work was released in the UK in honour of what would have been his 60th birthday. The album debuted in the UK top 10.<ref>Roberts, David (2006). [[British Hit Singles & Albums]]. London: Guinness World Records Limited</ref> In 2012, ''[[Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender]]'', a documentary film on Mercury's attempts to forge a solo career, directed by [[Rhys Thomas (comedian)|Rhys Thomas]], premiered on [[BBC One]].<ref>{{cite news |title='The Great Pretender' Was Also the Real Deal |url=https://www.popmatters.com/164055-freddie-mercury-the-great-pretender-2495808795.amp.html |access-date=26 November 2019 |work=PopMatters}}</ref>

In 1986, Mercury recorded two songs for [[Dave Clark (musician)|Dave Clark]]'s [[West End theatre|West End]] sci-fi musical ''[[Time (musical)|Time]]''. Mercury performed [[Time (Freddie Mercury song)|the title song]] and Clark played it to [[Laurence Olivier]], who starred as the hologram Akash in a pre-filmed segment for the musical in one of his last roles. Clark recalled: "Laurence Olivier was a huge god of an actor. He narrated the album (''[[Time (Dave Clark album)|Time]]''), and, when Freddie came on, singing "Time", Olivier said, 'Now, my dear boy, ''there's'' an actor.'" Clark relayed the reaction of Olivier to Mercury: "I told Freddie and he was over the moon. I arranged for a dinner party at my place, Olivier came along and they got on like a house on fire."<ref>{{cite news |title=Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells?! – Dave Clark, The Dave Clark Five |url=https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/does-rock-n-roll-kill-braincells-dave-clark-the-dave-clark-five-2598535 |access-date=13 March 2023 |work=NME |archive-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910064147/https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/does-rock-n-roll-kill-braincells-dave-clark-the-dave-clark-five-2598535 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Between 1981 and 1983, Mercury recorded several tracks with [[Michael Jackson]], including a demo of "[[State of Shock (song)|State of Shock]]", "Victory", and "There Must Be More to Life Than This".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/songs/collabfreddie.htm|title=Freddie Mercury – Collaborations: Michael Jackson|publisher=Ultimatequeen.co.uk|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-date=23 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323061230/http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/freddie-mercury/songs/collaborations.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/freddie-mercury-10-things-you-didnt-know-queen-singer-did-w451918|title=Freddie Mercury: 10 Things You Didn't Know Queen Singer Did|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=27 February 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145620/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/freddie-mercury-10-things-you-didnt-know-queen-singer-did-w451918|url-status=dead}}</ref> None of these collaborations were officially released at the time, although [[bootleg recording|bootleg]] recordings exist. Jackson went on to record the single "State of Shock" with [[Mick Jagger]] for [[the Jacksons]]' album ''[[Victory (The Jacksons album)|Victory]]''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVC9zltjf-EC&pg=PA90|page=90|title=Michael Jackson: the king of pop|access-date=27 September 2014|isbn=9780828319577|last1=Campbell|first1=Lisa D.|date=January 1993|publisher=Branden Books|archive-date=10 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910064148/https://books.google.com/books?id=BVC9zltjf-EC&pg=PA90|url-status=live}}</ref> Mercury included the solo version of "There Must Be More to Life Than This" on his album ''Mr. Bad Guy''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/songs/mrbadguy.htm#there|title=There Must Be More To Life Than This|publisher=Ultimatequeen.co.uk|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-date=23 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323064348/http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/freddie-mercury/songs/mr-bad-guy.htm#there|url-status=live}}</ref> "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was eventually reworked by Queen and released on their compilation album ''[[Queen Forever]]'' in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/queen-forever-mw0002766073|title=Queen Forever – Queen {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=27 February 2018|archive-date=12 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512233700/http://www.allmusic.com/album/queen-forever-mw0002766073|url-status=live}}</ref> Mercury and [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]] sang on the title track for [[Billy Squier]]'s 1982 studio release, ''[[Emotions in Motion]]'', and later contributed to two tracks on Squier's 1986 release, ''[[Enough Is Enough (Billy Squier album)|Enough Is Enough]]'', providing vocals on "Love is the Hero" and musical arrangements on "Lady With a Tenor Sax".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenvault.com/freddieplus.html|title=QueenVault.com – Freddie +|author=Unger, Adam|publisher=Queenvaultom|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083723/http://www.queenvault.com/freddieplus.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, Mercury's music video for "[[Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow]]" was nominated for Best Animation at the [[Berlin Music Video Awards]]. Woodlock studio is behind the animation.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Berlin Music Video Awards|date=7 May 2021|title=Nominees 2020|url=https://www.berlinmva.com/bmva-nominees-2020/|website=berlinmva.com|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=20 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020120053/https://www.berlinmva.com/bmva-nominees-2020/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
===Relationships===
[[File:Freddie house.JPG|thumb|right|upright|12 Stafford Terrace in [[Kensington]], London, one of Mercury's former homes]]
In 1969, a year before Queen had formed, Mercury met Mary Austin through Brian May. Austin worked at the fashion boutique [[Biba]] in [[Kensington]], where they met. They subsequently began a long-term relationship.<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin: Their love story in pictures |url=https://www.vogue.fr/wedding/galerie/freddie-mercury-mary-austin-love-couple-vintage-photos |first=Marie|last=Périer|access-date=1 December 2021 |work=[[Vogue France]]|archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110064156/https://www.vogue.fr/wedding/galerie/freddie-mercury-mary-austin-love-couple-vintage-photos |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/freddie-mercury-mary-austin-queen-auction-possessions-relationship-b1076973.html|title=Inside the complicated relationship between Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin|work=The London Standard|first=Emma|last=Loffhagen|date=26 April 2023|access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref> He lived with Austin for several years in [[West Kensington]], London. By the mid-1970s, he had begun an affair with David Minns, an American record executive at [[Elektra Records]]. In December 1976, Mercury told Austin of his sexuality, which ended their romantic relationship.<ref name="LesleyJones">{{harvnb|Jones|2011|p=3, Ch. 7, Mary}}</ref> Mercury moved out of the flat they shared, and bought Austin a place of her own near his new address of 12 Stafford Terrace, Kensington.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jones |first1=Lesley-Ann |date=2012|title=Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury |publisher=Simon and Schuster |page=162}}</ref>

Mercury and Austin remained friends through the years; Mercury often referred to her as his only true friend. In a 1985 interview, he said of Austin: "All my lovers asked me why they couldn't replace Mary, but it's simply impossible. The only friend I've got is Mary, and I don't want anybody else. To me, she was my [[common-law wife]]. To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other, that's enough for me."<ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Lesley-Ann |author-link=Lesley-Ann Jones |title=Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury |url=https://archive.org/details/mercuryintimateb00jone |url-access=registration |publisher=Simon & Schuster |date=2012 |page=[https://archive.org/details/mercuryintimateb00jone/page/83 83] |isbn=978-1-4516-6397-6}}</ref> Mercury's final home, [[Garden Lodge, Kensington|Garden Lodge]], an 8-bedroom [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] mansion in Kensington set in a quarter-acre manicured garden surrounded by a high brick wall, was picked out by Austin.<ref name="Jackson2011"/> Austin married the painting artist Piers Cameron; they have two children. Mercury was the godfather of her older son, Richard.<ref name="Longfellow_2006"/> In his will, Mercury left his London home to Austin, having told her, "You would have been my wife, and it would have been yours anyway."<ref>{{cite interview |last=Austin |first=Mary |subject2=Freddie Mercury |interviewer=Midge Ure |title=The Mysterious Mr Mercury |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0171x1k |work=[[BBC]] Radio 4 |date=12 November 2011 |access-date=12 November 2011 |archive-date=30 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330025741/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0171x1k |url-status=live }}</ref>

From 1979 to 1985, while living in [[Munich]], Mercury was friends with Austrian actress [[Barbara Valentin]], who is featured in the video for "[[It's a Hard Life]]", and initially lived together with her and her daughter before moving into his own apartment.<ref name="bardola">{{cite book |title=Mercury in München: Seine besten Jahre |trans-title=Mercury in Munich: His best years |last=Bardola |first=Nicola |publisher=[[Heyne Verlag]] |year=2021 |isbn=978-3641276539}}</ref><ref name="BR_2021">{{cite AV media |title=Sechs Jahre hat Freddie Mercury in München gelebt - eine Spurensuche |trans-title=Freddie Mercury lived in Munich for six years - a search for clues |url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/YqhkiNg1OPg |publisher=[[Bayerischer Rundfunk]] |date=4 October 2021 |language=de |access-date=25 October 2023}}</ref> In Munich, Mercury was able to escape the media spotlight, lived out his sexuality, drifted in the local gay scene, and had an intense love relationship with German restaurateur Winfried "Winnie" Kirchberger.<ref name="bardola"/><ref name="amsler">{{cite magazine |last=Amsler |first=Jose-Luis |url=https://www.rollingstone.de/freddie-mercury-muenchen-beste-jahre-2341255/ |title=Mercury in München: Neues Buch beleuchtet Freddie Mercurys Münchner Jahre |trans-title=Mercury in Munich: New book sheds light on Freddie Mercury's Munich years |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=6 August 2021 |access-date=25 October 2023 |language=de |archive-date=10 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910064149/https://www.rollingstone.de/freddie-mercury-muenchen-beste-jahre-2341255/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = The Love of Sebastianseck | url = http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/musikgeschichten-die-liebe-vom-sebastianseck-1.872519 | last = Raab | first = Klaus | newspaper = [[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] | date = 17 May 2010 | access-date = 15 April 2017 | language = de | archive-date = 9 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170909130101/http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/musikgeschichten-die-liebe-vom-sebastianseck-1.872519 | url-status = live }}</ref> Mercury also lived temporarily at Kirchberger's apartment<ref>{{cite book |last=Freestone |first=Peter |date=7 January 2010 |title=Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E2y6f_ReQOsC&pg=PT118 |publisher=Omnibus Press |page=118 |isbn=978-0857121271}}</ref> and thanked him "for board and lodging" in the liner notes of his 1985 album ''Mr. Bad Guy''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.queenvault.com/linernotes/mrbadguylinernotes.html |title=Mr Bad Guy |website=QueenVault |access-date=27 June 2020 |archive-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201224336/http://www.queenvault.com/linernotes/mrbadguylinernotes.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He wore a silver wedding band given to him by Kirchberger.<ref name="Hutton">{{cite book |last=Hutton |first=Jim |date=7 July 1995 |title=Mercury and Me |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |isbn=0747521344}}</ref> A close friend described him as Mercury's "great love" in Germany.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bauszus |first=Jan |title=Zum 20. Todestag von Freddie Mercury: Freddie war keine Hete, er war schwul |url=https://www.focus.de/kultur/musik/tid-24267/zum-20-todestag-von-freddie-mercury-freddie-war-keine-hete-er-war-schwul_aid_687143.html |website=FOCUS Online |date=24 November 2011 |access-date=27 June 2020 |archive-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801020009/https://www.focus.de/kultur/musik/tid-24267/zum-20-todestag-von-freddie-mercury-freddie-war-keine-hete-er-war-schwul_aid_687143.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

By 1985, he began another long-term relationship, with Irish-born hairdresser Jim Hutton (1949–2010) whom he referred to as his husband.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sweeney |first=Ken |title=Partner of Queen star Freddie buried |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/partner-of-queen-star-freddie-buried-1997689.html |newspaper=[[Irish Independent]] |location=Dublin |date=4 January 2010 |access-date=27 August 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115062733/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/partner-of-queen-star-freddie-buried-1997689.html| archive-date=15 January 2010| url-status=dead}}</ref> Mercury described their relationship as one built on solace and understanding, and said that he "honestly couldn't ask for better".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Greg |last2=Lupton |first2=Simon |title=Freddie Mercury: A Life, In His Own Words |publisher=Mercury Songs Ltd |date=5 September 2019 |page=88 |asin=B07X35NLG7}}</ref> Hutton, who tested [[HIV-positive]] in 1990, lived with Mercury for the last seven years of his life, nursed him during his illness, and was present at his bedside when he died. Mercury wore a gold wedding band, given to him by Hutton in 1986, until the end of his life. He was cremated with it on.<ref name="Hutton"/> Hutton later relocated from London to the bungalow he and Mercury had built for themselves in Ireland.<ref name="Hutton"/>

=== Alleged daughter ===
According to the 2025 biography ''Love, Freddie'' by [[Lesley-Ann Jones]], Mercury fathered a daughter in 1976 following an affair with the wife of a friend, and shared parental responsibilities with the child's mother and her husband.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodwin |first=Harry |date=23 May 2025 |title=Freddie Mercury's 'secret daughter' revealed after 48 years |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/celebrity/article/freddie-mercury-daughter-child-b-98lnhg752 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20250524063950/https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/celebrity/article/freddie-mercury-daughter-child-b-98lnhg752 | archive-date= 24 May 2025|access-date=24 May 2025 |work=The Times|language=en}}</ref> Mercury's alleged daughter approached Jones with journal entries claimed to be written for her by Mercury, detailing his personal history. The claims were first reported in May 2025, ahead of the biography's release.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Badshah |first=Nadeem |date=23 May 2025 |title=Freddie Mercury had secret daughter, new biography claims |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/23/freddie-mercury-had-secret-daughter-new-biography-claims |access-date=24 May 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Simpson |first=Craig |date=23 May 2025 |title=Freddie Mercury had secret love child, claims new biography |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/23/freddie-mercury-secret-love-child/ |access-date=24 May 2025 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20250523194730/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/23/freddie-mercury-secret-love-child/| archive-date= 23 May 2025|work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> His alleged daughter was referred to in the publication simply as "B". News outlets reported that very few people knew of her existence, though Mary Austin and the other members of Queen were supposedly aware.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 May 2025 |title=Freddie Mercury had secret child, new biography claims |url=https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/news/freddie-mercury-secret-child-identity-mother-biography-b2757131.html |first=Roisin|last=O'Connor|access-date=24 May 2025 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> 

In July 2025, Brian May's wife [[Anita Dobson]] said she and her husband were sceptical of the story,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/freddie-mercury-daughter-brian-may-queen-b2780939.html|title=Brian May has four-word response to claim Freddie Mercury had a secret daughter
|work=The Independent|first=Jacob|last=Stolworthy|date=2 July 2025|access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref> and Austin told ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' the following month: "I cannot imagine he would have wanted to, or been able to, keep such a joyful event a secret, either from me or other people closest to him [...] I've never known of any child, or of any diaries. If Freddie had indeed had a child without me knowing anything about it, that would be astonishing to me."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/freddie-mercury-daughter-secret-child-mary-austin-b2805869.html|title=Freddie Mercury's closest friend throws doubt on 'secret child' claims as woman speaks out for first time|work=The Independent|first=Roisin|last=O'Connor|date=12 August 2025|access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref>

===Friendship with Kenny Everett===
[[File:Freddie Mercury (1975 Elektra publicity photo).jpg|thumb|upright|Mercury in 1975]]
Radio disc jockey [[Kenny Everett]] met Mercury in 1974, when he invited the singer onto his [[Capital London]] [[breakfast show]].<ref name="Everett"/> As two of Britain's most flamboyant, outrageous and popular entertainers, they shared much in common and became close friends.<ref name="Everett"/> In 1975, Mercury visited Everett, bringing with him an advance copy of the single "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]".<ref name="Jackson2011"/> Despite doubting that any station would play the six-minute track, Everett placed the song on the turntable, and, after hearing it, exclaimed: "Forget it, it's going to be number one for centuries".<ref name="Jackson2011"/> Although Capital Radio had not officially accepted the song, Everett talked incessantly about a record he possessed but could not play. He then frequently proceeded to play the track with the excuse: "Oops, my finger must've slipped."<ref name="Jackson2011"/> On one occasion, Everett aired the song fourteen times over a single weekend.<ref>{{cite book |last=Collins |first=Jeff |title=Rock Legends at Rockfield |publisher=University of Wales Press |date=2007 |page=76}}</ref> Capital's switchboard was overwhelmed with callers inquiring when the song would be released.<ref name="Everett"/><ref>{{citation |title=Kenny Everett – The best possible way to remember a true pioneer |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/kenny-everett--the-best-possible-way-to-remember-a-true-pioneer-8191316.html |newspaper=The Independent |date=30 September 2012 |access-date=19 January 2015 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925163508/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/kenny-everett--the-best-possible-way-to-remember-a-true-pioneer-8191316.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the 1970s, Everett became advisor and mentor to Mercury and Mercury served as Everett's confidant.<ref name="Everett"/> Throughout the early-to-mid-1980s, they continued to explore their homosexuality and use drugs. Although they were never lovers, they did experience London nightlife together.<ref name="Everett"/> By 1985, they had fallen out, and their friendship was further strained when Everett was outed in the autobiography of his ex-wife [[Lee Everett Alkin]].<ref name="Everett"/> In 1989, with their health failing, Mercury and Everett were reconciled.<ref name="Everett">"When Freddie Mercury Met Kenny Everett" (1 June 2002). [[Channel 4]]</ref>

===Other friendships===
Mercury saw the stage version of the London musical ''[[The Rocky Horror Show]]'' at the [[Royal Court Theatre]] in [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]], and in 1975 went to see the [[The Rocky Horror Picture Show|film version]], both of which starred [[Tim Curry]]. Curry and Mercury became friends, and as a keen horticulturalist Curry later told the UK edition of ''[[House & Garden (magazine)#UK edition|House And Garden]]'' magazine about designing Mercury's garden: "Freddie came back from a tour and said, 'The garden, dear, it's dead.' I said, 'What? Did you water it?' And Freddie said, 'Water it, dear?'"<ref>{{cite news |title=The Show Must Go On: Freddie Mercury's Favorite Films |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/show-must-freddie-mercury-favorite-185507949.html |access-date=13 March 2023 |publisher=Yahoo |archive-date=13 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313131437/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/show-must-freddie-mercury-favorite-185507949.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Both Mercury and Curry were also close friends with [[Peter Straker]]; Straker, who first met Mercury at a London restaurant in November 1975, was a frequent diner at Mercury's home in Garden Lodge.<ref name="Jones 2011 212">{{harvnb|Jones|2011|p=212}}</ref>

Mercury was a long-time friend of [[Elton John]]. Shortly before his own death in November 1991, Mercury ordered that a watercolour by John's favourite artist, the 19th-century English impressionist painter [[Henry Scott Tuke]], be given to John on Christmas Day. In a 2021 interview, John recalled: "Here was this beautiful man, dying from AIDS, and in his final days, he had somehow managed to find me a lovely Christmas present".<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury's Final Christmas Gift Moved Elton John To Tears |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/freddie-mercurys-final-christmas-gift-to-elton-john/207315 |access-date=26 March 2023 |work=Star Observer |archive-date=27 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327203403/https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/freddie-mercurys-final-christmas-gift-to-elton-john/207315 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Sexual orientation===
While some commentators said Mercury hid his sexual orientation from the public,<ref name="Januszczak_1996"/><ref name="Cain_2006" /><ref name="Landesman_2006"/> others said he was "openly [[Homosexuality|gay]]".<ref name="Fitzpatrick_2006"/><ref name="BBC_2006"/> In December 1974, when asked directly, "So how about being bent?" by the ''[[New Musical Express]]'', Mercury replied, "You're a crafty cow. Let's put it this way: there were times when I was young and green. It's a thing schoolboys go through. I've had my share of schoolboy pranks. I'm not going to elaborate further."<ref>{{cite news |first=Joe|last=Sommerlad|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/bohemian-rhapsody-oscars-2019-rami-malek-backlash-controversy-freddie-mercury-queen-a8740806.html |title=Bohemian Rhapsody: Why the Oscar-nominated Queen biopic has suffered a backlash |date=22 January 2019|access-date=7 March 2019 |work=[[The Independent]]|publisher=Independent Print Ltd.|location=London, England}}</ref> Homosexual acts between adult males over the age of 21 had been [[Sexual Offences Act 1967|decriminalised in the United Kingdom in 1967]], seven years earlier. During public events in the 1980s, Mercury often kept a distance from his partner, Jim Hutton.<ref name="Hutton_1994"/>

Mercury's flamboyant stage performances sometimes led journalists to allude to his sexuality. Dave Dickson, reviewing Queen's performance at [[Wembley Arena]] in 1984 for ''[[Kerrang!]]'', noted Mercury's "[[Camp (style)|camp]]" addresses to the audience and even described him as a "posing, pouting, posturing tart".<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.queencuttings.com/dblog/articolo.asp?articolo=310 | title= Kerrang! – UK – Queen, Wembley Arena London | work=Queen Cuttings | access-date=29 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007065922/http://www.queencuttings.com/images/80s/WembleyArena_05sept1984_rev.jpg|archive-date= 7 October 2007}}</ref> In 1992, John Marshall of ''[[Gay Times]]'' opined: "[Mercury] was a 'scene-queen,' not afraid to publicly express his gayness, but unwilling to analyse or justify his 'lifestyle'&nbsp;... It was as if Freddie Mercury was saying to the world, 'I am what I am. So what?' And that in itself for some was a statement."<ref name="Leung">{{cite book | first = Helen Hok-Sze | last = Leung| year=2009|isbn=9780774858298| title = Undercurrents: Queer Culture and Postcolonial Hong Kong | page = 88 | publisher = HBC Press}}</ref> In an article for ''[[AfterElton]]'', Robert Urban said: "Mercury did not ally himself to 'political [[Coming out|outness]],' or to [[LGBTQ]] causes."<ref name="Leung"/>

Some believe Mercury was bisexual; for example, regarding the creation of [[Celebrate Bisexuality Day]], [[Wendy Curry]] said: "We were sitting around at one of the annual bi conventions, venting and someone{{snd}}I think it was [[Gigi Raven Wilbur|Gigi]]{{snd}}said we should have a party. We all loved the great bisexual, Freddie Mercury. His birthday was in September, so why not Sept? We wanted a weekend day to ensure the most people would do something. Gigi's birthday was September 23rd. It fell on a weekend day, so, poof! We had a day."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.binetusa.org/regional/chicago/Chicago_Bi_Newsletter_CBD2013.pdf|title=Our Fence|first1=Michael C.|last1=Oboza|year=2013|website=binetusa.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224011818/http://www.binetusa.org/regional/chicago/Chicago_Bi_Newsletter_CBD2013.pdf|archive-date=24 February 2018|url-status=dead|access-date=19 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.binetusa.org/bihistory2.html|title=A Brief History of the Bisexual Movement|date=30 June 1990|website=BiNet USA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923135539/http://www.binetusa.org/bihistory2.html|archive-date=23 September 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=24 February 2018}}</ref> ''[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]'' said in May 2018, "[[Closeted]] throughout his life, Mercury, who was bisexual, engaged in affairs with men but referred to a woman he loved in his youth, Mary Austin, as 'the love of his life,' according to the biography ''Somebody to Love: The Life, Death, and Legacy of Freddie Mercury''."<ref>{{cite web |last=Gilchrist |first=Tracy E. |url=https://www.advocate.com/film/2018/5/15/blink-and-youll-miss-freddie-mercurys-queerness-bohemian-rhapsody-teaser-trailer |title=Blink and You'll Miss Freddie Mercury's Queerness in Bohemian Rhapsody Teaser Trailer |work=The Advocate |date=15 May 2018 |access-date=30 December 2018 |archive-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016221302/https://www.advocate.com/film/2018/5/15/blink-and-youll-miss-freddie-mercurys-queerness-bohemian-rhapsody-teaser-trailer |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, according to an obituary Mercury was a "self-confessed bisexual".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/24/newsid_2546000/2546945.stm|title=1991: Giant of rock dies|date=24 November 1991|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 July 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730110726/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/24/newsid_2546000/2546945.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Freddie_Mercury_-_11-25-1991_-_The_Star_-_AIDS_Kills_The_King_of_Rock|title=Queen Interviews – Freddie Mercury – 11-25-1991 – The Star – AIDS Kills The King of Rock – Queen Archives: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon, Interviews, Articles, Reviews|website=queenarchives.com|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612135757/http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Freddie_Mercury_-_11-25-1991_-_The_Star_-_AIDS_Kills_The_King_of_Rock|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=dead|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref>

The 2018 biopic of Mercury, ''[[Bohemian Rhapsody (film)|Bohemian Rhapsody]]'', received criticism for its portrayal of Mercury's sexuality, which was described as "sterilized" and "confused", and was even accused of being "dangerous".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pride.com/movies/2018/10/24/how-bohemian-rhapsody-sterilized-freddie-mercurys-bisexuality | title=How Bohemian Rhapsody Sterilized Freddie Mercury's Bisexuality | work=Pride | first=Taylor | last=Henderson | date=24 October 2018 | access-date=24 April 2019 | archive-date=3 March 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303061111/https://www.pride.com/movies/2018/10/24/how-bohemian-rhapsody-sterilized-freddie-mercurys-bisexuality | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.indiewire.com/2018/11/bohemian-rhapsody-freddie-mercury-sexuality-confused-lgbt-gay-bi-erasure-straightwashing-1202017372/ | title= 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Doesn't Straightwash, but It's Confused About Freddie Mercury's Sexuality | work= [[Indiewire]] | first= Jude | last= Dry | date= 2 November 2018 | access-date= 24 April 2019 | archive-date= 24 April 2019 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190424223006/https://www.indiewire.com/2018/11/bohemian-rhapsody-freddie-mercury-sexuality-confused-lgbt-gay-bi-erasure-straightwashing-1202017372/ | url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.them.us/story/bohemian-rhapsody-queer-representation| title=Bohemian Rhapsody's Queer Representation Is Downright Dangerous| work=them.| first=Naveen| last=Kumar| date=3 November 2018| access-date=24 April 2019| archive-date=24 April 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424222640/https://www.them.us/story/bohemian-rhapsody-queer-representation| url-status=live}}</ref>

===Personality===
Although he cultivated a flamboyant stage personality, Mercury was shy and retiring when not performing, particularly around people he did not know well,<ref name="O'Donnell_2005"/><ref name = "Cain_2006"/> and granted very few interviews. He once said of himself: "When I'm performing I'm an [[extrovert]], yet inside I'm a completely different man."<ref name="Myers_1991"/> On this contrast to "his larger-than-life stage persona", BBC music broadcaster [[Bob Harris (radio presenter)|Bob Harris]] adds he was "lovely, bright, sensitive, and quite vulnerable".<ref name="Harris"/> While on stage, Mercury basked in the love from his audience. [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] frontman [[Kurt Cobain]]'s suicide note mentions how he admired and envied the way Mercury "seemed to love, relish in the love and adoration from the crowd".<ref name="RSBestSingers">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/rolling-stone-readers-pick-the-best-lead-singers-of-all-time-20110412/2-freddie-mercury-0762142 | title = Readers Pick the Best Lead Singers of All Time. 2. Freddie Mercury |date=12 April 2011 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=9 March 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110415091916/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/rolling-stone-readers-pick-the-best-lead-singers-of-all-time-20110412/2-freddie-mercury-0762142 |archive-date=15 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Kurt Cobain's Suicide Note | publisher = kurtcobainssuicidenote | url = http://kurtcobainssuicidenote.com/kurt_cobains_suicide_note.html | access-date = 16 September 2016 | archive-date = 15 April 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150415073125/http://www.kurtcobainssuicidenote.com/kurt_cobains_suicide_note.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

[[File:Queen (15383194666).jpg|thumb|upright|A flamboyant personality on stage, Mercury, pictured wearing a Harlequin outfit in 1977, adopted glam rock aesthetics in the 1970s.]]
Mercury never discussed his ethnic or religious background with journalists. The closest he came to doing so was in response to a question about his outlandish persona, he said, "that's something inbred, it's a part of me. I will always walk around like a Persian [[Fop|popinjay]]",<ref name="Chapman">{{cite book |last1=Chapman |first1=Ian |title=Global Glam and Popular Music: Style and Spectacle from the 1970s to the 2000s |date=2012 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |location=Abingdon, England|pages=86, 87}}</ref> an oblique reference to his Indian Parsi background. Feeling a connection to Britain prior to arriving in England, the young Bulsara was heavily influenced by British fashion and music trends while growing up.<ref name="Chapman"/> According to his longtime assistant Peter Freestone, "if Freddie had his way, he would have been born aged 18 in [[Feltham]]."<ref name="Chapman"/> Harris states, "One of the things about Freddie was that he was very civilised and quite 'English'. I'd go over to his flat near [[Shepherd's Bush]] in the afternoon, and he'd get out the fine china and the sugar lumps and we'd have a cup of tea."<ref name="Harris">{{cite news|last=Yates|first=Henry|date=23 February 2018|title=Bob Harris on Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Queen, Robert Plant and more...<!-- ellipsis in the original -->|magazine=[[Metal Hammer|Louder Sound]]|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/bob-harris-on-marc-bolan-david-bowie-queen-robert-plant-and-more|access-date=27 June 2020|archive-date=30 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630010733/https://www.loudersound.com/features/bob-harris-on-marc-bolan-david-bowie-queen-robert-plant-and-more|url-status=live}}</ref> His flamboyant dress sense and the emergence of [[glam rock]] in the UK in the early 1970s saw Mercury wear outfits designed by [[Zandra Rhodes]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Breward |first=Christopher |title=The London Look: Fashion from Street to Catwalk |date=2004 |publisher=Yale University Press |page=137}}</ref>

When asked by ''[[Melody Maker]]'' in 1981 if rock stars should use their power to try to shape the world for the better, Mercury responded, "Leave that to the politicians. Certain people can do that kind of thing, but very few. [[John Lennon]] was one. Because of his status, he could do that kind of preaching and affect people's thoughts. But to do this you have to have a certain amount of intellect and magic together, and the John Lennons are few and far between. People with mere talent, like me, have not got the ability or power."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20181107103954/http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Freddie_Mercury_-_05-02-1981_-_Melody_Maker "Mercury interview for Melody Maker]. queenarchives.com (5 February 1981). Retrieved 28 February 2019</ref> Mercury dedicated the song "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)", from the 1982 album ''[[Hot Space]]'', to Lennon.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |authorlink=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=Hot Space review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/hot-space-mw0000195391 |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2 March 2019 |archive-date=1 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501044519/https://www.allmusic.com/album/hot-space-mw0000195391 |url-status=live }}</ref> Mercury did occasionally express his concerns about the state of the world in his lyrics. His most notable "message" songs are "Under Pressure", "[[Is This the World We Created...?]]" (a song which Mercury and May performed at Live Aid, and also featured in ''[[Greenpeace – The Album]]''), "[[There Must Be More to Life Than This]]", "[[The Miracle (song)|The Miracle]]" (a song May called "one of Freddie's most beautiful creations") and "[[Innuendo (song)|Innuendo]]".<ref>{{cite web|first=Greg|last=Prato|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r15963|title=''Innuendo'' review|website=[[AllMusic]].|access-date=30 June 2020|archive-date=1 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101141140/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r15963|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Queen - Days of Our Lives (Episode 2)|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011r4gs|access-date=30 June 2020|publisher=BBC|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624215128/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011r4gs|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the 1998 biography ''Freddie Mercury: An intimate memoir by the man who knew him best'', written by his long-term personal assistant Peter Freestone, Mercury abhorred bands like [[U2]] for using their celebrity status to put over their political views. He was also unaware of Mercury ever voting in any election, but he was always interested in Freestone's voting and the politics at the time. Freestone wrote that Mercury would have favoured a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government if he had voted, due to the 1970s [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] government's high income taxation, but that he never voiced his political opinions as he thought they were "relevant only to the individual".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/freddiemercuryin0000free/mode/1up?q=Politics+|title=Freddie Mercury: An intimate memoir by the man who knew him best|date=1998|page=68|first=Peter|last=Freestone|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=0711986746|accessdate=14 September 2025}}</ref>

Mercury cared for at least ten cats throughout his life, including: Tom, Jerry, Oscar, Tiffany, Dorothy, Delilah, Goliath, Miko, Romeo, and Lily. He was against the inbreeding of cats for specific features and all except for Tiffany and Lily, both given as gifts, were adopted from the [[Blue Cross (animal charity)|Blue Cross]]. Mercury "placed as much importance on these beloved animals as on any human life", and showed his adoration by having the artist Ann Ortman paint portraits of each of them. Mercury wrote a song for Delilah, "his favourite cat of all", which appeared on the Queen album ''[[Innuendo (album)|Innuendo]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Freestone |first=Peter |date=2001 |title=Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best |publisher=Omnibus Press |page=234 |isbn=0711986746}}</ref> Mercury dedicated his liner notes in his 1985 solo album ''Mr. Bad Guy'' to Jerry and his other cats. It reads, "This album is dedicated to my cat Jerry—also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany and all the cat lovers across the universe—screw everybody else!"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tenreyro |first1=Tatiana |title=Freddie Mercury's Cats In Real Life Were Just As Spoiled As 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Shows |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/freddie-mercurys-cats-in-real-life-were-just-as-spoiled-as-bohemian-rhapsody-shows-12971631 |access-date=7 January 2020 |magazine=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]] |date=1 November 2018 |archive-date=31 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731224350/https://www.bustle.com/p/freddie-mercurys-cats-in-real-life-were-just-as-spoiled-as-bohemian-rhapsody-shows-12971631 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1987, Mercury celebrated his 41st birthday at the [[Pikes Hotel]], [[Ibiza]], Spain, several months after discovering that he had contracted HIV.<ref name="Jackson2011">{{cite book|last=Jackson|first=Laura|title=Freddie Mercury: The biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7uCPAit0AtUC&pg=PT138|date=2011|publisher=Little, Brown Book Group|isbn=978-0-7481-2907-2|pages=187–190|access-date=13 March 2016|archive-date=20 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720073549/https://books.google.com/books?id=7uCPAit0AtUC&pg=PT138|url-status=live}}</ref> Mercury sought much comfort at the retreat and was a close friend of the owner, Anthony Pike, who described Mercury as "the most beautiful person I've ever met in my life. So entertaining and generous."<ref name="TI0802">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1700195.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105214745/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1700195.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2013|author=Husband, Stuart|title=The Beach: Hedonism – Last of the International; Playboys; Pike's is a notorious Ibiza hotel where anything goes|newspaper=[[The Independent]] |via=[[HighBeam Research]]|date=4 August 2002|access-date=9 April 2013}}</ref> According to biographer [[Lesley-Ann Jones]], Mercury "felt very much at home there. He played some tennis, lounged by the pool, and ventured out to the odd gay club or bar at night."<ref name="Jones 2011 212"/> The birthday party, held on 5 September 1987, has been described as "the most incredible example of excess the Mediterranean island had ever seen", and was attended by some 700 people.<ref name="TP96">{{cite news|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-61620222|title=Just months after finding out he had AIDS he threw the biggest and wildest birthday party for 700 people|newspaper=[[The Sunday People|The People]]|date=26 May 1996}}{{dead link|date=July 2021}}</ref> A cake in the shape of [[Antoni Gaudi]]'s ''[[Sagrada Família]]'' was provided for the party. The original cake collapsed and was replaced with a two-metre-long sponge cake decorated with the notes from Mercury's song "Barcelona".<ref name="TI0802"/> The bill, which included 232 broken glasses, was presented to Queen's manager, [[Jim Beach]].<ref name="Jackson_1997"/> Before his death, Mercury had told Beach, "You can do what you want with my music, but don't make me boring."<ref>{{cite news|first=Caroline|last=Sullivan|title=Freddie Mercury: the great enigma|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/27/freddie-mercury-great-enigma|date=27 September 2012|access-date=22 November 2019|work=[[The Guardian]]|archive-date=9 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609093810/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/27/freddie-mercury-great-enigma|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Illness and death==
<!-- ****NOTE**** Pay attention to how this article uses<ref> ****NOTE**** -->
Mercury exhibited [[HIV/AIDS]] symptoms as early as 1982. Authors Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne have stated in their biographical book about Mercury, ''Somebody to Love: The Life, Death, and Legacy of Freddie Mercury'', that Mercury secretly visited a doctor in New York City to get a white lesion on his tongue checked (which might have been [[hairy leukoplakia]], one of the first signs of an infection) a few weeks before Queen's final American appearance with Mercury on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' on 25 September 1982, where he began to exhibit the symptoms of someone recently infected with HIV.<ref name="Richards Lamgthorne">{{cite news|url=https://www.advocate.com/hiv/2016/11/23/freddie-mercurys-life-story-hiv-bisexuality-and-queer-identity|last=Anderson-Minshall|first=Diane|title=Freddie Mercury's Life Is the Story of HIV, Bisexuality, and Queer Identity|magazine=The Advocate|access-date=26 September 2020|date=23 November 2016|archive-date=5 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905042357/https://www.advocate.com/hiv/2016/11/23/freddie-mercurys-life-story-hiv-bisexuality-and-queer-identity|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Mountain-studios.jpg|thumb|[[Mountain Studios]] in Montreux, Switzerland, Queen's recording studio from 1978 to 1995. Mercury recorded his final vocals here in May 1991. In December 2013, the studio was opened free as the "Queen Studio Experience", with fans asked for a donation to the [[Mercury Phoenix Trust]] charity.<ref name="Montreux studio" />]]
In October 1986, two months after Mercury's final live performance with Queen at [[Knebworth House]] on the [[Magic Tour (Queen)|Magic Tour]], the British newspapers the ''[[News of the World]]'' and ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' reported that he had his blood tested for HIV/AIDS at a [[Harley Street]] clinic, but he was quoted as saying he was "perfectly fit and healthy".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/helicopters-stabbings-and-smashed-guitars-freddie-mercurys-last-stand | title="Can you believe that at Freddie Mercury's last concert, no one actually pressed record?": The story of the great showman's last stand | work=Louder | first=Henry | last=Yates | date=7 September 2019 | access-date=28 July 2023 | archive-date=27 July 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727191151/https://www.loudersound.com/features/helicopters-stabbings-and-smashed-guitars-freddie-mercurys-last-stand | url-status=live }}</ref> According to his partner, Jim Hutton, Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in late April 1987.<ref name="Teeman_2006" /> Around that time, he said in an interview that he had tested negative for HIV.<ref name="Cain_2006" /> He told his Queen bandmates of his illness in May 1989.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nz.news.yahoo.com/freddie-mercury-didnt-tell-best-110000709.html? | title=Freddie Mercury didn't tell best friend he had AIDS | work=[[Yahoo News]] | date=23 November 2016 | access-date=13 July 2025}}</ref>

The British press pursued rumours about Mercury's health during the final years of his life, fuelled by his increasingly gaunt appearance, Queen's absence from touring, and reports from his former lovers to [[tabloid journalist]]s. By 1990, rumours about his health were rife.<ref name="Bret_1996_138">{{harvnb|Bret|1996|p=138}}.</ref> Mercury and his inner circle of colleagues and friends continually denied the stories. It has been suggested that he could have helped AIDS awareness by speaking earlier about his illness.<ref name="Ressner" /><ref name="Sky_1992_163">{{cite book|last=Sky|first=Rick|year=1992|title=The Show Must Go On|location=London, England|publisher= Fontana |isbn= 978-0-00-637843-3|page=163}}</ref> At the [[1990 Brit Awards]] held at the [[Dominion Theatre]], London, on 18 February, Mercury made his final appearance on stage when he joined the rest of Queen to collect the award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/events/brit_awards/freddy.htm|title=The Highs and Lows of the Brit Awards|publisher=BBC|access-date=27 September 2014|date=2 December 1999|archive-date=1 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150301010136/http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/events/brit_awards/freddy.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brits.co.uk/artist/freddie-mercury |title=Queen, Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, Brian May, BRITS 1990 |website=Brts.co.uk |access-date=27 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007141855/http://www.brits.co.uk/artist/freddie-mercury |archive-date=7 October 2014}}</ref>

Filmed in May 1991, the [[These Are the Days of Our Lives#Music video|music video]] for "[[These Are the Days of Our Lives]]" features a very thin Mercury in his final scenes in front of the camera.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/final-freddie-mercury-performance-discovered-2290788.html|title=Final Freddie Mercury performance discovered|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=27 September 2014|location=London|first=Adam|last=Sherwin|date=30 May 2011|archive-date=30 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930125248/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/final-freddie-mercury-performance-discovered-2290788.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The video's director, [[Rudi Dolezal]], said, "AIDS was never a topic. We never discussed it. He didn't want to talk about it. Most of the people didn't even 100 percent know if he had it, apart from the band and a few people in the inner circle. He always said, 'I don't want to put any burden on other people by telling them my tragedy.{{'"}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury's Final Bow: Director Rudi Dolezal Recalls the Queen Legend's Poignant Last Video |url=https://people.com/music/freddie-mercury-last-music-video-rudi-dolezal-interview/ |access-date=23 June 2021 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624205331/https://people.com/music/freddie-mercury-last-music-video-rudi-dolezal-interview/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The rest of the band were ready to record when Mercury felt able to come into the studio, for an hour or two at a time. May said of Mercury: "He just kept saying. 'Write me more. Write me stuff. I want to just sing this and do it and when I am gone you can finish it off.' He had no fear, really."<ref name="Montreux studio" /> Justin Shirley-Smith, the assistant engineer for those last sessions, said: "This is hard to explain to people, but it wasn't sad, it was very happy. He [Freddie] was one of the funniest people I ever encountered. I was laughing most of the time, with him. Freddie was saying [of his illness] 'I'm not going to think about it, I'm going to do this.{{'"}}<ref name="Montreux studio" />

After the conclusion of his work with Queen in June 1991, Mercury retired to his home in [[Kensington]], West London. His former partner, Mary Austin, was a particular comfort in his final years, and in the last few weeks made regular visits to look after him.<ref name="Austin" /> Near the end of his life, Mercury began to lose his sight, and declined so that he was unable to leave his bed.<ref name="Austin" /> Mercury chose to hasten his death by [[Hospice|refusing medication and took only painkillers]].<ref name="Austin">"Mary Austin Shares Her Memories" – 17 March 2000. ''[[OK!]]''. Retrieved 27 September 2014</ref> On 22 November 1991, Mercury called Queen's manager Jim Beach to his Kensington home to prepare a public statement, which was released the following day:<ref name="Bret_1996_179">{{harvnb|Bret|1996|p=179}}.</ref>

{{blockquote|Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with me, my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease. My privacy has always been very special to me and I am famous for my lack of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue.}}

=== Death ===
On the evening of 24 November 1991, about 24 hours after issuing the statement, Mercury died at the age of 45 at his home in Kensington.<ref name="otd">{{cite news |title=1991: Giant of rock dies |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/24/newsid_2546000/2546945.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |date=24 November 1991 |access-date=27 September 2014 |archive-date=30 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730110726/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/24/newsid_2546000/2546945.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The cause of death was [[bronchial pneumonia]] resulting from AIDS.<ref name="Biochannel_2007"/> His close friend [[Dave Clark (musician)|Dave Clark]] of [[the Dave Clark Five]] was at the bedside vigil when Mercury died.<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin: The insider's tale of their lifelong love story |url=https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/freddie-mercury/mary-austin-relationship-love-story/ |access-date=14 May 2024 |publisher=[[Smooth Radio (2014)|Smooth Radio]] |archive-date=14 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414044751/https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/freddie-mercury/mary-austin-relationship-love-story/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Austin phoned Mercury's parents and sister to break the news, which reached newspaper and television crews in the early hours of 25 November.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://teletext.mb21.co.uk/gallery/ceefax/cx_merc2.gif |title=Singer Freddie Mercury dies, aged 45 |work=[[Ceefax]] |access-date=4 September 2011 |archive-date=7 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007004533/http://teletext.mb21.co.uk/gallery/ceefax/cx_merc2.gif |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Freddie Mercury house.jpg|thumb|right|The outer walls of Mercury's final home, [[Garden Lodge, Kensington|Garden Lodge]], [[Logan Place]], west London, became a shrine to the late singer.]]
Mercury's funeral service was conducted on 27 November 1991 by a [[Zoroastrian]] priest at [[West London Crematorium]], where he is commemorated by a [[plinth]] under his birth name. In attendance at Mercury's service were his family and 35 of his close friends, including [[Elton John]] and the members of Queen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mr-mercury.co.uk/sun_28_11_91.htm |title=Elton's Sad Farewell |publisher=Mr-mercury.co.uk |access-date=27 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012022621/http://mr-mercury.co.uk/sun_28_11_91.htm |date=28 November 1991|archive-date=12 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mr-mercury.co.uk/nov_28_91_mirror_freddie.htm |title=Freddie, I'll Love You Always |publisher=Mr-mercury.co.uk |access-date=27 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012022809/http://mr-mercury.co.uk/nov_28_91_mirror_freddie.htm |archive-date=12 October 2014}}</ref> His coffin was carried into the chapel to the sounds of "[[Take My Hand, Precious Lord]]"/"[[You've Got a Friend]]" by [[Aretha Franklin]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Biography|last=Bret|first=David|date=2014|publisher=Lulu|page=198|isbn=9781291811087}}</ref> In accordance with Mercury's wishes, Mary Austin took possession of his [[cremated remains]] and buried them in an undisclosed location.<ref name="Independent 5 Things" /> The whereabouts of his ashes are believed to be known only to Austin, who has said that she will never reveal them.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jeremy|last=Simmonds|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMBf3TYZigQC&pg=PA282|title=The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches|publisher=Chicago Review Press|date=2008|isbn=9781556527548|page=282|access-date=13 March 2016|archive-date=17 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117214729/https://books.google.com/books?id=bMBf3TYZigQC&pg=PA282|url-status=live}}</ref> However, they are traditionally held by Queen fans to be at [[Kensal Green Cemetery]], where the plinth marks the supposed burial location.<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury's plaque vanishes from Kensal Green cemetery |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/freddie-mercurys-plaque-vanishes-from-kensal-green-cemetery-8520387.html |access-date=30 June 2024 |work=Evening Standard |archive-date=30 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630204207/https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/freddie-mercurys-plaque-vanishes-from-kensal-green-cemetery-8520387.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mercury spent and donated to charity much of his wealth during his lifetime, with his estate valued around £8&nbsp;million at the time of his death. He bequeathed his home, Garden Lodge, and the adjoining Mews, as well as 50% of all privately owned shares, to Mary Austin. His sister, Kashmira Cooke, received 25%, as did his parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, which Cooke acquired upon their deaths. He willed £500,000 to Joe Fannelli; £500,000 to Jim Hutton; £500,000 to Peter Freestone; and £100,000 to Terry Giddings.<ref>{{citation|title=Last will and testament of Frederick Mercury otherwise Freddie Mercury}}</ref> Mercury, who never drove a car because he had no licence, was often chauffeured around London in his [[Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow]] from 1979 until his death. The car was passed to his sister Kashmira who made it available for display at public events, including the West End premiere of the musical ''We Will Rock You'' in 2002, before it was auctioned off at the [[National Exhibition Centre|NEC]] in Birmingham in 2013 for £74,600.<ref>{{cite news |title=Flash! Freddie Mercury's Rolls-Royce goes for more than SIX times the guide price |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/flash-freddie-mercury-s-rolls-royce-goes-for-more-than-six-times-the-guide-price-8451444.html |access-date=25 June 2022 |work=Evening Standard |archive-date=25 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625153857/https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/flash-freddie-mercury-s-rolls-royce-goes-for-more-than-six-times-the-guide-price-8451444.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie's Roller on eBay |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/freddie-s-roller-on-ebay-7279071.html |access-date=25 June 2022 |work=Evening Standard |archive-date=25 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625153856/https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/freddie-s-roller-on-ebay-7279071.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following his death, the outer walls of Garden Lodge in [[Logan Place]] became a shrine to Mercury where mourners paid tributes by covering the walls in graffiti messages.<ref name="Womack" /> Three years later ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' magazine reported that "the wall outside the house has become London's biggest rock 'n' roll shrine".<ref name="Womack">{{cite book|title='Reading the Beatles: Cultural Studies, Literary Criticism, and the Fab Four|last1=Womack|first1=Kenneth|last2=Davis|first2=Todd F.|date=2012|publisher=SUNY Press|page=17|isbn=9780791481967}}</ref> Fans continued to visit to pay their respects with letters appearing on the walls<ref>{{cite book|last=Humphreys|first=Rob|title=Rough Guide to London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4q0rAQAAIAAJ|date=2008|publisher=Rough Guides|page=338}}</ref> until 2017, when Austin had the wall cleared.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/freddie-mercurys-ex-causes-outrage-11547879 |title=Freddie Mercury shrine at his £20m mansion taken down |last=Matthews |first=Alex |date=19 November 2017 |website=Daily Mirror |access-date=10 August 2020 |archive-date=26 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126054923/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/freddie-mercurys-ex-causes-outrage-11547879 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hutton was involved in a 2000 biography of Mercury, ''Freddie Mercury, the Untold Story'',<!-- see cast list at https://us.imdb.com/title/tt0272620/ --> and also gave an interview for ''[[The Times]]'' in September 2006 for what would have been Mercury's 60th birthday.<ref name="Teeman_2006"/>

==Legacy==

===Continued popularity===
{{Quote box
| width = 29%
| align = left
| quote = The charisma and power in his performance style has over the years led to many artists quoting him as one of their biggest inspirations today. The diverse scope of artists that love Mercury is huge.
| source = —Amy Weller, ''[[Gigwise]]''<ref>{{cite news|first=Amy|last=Weller|title=If it wasn't for Freddie Mercury...<!-- ellipsis in the original --> 13 artists inspired by the Queen icon|url=https://www.gigwise.com/photos/84002/9/if-it-wasnt-for-freddie-mercury-13-artists-inspired-by-the-queen-icon|date=5 September 2013|access-date=13 March 2018|work=Gigwise|archive-date=30 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330082547/https://www.gigwise.com/photos/84002/9/if-it-wasnt-for-freddie-mercury-13-artists-inspired-by-the-queen-icon|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music,<ref name="RSBestSingers2">{{cite web|date=12 April 2011|title=2. Freddie Mercury|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/rolling-stone-readers-pick-the-best-lead-singers-of-all-time-20110412/2-freddie-mercury-0762142|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415091916/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/rolling-stone-readers-pick-the-best-lead-singers-of-all-time-20110412/2-freddie-mercury-0762142|archive-date=15 April 2011|access-date=9 March 2014|work=Readers Pick the Best Lead Singers of All Time}}</ref><ref name="Billboard_20152">{{cite magazine|title=The 25 Best Rock Frontmen (and Women) of All Time|url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/6721847/best-rock-singers-of-all-time|magazine=Billboard|access-date=10 March 2019|archive-date=16 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816012120/http://www.billboard.com/photos/6721847/best-rock-singers-of-all-time|url-status=live}}</ref> Mercury was known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-[[octave]] [[vocal range]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article675005.ece|title=Dance: Deux the fandango|newspaper=[[The Times]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615085921/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article675005.ece|archive-date=15 June 2011|access-date=15 November 2008}}</ref><ref name="rollingstone.com2">{{cite magazine|date=3 December 2010|title=''RollingStone.com'' – 100 Greatest Singers of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-147019/freddie-mercury-5-225069/|access-date=18 November 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=21 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221155943/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-147019/freddie-mercury-5-225069/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Independent2006" /> He defied the conventions of a rock frontman, with his highly theatrical style influencing the artistic direction of Queen.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Freddie Mercury|url=http://www.freddiemercury.com/en/biography|access-date=10 June 2020|website=freddiemercury.com|archive-date=2 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602231235/http://www.freddiemercury.com/en/biography|url-status=live}}</ref>

The extent to which Mercury's death may have enhanced Queen's popularity is not clear. In the United States, where Queen's popularity had lagged in the 1980s, sales of Queen albums went up dramatically in 1992, the year following his death.<ref name="RIAA_2007" /> In 1992, one American critic noted, "What cynics call the 'dead star' factor had come into play—Queen is in the middle of a major resurgence."<ref name="Brown_1992" /> The movie ''[[Wayne's World (film)|Wayne's World]]'', which featured "Bohemian Rhapsody", also came out in 1992.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hxAEAAAAMBAJ&q=queen+waynes+world&pg=PA8 |title=Hollywood Records Hails Older Queen Product|magazine=Billboard |date=25 July 1992|page=8 }}</ref> According to the [[Recording Industry Association of America]], Queen had sold 34.5&nbsp;million albums in the United States by 2004, about half of which had been sold since Mercury's death in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt |title=Gold & Platinum – 22&nbsp;November&nbsp;2009 |publisher=Record Industry Association of America |access-date=22 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701163039/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt |archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Denis Bourez - Madame Tussauds, London (8748155098).jpg|thumb|Mercury's wax figure displayed at [[Madame Tussauds]], London]]
Estimates of Queen's total worldwide record sales to date have been set as high as 300&nbsp;million.<ref name="Cota_2006"/> In the United Kingdom, Queen have now spent more collective weeks on the [[UK Album Charts]] than any other musical act (including [[the Beatles]]),<ref name="BBC_2005a"/> and ''Queen's Greatest Hits'' is the [[List of best-selling albums in the United Kingdom|best-selling album]] of all time in the United Kingdom.<ref name="Brown_2006"/> Two of Mercury's songs, "[[We Are the Champions]]" and "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]", have also each been voted as the greatest song of all time in major polls by [[Sony Ericsson]]<ref name="Haines_2005"/> and ''[[Guinness World Records]]''.<ref name="CNN_2002"/> Both songs have been inducted into the [[Grammy Hall of Fame]]; "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 2004 and "We Are the Champions" in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame |title=Grammy Hall of Fame Award |work=The GRAMMYs |access-date=27 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122042616/http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame |archive-date=22 January 2011}}</ref> In October 2007 the video for "Bohemian Rhapsody" was voted the greatest of all time by readers of ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' magazine.<ref name="BBC_2007"/>

Since his death, Queen were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2001, and all four band members were inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Queen|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/queen|year=2007|access-date=6 February 2010|archive-date=20 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020051356/http://rockhall.com/inductees/queen/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/ceremony/entry/C3124/207916|title=2003 Award and Induction Ceremony: Queen|publisher=Songwritershalloffame.org|access-date=28 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217214545/http://songwritershalloffame.org/ceremony/entry/C3124/207916|archive-date=17 December 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Their Rock Hall of Fame citation reads, "in the golden era of [[glam rock]] and gorgeously hyper-produced theatrical extravaganzas that defined one branch of '70s rock, no group came close in either concept or execution to Queen."<ref>{{cite news |title=Queen join rock royalty |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1230959.stm |date=20 March 2001 |access-date=26 October 2018 |work=BBC News |archive-date=25 November 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021125184719/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1230959.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The band were among the inaugural inductees into the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]] in 2004. Mercury was individually posthumously awarded the [[Brit Award]] for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |title=1992 Brit Awards: Winners |url=https://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1992 |access-date=23 June 2019 |publisher=Brit Awards |archive-date=3 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803104934/https://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1992 |url-status=dead }}</ref> They received the [[Ivor Novello Award]] for Outstanding Song Collection from the [[British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors]] in 2005, and in 2018 they were presented the [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award]].<ref name=Ivors/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/queen-tina-turner-to-receive-grammy-lifetime-achievement-award-w515260|title=Queen, Tina Turner to Receive Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award|date=10 January 2018|first=Jon|last=Blistein|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=8 March 2018|archive-date=19 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619040158/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/queen-tina-turner-to-receive-grammy-lifetime-achievement-award-w515260|url-status=dead}}</ref> Queen were awarded the [[Polar Music Prize]] in 2025, with their citation describing Mercury as "one of the most charismatic front figures in the history of music".<ref>{{cite web |title=Queen — Polar Music Prize |url=https://www.polarmusicprize.org/laureates/queen/ |website=polarmusicprize.org |access-date=30 March 2025}}</ref>

===Posthumous Queen album===
In November 1995, Mercury appeared posthumously on Queen's final studio album ''[[Made in Heaven]]''.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica2"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/behind-the-albums/queen-made-in-heaven/|title=Made In Heaven: The Aptly Named Album That Drew The Curtain On Queen|last=Bell|first=Max|date=17 August 2017|website=uDiscoverMusic|access-date=24 February 2019|archive-date=10 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410144717/https://www.udiscovermusic.com/behind-the-albums/queen-made-in-heaven/|url-status=live}}</ref> The album featured Mercury's previously unreleased final recordings from 1991, as well as outtakes from previous years and reworked versions of solo works by the other members.<ref name="Heaven"/> The album cover features the Freddie Mercury statue that overlooks Lake Geneva superimposed with Mercury's Duck House lake cabin that he had rented. This is where he had written and recorded his last songs at [[Mountain Studios]].<ref name="Heaven"/> The sleeve of the album contains the words, "Dedicated to the immortal spirit of Freddie Mercury."<ref name="Heaven">{{cite web|url=http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/made-heaven/|title=Made in Heaven|last1=Brooks|first1=Greg|last2=Taylor|first2=Gary|publisher=Queenonline.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218165829/http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/discography/made-heaven/|archive-date=18 February 2011|access-date=27 September 2014}}</ref>

Featuring tracks such as "[[Too Much Love Will Kill You]]" and "[[Heaven for Everyone]]", the album also contains the song "[[Mother Love (Queen song)|Mother Love]]", the last vocal recording Mercury made before his death, which he completed using a drum machine, over which May, Taylor, and Deacon later added the instrumental track.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lemieux|first=Patrick|title=The Queen Chronology: The Recording & Release History of the Band|date=2013|publisher=Lulu|page=86}}</ref> After completing the penultimate verse, Mercury had told the band he "wasn't feeling that great" and stated, "I will finish it when I come back next time". He never made it back into the studio, so May later recorded the final verse of the song.<ref name="Montreux studio">{{cite news|title=Inside the studio where Freddie Mercury sang his last song|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/10486116/Inside-the-studio-where-Freddie-Mercury-sang-his-last-song.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/10486116/Inside-the-studio-where-Freddie-Mercury-sang-his-last-song.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Telegraph|date=25 October 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Tributes===
[[File:Freddy Mercury Statue Montreux.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of Freddie Mercury overlooking [[Lake Geneva]] in [[Montreux]], Switzerland]]
A statue in Montreux, Switzerland, by sculptor [[Irena Sedlecká]], was erected as a tribute to Mercury.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/mercury-heavy-metal-and-a-jazz-explosion-20110323-1c6hc.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108061736/http://www.smh.com.au/travel/mercury-heavy-metal-and-a-jazz-explosion-20110323-1c6hc.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 November 2012|title=Mercury, heavy metal and a jazz explosion|work=Traveller|access-date=27 September 2014}}</ref> It stands almost {{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=off}} high overlooking Lake Geneva and was unveiled on 25 November 1996 by Mercury's father and Montserrat Caballé, with bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor also in attendance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://montreuxmusic.com/fmm/content/view/61/96/lang,english/|title=Montreuxmusic/Freddie Mercury |publisher=Montreuxmusic |access-date=7 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326014321/http://montreuxmusic.com/fmm/content/view/61/96/lang%2Cenglish/ |archive-date=26 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Beginning in 2003 fans from around the world have gathered in Switzerland annually to pay tribute to the singer as part of the "Freddie Mercury Montreux Memorial Day" on the first weekend of September.<ref name="Bishton_2004"/>

In 1997 the three remaining members of Queen released "[[No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)]]", a song dedicated to Mercury and all those that die too soon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_XX-XX-1997_-_No_One_But_You|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128163336/http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_XX-XX-1997_-_No_One_But_You|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 November 2010|title=Queen Press Release – No One But You|year=1997|publisher=Queenarchives.com|access-date=27 September 2014}}</ref> In 1999 a [[Royal Mail]] stamp with an image of [[Millennium stamp#Great Britain|Mercury on stage]] was issued in his honour as part of the UK postal service's [[Millennium stamp#1999|Millennium Stamp]] series.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/351568.stm|title=Mercury and Moore head millennium stamps|work=BBC News|access-date=27 September 2014|date=24 May 1999|archive-date=11 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711110935/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/351568.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectgbstamps.co.uk/displayset.asp?setid=239 |title=Millennium Series. The Entertainers' Tale (1999) |publisher=Collect GB Stamps |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=18 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318204616/http://www.collectgbstamps.co.uk/explore/issues/?issue=239 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2009 a star commemorating Mercury was unveiled in [[Feltham]], west London where his family moved upon arriving in England in 1964. The star in memory of Mercury's achievements was unveiled on Feltham High Street by his mother Jer Bulsara and Queen bandmate May.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/4757372.In_pictures__Freddie_Mercury_memorial_unveiled/ |title=Freddie Mercury memorial unveiled in Feltham |work=[[Richmond and Twickenham Times]] |date=24 November 2009 |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=16 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316091752/http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/4757372.In_pictures__Freddie_Mercury_memorial_unveiled/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Still rocking at the Dominion, Tottenham Court Road - geograph.org.uk - 1975220.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Mercury statue above the West End's [[Dominion Theatre]]]]
A statue of Mercury stood over the entrance to the [[Dominion Theatre]] in London's [[West End theatre|West End]] from May 2002 to May 2014 for Queen and [[Ben Elton]]'s musical ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/Misc/wewillrockintrocredits.htm |title=''We Will Rock You'' – Introduction & Credits |publisher=Ultimatequeen.co.uk |access-date=9 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223210255/http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/Misc/wewillrockintrocredits.htm |archive-date=23 February 2010 }}</ref> A tribute to Queen was on display at the [[Fremont Street Experience]] in [[downtown Las Vegas]] throughout 2009 on its video canopy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://julian1st.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/las-vegasqueen-tribute-rocks-tourists-at-fremont-st-experience/ |title=Las Vegas...Queen tribute rocks tourists at Fremont St. experience! |website=Julian1st.wordpress.com |date=17 January 2009 |access-date=9 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710164048/http://julian1st.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/las-vegasqueen-tribute-rocks-tourists-at-fremont-st-experience/ |archive-date=10 July 2012 }}</ref> In December 2009 a large model of Mercury wearing [[tartan]] was displayed in Edinburgh as publicity for the run of ''We Will Rock You''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsdec09a.html|title=Queen News – December 2009|publisher=Brianmay.com|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-date=30 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330140341/http://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsdec09a.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sculptures of Mercury often feature him wearing a military jacket with his fist in the air. In 2018, ''[[GQ]]'' called Mercury's yellow military jacket (created by British costume designer Diana Moseley) from his 1986 concerts his best known look,<ref>{{cite news |title=Yes, you should start dressing like Freddie Mercury |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/gallery/freddie-mercury-style-throughout-the-years |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231115324/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/gallery/freddie-mercury-style-throughout-the-years |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 December 2018 |date=4 September 2018 |work=GQ|author=Bekhrad, Joobin }}</ref> while [[CNN]] called it "an iconic moment in fashion."<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury's yellow military jacket: An iconic moment in fashion |url=https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/remember-when-freddie-mercury-jacket/index.html |access-date=14 May 2021 |publisher=CNN |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515113304/https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/remember-when-freddie-mercury-jacket/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

For Mercury's 65th birthday in 2011, Google dedicated its [[Google Doodle]] to him. It included an animation set to his song, "Don't Stop Me Now".<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury Day is celebrated with Google doodle |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/google-doodle/8741526/Freddie-Mercury-Day-is-celebrated-with-Google-doodle.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/google-doodle/8741526/Freddie-Mercury-Day-is-celebrated-with-Google-doodle.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=18 November 2018 |work=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Referring to "the late, great Freddie Mercury" in their 2012 [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] induction speech, [[Guns N' Roses]] quoted Mercury's lyrics from "We Are the Champions"; "I've taken my bows, my curtain calls, you've brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it, and I thank you all."<ref>{{YouTube|d5c9BpEmU7g|"Guns N' Roses Quoted Queen's Freddie Mercury at RRHOF Induction Speech"}}. Retrieved 27 July 2012</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/steven-adler-on-axl-rose-he-showed-his-true-colors-to-the-world-im-done-with-him-20120423|title=Steven Adler on Axl Rose: 'I'm Done With Him'|last=Greene|first=Andy|date=23 April 2012|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=27 July 2012|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145500/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/steven-adler-on-axl-rose-he-showed-his-true-colors-to-the-world-im-done-with-him-20120423|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Tribute was paid to Queen and Mercury at the [[2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|closing ceremony]] of the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] in London. The band's performance of "We Will Rock You" with [[Jessie J]] was opened with a video of Mercury's "[[call and response]]" routine from 1986's Wembley Stadium performance, with the 2012 crowd at the [[London Stadium|Olympic Stadium]] responding appropriately.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19195421|title=Olympics closing ceremony: A long goodbye to the Games|work=BBC News|access-date=27 September 2014|date=13 August 2012|archive-date=27 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827075844/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19195421|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9472447/Record-TV-audience-for-Olympics-closing-ceremony.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9472447/Record-TV-audience-for-Olympics-closing-ceremony.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Record TV audience for Olympics Closing ceremony|date=13 August 2012|work=The Telegraph|access-date=27 September 2014|location=London|first=Rosa|last=Silverman}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The frog genus ''[[Mercurana]]'', discovered in 2013 in [[Kerala]], India, was named as a tribute because Mercury's "vibrant music inspires the authors". The site of the discovery is very near to where Mercury spent most of his childhood.<ref name="robin">{{cite journal |author1=Abraham, Robin Kurian |author2=Pyron, R. Alexander |author3=Ansil B. R. |author4=Zachariah, Arun |author5=Zachariah, Anil |year= 2013 |title= Two novel genera and one new species of treefrog (Anura: Rhacophoridae) highlight cryptic diversity in the Western Ghats of India |journal= Zootaxa |volume=3640 |issue= 2 | pages= 177–189 |doi= 10.11646/zootaxa.3640.2.3 |pmid= 26000411}}</ref> In 2013, a newly discovered species of [[damselfly]] from Brazil was named ''[[Heteragrion freddiemercuryi]]'', honouring the "superb and gifted musician and songwriter whose wonderful voice and talent still entertain millions"&nbsp;— one of four similar damselflies named after the Queen bandmates, in tribute to Queen's 40th anniversary.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lencioni |first=F.A.A. |title=Diagnoses and discussion of the group 1 and 2 Brazilian species of ''Heteragrion'', with descriptions of four new species (Odonata: Megapodagrionidae) |journal=Zootaxa |volume=3685 |issue=1 |pages=001–080 |year=2013 |pmid=26146690 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3685.1.1}}</ref>

On 1 September 2016, an [[English Heritage]] [[blue plaque]] was unveiled at Mercury's home in 22 Gladstone Avenue in Feltham, west London by his sister, Kashmira Cooke, and Brian May.<ref>{{cite news|title=Blue Plaque unveiled on Freddie Mercury's first London home|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-37234409|work=BBC News|date=2 September 2016|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-date=30 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330012327/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-37234409|url-status=live}}</ref> Attending the ceremony, [[Karen Bradley]], the UK [[Secretary of State for Culture]], called Mercury "one of Britain's most influential musicians", and added he "is a global icon whose music touched the lives of millions of people around the world".<ref>{{cite news|title=Freddie Mercury Awarded English Heritage Blue Plaque|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/freddie-mercury-blue-plaque|publisher=English Heritage|date=11 November 2016|access-date=11 November 2016|archive-date=27 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027205117/https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/freddie-mercury-blue-plaque|url-status=live}}</ref> On 24 February 2020 a street in Feltham was renamed Freddie Mercury Close during a ceremony attended by his sister Kashmira.<ref>{{cite news |title=London street named for Freddie Mercury |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/freddie-mercury-close-london-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=27 February 2020 |publisher=CNN |archive-date=27 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227114041/https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/freddie-mercury-close-london-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 5 September 2016, the 70th anniversary of Mercury's birth, asteroid [[17473 Freddiemercury]] was named after him.<ref name="Certificate">{{cite news|title=Freddie Mercury: Asteroid named after late Queen star to mark 70th birthday|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37275294|work=BBC News|date=5 September 2016|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-date=29 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629110856/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37275294|url-status=live}}</ref> Issuing the certificate of designation to the "charismatic singer", Joel Parker of the [[Southwest Research Institute]] added: "Freddie Mercury sang, 'I'm a shooting star leaping through the sky'&nbsp;— and now that is even more true than ever before."<ref name="Certificate" /> In an April 2019 interview, British rock concert promoter [[Harvey Goldsmith]] referred to Mercury as "one of our most treasured talents".<ref>{{cite news |title=How golden-era pioneer Harvey Goldsmith has stayed on the cutting edge |url=https://accessaa.co.uk/how-golden-era-pioneer-harvey-goldsmith-has-stayed-on-the-cutting-edge/ |access-date=19 June 2020 |work=Accessaa |archive-date=31 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731194226/https://accessaa.co.uk/how-golden-era-pioneer-harvey-goldsmith-has-stayed-on-the-cutting-edge/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2019, Mercury was one of the honorees inducted in the [[Rainbow Honor Walk]], a [[walk of fame]] in San Francisco's [[Castro District]] noting [[LGBTQ]] people who have "made significant contributions in their fields".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sfist.com/2014/09/02/castros_rainbow_honor_walk_dedicate/|title=Castro's Rainbow Honor Walk Dedicated Today|last=Barmann|first=Jay|date=2 September 2014|website=SFist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810075052/https://sfist.com/2014/09/02/castros_rainbow_honor_walk_dedicate/|archive-date=10 August 2019|access-date=15 August 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ebar.com/news/news//277209|title=Castro to see more LGBT honor plaques|last=Bajko|first=Matthew S.|date=5 June 2019|website=The [[Bay Area Reporter]]|access-date=16 August 2019|archive-date=14 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814193946/https://www.ebar.com/news/news//277209|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11765805/tributes-in-bronze-8-more-lgbt-heroes-join-s-f-s-rainbow-honor-walk|title=Tributes in Bronze: 8 More LGBT Heroes Join S.F.'s Rainbow Honor Walk|last=Yollin|first=Patricia|date=6 August 2019|website=KQED: The California Report|access-date=16 August 2019|archive-date=14 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814132643/https://www.kqed.org/news/11765805/tributes-in-bronze-8-more-lgbt-heroes-join-s-f-s-rainbow-honor-walk|url-status=live}}</ref> Freddie Mercury Alley is a {{convert|107|yd||adj=mid|-long}} alley next to the British embassy in the Ujazdów district in [[Warsaw]], Poland, which is dedicated to Mercury, and was unveiled on 22 November 2019.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gozdur|first=Sandra|url=https://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/aleja-freddiego-mercuryego-oficjalnie-otwarta-to-wielki/ar/c1-7440031|title=Aleja Freddiego Mercury'ego oficjalnie otwarta. "To wielki zaszczyt dla Warszawy" [ZDJĘCIA]|date=25 November 2019|website=Warszawa Nasze Miasto|language=pl-PL|access-date=11 July 2020|archive-date=11 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111154327/https://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/aleja-freddiego-mercuryego-oficjalnie-otwarta-to-wielki/ar/c1-7440031|url-status=live}}</ref> Until the Freddie Mercury Close in Feltham was dedicated, Warsaw was the only city in Europe with a street dedicated to the singer.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gozdur|first=Sandra|url=https://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/aleja-freddiego-mercuryego-oficjalnie-otwarta-to-wielki/ar/c1-7440031|title=Aleja Freddiego Mercury'ego oficjalnie otwarta. "To wielki zaszczyt dla Warszawy" [ZDJĘCIA]|date=25 November 2019|website=Warszawa Nasze Miasto|language=pl-PL|access-date=11 July 2020|archive-date=11 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111154327/https://warszawa.naszemiasto.pl/aleja-freddiego-mercuryego-oficjalnie-otwarta-to-wielki/ar/c1-7440031|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1208716/Freddie-Mercury-death-1991-Brian-May-Poland-street-Queen-band-music-fans-died-AIDS|title=Freddie Mercury: Brian May reveals GORGEOUS new tribute to Queen legend|work=Daily Express|access-date=24 October 2019|archive-date=25 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191125184858/https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1208716/Freddie-Mercury-death-1991-Brian-May-Poland-street-Queen-band-music-fans-died-AIDS|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2020, Queen became the first band to join Queen Elizabeth II on a British coin. Issued by the [[Royal Mint]], the [[Five pounds (British coin)#Design|commemorative £5 coin]] features the instruments of all four band members, including Mercury's [[C. Bechstein|Bechstein]] grand piano and his mic and stand.<ref>{{cite news |title=Royal Mint unveils new £5 coin celebrating Freddie Mercury and Queen |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-5-pound-coin-freddie-mercury-brian-may-royal-mint-music-legends-a9292696.html |access-date=22 January 2020 |work=The Independent |archive-date=21 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121191658/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-5-pound-coin-freddie-mercury-brian-may-royal-mint-music-legends-a9292696.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2022, a life-size statue of Mercury was unveiled in South Korea's resort island of [[Jeju Island|Jeju]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury to live forever in South Korea statue |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0421/1293511-freddie-mercury-to-live-forever-in-south-korea-statue/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |archive-date=21 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421152746/https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0421/1293511-freddie-mercury-to-live-forever-in-south-korea-statue/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 2024, the crater [[Bulsara (crater)|Bulsara]] on the planet [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] was named after his birth name.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Planetary Names |url=https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/16280 |access-date=3 September 2024 |website=planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov |archive-date=28 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528073753/https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/16280 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mercury has featured in international advertising to represent the UK. In 2001, a parody of Mercury, along with prints of other British music icons consisting of [[the Beatles]], Elton John, [[Spice Girls]], and [[the Rolling Stones]], appeared in the [[Eurostar]] national advertising campaign in France for the Paris to London route.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/28586/freddy/eurostar|title=Eurostar – "Freddie Mercury"|work=[[AdForum]]|access-date=8 April 2019|archive-date=8 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408175741/https://www.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/28586/freddy/eurostar|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2017 the airline [[Norwegian Long Haul|Norwegian]] painted the tail fin of two of its aircraft with a portrait of Mercury to mark what would have been his 71st birthday. Mercury is one of the company's six "British tail fin heroes", alongside England's [[1966 FIFA World Cup]] winning captain [[Bobby Moore]], children's author [[Roald Dahl]], novelist [[Jane Austen]], pioneering pilot [[Amy Johnson]], and aviation entrepreneur Sir [[Freddie Laker]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Caswell|first1=Mark|title=Freddie Mercury unveiled as Norwegian's latest tail fin hero|url=https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2017/07/03/freddie-mercury-unveiled-norwegians-latest-tail-fin-hero/|work=Business Traveller|date=3 July 2017|access-date=5 July 2017|archive-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306042926/https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2017/07/03/freddie-mercury-unveiled-norwegians-latest-tail-fin-hero/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Munro|first1=Scott|title=Freddie Mercury's image to appear on Norwegian aircraft|url=http://teamrock.com/news/2017-06-30/freddie-mercurys-image-to-appear-on-norwegian-aircraft|website=Teamrock.com|publisher=Future Publishing Limited|access-date=5 July 2017|date=30 June 2017|archive-date=14 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014063132/http://teamrock.com/news/2017-06-30/freddie-mercurys-image-to-appear-on-norwegian-aircraft|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Importance in AIDS history===
As the first major rock star to die of AIDS-related complications, Mercury's death represented an important event in the history of the disease.<ref name=National/> In April 1992, the remaining members of Queen founded [[The Mercury Phoenix Trust]] and organised [[The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert]] for AIDS Awareness, to celebrate the life and legacy of Mercury and raise money for AIDS research, which took place on 20 April 1992.<ref name="Stothard_1992"/> The Mercury Phoenix Trust has since raised millions of pounds for various AIDS charities. The tribute concert, which took place at London's [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] for an audience of 72,000, featured a wide variety of guests including [[Robert Plant]] (of [[Led Zeppelin]]), [[Roger Daltrey]] (of [[the Who]]), [[Extreme (band)|Extreme]], [[Elton John]], [[Metallica]], [[David Bowie]], [[Annie Lennox]], [[Tony Iommi]] (of [[Black Sabbath]]), [[Guns N' Roses]], [[Elizabeth Taylor]], [[George Michael]], [[Def Leppard]], [[Seal (musician)|Seal]] and [[Liza Minnelli]], with [[U2]] also appearing via satellite. Elizabeth Taylor spoke of Mercury as "an extraordinary rock star who rushed across our cultural landscape like a comet shooting across the sky".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_04-21-1992_-_The_Times_-_Freddie_Mercury_Tribute|title=Freddie Mercury Tribute|publisher=Queenarchives.com|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-date=16 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316100725/http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_04-21-1992_-_The_Times_-_Freddie_Mercury_Tribute|url-status=live}}</ref> The concert was broadcast live to 76 countries and had an estimated viewing audience of 1&nbsp;billion people.<ref name="ABC_2007"/> The ''Freddie for a Day'' fundraiser on behalf of the Mercury Phoenix Trust takes place every year in London, with supporters of the charity including [[Monty Python]] comedian [[Eric Idle]] and [[Mel B]] of the Spice Girls.<ref>{{cite news |title=Queen fan meets Brian May and Monty Python's Eric Idle |url=https://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/queen-fan-meets-brian-may-and-monty-python-s-eric-idle-1-5715452 |access-date=18 August 2019 |newspaper=Boston Standard |archive-date=18 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818163301/https://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/queen-fan-meets-brian-may-and-monty-python-s-eric-idle-1-5715452 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The documentary ''[[Freddie Mercury - The Final Act]]'' aired on [[BBC Two]] in 2021 and [[The CW]] in the US in April 2022. It covered Mercury's last days, how his bandmates and friends put together the tribute concert at Wembley, and interviewed medical professionals, people who tested HIV positive, and others who knew someone who died of AIDS.<ref>{{cite news |title='Freddie Mercury: The Final Act' Doc Lands At The CW |url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/freddie-mercury-the-final-act-doc-the-cw-1234931879/ |last=White |first=Peter |access-date=4 September 2022 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |archive-date=4 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904165105/https://deadline.com/2022/02/freddie-mercury-the-final-act-doc-the-cw-1234931879/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury: The Final Act |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00123q9 |access-date=4 September 2022 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=9 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009233936/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00123q9 |url-status=live }}</ref> At the [[50th International Emmy Awards]] in 2022, it won the [[International Emmy Award for Best Arts Programming]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Pedersen|first=Erik|title=International Emmys: UK's 'Vigil' & 'Sex Education' Take Top Series Awards – Winners List|url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/international-emmys-2022-winners-list-1235179738/|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=21 November 2022|access-date=26 November 2022|archive-date=26 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126091923/https://deadline.com/2022/11/international-emmys-2022-winners-list-1235179738/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Appearances in lists of influential individuals===
Several popularity polls conducted over the past decade indicate that Mercury's reputation may have been enhanced since his death. For instance, in a 2002 vote to determine who the UK public considers the greatest British people in history, Mercury was ranked 58 in the list of the [[100 Greatest Britons]], broadcast by the BBC.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2208671.stm |title=BBC 100 great British heroes |work=BBC News |date=21 August 2002 |access-date=11 July 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804133026/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2208671.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> He was further listed at the 52nd spot in a 2007 Japanese national survey of the 100 most influential heroes.<ref name="James_2007"/> Although he had been criticised by gay activists for hiding his HIV status, author Paul Russell included Mercury in his book ''The Gay 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Gay Men and Lesbians, Past and Present''.<ref name="Russell_2002"/> In 2008, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked Mercury 18 on its ''Top 100 Singers Of All Time''.<ref name="rollingstone.com2"/> Mercury was voted the greatest male singer in [[MTV]]'s 22 Greatest Voices in Music.<ref name="Fitzpatrick_2006"/> In 2011 a ''Rolling Stone'' readers' pick placed Mercury in second place of the magazine's Best Lead Singers of All Time.<ref name="RSBestSingers"/> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine placed him second on their ''25 Best Rock Frontmen (and Women) of All Time'' list in 2015,<ref name="Billboard_2015">{{cite magazine |title=The 25 Best Rock Frontmen (and Women) of All Time |url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/6721847/best-rock-singers-of-all-time |access-date=10 March 2019 |magazine=Billboard |archive-date=16 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816012120/http://www.billboard.com/photos/6721847/best-rock-singers-of-all-time |url-status=live }}</ref> and third on their ''50 Greatest Rock Lead Singers of All Time'' list in 2023.<ref name="Billboard_2023">{{cite magazine|access-date=28 October 2023|title=The 50 Greatest Rock Lead Singers of All Time|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-rock-singers-bands-lead-vocalists/|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=16 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816164531/https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-rock-singers-bands-lead-vocalists/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2016, ''[[LA Weekly]]'' ranked him first on the list of 20 greatest singers of all time, in any genre.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weekly |first=L. A. |date=8 March 2016 |title=The 20 Best Singers of All Time (VIDEO) |url=https://www.laweekly.com/the-20-best-singers-of-all-time-video/ |access-date=20 July 2022 |work=LA Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked Mercury at No. 14 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=1 January 2023|title=The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/freddie-mercury-6-1234643195/|access-date=16 October 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|archive-date=28 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228205721/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/freddie-mercury-6-1234643195/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Portrayal on stage===
On 24 November 1997, a [[monodrama]] about Freddie Mercury's life, titled ''[[Mercury: The Afterlife and Times of a Rock God]]'', opened in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lefkowitz |first=David |title=Freddie Mercury To Rise Again, Off-B'way, Nov.&nbsp;24 |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/35833-Freddie-Mercury-To-Rise-Again-Off-Bway-Nov-24 |work=Playbill |date=24 November 1997 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021131502/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/35833-Freddie-Mercury-To-Rise-Again-Off-Bway-Nov-24 |archive-date=21 October 2012}}</ref> It presented Mercury in the hereafter: examining his life, seeking redemption and searching for his true self.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Marone|first=Mark|title=On Stage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3gkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA46|magazine=Billboard|date=13 December 1997|page=46}}</ref> The play was written and directed by [[Charles Messina]] and the part of Mercury was played by [[Khalid Gonçalves]] (né Paul Gonçalves) and then later, [[Amir Darvish]].<ref>{{cite web|author-link1=Robert Simonson|last=Simonson |first=Robert |title=Bohemian Rhapsody: Freddy Mercury Play Begins Performances Off Broadway, Jan.&nbsp;11 |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/83716-Bohemian-Rhapsody-Freddy-Mercury-Play-Begins-Performances-Off-Broadway-Jan-11 |work=Playbill |date=11 January 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021131929/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/83716-Bohemian-Rhapsody-Freddy-Mercury-Play-Begins-Performances-Off-Broadway-Jan-11 |archive-date=21 October 2012}}</ref> [[Billy Squier]] opened one of the shows with an acoustic performance of a song he had written about Mercury titled "I Have Watched You Fly".<ref>{{cite news|last=Barron|first=James|title=Public Lives; Theater Records|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9806E2DC153FF93BA25751C0A96E958260|newspaper=The New York Times|date=18 February 1998|author2=Martin, Douglas|access-date=8 February 2017|archive-date=31 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331092156/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9806E2DC153FF93BA25751C0A96E958260|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016 a musical titled ''Royal Vauxhall'' premiered at the [[Royal Vauxhall Tavern]] in Vauxhall, London. Written by [[Desmond O'Connor (cabaret performer)|Desmond O'Connor]], the musical told the alleged tales of the nights that Mercury, Kenny Everett and [[Princess Diana]] spent out at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London in the 1980s.<ref name="Diana"/> Following several successful runs in London, the musical was taken to the [[Edinburgh Fringe Festival]] in August 2016 starring Tom Giles as Mercury.<ref name="Diana">{{cite news |title=A cheeky trip down memory lane |url=https://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/article/84245-royal-vauxhall/ |access-date=21 July 2018 |publisher=Edinburgh Festival |archive-date=30 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330012151/https://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/article/84245-royal-vauxhall/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Portrayal in film and television===
The 2018 biographical film ''[[Bohemian Rhapsody (film)|Bohemian Rhapsody]]'' was, at its release, the highest-grossing [[Musical film|musical]] biographical film of all time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen biopic surpasses $900m at box office |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47939549 |access-date=15 April 2019 |work=BBC News |archive-date=16 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416141829/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47939549 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mendelson |first=Scott |title='Bohemian Rhapsody' Remains Box Office Queen With Supersonic $285M Cume |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/11/11/bohemian-rhapsody-remains-box-office-queen-with-supersonic-285m-cume/ |work=[[Forbes]] |date=11 November 2018 |access-date=12 November 2018 |archive-date=11 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211123550/https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/11/11/bohemian-rhapsody-remains-box-office-queen-with-supersonic-285m-cume/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Mercury was portrayed by [[Rami Malek]], whose performance earned him the [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Academy Award]], [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|BAFTA Award]], [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama|Golden Globe Award]] and [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role|Screen Actors Guild Award]] for Best Actor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rami Malek wins Leading Actor BAFTA 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p070j7gp |access-date=7 March 2019 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=17 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017102103/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p070j7gp |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Aridi |first1=Sara |title=2019 Oscar Winners: The Full List |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/movies/oscar-winners.html |access-date=7 March 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=24 February 2019 |archive-date=25 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225033142/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/24/movies/oscar-winners.html |url-status=live }}</ref> While the film received mixed reviews and contained historical inaccuracies, it won the Golden Globe for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture&nbsp;– Drama|Best Motion Picture – Drama]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/live/2019/jan/06/golden-globes-2019-live-latest-news-red-carpet-winners-list-speeches|title=Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book defy odds at Golden Globes 2019 – as it happened|date=7 January 2019|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=18 March 2019|archive-date=10 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110230411/https://www.theguardian.com/film/live/2019/jan/06/golden-globes-2019-live-latest-news-red-carpet-winners-list-speeches|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="varietyreview">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/bohemian-rhapsody-critics-reviews-roundup-rami-malek-1202990633/|title='Bohemian Rhapsody' Sees Mixed Reviews as Critics Praise Rami Malek|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|last=Yang|first=Rachel|date=23 October 2018|access-date=24 October 2018|archive-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130014931/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/bohemian-rhapsody-critics-reviews-roundup-rami-malek-1202990633/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="greene">{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/freddie-mercury-queen-biopic-bohemian-rhapsody-movie-fact-check-746195/|title=Fact-Checking the Queen Biopic, 'Bohemian Rhapsody'|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Greene|first=Andy|date=1 November 2018|access-date=8 November 2018|archive-date=30 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330082200/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/freddie-mercury-queen-biopic-bohemian-rhapsody-movie-fact-check-746195/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Mercury appeared as a supporting character in the BBC television drama ''Best Possible Taste: The [[Kenny Everett]] Story'', first broadcast in October 2012. He was portrayed by actor [[James Floyd (actor)|James Floyd]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00xzvlw|title=Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story|publisher=BBC|date=7 October 2012|access-date=21 October 2012|archive-date=21 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121073951/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00xzvlw|url-status=live}}</ref> He was played by actor John Blunt in ''The Freddie Mercury Story: Who Wants to Live Forever'', first broadcast in the UK on [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] in November 2016. Although the programme was criticised for focusing on Mercury's love life and sexuality, Blunt's performance and likeness to the singer did receive praise.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/20/the-freddie-mercury-story-blasted-for-wooden-acting-as-fans-get-all-emotional-over-queen-stars-death-6271514/ |title=Channel 5's Freddie Mercury doco-drama blasted for 'wooden' acting by fans |author=Nankervis, Troy |date=20 November 2016 |work=Metro |access-date=22 November 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122222837/http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/20/the-freddie-mercury-story-blasted-for-wooden-acting-as-fans-get-all-emotional-over-queen-stars-death-6271514/ |archive-date=22 November 2016 }}</ref>

In 2018, [[David Avery]] portrayed Mercury in the ''[[Urban Myths (TV series)|Urban Myths]]'' comedy series in an episode focusing on the antics backstage at Live Aid, and Kayvan Novak portrayed Mercury in an episode titled "[[The Sex Pistols]] vs. [[Bill Grundy]]".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://skyvision.sky.com/programme/20380/urban-myths-backstage-at-live-aid |title=Urban Myths: Backstage at Live Aid |publisher=[[Sky (United Kingdom)|Sky]] |date=15 June 2018 |access-date=15 June 2018 |archive-date=30 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330080701/https://skyvision.sky.com/programme/20380/urban-myths-backstage-at-live-aid |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Urban Myths: Backstage At Live Aid">{{Cite news |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/urban_myths_backstage_at_live_aid/ |title=Urban Myths: Backstage At Live Aid |website=comedy.co.uk |date=15 June 2018 |access-date=15 June 2018 |archive-date=30 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330012149/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/urban_myths_backstage_at_live_aid/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/05/31/urban-myths-sex-pistols-vs-bill-grundy-review-highly-entertaining/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/05/31/urban-myths-sex-pistols-vs-bill-grundy-review-highly-entertaining/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Urban Myths: The Sex Pistols vs Bill Grundy, review|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=15 June 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He was also portrayed by [[Eric McCormack]] (as the character [[Will Truman]]) on ''[[Will & Grace]]'' in the October 2018 episode titled "[[Tex and the City]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=Will & Grace recap: The 5 best burns in season 10, episode 3 |url=https://hiddenremote.com/2018/10/18/will-grace-recap-best-burns-is10e3/ |access-date=21 October 2018 |website=Hidden Remote.com |archive-date=30 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330012149/https://hiddenremote.com/2018/10/18/will-grace-recap-best-burns-is10e3/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Auction ===
From 4 August to 5 September 2023, an exhibition titled, Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, saw almost 1,500 items of Mercury's, which he had given to his former partner Mary Austin, displayed at [[Sotheby's]] in [[New Bond Street]], London before being sold across six auctions. Nearly 140,000 fans visited the exhibition, which Sotheby's had called "the life and work of Britain's greatest rock showman of the 20th century".<ref name="Sothebys"/>

A [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]] baby grand piano used by Mercury to compose many of the band's hits, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", sold for £1.7&nbsp;million, while his handwritten lyrics for the song went for £1.38&nbsp;million.<ref name="auction">{{Cite news |date=6 September 2023 |title=Freddie Mercury: Queen star's piano and other items fetch high prices at auction |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66729573 |access-date=7 September 2023 |archive-date=6 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906234436/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66729573 |url-status=live }}</ref> The door of his [[Garden Lodge, Kensington|Garden Lodge]] home in west London, covered in graffiti left by fans, went for £412,750.<ref name="auction"/> The crown and cloak designed by Diana Moseley for the 1986 Magic tour (his final concerts) sold for £635,000.<ref name="Sothebys"/> A pair of black striped [[Adidas]] high-top shoes (his principal stage footwear from 1984 onward) sold for £127,000.<ref name="Sothebys"/> The final evening sale at Sotheby's on 6 September took in £12.2&nbsp;million ($15.4&nbsp;million), while the six sales in total reached £39.9&nbsp;million ($50.4&nbsp;million), smashing Sotheby's pre-auction estimates.<ref name="Sothebys">{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury: A Full Set of 'White Glove' Sales Close on the Highest Note |url=https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/freddie-mercurys-opening-night-makes-history |access-date=21 September 2023 |agency=Sothebys}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Freddie Mercury Auction Smashes Estimates, Netting $50.4 Million |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-13/freddie-mercury-sotheby-s-london-auction-nets-over-50-million |access-date=28 October 2023 |publisher=Bloomberg L.P.}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Solo===
{{Main|Freddie Mercury discography}}

;Studio albums
* ''[[Mr. Bad Guy]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Barcelona (Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé album)|Barcelona]]'' <small>with Montserrat Caballé</small> (1988)

===Queen===
{{Main|Queen discography}}

;Studio albums
* ''[[Queen (Queen album)|Queen]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Queen II]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Sheer Heart Attack]]'' (1974)
* ''[[A Night at the Opera (Queen album)|A Night at the Opera]]'' (1975)
* ''[[A Day at the Races (album)|A Day at the Races]]'' (1976)
* ''[[News of the World (album)|News of the World]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Jazz (Queen album)|Jazz]]'' (1978)
* ''[[The Game (Queen album)|The Game]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Flash Gordon (soundtrack)|Flash Gordon]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Hot Space]]'' (1982)
* ''[[The Works (Queen album)|The Works]]'' (1984)
* ''[[A Kind of Magic]]'' (1986)
* ''[[The Miracle (album)|The Miracle]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Innuendo (album)|Innuendo]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Made in Heaven]]'' (1995)
{{col-end}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
<references>
<ref name="ABC_2007">{{citation|title=Freddie Mercury: The Tribute Concert|date=20 August 2007|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|location=Sydney|url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc2/200708/programs/ZY9027A001D20082007T210000.htm|access-date=6 August 2007|archive-date=3 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703212327/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc2/200708/programs/ZY9027A001D20082007T210000.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Aledort_2003">{{citation|last=Aledort|first=And|title=Guitar Tacet for Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody|publisher=MIT|url=http://people.csail.mit.edu/custo/FTP/Chitarra/Bohemian%20rhapsody%20-QUEEN.txt|date=29 November 2003|access-date=12 May 2006|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112123/http://people.csail.mit.edu/custo/FTP/Chitarra/Bohemian%20rhapsody%20-QUEEN.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="BBC_2005a">{{citation |work=BBC News |title=Queen top UK album charts league |publication-date=4 July 2005 |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4648611.stm |date=4 July 2005 |access-date=4 January 2010 |archive-date=16 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916002657/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4648611.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="BBC_2005b">{{citation |work=BBC News |title=Queen win greatest live gig poll |publication-date=9 November 2005 |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4420308.stm |date=9 November 2005 |access-date=4 January 2010 |archive-date=11 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411083222/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4420308.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="BBC_2006">{{citation |work=BBC News |title=Zanzibar angry over Mercury bash |publication-date=1 September 2006 |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5306792.stm |date=1 September 2006 |access-date=4 January 2010 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925132627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5306792.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="BBC_2007">{{citation |work= BBC News |title= Queen's rhapsody voted best video |publication-date= 8 October 2007 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7033249.stm |date= 8 October 2007 |access-date= 4 January 2010 |archive-date= 30 March 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150330134003/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7033249.stm |url-status= live }}</ref>
<ref name="Biochannel_2007">{{citation|publisher=Biography Channel |year=2007 |title=Freddie Mercury |location=London |url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/338:294/1/Freddie_Mercury.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013222952/http://thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/338%3A294/1/Freddie_Mercury.htm |archive-date=13 October 2007 }}</ref>
<ref name="Bishton_2004">{{citation|editor-last=Bishton |editor-first=Derek |title=Freddie's rhapsody |date=31 August 2004 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2004/08/31/etmontreux2908.xml |first=Christopher |last=Middleton |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112230851/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=%2Ftravel%2F2004%2F08%2F31%2Fetmontreux2908.xml |archive-date=12 January 2008 |access-date=2 May 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="Blaikie_1996">{{citation|last=Blaikie |first=Thomas |date=7 December 1996 |title=Camping at High Altitude |periodical=The Spectator |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_199612/ai_n8756422 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113202736/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_199612/ai_n8756422 |archive-date=13 November 2007 }}</ref>
<ref name="Bradley_1992">{{citation|last=Bradley|first=J.|date=20 July 1992 |title= Mercury soars in opera CD: Bizarre album may be cult classic|periodical=The Denver Post|publisher=MNG|location=Denver}}</ref>
<ref name="Brown_1992">{{citation|last=Brown|first=G.|date=19 April 1992|title=Queen's popularity takes ironic turn |periodical= The Denver Post | at = Section D |publisher=MNG|location= Denver}}</ref>
<ref name="Brown_2006">{{citation|last=Brown|first=Mark|date=16 November 2006|title=Queen are the champions in all-time album sales chart|periodical=The Guardian|location=London|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/nov/16/musicnews.lifeandhealth|access-date=6 August 2007|archive-date=31 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331024838/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/nov/16/musicnews.lifeandhealth|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Cain_2006">{{citation|last=Cain|first=Matthew|year=2006|title=Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic|publisher=British Film Institute|location=London|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ1cfoMWRpQ | archive-url=http://ghostarchive.org/varchive/AQ1cfoMWRpQ | archive-date=21 September 2021 | at = 9:00/Roger Taylor}}{{cbignore}}.<!-- BFI record: http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/824582 --></ref>
<ref name="CNN_2002">{{citation|publisher=CNN |date=9 May 2002 |title=Queen in Rhapsody over hit award |location=Atlanta |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/08/uk.queen/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109224410/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/08/uk.queen/index.html |archive-date=9 November 2007}}</ref>
<ref name="Coleman_1981">{{citation|editor-last=Coleman|editor-first=Ray|title=The Man Who Would Be Queen|periodical=Melody Maker |date= 2 May 1981 |url=http://queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020050854/http://www.queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=26 |archive-date=20 October 2007 |access-date=24 September 2009 | type = interview}}</ref>
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<ref name="Fitzpatrick_2006">{{citation|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Liam|title=Farrokh Bulsara|series=60 Years of Asian Heroes|periodical=[[Time Asia]] |volume=168|issue=21|date=13 November 2006|location=Hong Kong |url=http://time.com/time/asia/2006/heroes/at_bulsara.html |url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228152302/http://www.time.com/time/asia/2006/heroes/at_bulsara.html|archive-date=28 December 2008}}</ref>

<ref name="Haines_2005">{{citation|last=Haines|first=Lester|date=29 September 2005|title='We Are the Champions' voted world's fave song|work=The Register|location=London|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/29/world_music_poll/|access-date=10 August 2017|archive-date=28 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628194133/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/29/world_music_poll/|url-status=live}}</ref>
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<ref name="Highleyman_2005">{{citation|last=Highleyman |first=Liz |date=9 September 2005 |title=Who was Freddie Mercury? |periodical=Seattle Gay News |volume=33 |issue=36 |url=http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews36/page20.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011074210/http://sgn.org/sgnnews36/page20.cfm |archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref>
<ref name="Hodkinson_2004">{{citation|last=Hodkinson|first=Mark|year=2004|title=Queen: The Early Years|place=London|publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn= 978-1-84449-012-7|pages=2, 61}}</ref>
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<ref name=Independent2006>{{citation|title=Depp tipped for Freddie Mercury film role|publication-date=December 2006|location=UK|work=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/depp-tipped-for-freddie-mercury-film-role-429639.html|date=December 2006|access-date=25 February 2011|archive-date=16 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216000916/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/depp-tipped-for-freddie-mercury-film-role-429639.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="Jackson_1997">{{citation|last=Jackson|first=Laura|year=1997|title=Mercury: The King of Queen|place=London|publisher=Smith Gryphon|isbn=978-1-85685-132-9}}</ref>
<ref name="James_2007">{{citation|author=James|date=1 April 2007|title=NTV program review: History's 100 Most Influential People: Hero Edition|url=http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1471|publisher=japanprobe.com|location=Saitama|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070501044711/http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1471|archive-date=1 May 2007}}</ref>
<ref name = "Januszczak_1996">{{citation|last=Januszczak|first=Waldemar|title=Star of India|date=17 November 1996|periodical=[[The Sunday Times]]|location=London|url=http://queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Freddie_Mercury_-_11-17-1996_-_Sunday_Times|access-date=1 September 2008|archive-date=16 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316102008/http://queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Freddie_Mercury_-_11-17-1996_-_Sunday_Times|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name=knebworth>{{citation|last=Jones|first=Tim|title=How Great Thou Art, King Freddie|date=July 1999|periodical=Record Collector|url=http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stadium/5025/RC.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091020212918/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stadium/5025/RC.html|archive-date=20 October 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Landesman_2006">{{citation|last=Landesman|first=Cosmo|title=Freddie, a Very Private Rock Star|date=10 September 2006|periodical=[[The Times]]|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article634052.ece|location=London|access-date=2 May 2010|archive-date=20 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720075114/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="LindaB_2000">{{citation|author=Linda B |date=5 October 2000 |title=Certificate of Birth |location=Chorley |publisher=Mr Mercury |url=http://mr-mercury.co.uk/Images/Birthcertificatefreddie.jpg |format=[[JPEG]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228103923/http://mr-mercury.co.uk/Images/Birthcertificatefreddie.jpg |archive-date=28 February 2008 }}</ref>
<ref name="Longfellow_2006">{{citation|last=Longfellow|first=Matthew|date=21 March 2006|title=Classic Albums: Queen: The Making of "A Night at the Opera|publisher=Eagle Rock Entertainment|location=Aldershot}}.<!--[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0833880/ *IMDB*]--></ref>

<ref name="O'Donnell_2005">{{citation|last=O'Donnell|first=Lisa|title=Freddie Mercury, WSSU professor were boyhood friends in India, Zanzibar|date=7 July 2005 |periodical=RelishNow! |access-date=24 September 2009|url=http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783665319&path=!entertainment!music&s=1037645508978|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080218010236/http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783665319&path=!entertainment!music&s=1037645508978|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 February 2008}}</ref>

<ref name="Minchin_2005">{{citation|last=Minchin|first=Ryan|title=The World's Greatest Gigs|year=2005|publisher=Initial Film & Television|location=London|archive-url=http://ghostarchive.org/varchive/Ob5NpdkH5Dw | archive-date=21 September 2021 |  url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob5NpdkH5Dw }}{{cbignore}}.<!-- BFI http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/824689 --></ref>
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<ref name=National>{{citation|author=National AIDS Trust|year=2006|title=25 years of HIV – a UK perspective|publisher=National AIDS Trust press office|location=London|url=http://www.worldaidsday.org/about3.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061222111814/http://www.worldaidsday.org/about3.asp|archive-date=22 December 2006}}</ref>

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<ref name="Queen_1992">{{citation|author=Queen|chapter=Bohemian Rhapsody|title=Queen: Greatest Hits: Off the Record|year=1992|publisher=Barnes Music Engraving|location=Eastbourne/Hastings|isbn=978-0-86359-950-7}}</ref>

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==Cited sources==
* {{cite book |last1=Blake |first1=Mark |title=Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic |date=2016 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-1-783-23778-4 }}
* {{citation|last=Bret|first=David|year=1996|title=Living On the Edge: The Freddie Mercury Story |publisher= Robson Books|location=London|isbn=978-1-86105-256-8}}
* {{citation|last=Jones|first=Lesley-Ann|year=2011|title=Freddie Mercury: The Definitive Biography|place=London|publisher=Hachette UK|isbn=9781444733709|author-link=Lesley-Ann Jones}}
* {{citation|last1=Rees|first1=Dafydd|last2=Crampton|first2=Luke|year=1999|title=The Rock Stars Encyclopedia|editor-last=Summers|editor-first=David|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=London|isbn=978-0789446138|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/rockstarsencyclo00rees}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{citation|last=Barnes|first=Ken|title=Album Review: Queen II|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=20 June 1974|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/queen/albums/album/111006/review/5944771/queen_ii|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220071922/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/queen/albums/album/111006/review/5944771/queen_ii|archive-date=20 February 2008}}.
* {{citation|work=BBC News|title=Sinatra is voice of the century|date=18 April 2001|location=London|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/entertainment/music/1281522.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813071646/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/entertainment/music/1281522.stm|archive-date=13 August 2007}}.
* {{citation|work=BBC News|title=BBC reveals 100 great British heroes|publication-date=22 August 2002|location=London|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2208532.stm|date=22 August 2002|access-date=4 January 2010|archive-date=5 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905193217/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2208532.stm|url-status=live}}.
* {{citation|last=Boyce|first=Simon|year=1995 |title= Freddie Mercury |place= Bristol |publisher= Parragon|isbn= 978-1-86105-054-0}}.
* {{citation|last=Clarke|first=Ross|year=1991|title=Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic|place=Oxted|publisher=Kingsfleet Publications|isbn= 978-1-874130-01-7}}.
* {{citation|last=Cohen|first=Scott|title=Queen's Freddie Mercury Shopping for an Image in London|periodical=[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]]|date=April 1975|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=30|access-date=24 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011205552/http://www.queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=30|archive-date=11 October 2007}}.
* {{citation|last=D'Esti Miller|first=Sarah|date=19 July 2007|title=EPAC's 'Rhapsody' Hits Too Many Wrong Notes|periodical=Press & Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, NY|url=http://www.queenzone.com/news/epacs-rhapsody-hits-too-many-wrong-notes.aspx|access-date=24 September 2009|type=article discussing vocal range|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715135416/http://www.queenzone.com/news/epacs-rhapsody-hits-too-many-wrong-notes.aspx|archive-date=15 July 2011}}.
* {{citation|last1=Evans|first1=David|last2=Minns|first2=David|year=1992|title=Freddie Mercury: This is the Real Life |place= London|publisher=Britannia|isbn=978-0-9519937-3-6}}.
* {{citation|last=Freestone|first=Peter|year=1998|title=Mister Mercury|place= London |publisher= Tusitala |isbn= 978-0-9533341-0-0}}.
* {{citation|last=Freestone|first=Peter|year=1999|title=Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir By the Man Who Knew Him Best|place=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-7119-8674-9}}.
* {{citation|last=Guazzelli|first=Andrés E.|title=The Voice: Freddy Mercury Characteristics of his voice|date=8 February 2007|location=Buenos Aires|publisher=f-mercury.com.ar|url=http://f-mercury.com.ar/eng_characteristics.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416080630/http://f-mercury.com.ar/eng_characteristics.htm|archive-date=16 April 2009}}
* {{citation|last1=Gunn|first1=Jacky|last2=Jenkins|first2=Jim|year=1992|title=Queen: As It Began|place=London |publisher= Sidgwick & Jackson|isbn=978-0-330-33259-0}}.
* {{citation|last=Hauptfuhrer|first=Fred|date=5 December 1977|title=For A Song: The Mercury that's rising in rock is Freddie the satiny seductor of Queen|periodical=People|url=http://people.com/archive/the-mercury-thats-rising-in-rock-is-freddie-the-satiny-seductor-of-queen-vol-8-no-23/|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-date=23 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523114812/https://people.com/archive/the-mercury-thats-rising-in-rock-is-freddie-the-satiny-seductor-of-queen-vol-8-no-23/|url-status=live}}.<!-- 1977 Profile of Mercury -->
* {{citation|last=Hudson|first=Jeffrey|year=1995|title=Freddie Mercury & Queen|place=Chessington, Surrey|publisher=Castle Communications|isbn=978-1-86074-040-4}}.
* {{citation|last=Hyder|first=Rehan|year=2004|title=Brimful of Asia: Negotiating Ethnicity on the UK Music Scene|publisher=Ashgate|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=54U93KEMlNwC&pg=PA75|isbn=978-0-7546-4064-6}}.
* {{citation |last=Mehar |first=Rakesh |date=18 September 2006 |title=God Should've Saved the Queen |periodical=The Hindu (Kochi) |location=New Delhi |publisher=hinduonline.com |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006091800730300.htm&date=2006/09/18/&prd=mp& |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606131650/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006091800730300.htm&date=2006%2F09%2F18%2F&prd=mp& |archive-date=6 June 2011 |url-status=usurped }}.
* {{citation|last1=Mercury|first1=Freddie|last2=Brooks|first2=Greg|last3=Lupton|first3=Simon|year=2006|title=Freddie Mercury: A life, In His Own Words|place=London|publisher=Mercury Songs|isbn=978-0-9553758-0-4}}.
* {{citation|last=Prato|first=Greg|title=Freddie Mercury|location=Ann Arbor|work=AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4899|access-date=10 August 2019|archive-date=17 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317053741/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4899|url-status=live}}.
* {{citation |doi=10.1016/j.npep.2004.09.007 |title=Hungarian Rhapsody in C major – Hommage to János Szolcsányi |year=2004 |last1=Zimmermann |first1=Manfred |journal=Neuropeptides |volume=38 |issue=6 |pages=375–6 |pmid=15651128|s2cid=13729645 |doi-access=free }}
* {{citation |last=Rush |first=Don |year=1977a |publication-date=17 March 1977 |title=Queen's Freddie Mercury |periodical=Circus |url=http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stadium/5025/CIRCUS.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021075006/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Stadium/5025/CIRCUS.html |archive-date=21 October 2009 |type=interview |url-status=dead }}.
* {{citation|last=Rush|first=Don|year=1977b|publication-date=5 December 1977|title=Interview with Mercury|periodical=Circus|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=32|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020050442/http://www.queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=32|archive-date=20 October 2007|access-date=24 September 2009}}.
* {{citation|last=Taraporevala|first=Sooni|title=Parsis: The Zoroastrians of India: A Photographic Journey|year= 2004 |edition=2nd|location=Woodstock/New York|publisher=Overlook Press|isbn=978-1-58567-593-7}}.
* {{citation|publisher=UKMusic.com|title=UK Top 40 Albums Chart 10&nbsp;September&nbsp;2006|date=10 September 2006|url=http://www.ukmusic.com/charts/album-chart/uk-top-40-albums-chart-10th-september-2006.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313215440/http://www.ukmusic.com/charts/album-chart/uk-top-40-albums-chart-10th-september-2006.html|archive-date=13 March 2008}}.
* {{citation |last=Urban |first=Robert |title=Freddie Mercury & Queen: Past, Present & Future Impressions |publisher=afterelton.com |url=http://www.raggedblade.com/reviews/000329.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140731001913/http://www.raggedblade.com/reviews/000329.html |archive-date=31 July 2014 }}.
* {{citation|last=Webb|first=Julie|title=Queen|date=4 April 1974|periodical=NME|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020050838/http://www.queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=28|archive-date=20 October 2007|url=http://www.queenarchives.com/viewtopic.php?t=28}}.
* {{citation|publisher=Femalefirst.co.uk|title=Legend Freddie Mercury Honoured|date=9 April 2005|location=Wigan, Lancs|url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/Freddie+Mercury-3960.html|access-date=13 August 2007|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043947/http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/musicnews/Freddie+Mercury-3960.html|url-status=live}}.
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons and category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Discogs artist|Freddie Mercury}}
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4899}}
* {{IMDb name|0006198}}

{{Freddie Mercury}}
{{Queen|Freddie Mercury}}
{{2001 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Rock music|England|LGBTQ}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercury, Freddie}}
[[Category:Freddie Mercury| ]]
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century British LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:20th-century British male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century British pianists]]
[[Category:20th-century British singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:AIDS-related deaths in England]]
[[Category:Alumni of Ealing Art College]]
[[Category:Bisexual male singers]]
[[Category:Bisexual singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Brit Award winners]]
[[Category:British Asian musicians]]
[[Category:British bisexual men]]
[[Category:British bisexual musicians]]
[[Category:British LGBTQ singers]]
[[Category:British LGBTQ songwriters]]
[[Category:British male pianists]]
[[Category:British male pop singers]]
[[Category:British male rock singers]]
[[Category:British male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:British people of Gujarati descent]]
[[Category:British people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:British people of Parsi descent]]
[[Category:British record producers]]
[[Category:British rock keyboardists]]
[[Category:British rock pianists]]
[[Category:British tenors]]
[[Category:British Zoroastrians]]
[[Category:Deaths from bronchopneumonia]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in England]]
[[Category:EMI Records artists]]
[[Category:Hollywood Records artists]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to England]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ singers]]
[[Category:Ivor Novello Award winners]]
[[Category:LGBTQ Zoroastrians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Parlophone artists]]
[[Category:Parsi male singers]]
[[Category:People from Feltham]]
[[Category:People from Mjini Magharibi Region]]
[[Category:Queen (band) members]]
[[Category:Refugees in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Singers with a four-octave vocal range]]
[[Category:Sultanate of Zanzibar singers]]
[[Category:Zanzibari emigrants to India]]
[[Category:Zanzibari emigrants to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Zanzibari people of Indian descent]]