It’s hard to believe that were he still with us today, Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara), the lead singer of Queen who died nearly 25 years ago from AIDS, would be 70 years old today.
To many, Mercury was the greatest rock and roll singer of all time. Besides his four-octave vocal range, he was a gifted songwriter and composer, and an incredibly charismatic showman who was often described as a man “who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand.” Queen, as a band, was made up of four amazingly talented musicians—probably the only band to have every member individually write songs that went to number one—but the fact is, Mercury was the heart and sound of the band and once he was gone …
Anyway, in honor of Freddie’s birthday, let’s take a trip down memory lane and enjoy some of his finest moments.
[Trigger warning: These videos are from the 1970s and ‘80s, so be prepared for some unfortunate hair and fashion!]