Early Life
Born Farrokh Bulsara to a Parsi family, he was educated in India and moved with his family to England in 1964 after the Zanzibar Revolution.
Career
He joined the band that became Queen in 1970 and wrote several of its biggest songs, including “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975), “Killer Queen”, “Somebody to Love” and “Don't Stop Me Now”. Queen's set at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985 is often ranked among the greatest live performances in rock history.
Legacy
Mercury died in London in 1991, a day after publicly confirming that he had AIDS, and his death raised global awareness of the disease. Queen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and the film Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) dramatized the band's story.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24