The Queen Riff That Still Stumps Brian May—Even After 50 Years!

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” remains one of the most iconic songs in rock history, and its unforgettable guitar solo, crafted by Brian May, is instantly recognizable. Yet, even after 50 years of performing it live, May admits that the legendary riff is still a challenge to play.

As the song celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, May, who has played the iconic track countless times, confesses that he doesn’t find it easy to perform on stage. “It’s not the easiest thing to play,” he says. “It’s not a riff that a guitarist would naturally play… It’s difficult for the guitar to get a hold of it, but once you have got hold of it, it’s very unusual. And to be honest, I still don’t find it easy.”

Despite his decades of experience, May reveals that the excitement and adrenaline of a live performance make it especially difficult. “I can play it at home okay, but in the heat of the battle… when we’re playing it live, and there’s huge adrenaline, it’s the climax of the show, and that riff comes along—it’s not the easiest thing to play,” he admits. “I’m excited and I’ve got to keep the passion, but I’ve got to keep a part of my brain cool just to handle where the fingers have to go because it isn’t natural.”

The challenge, as May explains, lies in the fact that the riff is “one of the most unnatural riffs to play you could possibly imagine.” Yet, this difficulty is part of what makes the riff so special. “But that’s the joy of it, really, because it’s so unusual,” he says in an interview with Total Guitar.

What’s even more intriguing is that the riff, which has become one of the most famous in music history, wasn’t born from May’s guitar-playing genius but rather from the imagination of Queen’s legendary frontman, Freddie Mercury. According to May, Freddie came to him with the riff in his head and played it on the piano. May then adapted it for the guitar, though it was a challenge due to the fact that Freddie had originally played the notes in octaves.

“Quite difficult,” May admits, but this unique challenge only adds to the iconic nature of the song.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” was released in October 1975, on Queen’s groundbreaking album A Night at the Opera. At six minutes long, the song defied conventional single lengths, and their record label was initially hesitant to release it as a single, fearing it would get no airplay. But thanks to the determination of Capital Radio DJ Kenny Everett, a friend of Freddie’s, the song was played 14 times in a single weekend, sparking a buzz that would eventually make it Queen’s first-ever No. 1 hit.

The track’s success not only solidified Queen’s place in rock history but also became their defining anthem, even inspiring the title of the 2019 Oscar-winning biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury.

Though May may still find it challenging, there’s no doubt that “Bohemian Rhapsody” remains as powerful and iconic as ever, a testament to the band’s unmatched creativity and enduring legacy.