Brian May reacts to Bohemian Rhapsody topping Total Guitar’s greatest solo of all time poll

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By ( Total Guitar ) published

“I am not worthy, but it’s much appreciated,” says the Queen guitarist

Brian May and Queen and Adam Lambert perform at the Fire Fight Australia, a concert for National Bushfire Relief in Sydney on February 16, 2020. - More than 24 acts are performing at the nine-hour fundraising concert for victims of the recent bushfires in Australia.
(Image credit: PETER PARKS/AFP via Getty Images)

Last year, Brian May edged out Jimi Hendrix to nab the top slot in Total Guitar and GuitarWorld.com’s greatest rock guitarist of all time reader’s poll.

Now the Queen electric guitar player been honored by the magazine’s readers once again, with Bohemian Rhapsody being crowned number one in the magazine’s 50 greatest solos of all time poll.

May, who bested Eddie Van Halen, David Gilmour and Jimmy Page to claim the top spot, responded to the award, writing on Instagram:

“The Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time ?!! Wow ... (gulp) ... BIG thanks, all yous very kind Total Guitar readers !!! I am not worthy, but it’s much appreciated.”

A post shared by Brian Harold May (@brianmayforreal)

A photo posted by on

To see the full list of the 50 greatest solos of all time, check out the new issue of Total Guitar.

And if you’re interested in learning how to play the greatest solo of all time, Bri himself is here to show you.

Richard Bienstock
Richard Bienstock

Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.

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