Queen fans are in line for an early Christmas present after Brian May announced plans to release a previously unheard track from the band, originally recorded more than half a century ago.
May will host a Christmas special for digital radio station Planet Rock from 6:00pm on December 22, during which fans will be given their first opportunity to hear unreleased Queen track Not For Sale.
The song, written by May, was originally recorded in 1974 during sessions for the band’s second studio album, Queen II, but failed to make the final track-listing.
It has since been remastered and will feature on a re-release of the album in 2026, but not before fans get an early Christmas preview, exclusively on Planet Rock.
‘People might possibly have heard a bootleg version of Not for Sale (Polar Bear) by Smile, it’s a song that goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version,’ said May.
‘It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album – coming next year – but I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it.
Brian May will debut a previously unheard track from the band, originally recorded more than half a century ago, when he hosts a special Planet Rock show on December 22
The song, written by May, was originally recorded in 1974 during sessions for the band’s second studio album, Queen II, but failed to make the final track-listing (pictured in 1977)
‘I hope people have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year!’
Queen released fifteen studio albums over a 23 year recording career, their last coming three years after lead singer Freddie Mercury‘s death to AIDS, aged just 45, in 1991.
Made In Heaven, released in 1995, featured vocal arrangements and piano parts recorded by Mercury over a period of years before his death.
Earlier this year, May revealed the band had returned to the studio with Adam Lambert, their touring singer since 2014.
Despite releasing two live albums together, Queen have yet to put out new original music with Lambert, who found fame as a contestant on US talent show American Idol, as their front-man.
May’s festive show, which is repeated on Christmas Day, will include his personal festive jukebox, with the veteran guitarist sharing a hand‑picked selection of his favourite Christmas and seasonal tracks.
Along the way he will reflects on the music that has soundtracked his own Christmases over the years, while offering warm stories, memories and insights from his colourful life and career.
His jukebox will include songs from the likes of Bad News, Slade, Chuck Berry and The Crystals, as well as a surprise Christmas hit for his wife, the former EastEnders actress Anita Dobson.
Queen released fifteen studio albums over a 23 year recording career, their last coming three years after lead singer Freddie Mercury’s death to AIDS, aged just 45, in 1991
Queen perform Killer Queen on Dutch TV show Top Pop in 1974, the same year they released their second studio album, Queen II
May has suffered a series of health scares over recent years, including a heart attack in 2020 and a recent stroke that left him unable to use his left arm.
Confirming his stroke in September, the legendary musician told Instagram followers: ‘I’m here to bring you some good news – the good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days.
‘I say this because it was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago and what they called it was a minor stroke.’
May revealed the incident left him temporarily unable to use his left arm and he had a ‘very exciting’ emergency ambulance journey to Frimley Hospital in Surrey.
‘All of a sudden, out of the blue, I didn’t have any control over this arm, so it was a little scary, I have to say,’ he continued.
‘I didn’t want to say anything at the time because I didn’t want anything surrounding, you know. I really don’t want sympathy.’
He added: ‘Please don’t do that because it’ll clutter up my inbox and I hate that.’
