Brian May Says Queen Are Done Touring

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Brian May told The Times he decided 18 months ago that he did not want to tour again, describing the restrictions of touring and his family and personal priorities. Queen have not announced a new tour, but May said he and Roger Taylor remain interested in developing an immersive Queen experience; its format and prospects are unclear.

Queen guitarist Brian May says he does not want to tour again, telling The Times that he made that decision 18 months ago after a family friend died while the band was touring in the United States. The comments indicate that extended touring is not in his plans, though May also said he and drummer Roger Taylor remain interested in a possible immersive Queen production.

May said the death prompted him to ask his tour manager whether he could fly home briefly and then rejoin the tour. He recalled being told that was not possible. The episode, he said, made clear the personal cost of committing to a long run of shows. His account is a statement of his own decision; the interview does not announce a formal band decision or provide a new tour cancellation.

“I made a decision 18 months ago that I didn’t want to tour again,” May told The Times. He said he still loves performing and travelling, but described touring as requiring him to sacrifice freedom. He cited his wife, grandchildren and interest in astrophysics as reasons to spend less time on the road, adding that “maybe 50 years is enough.”

May’s remarks are a firmer indication than his position earlier in 2026, when he ruled out Queen shows in the US but had left open the possibility of performances elsewhere. Queen + Adam Lambert last performed together in February 2024, closing their Rhapsody Tour in Tokyo, according to the source report.

Touring Plans and a Different Stage Format

May’s comments matter because they narrow the prospect of Queen returning to the traditional format of extended tours, which has been central to the band’s live presence. They do not, on their own, establish that every future live performance is ruled out: May spoke about his own decision, and the report does not include a separate announcement from Queen or Taylor.

The alternative under discussion would be an immersive Queen experience, rather than a conventional series of concerts. May said he had sketched out a production after visiting Sphere in Las Vegas and described the idea as potentially ambitious. But it remains a proposal, not a confirmed project with a venue, schedule, production plan or ticket details.

From Rhapsody Tour to New Ideas

Queen + Adam Lambert’s Rhapsody Tour ended with a February 2024 performance in Tokyo. The group has not played together since, according to the source report. Earlier this year, May ruled out US shows but did not fully close the door on performing in other places. His latest remarks go further by saying he made a personal decision against touring again.

May said he and Taylor still want to create something “fairly revolutionary.” He contrasted the potential project with ABBA’s digital-avatar shows, while suggesting an immersive format could be considered. He also said artificial intelligence raises concerns for him, and that those reservations have complicated the concept.

““I made a decision 18 months ago that I didn’t want to tour again.””

— Brian May, speaking to The Times

Queen Project Still Unconfirmed

It is not clear whether Queen as a group has formally ruled out all future touring, or whether May’s decision will determine the plans of other members. The source report contains no statement from Taylor or a formal announcement by Queen. It also does not say whether the band could play isolated shows rather than tour.

The immersive idea remains unconfirmed. No launch date, venue, production partners, budget or technical approach has been announced. May’s concerns about artificial intelligence may affect whether the concept moves forward, but he did not say the project had been abandoned.

Band Plans and Immersive Concept

The next indication of Queen’s live plans would be a statement from the band or further comments from May and Taylor. Until one is made, May’s remarks should be understood as his stated decision not to tour, rather than a formal announcement covering every possible Queen performance.

For the immersive concept, any concrete development would need to clarify how the experience would work and address May’s stated reservations about AI. The source report provides no timeline for a decision or announcement.

Key Questions

Has Queen officially announced that it will never tour again?

No. May said he does not want to tour again, but the report does not include a formal announcement from Queen declaring that all future touring is over.

When did Brian May decide he did not want to tour?

May told The Times he made the decision 18 months before the interview. He linked it to the death of a close family friend while Queen were touring in the United States.

When did Queen + Adam Lambert last perform together?

According to the source report, the group’s last performance together was in Tokyo in February 2024, at the end of the Rhapsody Tour.

Could Queen still create a live experience?

May said he and Roger Taylor remain interested in an immersive Queen production. It is an idea under consideration, not an announced show or confirmed project.

Why is May concerned about the proposed experience?

May said he has serious misgivings about artificial intelligence and believes the immersive concept currently cannot be made without it. The report does not explain what specific AI uses he objects to.

Source: rss