Queen’s cultural relevance has risen and dipped over the decades, but according to guitarist Brian May, one artist in particular helped bring the band back into the spotlight not through reinvention, but through sheer passion and reverence. That musician was Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, whose enthusiasm for Queen reminded fans and fellow artists alike why the band’s music still resonates.
May and Hawkins were longtime friends, with the two sharing a deep personal and creative bond. May told Variety that Hawkins was not just a fan, but an aficionado — one whose knowledge of Queen’s catalogue was so complete that he “knew more about us than we did.” What struck May most was Hawkins’ ability to champion Queen without irony or distance, presenting the band’s music as timeless rather than nostalgic.
That connection translated into high-profile tributes. At Lollapalooza Argentina, Hawkins stepped from behind his drum kit to sing Queen’s “Somebody to Love” with the Foo Fighters — a moment that delighted fans and revealed his genuine emotional bond with the band’s songs. May said that witnessing Hawkins’ unguarded celebration of Queen’s music helped shift conversations about the band from “classic act” to living influence capable of inspiring new generations.
According to May, what made Hawkins’ impact so powerful wasn’t just technical knowledge, but pure, infectious admiration — the kind that strips away irony and allows listeners to connect directly with emotional spectacle, sincerity, and rock virtuosity. In Hawkins’ hands, Queen’s music wasn’t a relic of the past, but a vital, relevant force in rock culture once again.
