Queen fans are set for an early Christmas surprise after guitarist Brian May announced the release of a previously unheard track recorded more than 50 years ago.
May will debut the unreleased song, Not For Sale, during a special Christmas programme he is hosting on digital radio station Planet Rock at 6pm on December 22. The track will be aired publicly for the first time during the broadcast.
Written by May, Not For Sale was originally recorded in 1974 during sessions for Queen’s second studio album, Queen II, but did not make the final tracklist. The song has since been remastered and is scheduled to appear on a rebuilt re-release of Queen II in 2026.
May said that while fans may have encountered a bootleg version of the song under the title Not For Sale (Polar Bear) from his earlier band Smile, this Queen recording has never been officially heard.
“This version has never been released to my knowledge,” May said. “It’s still a work in progress and will be part of the upcoming rebuild of Queen II next year, but I wanted to share it early to see what people think.”
The festive Planet Rock special, which will also be repeated on Christmas Day, will feature May’s personal Christmas jukebox, showcasing his favourite seasonal tracks alongside stories and reflections from his life and career. Songs by artists including Slade, Chuck Berry and The Crystals will feature, along with a surprise festive pick for his wife, actress Anita Dobson.
Queen released 15 studio albums over a 23-year career, with their final album, Made in Heaven, released in 1995, four years after lead singer Freddie Mercury died from AIDS-related complications at the age of 45.
Earlier this year, May confirmed that Queen had returned to the studio with Adam Lambert, who has served as the band’s touring frontman since 2014. While the group has released live albums with Lambert, no new original studio material has yet been issued.
May has also spoken openly about recent health challenges, including a heart attack in 2020 and a minor stroke earlier this year. Despite the setback, he reassured fans that he has since regained the ability to play guitar.
