Brian May doubles his solo hits on one Billboard chart and nearly nets a second No. 1 as “Eternia” from Masters of the Universe debuts on multiple sales tallies. LAJATICO, ITALY – JULY 19: Sir Brian May attends the “Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration”, Andrea Bocelli celebrates his 30th anniversary in music with three star-studded concerts at Teatro Del Silenzio on July 19, 2024 in Lajatico, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for Mercury Studios)
Getty Images for Mercury Studios
Brian May is best known as one of the founding members of Queen, and for good reason. The group is one of the most successful rock acts of all time, and one of only a handful of names that got their start decades ago that continues to find space on the Billboard charts.
While May’s contributions to Queen’s catalog will always be front and center when it comes to his legacy, he also occasionally releases music under his own name. The guitarist has done so for many years, and in 2026, he scores a bestseller in America. May recently teamed up with film composer Daniel Pemberton, and the two wrote and recorded the track “Eternia” for the action flick Masters of the Universe. “Eternia” launches on multiple Billboard tallies this week, and even manages to score the pair a top 10 winner on one roster.
Brian May Debuts “Eternia” Inside the Top 5
“Eternia” debuts at No. 3 on this week’s Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. Billboard compiles and publishes the ranking every seven days, and it details the top-selling hard rock-only tunes in the United States – and only those that sell well on platforms like iTunes.
Brian May Doubles His Solo Career Wins
While Pemberton is not known for landing hit songs – which is not unusual for composers – May has already reached the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart under his own name. “Eternia” helps the legendary musician double his wins on the tally, and he almost collects a second leader.
Back in the summer of 2018, May reached the hard rock tally for the first time on his own, eventually spending five weeks at No. 1 with “Blue on Black.” That tune was fronted by Five Finger Death Punch, and the cut credits Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who originally released the song back in 1998, as well as Brantley Gilbert and the Queen guitarist.
“Eternia” Nearly Reaches the Top 10 on Another Chart
“Eternia” sold well enough in the most recent tracking frame that it debuts on two Billboard rankings. In addition to the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, the collaboration between Pemberton and May also reaches the Rock Digital Song Sales tally, which is slightly more all-encompassing, as all subgenres of rock are eligible for the rundown. On that list, “Eternia” opens at No. 11, narrowly missing out on breaking into the highest tier.
May scores his third solo win, and “Eternia” marks his first song to fail to conquer the rock-leaning ranking. He has previously led the charge for just one frame apiece with both “Blue on Black” and, as a member of the supergroup Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero).” That band, which only ever released one track as a charity single, also includes several dozen additional musicians, such as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Nile Rodgers, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow and many other stars.
AC/DC and Evanescence Block Brian May from No. 1
On the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, Pemberton and May are blocked from debuting at No. 1 by two genre favorites. AC/DC holds at the summit with “Thunderstruck,” which has now led the charge for 68 weeks. As Evanescence’s new album Sanctuary arrives on several Billboard rankings, the Grammy-winning group sees its breakout hit “Bring Me to Life,” a collaboration with Paul McCoy, reenter at No. 2.
Queen Has Performed Even Better Than Brian May
As a member of Queen, May has racked up 16 top 10s on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales tally. That roundup includes a trio of No. 1s: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Under Pressure” with David Bowie and “Face It Alone.” The first of that group has ranked as the top-selling hard rock cut in the nation for 51 weeks, just under a year. On the Rock Digital Song Sales chart, 18 tracks by Queen have appeared. A dozen of those have broken into the top 10, and only one, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” has led the way.
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