Adam Lambert is the frontman of Queen + Adam Lambert, the live collaboration he formed with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor—not a replacement for Freddie Mercury or a historical member of Queen. Lambert first performed with the band in 2009; their partnership became a full live act in 2012.
How Adam Lambert joined Queen
Lambert first shared the stage with Queen on the 2009 American Idol season finale, performing “We Are the Champions.” Queen later said the response to that appearance helped inspire the idea of bringing him back. They performed together again at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards, before moving on to full shows the following year. Queen’s band history describes the collaboration’s development and touring history.
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Why the first full show mattered
The first full Queen + Adam Lambert show took place in Kyiv’s Independence Square in 2012, at a benefit event. Queen’s retrospective says the original plan was for a short introductory European tour, with the Kyiv concert added afterward. Lambert recalled feeling intimidated by the prospect of singing songs so closely associated with a beloved band. During the performance, he checked cues with keyboardist and music director Spike Edney. Queen’s 2022 retrospective recounts the early shows and Lambert’s memories of working with May and Taylor.
What “frontman of Queen” means
The phrase needs context. Queen’s 2019 documentary announcement called Lambert the band’s “new regular frontman,” but its account concerns the live collaboration. Queen’s official history uses the shared name Queen + Adam Lambert. Brian May and Roger Taylor perform with Lambert; the billing does not describe him as Mercury’s replacement or as a member of Queen’s recording-era lineup. Mercury was Queen’s original frontman, while Lambert leads the later live partnership.
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How large the collaboration became
Queen’s 2016 announcement said the collaboration had passed 70 sold-out shows and reached well over one million concertgoers by that point. In 2019, Queen reported nearly 200 sold-out shows. Those are dated figures from Queen, not a current show total; the announcements use different wording and refer to different points in the collaboration’s history. The band’s history describes performances across North and South America, Europe, the UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
A documentary record of the partnership
Queen announced a documentary in 2019 tracing the story from Lambert’s American Idol appearance onward. In the announcement, Queen described him as its “new regular frontman” and reported nearly 200 sold-out shows at that time. The announcement is useful as a dated snapshot of how the band characterized the collaboration, rather than evidence of its present touring schedule. Read Queen’s 2019 documentary announcement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to hear Queen + Adam Lambert live
Live Around the World, the collaboration’s first live album, was released on October 2, 2020. Hollywood Records said it brings together concert highlights selected by May, Taylor and Lambert from performances around the world. The label announcement listed CD+Blu-ray and vinyl formats; check the seller or label for current availability. See Hollywood Records’ album announcement.
Queen’s official live-dates page is the place to check for scheduled performances; the cited historical sources do not establish whether future dates are currently on sale. Check Queen’s live dates.
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