Queen guitarist Sir Brian May will play an unreleased Queen track called ‘Nor For Sale (Polar Bear)’ for the first time during a special festival broadcast on Planet Rock tonight and it is a song that “no one has ever heard”.
The song was originally recorded during sessions for Queen’s 1974 album ‘Queen II’, however, it didn’t make the final cut. The remastered version is set to feature in the upcoming 2026 release of the album.
While a bootleg version of the song may have already circulated online by Brian’s pre-Queen band, Smile, the guitarist has said that “no-one” has heard this version.
Sir Brain said, “It’s a song that goes back a very long way, but to my knowledge no one has ever heard this version. It’s a work in progress and will appear on the forthcoming rebuild of the Queen II album – coming next year – but I’m sneaking this into my Planet Rock special because I’m fascinated to know what people think about it.”
Fans will be able to hear the song for the first time during Sir Brian’s Planet Rock Christmas Special at 6pm tonight. The radio special, which will also be repeated on Christmas Day, will also include a hand-picked selection of Sir Brian’s favourite Christmas and seasonal tracks. The musician will also reflect on the music, stories and memories that have shaped his own Christmases over the last few years.
Fans can expect a range of tunes from Bad News to Slade, Chuck Berry and The Crystals, including a Christmas hit by Sir Brian’s wife, singer and actress Anita Dobson.
Formed in the 1970s, Queen was made up of guitarist Sir Brian, drummer Roger Taylor, late frontman Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon. The group has since had six UK number one singles and 10 UK number one albums with some of their best known songs including ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘Killer Queen’, ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’, and ‘We Are The Champions’.
They won multiple BRIT Awards, including Outstanding Contribution to Music, recognising their lasting influence on British culture. The band were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, celebrating their historic impact. Queen also earned several Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting excellence. In 2020, they received the BRIT Billion Award for surpassing one billion UK streams, underlining their enduring popularity across generations.
Earlier this year Queen were named the most played rock act on UK radio and TV in the 21st century, according to the music licensing company, Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL).
Brian May’s Planet Rock Christmas Special will air on Planet Rock tonight at 6pm, with a repeat broadcast on Christmas Day at 1pm.
