QUEEN PRODUCTIONS/PRESS Freddie Mercury Mr Bad Guy UNIVERSAL ...

PRESS Gluecifer Same Drug New High STEAMHAMMER Bringing ...

LESTER COHEN / GETTY Lazarus: The Second Coming ...

40 years on from his passing, Scott Gorham, Eric Bell, Mark Stanway, Laurence Archer and more talk about the bandmate and friend – the real Phil – that they knew.

What an incredible 2025 it’s been in the world of prog. This year, we’ve taken a different approach to our Critics’ Choice and instead of printing our writers’ Top 20 lists, we’ve pooled them to create a definitive Top 50 with profile pieces on some of the key players. Did your favourite make the cut? We look forward to reading your thoughts on the results.

Everyone has a favourite Thin Lizzy song, right? So we asked a load of famous folks to pick theirs and tell us why. And if this was a poll, The Boys Are Back In Town would top it.