See: GHOST and OPETH’s FREDRIK ÅKESSON Showcase QUEEN’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at the POLAR MUSIC PRIZE Event.

GHOST was accompanied by OPETH guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and ERIC ERICSONS KAMMARKÖR (the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir) for a rendition of the QUEEN classic “Bohemian Rhapsody” during this year’s Polar Music Prize. The event — which celebrated the iconic rock band QUEEN, American jazz legend Herbie Hancock, and Canadian soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan — took place earlier tonight (Tuesday, May 27) at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm and was broadcast live in Sweden on TV4.

Also taking the stage at the gala was Adam Lambert, who has spent the last 13 years touring globally with the two surviving members of QUEEN — Brian May and Roger Taylor — under the QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT banner. They were joined by Miriam Bryant, former SKID ROW vocalist Erik Grönwall, as well as jazz artists Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper, and Leo Genovese.

Professionally captured video footage of the performances by GHOST, Lambert, and Grönwall can be viewed below.

For three decades, the Polar Music Prize has recognized and honored pioneering musical achievements. The 2025 recipients will join the ranks of innovators from both contemporary and classical music, securing a position among the most prestigious awards in the creative industry. The Polar Music Prize is awarded during a ceremony in Stockholm, attended by the Swedish Royal Family, and each Laureate receives one million Swedish Krona (approximately £74,082 GBP and $93,897 USD).

Upon receiving the award, QUEEN expressed: “We are incredibly honored to be awarded the Polar Music Prize this year. It’s truly remarkable, thank you so much.”

Marie Ledin, managing director of the Polar Music Prize, stated: “It is our great privilege to honor and celebrate these three Laureates at the 2025 Polar Music Prize. QUEEN, a band that epitomizes the core of pop culture, has shaped music across decades, generations, and genres. They are a truly deserving recipient, cherished worldwide.”

The Polar Music Prize was established in 1989 by Stig “Stikkan” Anderson, a true icon in the history of Swedish popular music. Stig Anderson was the publisher, lyricist, and manager of ABBA, significantly contributing to their monumental success. Named after Anderson‘s legendary record label, Polar Music, the prize celebrates the significance and influence of music and is awarded to individuals, groups, or institutions for their international recognition for excellence in the music industry.

QUEEN continues to be one of the most beloved bands globally, transcending generations of fans, a status further enhanced by the monumental success of their Academy Award-winning 2018 biographical film “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which chronicles the band’s remarkable journey and quickly became the highest-grossing music biopic of all time.

The film’s title pays homage to their legendary 1975 single “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the most-streamed song of the 20th Century and the first pre-1980s song to achieve over one billion views on video platforms.

Members of QUEEN — May, Taylor, bassist John Deacon, and the unforgettable vocalist Freddie Mercury — brought a fresh perspective to live music. The band has released 18 chart-topping albums and 18 No. 1 singles, selling over 300 million albums globally, making them one of the most iconic rock bands in history. They have won seven Ivor Novello awards in the U.K., were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001, the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2003, the UK Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004, and were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in October 2002. The legends received the Global Icon award at the 2011 MTV European Music Awards and concluded the event with a powerful medley of their greatest hits, with May and Taylor joined by Lambert on vocals, featuring songs like “The Show Must Go On”, “We Will Rock You”, and “We Are The Champions.”