News·September 1, 2026·5 min read
Tony Iommi Solo Album Features Brian May Guitar Collaboration
Tony Iommi's forthcoming solo album includes guitar contributions from Queen's Brian May, marking a significant collaborative moment between two of rock's most enduring legends. The two guitarists, who have maintained a friendship spanning more than five decades, previously worked together on a Black Sabbath track and a solo Iommi project. According to Iommi, May was initially reluctant to expand his involvement beyond a single track, reportedly telling Iommi, 'Oh no, it's your album,' before ultimately contributing to additional material. The collaboration surfaces at a moment when interest in both artists remains high among vintage guitar collectors and rock enthusiasts. Iommi, famously associated with Gibson SG models and his custom-built guitars built to accommodate his altered fretting hand, and May, renowned for his homemade Red Special, represent two of the most distinctive and instantly recognizable guitar voices in rock history. No official release date for the album has been announced as of late August 2026, but the confirmed May collaboration has already generated significant attention across guitar communities.
What Is Tony Iommi's New Solo Album and Why Is Brian May on It?
Tony Iommi's forthcoming solo album will feature guitar work from Queen's Brian May, cementing a decades-long musical friendship into recorded form. The collaboration was confirmed in late August 2026, when details emerged about May's involvement on the project. According to Iommi, he extended an open invitation for May to contribute to multiple tracks, but May demurred, reportedly saying, "Oh no, it's your album," before eventually being persuaded to play on additional material beyond his initial contribution.
The album has not yet received an official release date, but the announcement alone has sent ripples through the vintage guitar collecting world, where both artists command serious attention. Iommi and May have been close friends for over fifty years, and their previous recorded collaboration on a Black Sabbath track demonstrated a chemistry that listeners have wanted to hear expanded. This new project represents the fullest realization of that partnership yet.
Who Are Tony Iommi and Brian May as Guitarists?
Few pairings in rock carry the combined weight of Tony Iommi and Brian May. Iommi is widely recognized as the architect of heavy metal guitar, having developed a down-tuned, power-chord-driven style in the early years of Black Sabbath that has influenced virtually every hard rock and metal guitarist to follow. His story is also one of extraordinary adaptation: after losing the tips of two fingers on his fretting hand in a factory accident at age seventeen, he fashioned custom thimble-like prosthetics and retooled his technique entirely, resulting in one of the most distinctive left-hand approaches in guitar history.
May's Red Special, a guitar he built with his father from fireplace parts and other salvaged materials when he was a teenager, remains one of the most famous homemade instruments ever played on a major recording. His layered, orchestral approach to rock guitar defined Queen's sound across more than five decades and continues to be studied closely by players and collectors alike. According to Vintage Guitar Magazine's 2026 reader survey, May and Iommi both rank among the top ten most influential rock guitarists of the past half-century, a testament to the lasting reach of their respective bodies of work.
Why Does This Collaboration Matter to Guitar Collectors and Enthusiasts?
For instrument collectors, any project that brings Iommi and May into the same room carries implications beyond the music itself. Both artists are closely associated with specific, highly sought-after instruments. Iommi's relationship with Gibson SG models, particularly his heavily modified cross-inlaid version, has driven consistent demand for vintage SGs at auction. According to Reverb's 2026 market data, vintage Gibson SG Standard models from the late 1960s and early 1970s have seen a 14 percent average price increase over the past eighteen months, a trend that correlates in part with renewed cultural interest in classic heavy rock.
May's Red Special, meanwhile, occupies a category almost entirely its own. Because the original instrument is one-of-a-kind and has never been for sale, collector interest channels into the various authorized replicas and signature models that have appeared over the years. Burns, Guild, and most recently a series of boutique luthiers have all produced licensed or tribute versions, with the more faithful reproductions commanding significant premiums on the secondary market.
The announcement of a new Iommi solo project with May's involvement is the kind of cultural moment that tends to refresh interest in both artists' associated gear. Guitar stores and dealers who track these patterns are already watching inventory levels on relevant models.
What Guitars Are Associated With Iommi's Solo Work?
Iommi's solo output, which stretches back to his 2000 self-titled album and includes collaborations with artists including Henry Rollins, Dave Grohl, and Ozzy Osbourne, has consistently showcased his signature modified SG-style approach. For live and studio work, he has also relied on guitars built specifically to his specifications, most notably instruments produced in partnership with luthiers who account for his prosthetic fingertip setup and his preference for very light string gauges on the bass strings.
The new album, recorded in collaboration with May, is expected to feature the same combination of Iommi's crushing rhythm work and May's harmonically layered lead style that made their previous collaboration so memorable. Whether any new signature or limited-edition instruments emerge in connection with the release remains to be seen, but the precedent from past Iommi projects suggests that gear announcements sometimes follow album cycles.
What Happened When Brian May and Tony Iommi Previously Collaborated?
The two guitarists have appeared together on recordings before, most notably on material connected to Black Sabbath and a previous Iommi solo project. That earlier collaboration generated substantial enthusiasm among fans of both artists and demonstrated that the two players' styles, while superficially distinct, share a common foundation in melodic British rock and a commitment to tone that rewards close listening.
May's guitar voice, built around the Red Special's warm, semi-hollow resonance and his custom treble-boosted AC30 rig, provides a strong harmonic counterpoint to Iommi's heavier, lower-midrange-focused approach. The contrast is part of what makes their recorded work together compelling, and it is a dynamic that collectors and listeners who follow both artists closely have been hoping to hear more of.
How Fretfolio Collectors Are Tracking This
If you maintain a collection that includes vintage Gibson SG models, May-associated replica instruments, or other gear tied to the British heavy rock era, your Fretfolio collection page will already be reflecting price movements in those categories via the integrated Reverb market tracker. As cultural moments like this album announcement generate renewed search activity and buying interest around specific instruments, the market data feeding into Fretfolio updates in real time, giving you a current picture of how your holdings are responding to the news cycle.
