“If You Hate It, Leave”: Brian May’s Blunt Instagram Ultimatum Silences Toxic Fans
The comments section had become a battlefield. For years, a vocal contingent of so-called “purist” Queen fans had used social media as a pulpit to launch relentless, often cruel attacks on Adam Lambert, the charismatic frontman who has shared the stage with Brian May and Roger Taylor since 2011. The grievances were a tired litany: “He’s not Freddie.” “He’s too flamboyant.” “It’s a tribute act.”
Finally, Brian May had enough.
In a move that sent shockwaves through the fan community, the Queen guitarist took to his official Instagram account not with a polite request, but with a fierce, unambiguous ultimatum. In a now-viral post, May addressed the “gatekeepers” directly, his tone one of exhausted finality.
“To those who persist in attacking Adam Lambert… you are not the guardians of Queen’s legacy. You are poisoning it,” May wrote. “Adam is a magnificent artist and a beautiful soul. He is not trying to ‘replace’ Freddie—no one could, and no one ever will. He is honoring the music with his own incredible talent, and we are blessed to have him.”
Then came the line that broke the internet: “So here it is, plain and simple: If you don’t like what we’re doing, if you can’t be respectful, then unfollow me. Unfollow the band. Your negativity is not welcome here.”
The post, signed off with his customary “Bri,” was more than a defense; it was a line in the sand. It publicly and permanently cemented Adam Lambert’s place not as a hired singer, but as a respected, beloved member of the Queen family. May doubled down in the comments, calling Lambert “a gift from God to us” and stating that the collaboration has brought “joy and new life to this music we love.”
The effect was instantaneous. The toxic corners of Queen fandom, long accustomed to operating without pushback from the band itself, were left reeling. Support for May’s stance flooded in from other fans, mainstream media, and fellow musicians, praising his stance against online bullying and his protection of a collaborator.
By issuing the “unfollow” edict, Brian May accomplished several things: he publicly validated Adam Lambert’s artistry, he reclaimed control of the band’s narrative from a hostile minority, and he redefined what it means to be a Queen fan in the modern era—not as a gatekeeper of the past, but as a celebrant of the music’s enduring, evolving power.
The message was clear: The show isn’t just going on. It’s thriving. And if you have a problem with who’s on the microphone, the door—and the ‘unfollow’ button—is right there.
