Editing Freddie Mercury (section)

===Appearances in lists of influential individuals===
Several popularity polls conducted over the past decade indicate that Mercury's reputation may have been enhanced since his death. For instance, in a 2002 vote to determine who the UK public considers the greatest British people in history, Mercury was ranked 58 in the list of the [[100 Greatest Britons]], broadcast by the BBC.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2208671.stm |title=BBC 100 great British heroes |work=BBC News |date=21 August 2002 |access-date=11 July 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804133026/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2208671.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> He was further listed at the 52nd spot in a 2007 Japanese national survey of the 100 most influential heroes.<ref name="James_2007"/> Although he had been criticised by gay activists for hiding his HIV status, author Paul Russell included Mercury in his book ''The Gay 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Gay Men and Lesbians, Past and Present''.<ref name="Russell_2002"/> In 2008, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked Mercury 18 on its ''Top 100 Singers Of All Time''.<ref name="rollingstone.com2"/> Mercury was voted the greatest male singer in [[MTV]]'s 22 Greatest Voices in Music.<ref name="Fitzpatrick_2006"/> In 2011 a ''Rolling Stone'' readers' pick placed Mercury in second place of the magazine's Best Lead Singers of All Time.<ref name="RSBestSingers"/> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine placed him second on their ''25 Best Rock Frontmen (and Women) of All Time'' list in 2015,<ref name="Billboard_2015">{{cite magazine |title=The 25 Best Rock Frontmen (and Women) of All Time |url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/6721847/best-rock-singers-of-all-time |access-date=10 March 2019 |magazine=Billboard |archive-date=16 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816012120/http://www.billboard.com/photos/6721847/best-rock-singers-of-all-time |url-status=live }}</ref> and third on their ''50 Greatest Rock Lead Singers of All Time'' list in 2023.<ref name="Billboard_2023">{{cite magazine|access-date=28 October 2023|title=The 50 Greatest Rock Lead Singers of All Time|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-rock-singers-bands-lead-vocalists/|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=16 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816164531/https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-rock-singers-bands-lead-vocalists/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2016, ''[[LA Weekly]]'' ranked him first on the list of 20 greatest singers of all time, in any genre.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weekly |first=L. A. |date=8 March 2016 |title=The 20 Best Singers of All Time (VIDEO) |url=https://www.laweekly.com/the-20-best-singers-of-all-time-video/ |access-date=20 July 2022 |work=LA Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2023, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked Mercury at No. 14 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=1 January 2023|title=The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/freddie-mercury-6-1234643195/|access-date=16 October 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|archive-date=28 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228205721/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/freddie-mercury-6-1234643195/|url-status=live}}</ref>