Editing Brian May (section)

===2004–2009: Queen + Paul Rodgers===
{{Main|Queen + Paul Rodgers}}
[[File:2005 Queen + Paul Rodgers.jpg|thumb|2005 [[Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour]].|right]]

At the end of 2004, May and Taylor announced that they would reunite and return to touring in 2005, with Paul Rodgers, the founder and former lead singer of Free and Bad Company. Brian May's website also stated that Rodgers would be "featured with" Queen as Queen + Paul Rodgers, not replacing the late Freddie Mercury. The retired John Deacon would not be participating.<ref name="bmcom_jdr">{{cite web |title=Queen News March&nbsp;2006 |publisher=brianmay.com |url=http://brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsmar06c.html |access-date=19 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829024507/http://brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsmar06c.html |archive-date=29 August 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Between 2005 and 2006 Queen and Paul Rodgers embarked on a [[Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour|world tour]], the first leg being Europe and the second, Japan and the US in 2006.<ref name="Queen2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/live/queenpr.htm|title=Queen + Paul Rodgers Concertography|publisher=Ultimatequeen.co.uk|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928215806/http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/live/queenpr.htm|archive-date=28 September 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> On 25&nbsp;May 2006, Queen received the inaugural [[VH1 Rock Honors]] at the [[Mandalay Bay Events Center]] in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], Nevada, and May and Taylor were joined on stage with the [[Foo Fighters]] to perform a selection of Queen songs.<ref name="Queen2006"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/89881/queen-foo-fighters-we-will-rock-you-we-are-the-champions-live-at-rock-honors-2006.jhtml|title=Queen & Foo Fighters "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions" Live at Rock Honors 2006|publisher=VH1|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701142745/http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/89881/queen-foo-fighters-we-will-rock-you-we-are-the-champions-live-at-rock-honors-2006.jhtml|archive-date=1 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 15&nbsp;August 2006, May confirmed through his website and fan club that Queen + Paul Rodgers would begin producing their first studio album in October, to be recorded at a "secret location".<ref>{{cite web |last=May |first=Brian |date=15 August 2006 |title=USA Convention Story and Queen and Paul Rodgers Heading Towards a Studio Assignation |url=http://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbaug06a.html#06 |access-date=19 December 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120524213012/http://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbaug06a.html%2306 |archive-date=24 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The album, titled ''[[The Cosmos Rocks]]'', was released in Europe on 12&nbsp;September 2008 and in the United States on 28&nbsp;October 2008. Following the album's release, the band embarked on a tour through Europe and parts of the US, opening on [[Freedom Square, Kharkiv|Kharkiv's freedom square]] in front of 350,000 Ukrainian fans.<ref name="Kharkiv">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/competitions/2009/06/18/win-queen-paul-rodgers-live-in-ukraine-dvds-86908-21450854/|title=Queen & Paul Rodgers – Live In Ukraine DVDs!|work=Daily Record|location=Scotland|access-date=27 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305075556/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/competitions/2009/06/18/win-queen-paul-rodgers-live-in-ukraine-dvds-86908-21450854/|archive-date=5 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The show in Ukraine was later [[Live in Ukraine|released on DVD]].<ref name="Kharkiv"/> Queen and Paul Rodgers officially split up on 12&nbsp;May 2009. Rodgers did not rule out the possibility of working together again.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idiomag.com/peek/81670/queen |title=Paul Rodgers, Queen Split: "It Was Never a Permanent Arrangement" |access-date=14 May 2009 |date=13 May 2009 |publisher=[[idiomag]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529234943/http://www.idiomag.com/peek/81670/queen |archive-date=29 May 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idiomag.com/peek/81817/queen |title=Queen and Paul Rodgers split |access-date=14 May 2009 |date=14 May 2009 |publisher=[[idiomag]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529234652/http://www.idiomag.com/peek/81817/queen |archive-date=29 May 2009 }}</ref>