Musical Personalities Who Became Engineers

Feb. 5, 2024

Move beyond the bright lights and red carpet and discover the engineering talents of some of music’s most prominent players.

Cabe Atwell

Related To: Electronic Design

Brian May, astrophysicist

Brian May, the man behind Queen’s most iconic riffs, is a rock ’n roll legend. But when he’s not tearing it up on stage, he moonlights as an astrophysicist. May studied astrophysics in school and planned to get a career in the field, but ultimately put things on hold once Queen picked up steam.

He would eventually receive his Ph.D. in astrophysics from Imperial College in 2007. That same year, he finished the thesis he started 30 years ago about the zodiacal dust cloud titled “Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud.” He also co-authored the astronomy book Bang! The Complete History of the Universe with Chris Lintott and his friend Sir Patrick Moore. He’s also a NASA scientist (sort of).

In 2016, NASA obtained a sample of rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu. The organization called upon May to create stereoscopic images to help the mission’s team find a safe landing spot on the asteroid. May’s images revealed the Nightingale Crater, which was comprised of a blanket of deposits that could provide more information about Bennu’s history.

In 2020, the samples were gathered, and three years later, they returned to Earth. Sadly, May wasn’t present to witness the event as the rock ’n roll life beckoned him. “I’m rehearsing for a Queen tour, but my heart stays with you as this precious sample is recovered,” said May.

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What you’ll learn:

Gain insight into the engineering backgrounds of celebrities.
How they used those degrees in their respective fields.

With the Grammy Awards now a wrap, it’s worth shining a spotlight on a different kind of star—celebrities who not only appear on the concert stage but also have engineering backgrounds. Beyond the trappings of the entertainment industry, these entertainers have navigated the world of invention and design, showcasing artistic talent and technical knowhow.

Let’s take a look at some of the notable musicians who have bridged the worlds of fame and engineering, bringing innovation and creativity to both realms:

About the Author

Cabe Atwell | Technology Editor, Electronic Design

Cabe is a Technology Editor for Electronic Design.

Engineer, Machinist, Maker, Writer. A graduate Electrical Engineer actively plying his expertise in the industry and at his company, Gunhead. When not designing/building, he creates a steady torrent of projects and content in the media world. Many of his projects and articles are online at element14 & SolidSmack, industry-focused work at EETimes & EDN, and offbeat articles at Make Magazine. Currently, you can find him hosting webinars and contributing to Electronic Design and Machine Design.

Cabe is an electrical engineer, design consultant and author with 25 years’ experience. His most recent book is “Essential 555 IC: Design, Configure, and Create Clever Circuits”

Cabe writes the Engineering on Friday blog on Electronic Design.