Being named a Global Icon is no small feat—but there’s no doubt that Queen has earned it. The legendary British band, which has sold some 300 million albums and inspired generations of fans, will be presented with the Global Icon honour at the 2011 MTV EMA in Belfast on 6th November. And they will take the stage for a special performance!

Amazingly, Queen is celebrating their 40th anniversary as a band this year. Formed in 1971 by Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon, they first made their mark on music history in 1975 with the epic single ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which spent nine weeks at number one in the U.K. After the tragic untimely loss of frontman Freddie Mercury to AIDS in 1991, the band rereleased the song for charity as a double single along with ‘These Are the Days of Our Lives’, and raised over £1,000,000. Queen’s ‘Greatest Hits’ is the U.K.’s top-selling album ever.

‘We are honoured to be designated a Global Icon,’ Brian says of the special EMA award. ‘We will do our best to be worthy!'

We can’t think of a more worthy act than Queen to be honoured as a Global Icon—and we can’t wait to experience a live performance by this legendary band!