# Queen and David Bowie Under Pressure collaboration

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/queen-and-david-bowie-under-pressure-collaboration
> Updated: 2026-11-01T13:12:15.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The rock collaboration ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen and David Bowie is being commemorated on its 45th anniversary. The track was recorded in 1981 at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, following an unplanned meeting between the artists.

Historical accounts describe the creation of the song as an impromptu jamming session. Guitarist Brian May noted that the track developed from various riffs and a bass line by John Deacon. Bowie reportedly encouraged an avant-garde vocal method where musicians sang spontaneous thoughts over the backing track.

The recording process involved significant creative tension between Freddie Mercury and David Bowie. Brian May and Roger Taylor have described the session as a meeting of stubborn creative forces, though these frictions are credited with contributing to the song’s success. The final track is characterized by a vocal dialogue exploring themes of modern stress and materialism.

## Timeline

### 2026-11-01: Queen and David Bowie collaboration history

The 1981 collaboration between Queen and David Bowie on ‘Under Pressure’ emerged from an unplanned jamming session in Switzerland.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/queen-and-david-bowie-collaboration-history

### 2026-10-26: Queen and David Bowie collaboration Under Pressure marks 45th anniversary

Commemorating the 45th anniversary of the 1981 hit ‘Under Pressure,’ the song remains a landmark collaboration between Queen and David Bowie, born from intense creative friction in Montreux.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/queen-and-david-bowie-collaboration-under-pressure-marks-45th-anniversary

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Cite as: Queen and David Bowie Under Pressure collaboration. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/queen-and-david-bowie-under-pressure-collaboration