By Shawn Lester
What makes a song a gay anthem? Is it an earth-shattering key change? A diva who could belt the phone book? A dance beat that practically demands a strut? The truth is, there’s no secret recipe and that’s exactly the point. Like the LGBTQ+ community itself, our soundtrack is gloriously eclectic, delightfully unpredictable, and impossible to squeeze into a single genre or generation.
From disco dance floors and underground ballrooms to Pride parades, karaoke nights, and solo bedroom concerts armed with nothing but a hairbrush microphone, these songs have been there for every triumph, heartbreak, reinvention, and celebration. They’ve sound tracked our coming-outs, our first crushes, our chosen families, and our biggest nights out. Along the way, they’ve also preserved our history, amplified our voices, and honored the trailblazers whose courage made today’s celebrations possible.
Defining what makes a song “gay” is a fool’s errand but you’ll know the vibe when you hear it. Expect shimmering disco classics, euphoric house bangers, larger-than-life diva moments, deeply personal ballads from queer artists and allies, and the kind of songs that somehow make everyone feel like the main character. Some ruled the Billboard charts. Others became cult favorites through word of mouth, dance floors, and drag performances. Some were instant icons; others took the scenic route before earning their place in the queer canon. Together, they prove that a great anthem isn’t measured by chart positions alone it’s measured by the lives it’s sound tracked.
To keep this celebration as wide-ranging as the community it represents, each artist appears only once. That wasn’t easy, trust us. This list will continue to grow, evolve, and spark spirited debates because LGBTQ+ culture has never stood still—and neither has its music. Alongside these unforgettable tracks, we also encourage you to support the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ equality. While anti-LGBTQ+ legislation continues to challenge our communities, joy remains an act of resilience, visibility is powerful, and dancing has always been one of our favorite forms of protest.
Whether you’re revisiting an old favorite, discovering a hidden gem, or finally understanding why everyone loses their mind when that chorus hits, this playlist is a celebration of the songs that have made us laugh, cry, vogue, heal, flirt, lip-sync for our lives, and dance like nobody’s judging (even when they definitely are). So, cue the playlist, turn the volume all the way up, and remember: when life needs a little more glitter, music always delivers.
Brothers Osborne, “Younger Me” (2021)
Brothers Osborne singer TJ Osborne made history when he publicly came out in early 2021, thereby becoming the first openly gay artist in music history signed to a major country label. To help tell his story, the sibling act released “Younger Me,” an emotional anthem penned as a loving letter to TJ’s younger, closeted self. To make the moment all the more special, the song also turned Brothers Osborne into first-time Grammy winners when they clinched the award for best country duo/group performance with the song the following year.
Pet Shop Boys, “Go West” (1993)
After performing the song — originally by The Village People — at an AIDS benefit in Manchester, the duo recorded it as a single in 1993. The music video, which features slightly dated CGI, was Grammy-nominated for best short form music video.
The Kinks, “Lola” (1970)
“Lola” was nothing short of a boundary-pushing revelation when The Kinks released it in the summer of 1970. Detailing a night of lusty infatuation between a man and the titular bombshell who “walked like a woman but talked like a man,” the song became a top 10 hit around the world. And while front man Ray Davies never explicitly delineates how Lola chooses to identify, that detail doesn’t ultimately matter all that much to the besotted narrator — who just might’ve discovered something new about his own identity by the song’s end — or to generations of music lovers.
The Weather Girls, “It’s Raining Men” (1982)
Izora Armstead and Martha Wash were introduced to each other singing backup for Sylvester, who gave them their group’s original name: Two Tons o’ Fun. While the duo saw a handful of their songs hit the dance chart, “It’s Raining Men” was their only Hot 100 entry (charting at No. 46).
Orville Peck, “Dead of Night”(2019)
Orville Peck may have burst onto the country music scene as a masked Wild West desperado at the end of the 2010s, but the deep-voiced crooner never kept the unabashedly queer themes coursing through his particular brand of outlaw country a mystery. Just take “Dead of Night,” one of his earliest singles off 2019’s Pony, which finds the midnight rider cruising for boys not in the gay meccas of Hell’s Kitchen or West Hollywood, but under the dreamless lights of Carson City, Nevada.
Sara Bareilles, “Brave” (2013)
The singer-songwriter revealed she wrote this catchy ode to courage as a love letter to a friend who was struggling to come out as an adult.
David Bowie, “Boys Keep Swinging” (1979)
Though RCA decided not to release this song stateside, Bowie performed it on Saturday Night Live wearing a puppet body suit via special effects. The line “other boys check you out” was excised, but censors failed to notice his puppet’s bouncing erection at the close of the song.
Crystal Waters, “100% Pure Love” (1994)
Crystal Waters became a household name in the ’90s for her house music hits like the hypnotic “Gypsy Woman.” Among the LGBTQ+ community, though, she is perhaps best known for the sensual “100% Pure Love.” Since its 1994 release, the song became an anthem embodying queer joy and resilience, peaking at No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart.
Sister Sledge, “We Are Family” (1979)
This song plays during the famous scene in The Birdcage where Gene Hackman dons drag to avoid being noticed by the paparazzi. While the four members of Sister Sledge are actual sisters, the song took on a deeper meaning with the gay community being one big family. The smash, written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers of Chic, reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 in June 1979.
CeCe Peniston, “Finally” (1992)
The euphoric gay staple — which reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 in January 1992 — is one of many songs featured in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — both the movie and stage adaption.
ABBA, “Dancing Queen” (1976)
Fun fact: Former Republican presidential nominee John McCain listed this classic (which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in April 1977) as his favorite song during the 2008 election cycle.
Kylie Minogue, “All the Lovers” (2010)
Minogue recorded this jovial anthem specifically as an homage to her large gay fan base. The video depicts a peaceful flash mob taking over the streets of downtown Los Angeles, symbolizing — quite literally — an uprising of love.
P!nk, “Raise Your Glass” (2010)
The outspoken ally’s toast to underdogs was a Hot 100 No. 1 in December 2010 and features scenes from a gay marriage in its music video, inspired by her best friend’s wedding. Cheers!
Janet Jackson, “Free Xone” (1997)
Janet Jackson channeled one of the most dark and difficult moments in her personal life into a liberating and cathartic LP. The pop icon continued to push boundaries with her sexuality in 1997’s The Velvet Rope, while pushing back on the status quo. Jackson especially used her album to speak out against homophobia and stand with the LGBTQ+ community. She normalized sexual pairings and relationships of all kinds in the euphoric “Free Xone.” With her sultry whisper, Jackson declared: “One rule, no rules / One love, free zone.”
Christina Aguilera, “Beautiful” (2002)
Aguilera was given a GLAAD Media Award for the song’s accompanying music video, which featured moving portrayals of a gay couple and a transgender person. The song, which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in February 2003, was written and produced by out-and-proud Linda Perry. Aguilera won a Grammy for her performance of the song. Perry received a song of the year nod for writing it.
Bronski Beat, “Smalltown Boy” (1984)
This heartbreaking piece of ‘80s synth-pop tells the story of a runaway whose family rejects him for being gay.
Erasure, “A Little Respect” (1988)
In what appeared to be a response to the British government’s damning Section 28 act (which criminalized the promotion of homosexuality, resulting in the closing of lesbian, gay and bisexual support groups across British schools and colleges), the song questions “What religion or reason could drive a man to forsake his lover?”
Dove Cameron, “Boyfriend” (2022)
Sure, the lyrics to Dove Cameron’s breakout solo hit “Boyfriend” are explicitly LGBTQ, but the music itself — a vamping mixture of high camp and seductive drama with a villainous touch – is just as queer. And that cooing “plus all my clothes would fit” line is just the cherry on top.
Queen, “I Want to Break Free” (1984)
The gayest song from Queen’s catalogue was surprisingly not written by Freddie Mercury, but rather bassist John Deacon. This anthem had the whole band dress in soap opera-inspired drag characters for its music video.
Grace Jones, “Pull Up to the Bumper” (1981)
As a powerful Black woman in pop that broke all the rules, Grace Jones has also helped shape LGBTQ+ culture. The gender-bending icon channeled her rebellious spirit into club anthems that resonated with her queer listeners. One of the boldest and daring songs in her vast catalog is her 1981 hit “Pull Up to the Bumper.” Backed by a unique fusion of reggae and disco music, Jones gives an unforgettable retelling of a car collision of sensual proportions.
Whitney Houston, “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay (Thunderpuss Remix)” (1998)
The original version of this 1998 single placed Whitney Houston’s inimitable voice at the center of Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins’ skittish, plinking R&B production, but Thunderpuss’ frankly superior remix transformed the world-class vocalist into a certified LGBTQ+ icon with what one Billboard writer referred to back in 2018 as “the gay national anthem.”
Cher, “If I Could Turn Back Time” (1989)
It’s impossible to put a finger on when Cher became a gay icon, but this music video didn’t hurt her reputation. In an outfit design that was surely based on The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the pop star boarded a U.S. Navy ship and treated herself to her own personal Fleet Week. “If I Could Turn Back Time,” written by Diane Warren, reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 in September 1989, becoming Cher’s highest-charting hit of the 1980s.
Gloria Trevi, “Todos Me Miran” (2006)
Throughout her career, Gloria Trevi has weathered several storms of controversy. In 2006, the Mexican pop icon decided to embrace the media circus around her with the defiant “Todos Me Miran.” Trevi found solace with her fans in the LGBTQ+ community and paid tribute to them with the melodramatic music video, which starred a man who becomes a fierce drag queen. The disco-infused banger peaked at No. 18 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart. Since the song’s release, it has become an anthem of empowerment for the queer Latinx community.
Janelle Monáe, “Make Me Feel” (2018)
Before revealing that they are non-binary, Janelle Monáe had come out as pansexual prior to the release of her 2018 critical sensation Dirty Computer. The Prince-esque lead single “Make Me Feel,” accompanied by a video that features Monáe flirting with the Creed actor Tessa Thompson and a man, was their nod to the bisexual community.
4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up?” (1993)
Out singer-songwriter Linda Perry has penned songs like Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” and P!nk’s “Get This Party Started,” which have become anthems in and of themselves for the LGBTQ+ community. But the star songwriter first launched her career in the ’90s with rock group 4 Non Blondes. Though the band was short-lived, their legacy continues to live on thanks to Perry’s iconic howl in “What’s Up?” Questioning the establishment and patriarchy as a queer woman, her battle cry has continued to fuel the fight for LGBTQ+ equality.
George Michael, “Freedom! ’90” (1990)
While it was widely speculated that this was his version of coming out (“I think it’s time I told you so / there’s something deep inside of me / there’s someone else I’ve got to be”), Michael explained that the song was actually about liberating himself from his former image with the band Wham!. Nearly a decade later, Michael came out publicly. “Freedom” reached No. 8 on the Hot 100 in December 1990.
RuPaul, “Supermodel (You Better Work)” (1992)
With the fierce declaration of “You betta work,” RuPaul pushed drag into the mainstream with her breakthrough smash hit. In 1992, the queen of drag tapped into the supermodel craze to make herself a global superstar while breaking down barriers for queer expression. “Supermodel” is an enduring runway anthem that shows anyone can steal the spotlight with the right work ethic and confidence.
Cheryl Lynn, “Got to Be Real” (1978)
Not only was this disco classic featured heavily in Paris Is Burning and Carrie Bradshaw’s runway debut, but it made an appearance in the first season of Will & Grace as well. Will (Eric McCormack) is singing the song in the mirror while shaving, to which Grace (Debra Messing) quips, “We’re just like 50 men and a mirror ball away from being a gay disco.”
Scissor Sisters, “Let’s Have a Kiki” (2012)
While this may not be Scissor Sisters‘ most inventive track, the campy number — and its instructional dance video! — shows the band’s brilliance. Every good gay house party has this song queued up.
Judy Garland, “Over the Rainbow” (1939)
Dating back to at least World War II — when homosexual acts were illegal — the term “friend of Dorothy” was underground slang for a gay man. While investigating homosexuality in Chicago, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service discovered that gay men used this term to refer to themselves. They started a massive witch-hunt for the elusive “Dorothy” in hopes that she would reveal names of gay service members. This universal song of yearning from the immortal The Wizard of Oz won an Oscar for best original song.
Thelma Houston, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (1976)
This Motown Hot 100 No. 1 hit in April 1977 was later appropriated by the gay community as an anthem for friends lost to the AIDS epidemic. As part of a commissioned “public space statement,” artist Nayland Blake juxtaposed the title of the song against an image of a bouquet of flowers with their tangled roots showing.
k.d. lang, “Constant Craving” (1992)
This track garnered three Grammy Award nominations for Lang, including song of the year and record of the year. She walked away with the award for best female pop vocal performance. The song maintained its place in lesbian culture when it was covered on Glee by Naya Rivera, Idina Menzel and Chris Colfer in the episode where Rivera’s character, Santana, came out to her parents.
Elton John, “I’m Still Standing” (1983)
For more than four decades, “I’m Still Standing” has stood the test of time as Sir Elton’s portrait of jubilant resilience. The bespectacled superstar had already publicly come out as bisexual in the pages of Rolling Stone by the time the song became a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1983. And with its swinging rhythm and empowering lyrics, the sunny earworm has encouraged generations of queer survivors to celebrate their own strength, self-determination and utter fabulousness in the face of all kinds of doubt and discrimination.
Donna Summer, “I Feel Love” (1977)
There’s ahead of its time, then there’s “I Feel Love.” Any music buff can tell you that Brian Eno ran over to David Bowie and proclaimed, “this is the sound of the future,” but Eno was still underestimating how influential the song would be on countless dance genres. It’s not just the delayed Moog synthesizer, but the lack of real structure that still somehow always moves, building momentum seemingly effortlessly. “I Feel Love” is liberated from pop conventions, from anything other than pure bliss — an ideal candidate to be a gay anthem, which Bronski Beat did when they covered the song even after rumors swirled regarding Summer’s alleged homophobia. Nearly half a century later, music still hasn’t caught up with Summer and Giorgio Moroder, and who knows if anything can?
Chaka Khan, “I’m Every Woman” (1978)
Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” has often been overshadowed by the immensely successful Whitney Houston cover. Houston’s arrangement, which features a minute-long balladic intro that builds up to a beat drop, earned a nod from Khan, but on the original recording Khan opted for an exuberant string intro that ushered in one of the funkiest disco beats in history. Khan’s proud declaration of “I’m Every Woman” now holds an important place in Roe-era women’s liberation and has since been adopted by queer and trans women everywhere as an unequivocal anthem to fighting for the rights they deserve.
Gloria Gaynor, “I Will Survive” (1978)
In 2014, Gaynor caught heat from the gay community when she delayed a gig at The Abbey in West Hollywood. Citing her religious beliefs, she reportedly insisted that managers remove all the go-go dancers from the room. The song topped the Hot 100 for three weeks in the spring of 1979, received Grammy nominations for record and song of the year and won the only Grammy ever presented for best disco recording.
Cyndi Lauper, “True Colors” (1986)
Inspired by her lesbian sister, Lauper has been an advocate throughout her career. Years after the uplifting ballad hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in October 1986, Lauper co-founded the True Colors Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness for LGBTQ+ youth.
Madonna, “Vogue” (1990)
It’s quite the task to choose just one track from Madonna’s discography, but the safest bet is this song, inspired by queer vogueing subculture. The tune was originally intended as a B-side but ended up topping the Hot 100 for three weeks in the spring of 1990.
Diana Ross, “I’m Coming Out” (1980)
Even at its conception, this song was a gay anthem: After seeing three drag queens impersonate Ross at a New York discotheque, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were inspired to write something for her gay fandom. Ross almost got cold feet releasing it but Rodgers convinced her to go with it. She took his advice and landed her sixth Hot 100 top five hit on the Hot 100 as a solo artist. (The song reached No. 5 in November 1980.)
Sylvester, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” (1978)
The uber-fabulous Sylvester was so beloved by the San Francisco gay community that they gave him a standing ovation at the 1988 Castro Street Fair that lasted more than 10 minutes. Too ill to attend the event, he looked out at his fans from a wheelchair on his apartment balcony. He planned his own funeral, insisting that he be buried in an embroidered red kimono and matching red lipstick.
Lady Gaga, “Born This Way” (2011)
Inspired by the empowering music of the ‘90s, Gaga told Billboard that she wanted to create a “freedom record” that didn’t beat around the bush: “I want to write my this-is-who-the-f–k-I-am anthem, but I don’t want it to be hidden in poetic wizardry and metaphors.” She followed through, with lyrics like, “No matter gay, straight or bi / Lesbian, transgendered life / I’m on the right track, baby / I was born to survive.” Fans responded positively, as the song debuted at No.1 on the Hot 100 and remained there for six weeks.
A Heartfelt Thanks to Billboard Magazine Staff for their contribution to this article.
