Ready for a new earworm? Want some new bops in your rotation? Reddit users in the r/askgaybros forum are listing their favorite LGBTQ-themed songs.
We’ve rounded up more than two dozen suggestions from the thread below, with everyone from Madonna to cupcakKe, from Todrick Hall to Rammstein.
And can we get a “What What”? Yes, someone nominated that 2007 viral video about anal sex. You know the one…
“Mann gegen Mann” by Rammstein
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X
Related: Lil Nas X’s new a cappella version of “Montero” has us hot & bothered
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross
“I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles
“LGBT” by cupcakKe
“F*** The Pain Away” by Peaches
“Take Me to Church” by Hozier
“Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
“Rainbow Land” by Miley Cyrus feat. Dolly Parton
“Sleepover” by Hayley Kiyoko
“This Charming Man” by The Smiths
“Oh L’Amour” by Erasure
“Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat
“Rebel Rebel” by David Bowie
“Dancing on My Own” by Robyn
“Heaven” by Troye Sivan
Related: Troye Sivan’s steamy “Angel Baby” video is a queer Renaissance painting come to life
MISTERJETT
“I’M COMING OUT.” i want the world to know, gotta let it show.
Jim
the first and still the greatest !
wikidBSTN
I Think We’re Alone Now – Tommy James and the Shondells
Mack
“Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra was always my theme song.
GLynn11028
All American Boy by Steve Grand
Jim
Poor Steve. He decided to focus on his looks instead of his music.
dannysax
Among the tracks here that are really serious musical compositions (not the shock songs and rap songs) Same Love by Macklemore should be here, Also another disco favorite is Coming Out of Hiding by Pamala Stanley. Also Village people get more gay on the song Fire Island. Also anything by Tom Robinson, like Glad to Be Gay or Can’t Keep Away. I agree that Pansy Division had some good ones, too. Some of those offered here are not really gay-themed, just could be anything.
jayceecook
Some of these are really good picks. Others I’m giving a really stank face, side eye to. Not sure if Q picked these from the reddit list or if this is the list from reddit but I’m surprised to not see Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors”.
Though what’s really surprising is I tried to think of what *my* favorite is and I honestly can’t think of one. Even scrolling through the Pride playlist on my phone nothing really stands out as THE BEST for me. Though I’ve never been good at the whole “pick one” thing.
Jim
OMG I hadn’t realize they left out true colors. Thanks for pointing it out!
Texasholdem
Nightswimming by REM
Phil H
Walk Unafraid by R.E.M. is a full on expression of pride.
Can’t get that mixed up with some of the boring cliches above.
UncleFloppy
All good choices.
If you like Melissa Etheridge’s “I’m the Only One” I suggest you check out “Like the Way I Do” from her self-titled first album. I think it’s even more passionate and more hard-edged than “I’m the Only One”.
There is a 13-minute live version on YouTube that is amazing.
Davy
Silent Legacy by Melissa Etheridge. Another amazing lgbtq classic
jayceecook
ME had so many great songs it is kind of hard to pick. But since the theme is supposed to be LGBTQ songs I would probably pick either “I’ve Loved You Before” or “Like A Preacher”. If you wanted to pick something more melancholic I’d go with “Scarecrow”.
Davy
I always had a soft spot for I Will Never Be The Same by ME since Welcome Home Roxy Carmichael
jayceecook
@Davy That is a good one. One of her most underrated albums is “Your Little Secret”. Sure it spawned a huge hit for her. Deservingly so. However most people couldn’t name another song off that album. My favorite album of hers will always, always, be “Breakdown” the limited edition version. That album is linked to so many personal memories. Plus it’s just a great album.
Davy
No Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover by Sophie B Hawkins ?? I think Hideaway and A Little Respect would be a much better representation of Erasure’s LGBTQ + songs. I think Forest Gump by Frank Ocean or Heather by Conan Gray would be some good current additions
jayceecook
I met her when I was about 14 or 15 at a free outdoor concert thing our local radio station was hosting. They brought some bands and singers to town to perform a couple songs each. My friend at the time was a lesbian and obsessed with her. I was too. So we found her trailer and waited outside for her to come out. One of her bodyguards saw us and came out to shoo us away but we very nicely just said we weren’t trying to bug her we just wanted an autograph. I had a magazine that she was on the cover of and it included a beautiful photo shoot. I wanted one particular loop age signed.
Anyways, the bodyguard just kind of looked at us then took our things we wanted signed. He gave us one of those stern, “I better not get in trouble for this” looks and said, “No promises.” My friend and I were so excited but also kind of worried she’d say no. Which honestly would have been her right. After about 5 minutes the bodyguard started to come out the door but he didn’t have our things to be signed. My friend and I just looked at each other like, “Dang, she said no AND kept our things!” But right behind him was SBH and she had our stuff in her hands and more. She very kindly came over to us and asked for our names. She also asked what we wanted signed. I told her the magazine was mine and asked if she could sign a particular page. I showed her which one and she just laughed. It wasn’t gratuitous or anything. She told us a little story about that shoot while signing our stuff. She also brought out some B&W photos of herself and signed one for each of us. I was so nervous I was shaking. She noticed this and asked me if I was okay. I said, “Yeah, I’m just really nervous because I can’t believe you came out to sign our stuff and talk to us.” She said something about it being no problem but not to tell anybody because she didn’t want more people coming to her trailer asking for stuff. We promised to not say anything. And like any awkward 14/15 kid meeting a famous person I blurted out that she was very pretty and I lunged to hug her. Her bodyguard moved so fast for being so tall and burly I thought he was going to snap me in half. But she was very kind and told him it was fine. Then she hugged me back. I immediately apologized over and over and she just assured me it was fine. She was so sweet to us even though she absolutely did not have to be.
Then during her set my friend and I were in the front row. It was first come, first serve and we made my Mom grab us some seats for us while we walked around the mini fair area (and met SBH).
She saw both of us during one of her songs and pointed at me. I screamed that I loved her which was totally cringy. Never thought I’d be one of those people at a concert. She had this blue hand towel she used to wipe the sweat off her during the set. It was really hot that summer day. Anyways, after I made an a** out of myself and embarrassed my mother, SBH tossed that towel at me. To say I nearly fainted is an understatement. My friend was so jealous of me. My Mom was confused AF until I told her what had happened earlier. She was a little mad because we basically stalked a celebrity and I could have been arrested. I still have that blue towel. Lost the magazine over the years. The autographed photo she gave us I think I still have stored away with other celebrity autographs I’ve gotten over the years. Wish she would have continued to make more music. I have her later albums but I guess she just retired or quit the business.
Davy
That is too awesome. I love real celebrity stories. I was living with some lesbians when Damn was out and they were shocked they were playing it on the radio with the obvious gay references. Her second album Whaler is amazing. Some of the best songs were the ones not released as singles. Thanks for sharing
jayceecook
Her first two albums are just iconic and I don’t use that word lightly. So many good tracks. I do like her thrid album “Timbre” which was what caused the rift between her and Sony. I will say I do regret playing the track “The Darkest Childe” in the vicinity of my Mom. If you’ve ever heard it you’ll know why ;}
Jim
I’ve never figured out why “No Matter What” by Boyzone never becomes a gay anthem.
It’s a duet by two guys (one of them was actually gay).
As you can tell by the title it’s about two people loving each other no matter what others may say or think.
Robothedestroyer
I think calling “Virial” by The Blaze gay was a little biased, because the video is much more open to interpretation (although reading the lyrics proves it is definitely a love song the words are equally ambiguous). It is kind of sweet though, just seeing affection like that from masc presenting men feels nice. In my head cannon they are in romantic love but tragically won’t admit it out loud. However a lot of people in the comments are enjoying reminiscing about being heterosexual but having friendships where they felt this comfortable. So, honestly, this video really sent me down a pleasant rabbit hole. The handful of other videos they have up are equally as human and slightly homoerotic… But then again I may just have a based view and reading too deep into the subtext.
jayceecook
“Virial” by The Blaze shouldn’t even be on this list. The song itself isn’t LGBTQ+ themed in any way and the video is just queerbaiting at best. I get why some folksike to interpret the video as gay but it’s a big reach.
Kangol2
Where are “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor? Or “It’s Raining Men,” by the Weather Girls? Or “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)?” by Sylvester? “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper? “Free” by Ultra Naté? “Freedom! 90” by George Michael? “Forrest Gump” by Frank Ocean? “Supermodel (You Betta Work)” by Mother RuPaul? “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” by C+C Sound Factory? “John, I’m Only Dancing” by David Bowie? Talk about some of the gayest popular songs of all time!
jayceecook
Or like anything from Pansy Division. It’s definitely an odd list.
dannysax
well, these are some of the best DANCE songs of all time, but are they really gay-themed? I think not, just our community loved them for the dancability. It’s Raining Men was sung by weather girls, not weather boys.
mrswallow62
Here’s one that should be on this list.
Nut Up On My Chest.
By Gay Z.
dannysax
Among the tracks here that are really serious musical compositions (not the shock songs and rap songs) Same Love by Macklemore should be here, Also another disco favorite is Coming Out of Hiding by Pamala Stanley. Also Village people get more gay on the song Fire Island. Also anything by Tom Robinson, like Glad to Be Gay or Can’t Keep Away. I agree that Pansy Division had some good ones, too. Some of those offered here are not really gay-themed, just could be anything. TRUE COLORS should definitely be included, like some others say.
whateverokok
That list is really atrocious, but typical for gay people. However, there is some good music on there that shouldn’t be. Don’t get your grubby hands on good music and just ruin it like everything else you’ve gotten your hands on. Let us have something, for heaven’s sake.