• Billboard Pro
  • Subscribe
  • Charts Weekly
    • Hot 100
    • Billboard 200
    • Billboard Global 200
    • Billboard Global Excl. US
    • Artist 100
    • All Weekly Charts
    Year-End
    • Year-End Hot 100 Songs
    • Year-End Billboard 200 Albums
    • 2020 Year-End Boxscore
    • Google's Top Hummed Songs 2020
    • All Year-End Charts
    Decade-End
    • Decade-End Top Artists
    • Decade-End Top Artists - Interactive
    • Decade-End Hot 100 Songs
    • Decade-End Billboard 200 Albums
    • All Decade-End Charts
    Bandsintown X Billboard
    • Buzzing Livestream Artists
    • Rising Livestream Artists
    • Top Livestream Artists
  • News Genres
    • Pop
    • Hip-Hop/R&B
    • Dance
    • Country
    • Latin
    • Rock
    • K-Pop
    Topics
    • Year In Music 2019
    • Pride
    • Podcasts
    • International
    • All News
  • Video Video Series
    • Billboard News
    • Live Videos
    • Quizzed
    • How It Went Down
    • Emerging Artists: You Should Know
    • My Billboard Moment
    • All Videos
  • Photos
  • Pro Industry News
    • Legal and Management
    • Executive Turntable
    • Touring
    • Record Labels
    • Streaming
    • Tech
    • Publishing
    • Radio
    • All Industry News
    Pro Tools
    • Insights
    • Deep Dive
    • - Songs For Sale
    • - Music On TV: What Works Now
    • Close Calls
    • Chart Search
    • Boxscore
    • Billboard Bulletin
    • Artist index
    • Song Index
    Pro Charts
    • Pop Songs
    • Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs
    • Hot Country Songs
    • Songwriters & Producers
    • View All Pro Charts
  • Newsletters

Billboard Pro

  • Subscribe
  • Sign In

Follow Billboard

About Billboard

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • AdChoices

© 2021 Billboard Media, LLC. All rights reserved. BILLBOARD is a registered trademark of Billboard IP Holdings, LLC

  • Charts Weekly
    • Hot 100
    • Billboard 200
    • Billboard Global 200
    • Billboard Global Excl. US
    • Artist 100
    • All Weekly Charts
    Year-End
    • Year-End Hot 100 Songs
    • Year-End Billboard 200 Albums
    • 2020 Year-End Boxscore
    • Google's Top Hummed Songs 2020
    • All Year-End Charts
    Decade-End
    • Decade-End Top Artists
    • Decade-End Top Artists - Interactive
    • Decade-End Hot 100 Songs
    • Decade-End Billboard 200 Albums
    • All Decade-End Charts
    Bandsintown X Billboard
    • Buzzing Livestream Artists
    • Rising Livestream Artists
    • Top Livestream Artists
  • News Genres
    • Pop
    • Hip-Hop/R&B
    • Dance
    • Country
    • Latin
    • Rock
    • K-Pop
    Topics
    • Year In Music 2019
    • Pride
    • Podcasts
    • International
    • All News
  • Video Video Series
    • Billboard News
    • Live Videos
    • Quizzed
    • How It Went Down
    • Emerging Artists: You Should Know
    • My Billboard Moment
    • All Videos
  • Photos
  • Pro Industry News
    • Legal and Management
    • Executive Turntable
    • Touring
    • Record Labels
    • Streaming
    • Tech
    • Publishing
    • Radio
    • All Industry News
    Pro Tools
    • Insights
    • Deep Dive
    • - Songs For Sale
    • - Music On TV: What Works Now
    • Close Calls
    • Chart Search
    • Boxscore
    • Billboard Bulletin
    • Artist index
    • Song Index
    Pro Charts
    • Pop Songs
    • Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs
    • Hot Country Songs
    • Songwriters & Producers
    • View All Pro Charts
  • Newsletters
    • Billboard Pro
    • Subscribe
Three Sixty
Top Artists
View All
Top Charts
Hot 100 Songs
Billboard 200
View All
Top Videos
DMX's Family Shut Down Rumors That Jay-Z & Beyoncé Bought His Master Recordings | Billboard News
Blackpink Becomes Second Most-Subscribed YouTube Channel With 60M | Billboard News
View All
Top Articles
Televisa, Univision to Merge, Forming Spanish-Language Media Powerhouse
Demi Lovato's Eating Disorder Comedy Pilot Gets NBC Order
View All
Watch Now
Photo Galleries

50 Top LGBTQ Anthems: Critic's Picks (Updated 2018)

By Patrick Crowley
6/1/2018
  • Copied to clipboard
1 / 53
Item 1 of 53

The 50 Best Gay Anthems Of All Time

 

How does a song become a gay anthem? Like the LGBTQ community, our soundtrack is vast and diverse. There are disco classics featuring our favorite, big-voiced divas. There are the introspective slow jams that mirror our struggles with self-acceptance and social rejection. There are viral sensations that caught our attention, and underground tracks that some of us have yet to discover. While it's impossible to define exactly what makes a song "gay," this list definitely isn’t straight.

To keep this countdown diverse, artists were only allowed one song on this list. Don't forget to follow our playlist on Spotify below. And for more stories about the LGBTQ community and our fiercest allies, follow Billboard Pride on Twitter and Instagram.

By Patrick Crowley
6/1/2018
  • Copied to clipboard
Artist Mentioned

RuPaul

D Dipasupil/FilmMagic
2 / 53
Item 2 of 53

50. "Grace Kelly," Mika, 2007

Several of Mika’s songs could have made this list (“We Are Golden,” “Lollipop,” or “Last Party,” a song about Freddie Mercury’s infamous party before he died), but “Grace Kelly” is why we fell in love with him in the first place: He’s authentically queer and has no interest in conforming.

Harris/Express/Getty Images
3 / 53
Item 3 of 53

47. "It’s Raining Men," The Weather Girls, 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).

4 / 53
Item 4 of 53

49. "Heavy Cross," Gossip, 2009

A self-described “fat, feminist lesbian from Arkansas,” Beth Ditto has never looked as glamorous as she does in the video for this daring ultimatum.
Image Group LA/ABC via Getty Images
5 / 53
Item 5 of 53

46. "Follow Your Arrow," Kacey Musgraves, 2013

The way Musgraves nonchalantly suggests to “kiss lots of boys -- or kiss lots of girls, if that’s something you're into,” was seen as an attack on Christianity by some, while others said it was positive a shift for country music.

6 / 53
Item 6 of 53

48. "Go West," Pet Shop Boys, 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.
Danny Payne/REX/Shutterstock
7 / 53
Item 7 of 53

45. "Dancing On My Own," Robyn, 2010

Robyn was inspired to write this earworm by her love for sad, gay disco anthems. Any gay guy who says he hasn’t related to this synthy jam shouldn’t be trusted.

Morena Brengola/Getty Images
8 / 53
Item 8 of 53

43. "Fuck You," Lily Allen, 2009

Originally written for George W. Bush, the song took on a bigger meaning after Prop 8 -- an anti-gay marriage state constitutional amendment -- was passed in California. The ban was lifted in 2013.

Joe Kohen/Getty Images
9 / 53
Item 9 of 53

42. "Brave," Sara Bareilles, 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.

Olle Lindeborg/AFP/Getty Images
10 / 53
Item 10 of 53

41. "Dancing Queen," ABBA, 1976

Fun fact: Former Republican presidential nominee John McCain listed this chart-topping song (which hit No. 1 in 1977) as his favorite song during the 2008 election cycle.

1979 Saturday Night Live - 3 - Boys Keep Swinging from alikzubr on Vimeo.

11 / 53
Item 11 of 53

44. "Boys Keep Swinging," David Bowie, 1979

Though RCA decided not to release this "racy" 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.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia
12 / 53
Item 12 of 53

40. "People Like Us," Kelly Clarkson, 2012

Expect Clarkson’s catalog to be on heavy rotation at any lesbian karaoke night. This song, with lyrics like “this is the life that we choose” and “come out, come out if you dare,” added sparks to (false) rumors that Clarkson could be gay. Though straight -- and now married -- Clarkson accepted the rumors as a compliment.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage
13 / 53
Item 13 of 53

38. "Firework," Katy Perry, 2010

When you look at her one-two punch of her femme-bashing "Ur So Gay" and her exhibitionist faux-lesbian "I Kissed A Girl," in a post-Gaga era, this song felt more opportunistic than authentic. But Perry has seemingly become more progressive and it would be hard to find a pride parade not playing this booming (pun intended) anthem.

Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
14 / 53
Item 14 of 53

37. "Come To My Window," Melissa Etheridge, 1993

From her album Yes I Am, this Grammy-winning song was the first to be released after Etheridge came out as a lesbian publicly.

Joseph Del Valle/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
15 / 53
Item 15 of 53

36. "Finally," CeCe Peniston, 1992

The euphoric gay staple is one of many songs featured in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert -- both the movie and stage adaption.

16 / 53
Item 16 of 53

39. "I Want to Break Free," Queen, 1984

The gayest song from Queen’s catalogue was surprisingly not written by Freddie Mercury. Rather, it was this anthem that had the whole band dress in soap opera-inspired drag characters for its music video.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
17 / 53
Item 17 of 53

35. "We Are Family," Sister Sledge, 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.

New Line Cinema/Photofest
18 / 53
Item 18 of 53

33. "The Origin of Love," 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch,' 1998

Years after the Off-Broadway production premiered, the show was finally brought to Broadway. Winning the 2014 Tony Award for best revival of a musical, the show featured several actors taking on the titular role over its year-long run, including Neil Patrick Harris, Taye Diggs, Darren Criss and the show’s writer and original lead, John Cameron Mitchell.

Steve Eichner/WireImage
19 / 53
Item 19 of 53

32. "Rebel Girl," Bikini Kill, 1993

The band is one of the pioneers of the feminist riot grrrl movement. The song, featuring lyrics like “rebel girl / you’re the queen of my world,” and “in her kiss I taste a revolution,” has recently seen a resurgence after being featured in both Orange Is The New Black and a viral DIY pro-Hillary Clinton clip.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images
20 / 53
Item 20 of 53

30. "Raise You Up/Just Be," 'Kinky Boots,' 2012

The drag-centric musical took home six Tonys, including best musical; best score (with music and lyrics by gay icon Cyndi Lauper); and outstanding actor in a musical, for out-and-proud Billy Porter’s comeback performance as Lola, a drag queen.

Joseph Okpako/WireImage
21 / 53
Item 21 of 53

29. "Ima Read," Zebra Katz (feat. Njena Reddd Foxxx), 2012

While there are several underground queer hip-hop artists that deserve recognition (Le1f, Cakes Da Killa, Mykki Blanco, to name a few), Katz and his Paris Is Burning tribute is a standout.

Gary Null/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
22 / 53
Item 22 of 53

27. "Take Me I’m Yours," Jobriath, 1973

Self-described "rock’s truest fairy," Jobriath was the first openly gay musician to be signed to a major label. For his television debut on The Midnight Special, the glam rocker initially planned to play this S&M-themed jam, but had to switch tunes after a producer objected.

23 / 53
Item 23 of 53

34. "All The Lovers," Kylie Minogue, 2010

Minogue recorded this jovial anthem specifically as an homage to her large gay fanbase. The video depicts a peaceful flash mob taking over the streets of downtown Los Angeles, symbolizing -- quite literally -- an uprising of love.
Andrew Lipovsky/NBC
24 / 53
Item 24 of 53

25. “Bloom” by Troye Sivan, 2018

“Bloom” is a soft, gentle ode to opening up to a new paramour -- in more ways than one. Sivan confirmed the song’s sexy subtext wasn’t an accident with a since-deleted tweet: #bopsforbottoming.

Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images
25 / 53
Item 25 of 53

24. "Got To Be Real," Cheryl Lynn, 1978

Not only was this disco classic featured heavily in Paris Is Burning, 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 fifty men and a mirrored ball away from being a gay disco."

Galuschka/ullstein bild via Getty Images
26 / 53
Item 26 of 53

23. "A Little Respect," Erasure, 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?”

27 / 53
Item 27 of 53

31. “What I Need” by Hayley Kiyoko (featuring Kehlani), 2018

Neither Hayley “Lesbian Jesus” Kiyoko nor Kehlani have been quiet about their queerness, but it was still chill-inducing to see the pair lock lips in this song’s music video.
Dave Hogan/Getty Images
28 / 53
Item 28 of 53

21. "Freedom! ‘90," George Michael, 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.

CBS Archive/Getty IMages
29 / 53
Item 29 of 53

20. "Y.M.C.A.," Village People, 1978

This disco classic was taken by many as an implicit ode to the gym's reputation as a popular cruising location -- it even comes from an album titled Cruisin''. "Y.M.C.A." hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1979, but has since become a parody of itself. Thankfully, Grindr exists these days.

30 / 53
Item 30 of 53

28. “LGBT” by CupcakKe, 2016

This good-time-gal's party jam shows mad love to the LGBTQ community. The fun video is full of colors, dancing and -- of course -- drag queens.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
31 / 53
Item 31 of 53

19. "Raise Your Glass," P!nk, 2010

The outspoken ally’s toast to underdogs was a Hot 100 No. 1 and features scenes from a gay marriage in its music video, inspired by her best friend’s wedding. Cheers!

Thos Robinson/Getty Images
32 / 53
Item 32 of 53

17. "Keep On Livin," Le Tigre, 2001

This battle cry’s message of resilience seems simple on the surface, but it resonates deeply. The band was known for their sociopolitical lyrics, specifically when it came to issues of feminism and LGBT rights.

33 / 53
Item 33 of 53

26. "Smalltown Boy," Bronski Beat, 1984

This heartbreaking piece of ‘80s synth-pop tells the story of a runaway whose family rejects him for being gay.
Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection
34 / 53
Item 34 of 53

16. "Take Me Or Leave Me," 'Rent,' 1996

Actress Tracie Thoms initially auditioned for the stage version of Joanne in Rent but the role was given to Fredi Walker. Almost a decade later, Thoms was cast in the film adaptation -- which led to a role in the Broadway revival of the rock opera.

Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
35 / 53
Item 35 of 53

15. "Over The Rainbow," Judy Garland, 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.

Max Redfern/Redferns
36 / 53
Item 36 of 53

13. "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," Sylvester, 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.

Paul Natkin/WireImage
37 / 53
Item 37 of 53

11. "Closer to Fine," Indigo Girls, 1989

Whether it's in a dive bar or in a two-hour car ride like the infamous The L Word scene, nearly every lesbian will participate in a sing-along of this introspective anthem at some point.

38 / 53
Item 38 of 53

22. “I Am Her” by Shea Diamond, 2016

“I am shame, she is me/ We get down with our bad selves figuratively,” trans singer Shea Diamond declares in this introspective soul anthem.
39 / 53
Item 39 of 53

10. "Vogue," Madonna, 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 recorded as a B-side, but ended up topping the Hot 100.

Gilles Petard/Redferns
40 / 53
Item 40 of 53

8. "Don’t Leave Me This Way," Thelma Houston, 1976

This Motown Hot 100 No. 1 hit was 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.

Paul Natkin/Getty Images
41 / 53
Item 41 of 53

6. "Constant Craving," k.d. lang, 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.

Nick Laham/Getty Images
42 / 53
Item 42 of 53

4. "True Colors," Cyndi Lauper, 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, Lauper co-founded the True Colors Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness for LGBT youth.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage
43 / 53
Item 43 of 53

3. "I Will Survive," Gloria Gaynor, 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. Controversy aside, this song’s staying power is undeniable: RuPaul sent two queens packing on the same episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race for not doing justice to a lip sync of the gay staple.

44 / 53
Item 44 of 53

18. "If I Could Turn Back Time," Cher, 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.
Paul Natkin/WireImage
45 / 53
Item 45 of 53

1. "I’m Coming Out," Diana Ross, 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 10 hit as a solo artist.

For more stories about the LGBTQ community and our fiercest allies, follow Billboard Pride on Facebook.

46 / 53
Item 46 of 53

14. "Relax," Frankie Goes To Hollywood, 1983

The original music video, banned by the BBC, featured mustachioed leather men, dominatrix drag queens, and...watersports? A version featuring similarly transgressive footage from Brian De Palma's Body Double aired on MTV as well.
47 / 53
Item 47 of 53

12. “Sissy That Walk” by RuPaul

While “Supermodel” remains Mama Ru’s highest peaking Billboard Hot 100 hit, this electro-pop jam is the clear favorite among die-hard Drag Race fans thanks to its indelible placement on the series.
48 / 53
Item 48 of 53

9. "True Trans Soul Rebel," Against Me!, 2014

Before the world knew Laverne Cox or Caitlyn Jenner, punk rock band Against Me!'s lead singer and guitarist Laura Jane Grace came out as a transgender woman. Following her announcement, the band released the critically acclaimed Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Grace joined America’s favorite pansexual, Miley Cyrus, to sing the album’s lead single on behalf of Miley's Happy Hippie Foundation, which aids LGBTQ youth.
49 / 53
Item 49 of 53

7. "Let’s Have a Kiki," The Scissor Sisters, 2012

While this may not be The 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.
50 / 53
Item 50 of 53

5. "Beautiful," Christina Aguilera, 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, was written and produced by out-and-proud Linda Perry.
51 / 53
Item 51 of 53

2. "Born This Way," Lady Gaga, 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-fuck-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.
52 / 53
Item 52 of 53

53 / 53
Item 53 of 53

By Patrick Crowley
6/1/2018
  • Copied to clipboard

Follow Billboard

The Daily

A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry

  • Subscribe
  • Billboard Events
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • FAQ
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Sitemap
  • Media Kit
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • AdChoices
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2021 Billboard Media, LLC. All rights reserved. BILLBOARD is a registered trademark of Billboard IP Holdings, LLC