now THAT's what i call gay pop

sorry jojo siwa

If you missed it, a few months ago Jojo Siwa enraged the internet (again) when she declared herself the creator of a “new” genre of music, Gay Pop.

This declaration is ridiculous for two reasons. Firstly, Jojo’s music is capital H Horrendous. As someone who tries to find a bright side of even the worst music, I have continuously come up empty with her. Secondly, Gay Pop has been alive and well for decades. There are mixed opinions when it comes to defining Gay Pop. Some people view it as pop made by gay people, others view it as pop made for gay people, and some view it as music that simply sounds gay. For this piece, I’m going to define it as all three.

Gay Pop contains a myriad of things. It’s a sound, an energy, and an ideology all wrapped up in one. I’ve found that the queer community has a tendency to over-label itself. In attempting to make space for everyone, we often create more boxes and restrictions than we had before, and so I will reject doing the same in this piece. Gay Pop is as diverse and unique as the community it’s designed for, and that’s one of the reasons it’s so appealing, so I’ve compiled a list of Gay Pop songs that truly represent the genre in all it’s glory.

Seeing as October is LGBTQ History Month, let’s celebrate the joys, celebrations, sounds, and ideals our community has instilled in our music for years. Below, you’ll find a chronological journey through Gay Pop and all of it’s iterations from 1976 to today.

I’m sure I’ve left off some Gay Pop classics, so tell me in the comments if I missed your favorite. Enjoy!

☆ Full playlist links at the end ☆

1976

“Killer Queen” by Queen

The first stop on our journey is 1976. Freddie Mercury is often considered the father of Gay Pop, years before that term was ever uttered. In leaning in to all of the flamboyancies and theatrics of the queer community Queen revolutionized the music scene by bringing a community that was still largely functioning underground to the main stage. Queen challenged the industry by asking what if music was not just performance and emotion, but a whole production, akin to a Broadway musical? Although Freddie Mercury never got the chance to publicly come out before his death, he remains one of the most influential queer artists to ever grace the stage.

1980

“I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross

In 1980, Diana Ross released “I’m Coming Out,” which is one of the longest standing gay anthems. Although Ross never intended for the song to be a gay anthem, the song’s cowriter and producer Nile Rodgers did. After a visit to a Manhattan gay club where he saw a group of Diana Ross impersonators, he was inspired by how much Ross resonated with the queer community. Soon after, “I’m Coming Out” was born and us gays were gifted a song that still resonates today.

1981

“Pull Up To The Bumper” by Grace Jones

Grace Jones is one of my favorite queer icons of all time. A model, singer, and fixture of the gay mecca Studio 54, Jones has spent her career celebrating the queer community and being celebrated right back. I find Jones to be deeply under appreciated these days, and I encourage every queer person to familiarize themselves with her discography and cultural impact. Constantly pushing the boundaries of gender and self expression, Grace Jones is a trailblazer and her song “Pull Up To The Bumper” is a shining example of the origins of Gay Pop.

1983

“I’m Still Standing” by Elton John

Obviously, I couldn’t compile a Gay Pop masterlist without Sir Elton John. There were lots of songs I could’ve chosen, but “I’m Still Standing” not only represents Gay Pop, but gay resilience, a trait even more important in the 80’s than it is today. After coming out as bisexual in a 1976 Rolling Stone interview, John was cemented as a queer legend and continued on to have a career full of radio hits and critical acclaim.

1984

“Love Shack” by The B-52’s

The B-52’s are one of the gayest bands of all time, with four out of the five original members identifying as LGBTQ+. “Love Shack” on it’s own is a resounding queer anthem, fully wrapped in campy, theatrical fun. The song’s music video is equally as iconic in queer musical history, with a cameo from a 29 year old RuPaul before he had made a name for himself in the music world. As the AIDS epidemic ravaged the gay community in the 1980s, songs like “Love Shack” brought some much needed relief and happiness to a grieving community.

1986

“West End Girls” by Pet Shop Boys

“West End Girls” is a perfect meeting place for the Gay Pop sounds of the 80s and the incoming sounds of the 90s. Not only was the song a staple in gay clubs at the time, but it was also written and performed by Neil Tennant, an openly gay man. Pet Shop Boys is another act that I believe is under appreciated by the current gay community, but their contributions to the Gay Pop genre are unmatched and remain significant today.

1990

“Vogue” by Madonna

Talk about a gay anthem! Madonna has been considered a queer icon for the entirety of her career, and has long embraced the LGBTQ+ community that has sustained and inspired her music. After seeing dancers voguing at The Sound Factory, a Manhattan nightclub that played a crucial role in developing the house music scene, Madonna decided to rename and rework a song she had been developing. The song was an instant hit, acclaimed by both the public and critics. “Vogue” is one of the first examples of a mainstream pop star openly embracing and appealing to a queer audience, a trend that has only grown through time.

1993

“Supermodel (You Better Work)” by RuPaul

In 1993, RuPaul Charles burst into the mainstream with her song “Supermodel (You Better Work).” RuPaul is now best known for her reality competition show, but she has been a pillar of queer entertainment long before Drag Race. Reaching #2 on the US dance music chart, “Supermodel” is a staple in gay clubs and continues to reach queer audiences today.

1998

“Believe” by Cher

Cher has been viewed as a queer icon for decades, in part to her ability to continuously reinvent herself and her sound. Fully embracing the autotune sound that emerged in the late 90s, Cher’s “Believe” solidified her role and impact on dance music. The song is still featured on almost every gay-oriented playlist I’ve seen, and is an excellent example of the Gay Pop sound of the new millenium.

2004

“Flawless (Go to the City)” by George Michael

Alright, alright, alright. It’s time to talk about George Michael, and how his best work continues to be severely slept on. His 2004 album, Patience, is one of my favorite records of all time, and represents a moment in time where queer artists could finally completely embrace and lead with their queerness. After being forced to come out in the 90s, Michael created what I consider to be the Gay Pop-est album of all time. The eighth song, “Flawless (Go to the City)” is a song made for the club, strutting around your neighborhood, or walking the runway. It’s empowering, flashy, and gay as hell.

2010

“Dancing On My Own” by Robyn

Robyn’s 2010 hit “Dancing On My Own” was almost immediately picked up and claimed by the gay community upon it’s release. Although it’s written from the perspective of a straight women, many gay men have resonated with both the sound of the song and the story of watching someone you love publicly fall in love with a woman. Robyn wrote a pop song from the perspective of an outcast, something that rarely happens, and in doing so created a Gay Pop anthem.

2011

“Born This Way” by Lady Gaga

I consider “Born This Way” to be the most explicit Gay Pop anthem of all time. There is no questioning the meaning or intention behind the song, and the impact of one of the world’s biggest pop stars releasing a song embracing the LGBTQ+ community is still felt today. There’s a reason so many queer people consider Lady Gaga their favorite artists. Never before had an artist opened themselves to the queer community so openly, and Gaga’s own bisexuality makes this a song written by a queer person for queer people.

2013

“Closer” by Tegan and Sara

Ah, Tegan and Sara. The band composed of two gay, twin sisters has long been a beacon of lesbian representation in the music world. Their 2013 hit topped Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs chart upon its release, and continues to be a Gay Pop standard. This song also marks a pointed turn in our journey, where lesbians joined gay men and straight women in the Gay Pop arena. Artists like Tracy Chapman, KD Lang, and the Indigo Girls had already made their mark on the music industry, but their work was largely focused in the singer-songwriter genre. Tegan and Sara were some of the first lesbian artists to break through to the pop genre, and they are considered by many to be trailblazers of Gay Pop.

2017

“Cut To The Feeling” by Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen is an artist who can almost credit her entire career to the LGBTQ+ community. After the release of her smash hit “Call Me Maybe,” queer people flocked to Jepsen and continue to make up the vast majority of her fan base. Her music represents one of the most prevalent iterations of Gay Pop, and she has long welcomed queer people to relate to and enjoy her music. Jepsen is an artist who I consider to have garnered the ideal amount of success. She can comfortably sustain herself with her music, while still maintaining a manageable amount of normalcy in her life. That is thanks to the queer community that has remained loyal to her for years.

2020

“Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan

If you’ve been on the internet in any way this past summer, I’m sure you’re familiar with Chappell Roan. She has so many songs I could’ve included in this list, but “Pink Pony Club” perfectly fits the bill. Telling the tale of discovery the gay club scene in West Hollywood, the song is one of the best modern examples of Gay Pop, as is her entire debut album. “Pink Pony Club” is a song that resonates with all corners of the queer community, and Roan is one of the first mainstream lesbian pop stars to make as a large of an impact as she has. Similar to MUNA, Roan is leading the way for lesbians in the pop music scene, and if anyone should be considered a pioneer of modern gay pop it’s her. Sorry, Jojo.

2022

“Silk Chiffon (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)” by MUNA

My first thought when Jojo declared herself the creator of Gay Pop was MUNA. If we’re defining Gay Pop to be music by gay people for gay people, MUNA takes the cake. Composed of three lesbians, MUNA is a band that doesn’t just embrace their queerness, but leads with it. “Silk Chiffon,” their collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers, is the band’s biggest hit so far. MUNA, like Tegan and Sara, were also one of the first examples of lesbians staking their claim to Gay Pop, leading the way for many other artists to follow their path. “Silk Chiffon” is not just a Gay Pop anthem, but a Lesbian Pop anthem, so they get extra points in my book.

2023

“Rush” by Troye Sivan

Troye Sivan has been making a name for himself as a contemporary queer icon since the early 2010s. As someone who has been following him since his Youtube days, it was exciting to see him finally get some widespread critical acclaim for his last album “Something To Give Each Other.” The songs “One of Your Girls” and “Rush” made an especially large impact and have both been lauded as modern day gay anthems. Sivan is another artist who leads with his queerness and largely leans into the aesthetics and sounds of the gay club scene. His star power has only grown over time, so I can’t wait to see where he goes in the future.

2024

“Von Dutch” by Charli xcx

Although modern day Gay Pop has been largely dominated by queer artists (thank God!), there are still some allies out there making a splash. One of those allies, is none other than Charli xcx, the brain behind one of the year’s biggest albums, BRAT. Charli has long cultivated and embraced her queer fan base, and finally broke into the mainstream with full force over the summer. Throughout her career, Charli has been misunderstood by critics, but the queer community has always uplifted and celebrated her artistry, a loyalty she rewards by releasing gay anthem after gay anthem. Charli has also frequently collaborated with queer artists, including the late, great SOPHIE, so her art is not just enjoyed by, but directly influenced by queer artists.

2024 (Pt. 2)

“Lunch” by Billie Eilish

There’s something that feels sacrilegious about ending this playlist with a song by a straight artist, so 2024 is going to have two entries to the playlist. Billie Eilish’s journey to being a publicly queer pop star has been long, and she has had to defend herself from nasty “queer baiting” accusations along the way. The release of “Lunch” felt monumental to me and many other lesbians, as a song so explicitly lesbian had never been released and celebrated in such a major way. Ending our journey through Gay Pop with “Lunch” just feels right, as it represents the progress that’s been made through the decades. We started with a song written by a closeted gay man that has no direct reference to queerness and have ended with one of the gayest songs ever created.

Although we have come so far, the Gay Pop genre is ever-evolving and will continue to grow and shift as time goes on. I hate to break it to Jojo Siwa, but just because a genre hasn’t been formally named or labeled doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Gay Pop is alive and well.

Thanks to Freddie, Diana, Grace, Elton, The B-52s, Pet Shop Boys, Madonna, Rupaul, Cher, George, Robyn, Gaga, Tegan, Sara, Carly, Chappell, MUNA, Troye, Charli, and Billie. There are so many more queer artists to acknowledge and thank, but I’ll leave you with the invitation to explore Gay Pop on your own and find your own favorite songs and artists. Queer art forever <3

<3 Alex