In the last few years, I have seen a massive uptick in the prominence and popularity of the music of LGBTQ+ musicians, and we are starting to see a renaissance of impactful queer music.
Not only are more LGBTQ+ musicians at the top of the charts and in the public eye than ever before, but with social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram it’s never been easier to discover bands and artists that would’ve otherwise been mostly unheard.
Some of the biggest artists of the last several decades of pop are publicly queer, and many have made amazing music documenting their experiences.
With few exceptions, until a few years ago queer representation in popular music was pretty hard to come by. Though there have always been LGBTQ+ musicians, only in recent years have musicians started to truly sing about their own experiences to a wider audience.
Los Angeles rapper Tyler, the Creator’s 2017 album “Flower Boy” was the first record of his to contain lyrics alluding to coming out of the closet and his attraction to men.
In a later interview with Paper magazine, he would go on record to say that he considers himself “queer” instead of any other label to describe his sexuality. “Flower Boy” went on to be nominated for “Best Rap Album” at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
“Flower Boy” came out when I was in middle school and it was a turning point for me and my taste in music. I was heavily questioning my sexuality at the time and I was especially afraid of how people would react if I were to come out.
To see one of my favorite musicians use his music to freely express his sexuality while also seeing massive success and critical acclaim at the same time was incredible to me.
I know many felt the same way, as since the release of “Flower Boy” I’ve met a lot of people that had the same experience of finding acceptance after the record’s release.
I mention Tyler, the Creator specifically because of how much he has started to open doors for queer artists in our popular culture, especially with rap and R&B being some of the biggest genres of the charts today.
When artists as big as Tyler, the Creator feel free to fully express themselves on such a public stage, it tells other artists and fans that it’s okay to follow in their footsteps.
In addition to the very top of the Billboard charts, there are more fantastic LGBTQ+ musicians and bands that I can recommend than I can count.
My favorite queer band of all time is Car Seat Headrest.
Frontman Will Toledo’s lyrics combine his love for literature and poetry with a self-reflective writing style that often covers subjects about his own struggles with his queer identity, belonging and growing up.
Their 2018 record “Twin Fantasy” is a heartbreaking concept album about Toledo’s first gay love, written when he was 19. It contains some of the most heartfelt and beautiful depictions of queer love and heartbreak I have ever heard.
Songs like “Sober to Death” and “Bodys” tell beautiful and harrowing stories of a doomed relationship being held together out of fear. The entire record is a heartfelt and brutally honest self reflection on how Toledo creates a fantasized version of his partner, one that could never exist in reality.
Toledo perfectly encapsulates the anxieties and insecurities of a fleeting gay romance. There’s so many nuances to queer relationships that I have never heard anywhere else.
Toledo tells stories about his fears of coming out of the closet, his daydreams of growing old with his boyfriend, his need to be adored and how he and his boyfriend start to harm each other because of their mutual fear of being alone.
These are stories that could only be told by someone who has lived through these experiences and many of them could never have been written by someone in a heterosexual relationship.
Another favorite band of mine is Sacramento punk rock group the Destroy Boys. Alexia
Roditis’ self-reflective, honest and sometimes snarky lyrics give way to incredibly catchy hooks that stay in your head forever.
“Make Room” and “Open Mouth, Open Heart” are two near-perfect pop-punk records that excite front to back. The band is constantly making audiences aware of social issues, and even inviting mutual aid and charities to live shows.
Destroy Boys demonstrate that music can be more powerful than just songs. Even some of the most political of punk bands would probably be stumped if you asked them how to support their causes.
Destroy Boys on the other hand not only know what they stand for, but they constantly make their fans aware of these issues and how to take action on them.
Whether it’s on social media or at their live shows, the band is constantly mentioning how and where to support their causes. They understand how to enact change, and actively show their fans how to do it.
Canadian noise-pop duo Black Dresses consists of trans musicians Devi McCallion and Ada Rook is a project that effortlessly blends ear-piercing distortion and screaming with an amateurish sense of pop songwriting that is often uncanny and uncomfortable.
Their lyrics often cover themes of sexual trauma, existentialism and death in ways that are almost never subtle, and McCallion and Rooks vocals constantly go between subdued whispers to guttural screaming - often at the same time.
There’s something about their music that is so fantastic because McCallion and Rook are never afraid to be themselves. If there’s anything special about the band it is their dedication to self expression.
McCallion is never afraid to speak on her traumas, or fall into the “manlier” side of her voice while she sings. Their music, however abrasive it may often be, has left a significant positive influence on me and my transition.
Rook’s eponymous solo project is also fantastic, and her 2022 album “UGLY DEATH NO REDEMPTION ANGEL CURSE I LOVE YOU” is a fantastic deep dive into the struggles of transition and finding self acceptance as a trans woman.
It’s so important to find music that speaks to you, and your own struggles.
There are more queer bands and artists than ever before, and most of that music is absolutely fantastic and worth checking out. There are so many more bands and artists that cover a much wider spectrum of genres and styles than I could ever write in a simple article.
If you take anything away from this article, it should be that queer music is in a great place, and its future is looking even better.
