In honor of LGBTQIA+ History Month, we are turning up the volume on queer voices, past and present. First celebrated in 1994, this month is dedicated to recognizing the history, struggles and triumphs of the LGBTQ community.
To celebrate, here’s a playlist of LGBTQ artists spanning every genre. Whether you’re looking for anthems that move you to dance, lyrics that speak to resilience or melodies that feel like home, this playlist is here to soundtrack the month with pride.
“You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” – Sylvester
Starting back in 1978 with Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real), this song is a queer disco anthem pulsing with pure, unapologetic joy. Sylvester James, known simply as Sylvester, was an openly gay Black performer who became the “Queen of Disco” with his soaring falsetto and flamboyant stage presence.
At a time when being openly queer in the music industry meant risking everything, Sylvester refused to dim his light. Nearly five decades later, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” still captures what it means to be authentically yourself — a feeling that remains real for queer people everywhere.
“Sun Bleached Flies” – Ethel Cain
Under the alias “Ethel Cain,” singer-songwriter Hayden Anhedönia produced this intense seven-and-a-half minute long ballad. While the song is part of a larger concept album, Anhedönia said her experiences mirror the character Ethel Cain. Specifically, she wrote in a 2023 Tumblr post that “Sun Bleached Flies” was a song “where [they] meet in the middle.” As a transgender woman from the South, Anhedönia brings a deeply personal perspective to her work. Her lived experience infuses the track, felt in its raw, introspective lyrics and sparse, ambient piano arrangement that captures both vulnerability and resilience.
“Fast Car” – Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman’s 1988 breakthrough hit “Fast Car” is a masterclass in storytelling — a tender, aching ballad about yearning for escape and a better life. Chapman, who is a lesbian, let her music speak louder than public declarations about her personal life. Her presence as an openly queer Black woman in folk and rock was groundbreaking.
For LGBTQ listeners, seeing Tracy Chapman succeed on her own terms and receive her flowers through her and Luke Combs 2024 Grammys performance was deeply meaningful. She never had to compromise who she was to create music that moves people across all boundaries.
“Supermodel (You Better Work)” – RuPaul
RuPaul’s 1992 club hit “Supermodel (You Better Work)” didn’t just top the dance charts; it brought drag into the mainstream and declared queer artistry deserving of the spotlight. With its iconic catchphrase and infectious beat, the song became a manifesto of self-confidence.
More than three decades later, drag performances face increasing attacks. Still, “Supermodel” remains a reminder that drag queens have always known how to work it. Now “sashay away,” and turn this one up loud.
“I Know A Place” by MUNA
Rounding out this list is the anthem “I Know A Place” by queer group MUNA. Released in 2016 as a response to the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, this song is both a love letter to queer safe spaces and a defiant promise that such spaces will endure. MUNA — composed of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin and Naomi McPherson — created something rare: a song that holds both grief and hope, acknowledging the violence queer people face while refusing to let fear win.
Today, as queer spaces continue to face threats, “I Know A Place” reminds us why they matter and why the queer community will always create room for joy, even in the face of hate.
