A gay anthem is a

popular song Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Funk ...

that has become widely popular among, or has become identified with, the gay community, although some of these songs have also become anthems for the wider

LGBT community The LGBT community (also known as the LGBTQ+ community, GLBT community, gay community, or queer community) is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay men, gay, bisexuality, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a comm ...

. Not all songs labelled as "gay anthems" were written intentionally to become gay anthems, but those that do are often marked by themes of perseverance, inner strength, acceptance, pride, and unity. Research in 2007 suggested that the song most commonly identified as a gay anthem is " I Will Survive" by

Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor ( née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...

, and described the song as "a classic emblem of gay culture in the post-Stonewall and AIDS eras". Other classic gay anthems include Village People's " Y.M.C.A.", The Weather Girls's " It's Raining Men",

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...

's " I'm Coming Out", and ABBA's "

Dancing Queen "Dancing Queen" is a Europop and disco song by the Swedish group ABBA, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, ''Arrival'' (1976). It was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. Andersson and Ulvaeus al ...

Themes

Although every song is individual, the criteria for what makes a gay anthem has shown a trend among the years. In the 2002 book ''Queer'', the following ten main themes were listed that are common among many, if not all gay anthems: * Big-voiced divas: Rather than particular to the songs, this area of gay anthems is more akin to a

cult of personality A cult of personality, or a cult of the leader, Mudde, Cas and Kaltwasser, Cristóbal Rovira (2017) ''Populism: A Very Short Introduction''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 63. is the result of an effort which is made to create an id ...

of a large gay male following for some particular diva-style pop music vocalists who are almost always black, female gay icons. For example,

. *Overcoming hardship in love: Usually a narrative of a wronged lover who comes back stronger than before. For example, " I Will Survive". *You are not alone: Songs about coming together as a community or reassurance to the lonely that there are others like them out there. For example, " We Are Family". *Throw your cares away: A carefree narrative about putting your troubles aside and partying. For example, "

Holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tra ...

". *Hard-won self-esteem: The theme involves fighting through oppression, darkness, or fear to gain freedom, beauty, or self-esteem. " The Greatest Love of All" as sung by Whitney Houston. *Celebrating unashamed sexuality: The theme is of transcending cultural shame to celebrate one's sexual nature. For example, " It's Raining Men". *Search for acceptance: Songs about a welcoming promised land where the dream of acceptance and belonging and hope lives. For example, " Somewhere (There's a Place for Us)" from '' West Side Story''. *Torch song for the world weary: A narrative about being used, abused, and surviving to tell the tale of lament. For example, " Maybe This Time". *Love conquers all: Tales of not giving up on love despite seemingly insurmountable odds. *No apologies: The theme revolves around defiantly living one's life despite what others may want. For example, " I'm Coming Out".

Sources of gay anthems

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

's " Vogue",

George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musici ...

's Fastlove,

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...

's " Hero", Lisa Stansfield's The Real Thing, Ultra Naté's "

Free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

's " Together Again",

Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...

's "

Believe Believe may refer to: *Belief, a psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true, with or without proof for such proposition *Faith, a belief in something which has not been proven Arts, entertainment, and me ...

", Mylène Farmer's " Sans Contrefaçon" and "

Libertine A libertine is a person devoid of most moral principles, a sense of responsibility, or sexual restraints, which they see as unnecessary or undesirable, and is especially someone who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behaviour ob ...

Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' Swe ...

's " I Think I'm in Love with You" and "

A Public Affair ''A Public Affair'' is the fifth studio album by American pop singer Jessica Simpson. The album was released on August 26, 2006 in the United States by Epic Records. The album is Simpson's first effort following her divorce from Nick Lachey. Th ...

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...

's " Spinning Around" and " Can't Get You Out of My Head", Geri Halliwell's " It's Raining Men",

Dannii Minogue Danielle Jane Minogue () is an Australian singer, television personality, and actress. She initially gained recognition for her appearances on the television show ''Young Talent Time'' (1982–1988) and for her role as Emma Jackson on th ...

's "

I Begin to Wonder "I Begin to Wonder" is a song co-written by Dannii Minogue, Jean-Claude Ades, Dacia Bridges and Olaf Kramolowsky for Minogue's 2003 album ''Neon Nights''. The song was released as the album's second single in March 2003. The single reached the t ...

Melanie C Melanie Jayne Chisholm (12 January 1974 - 25 December 2022), better known as Melanie C or Mel C, is an English singer-songwriter and media personality. She is best known as one of the five members of the Spice Girls, during which time she was ni ...

's " Never Be the Same Again" and "

Think About It Think About It may refer to: Albums *''Think About It!'', by Kate Ceberano, 1991 *''Think About It'', by Kevn Kinney, 2022 Songs * "Think About It" (Melanie C song), 2011 * "Think About It" (Naughty Boy song), 2013 *" Think (About It)", by Lyn Col ...

", Tamar Braxton's " Hot Sugar" and "

My Man "Mon Homme" (),also known by its English translation, "My Man", is a popular song first published in 1920. The song was originally composed by Maurice Yvain with French lyrics by Jacques-Charles (Jacques Mardochée Charles) and Albert Willemet ...

", Lady Gaga's " Born This Way", and

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...

's " Break Free" are considered as gay anthems for the new generation. Through the first decade of the 21st century, chart-topping popular songs became a "refuge of unambiguous support for gay rights" in a time when legal support for LGBT rights in the US was lagging ( Don't Ask, Don't Tell would be repealed in 2011, and same-sex marriage would only be fully legalized in 2015). Even before its single release, Lady Gaga's " Born This Way" was predicted by Elton John to replace Gloria Gaynor's classic gay anthem " I Will Survive". UK LGBT rights charity

Stonewall Stonewall or Stone wall may refer to: * Stone wall, a kind of masonry construction * Stonewalling, engaging in uncooperative or delaying tactics * Stonewall riots, a 1969 turning point for the modern LGBTQ rights movement in Greenwich Village, Ne ...

named Christina Aguilera's " Beautiful" the most empowering song of the 2000s decade for LGBT people.

List of historically significant gay anthems

{, class="wikitable sortable" , - ! scope="col" , Year released ! scope="col" style="width:35%;", Song title ! scope="col" style="width:35%;", Artist(s) ! scope="col" class=unsortable , Notes , - ! scope="row" , 1920 , data-sort-value="Lavender Song", "The Lavender Song" ("''Das Lila Lied''") , , , - ! scope="row" , 1928 , "Prove It On Me" , Ma Rainey , , - ! scope="row" , 1929 , " If Love Were All" , , Written for the

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

'' Bitter Sweet''. , - ! scope="row" , 1932 , "

Mad About the Boy "Mad About the Boy" is a popular song with words and music by actor and playwright Noël Coward. It was introduced in the 1932 revue '' Words and Music'' by Joyce Barbour, Steffi Duna, Norah Howard and Doris Hare. The song deals with the theme ...

" , , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=2, 1937 , " Easy Living" , , Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra , , - , "

My Funny Valentine "My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart coming of age musical ''Babes in Arms'' in which it was introduced by teenaged star Mitzi Green. The song became a popular jazz standard, appearing on over 130 ...

" , Rodgers and Hart , , - ! scope="row" , 1938 , " Lush Life" , , , - ! scope="row" , 1939 , " Over the Rainbow" , , Featured in the film ''

The Wizard of Oz ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' or ''The Wizard of Oz'' most commonly refers to: *'' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', a 1900 American novel by L. Frank Baum often reprinted as ''The Wizard of Oz'' ** Wizard of Oz (character), from the Baum novel serie ...

''. Written by

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ...

and Yip Harburg. This song and the film gained such a following that gay men would use the phrase "friends of Dorothy" to refer to themselves. , - ! scope="row" , 1954 , data-sort-value="Man That Got Away", " The Man That Got Away" , , , - ! scope="row" , 1957 , " Somewhere (There's a Place for Us)" , From the musical '' West Side Story'' , , - ! scope="row" , 1958 , " My Baby Just Cares for Me" , Nina Simone , , - ! scope="row" , 1960 , " As Long as He Needs Me" ,

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...

, , - ! scope="row" , 1962 , data-sort-value="Man I Love", " The Man I Love" ,

Gene Howard Gene Howard (born December 22, 1946) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 1968 NFL Draft. He played college football at Langston Uni ...

, , - ! scope="row" , 1963 , " Hello Stranger" , Barbara Lewis , , - ! scope="row" , 1964 , " You Don't Own Me" ,

Lesley Gore Lesley Sue Goldstein (May 2, 1946 – February 16, 2015), known professionally as Lesley Gore, was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. At the age of 16, she recorded the pop music, pop hit "It's My Party (Lesley Gore song), I ...

, , - ! scope="row" rowspan=2, 1966 , " You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" , Dusty Springfield , , - , " Ballad of the Sad Young Men" , Roberta Flack , , - ! scope="row" , 1968 , " Don't Rain On My Parade" , Barbra Streisand , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=3, 1970 , " Ain't No Mountain High Enough" , , , - , " Lola" , The Kinks , , - , " You Don't Own Me" , Dusty Springfield , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=2, 1971 , " March from a Clockwork Orange" , Wendy Carlos , , - , " It Must Be Love" , Labi Siffre , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=4, 1972 , " Walk on the Wild Side" ,

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...

, , - , " All the Young Dudes" , Mott the Hoople , , - , "

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...

" , , , - , " Starman" , rowspan=2, , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=4, 1974 , " Rebel Rebel" , , - , "

I Will Always Love You "I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career, ...

" , , , - , "Take Me I'm Yours" ,

Jobriath Bruce Wayne Campbell (December 14, 1946 – August 3, 1983), known by his stage name Jobriath, was an American rock musician and actor. He was the first openly gay rock musician to be signed to a major record label, and one of the first int ...

, , - , " Love Is the Message" , MFSB , , - ! rowspan="4" , 1975 , rowspan="2" , "

I Was Born This Way "I Was Born This Way" is a disco song written by Chris Spierer and Bunny Jones. The song was first recorded by Valentino, released in 1975, then by Carl Bean in 1977 (both artists for Motown). The record was first released on the Motown-distrib ...

" , Carl Bean , , - , Valentino , , - , "

Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...

" , Introduced by

Stephanie Mills Stephanie Dorthea Mills (born March 22, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to stardom as "Dorothy" in the original seven-time Tony Award winning Broadway run of the musical ''The Wiz'' from 1974 to 1979. The song " Home" from t ...

Popularised by

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Landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated grade (slope), slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of ...

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Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...

, , - ! scope="row" rowspan=5, 1976 , "

" , ABBA , , - , data-sort-value="Killing of Georgie", " The Killing of Georgie" ,

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

, , - , " Turn the Beat Around" , Vicki Sue Robinson , , - , " Jolene" , , , - , " Somebody to Love" , Queen , , - ! rowspan="2" scope="row" , 1977 , " I Feel Love" ,

Donna Summer LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the " Queen of Disco", while her mus ...

, , - , " Gold Dust Woman" ,

, , - ! rowspan="10" scope="row" , 1978 , " Got to Be Real" , Cheryl Lynn , , - , "

Baby I'm Burning "Baby I'm Burnin'" is a song by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was written by Parton who also produced the track with Gary Klein and Charles Koppelman who served as executive producer. The song was first released on Parton's twentiet ...

" , , , - , " I Will Survive" ,

, , - , " Glad to Be Gay" , Tom Robinson Band , , - , " You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" ,

Sylvester Sylvester or Silvester is a name derived from the Latin adjective ''silvestris'' meaning "wooded" or "wild", which derives from the noun ''silva'' meaning "woodland". Classical Latin spells this with ''i''. In Classical Latin, ''y'' represented a ...

, , - , " I Love the Nightlife" , , , - , " Macho Man" , rowspan=2, Village People , , - , " Y.M.C.A." , , - , " Last Dance" ,

, , - , " I'm Every Woman" ,

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Qu ...

, , - ! scope="row" rowspan=9, 1979 , " Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" , ABBA , , - , "

Boys Keep Swinging "Boys Keep Swinging" is a song by English musician David Bowie, released on 27 April 1979 by RCA Records in the United Kingdom as the lead single from his 1979 album '' Lodger''. It was written by Bowie and Brian Eno and recorded in Montreux a ...

" , , , - , " You Know How to Love Me" , Phyllis Hyman , , - , " Don't Stop Me Now" , Queen , , - , " It's My House" , , , - , " We Are Family" ,

Sister Sledge Sister Sledge is an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era. ...

, , - , " Knock on Wood" , , , - , " No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" , Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand , , - , " Go West" , Village People , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=4, 1980 , " I'm Coming Out" , , , - , "

9 to 5 Working(laboring) time is the period of time that a person spends at paid Wage labour, labor. Unpaid work, Unpaid labor such as personal housework or caring for children or pets is not considered part of the working week. Many countries regula ...

" , , , - , " Private Idaho" , The B-52's , , - , "

Never Knew Love Like This Before "Never Knew Love Like This Before" is a 1980 song written and produced by songwriters James Mtume and Reggie Lucas for American R&B recording artist Stephanie Mills's fourth studio album '' Sweet Sensation'' (1980). According to Lucas's wife, Ka ...

" ,

, , - ! scope="row" rowspan="3" , 1981 , " Pull Up to the Bumper" ,

Grace Jones Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...

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Puerto Pollensa Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to: Places *El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain *Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines *Puerto Colombia, Colombia *Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela *Puerto Galera, Orient ...

" , Written by Marilina Ross. First popularized by Sandra Mihanovich , , - , " Tainted Love" , Soft Cell , , - ! rowspan="5" scope="row" , 1982 , " Edge of Seventeen" ,

, , - , " Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" ,

Culture Club Culture Club are an English pop band formed in London in 1981. The band comprises Boy George (lead vocals), Roy Hay (guitar and keyboards), Mikey Craig (bass guitar) and formerly included Jon Moss (drums and percussion). Emerging in the New ...

, , - , " And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" , , , - , " It's Raining Men" , The Weather Girls , , - , " Love My Way" , The Psychedelic Furs , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=6, 1983 , " Church of the Poison Mind" ,

, , - , " This Charming Man" , The Smiths , , - , "So Many Men, So Little Time" , Miquel Brown , , - , " Relax" , Frankie Goes to Hollywood , , - , " I Am What I Am" , , From the musical '' La Cage aux Folles''. , - , "

" ,

, , - ! rowspan="5" scope="row" , 1984 , "

Din Daa Daa "Din Daa Daa" (also released as "Trommeltanz (Din Daa Daa)" or as "Din Daa Daa (Trommeltanz)", from German + , "drum dance") is a song written and performed by German musician George Kranz, released as a single in 1983. His only international su ...

" , George Kranz , , - , " Smalltown Boy" , rowspan="2",

Bronski Beat Bronski Beat were a British synthpop trio which achieved success in the mid-1980s, particularly with the 1984 chart hit "Smalltown Boy", from their debut album '' The Age of Consent''. "Smalltown Boy" was their only US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 s ...

, , - , " Why?" , , - , " You Think You're a Man" , Divine , , - , " I Want to Break Free" , Queen , , - ! scope="row" rowspan="6" , 1985 , "

Conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). ...

" , Miami Sound Machine , , - , " Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" ,

Eurythmics Eurythmics were a British pop duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They were both previously in The Tourists, a band which broke up in 1980. The duo released their first studio album, '' In the Garden'', in 1981 to little succ ...

and

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

, , - , " How Will I Know" , , , - , " Miss Celie's Blues" , , Rod Temperton and

Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recordi ...

, Also known as "Sister" from the film '' The Color Purple''. Sung by the character Shug to Celie in the film, this song has been called an anthem for the Black lesbian community. , - , " Running Up That Hill" , Kate Bush , , - , " So Macho" , Sinitta, written by George Hargreaves , , - ! rowspan="5" scope="row" , 1986 , " ¿A quién le importa?" , Alaska y Dinarama , , Gay anthem in the Spanish-speaking world. , - , " Don't Leave Me This Way" , The Communards , , - , "

" , Mylène Farmer , Gay anthem in the French-speaking world , - , " Kiss" , Prince , , - , " True Colors" , Cyndi Lauper , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=4, 1987 , " Seven Wonders" ,

, , - , "

I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, ''Whitney'' (1987). It was released as the lead single from the album on May 2, 1987, by Arista Records. It was produ ...

" , , , - , " It's a Sin" ,

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...

, , - , " Sans contrefaçon" , Mylène Farmer , Gay anthem in the French-speaking world , - ! scope="row" rowspan=3, 1988 , data-sort-value="Little Respect", "

A Little Respect A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

" , Erasure , , - , " Heaven Is a Place on Earth" , Belinda Carlisle , , - , " Fast Car" , Tracy Chapman , , - ! rowspan="10" scope="row" , 1989 , "Work That Pussy" (Boom Boom remix) , Ellis D , rowspan=4, , - , "Elements of Vogue" (David DePino mix) ,

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and

Johnny Dynell Johnny Dynell (born John Savas) is a New York City DJ, record producer, recording artist, remixer, nightclub promoter, and nightlife impresario. Club DJ Dynell started his DJ career at the Mudd Club in 1980 and has been a resident DJ at influent ...

, - , "

Deep in Vogue "Deep in Vogue" is a 1989 dance single by Malcolm McLaren and the Bootzilla Orchestra featuring Lourdes Maria Morales and Willie Ninja, with additional production and remix by Mark Moore and William Orbit, sampling the 1973 MFSB song " Love is th ...

" ,

Malcolm McLaren Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren (22 January 1946 – 8 April 2010) was an English impresario, visual artist, singer, songwriter, musician, clothes designer and boutique owner, notable for combining these activities in an inventive and provoc ...

, - , "Let's Go" , Fast Eddie , - , "

In Private "In Private" is a song by British singer Dusty Springfield, released as a single on 20 November 1989. It was Springfield's third single in a row to be a chart success, after an absence of nearly two decades from the charts. Both "In Private" and ...

" , Dusty Springfield , , - , " Express Yourself" , rowspan=2,

, , - , " Like a Prayer" , , - , " If I Could Turn Back Time" ,

, , - , "Closer to Fine" ,

Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part o ...

, , - , " Part of Your World" (from the film '' The Little Mermaid'') , Composed by Ashman and Menken Introduced by Jodi Benson , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=3, 1990 , " Vogue" ,

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Freedom! '90 "Freedom! '90" (also known simply as "Freedom!") is a song written, produced, and performed by George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with a hit by Michael's for ...

" , , , - , " Show Me Love" , Robin S. , , - ! rowspan="5" scope="row" , 1991 , " Finally" , CeCe Peniston , , - , " Better The Devil You Know" , , , - , " In My Life" , , , - , " Losing My Religion" , R.E.M. , , - , " Justified and Ancient" , The KLF & Tammy Wynette , , - ! rowspan="4" scope="row" , 1992 , "

Constant Craving "Constant Craving" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang and Ben Mink, performed by lang and included on her second solo album, ''Ingénue'' (1992). The song was released in the United Kingdom in April 1992 and won lang a Gram ...

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Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins. Released in March 1992 as the first single from her debut album, ''Tongues and Tails'' (1992), the song achieved success in many count ...

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Sophie B. Hawkins Sophie Ballantine Hawkins (born November 1, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and painter. Born in New York City, she attended the Manhattan School of Music for a year as a percussionist before leaving to pursue a music career. S ...

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Supermodel (You Better Work) "Supermodel (You Better Work)" is a song by American dance music singer and drag queen RuPaul. It was released in November 1993 as the third single (but first major label single) from his debut album, '' Supermodel of the World'' (1993). The song ...

" ,

RuPaul RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960; stylized as RuPaul) is an American drag queen, television personality, actor, musician, and model. Best known for producing, hosting, and judging the reality competition series ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' ...

, , - , " Deeper and Deeper" ,

, , - ! rowspan="4" scope="row" , 1993 , " Come to My Window" , rowspan="2" , Melissa Etheridge , , - , "Yes I Am" , , - , " I'm Every Woman" (theme from the film ''

The Bodyguard A bodyguard is an individual who protects another from harm or threats. Bodyguard may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * The Bodyguard (1944 film), ''The Bodyguard'' (1944 film), a Tom and Jerry short * Bodyguard (1948 film), ...

'') , , , - , " Rebel Girl" , Bikini Kill , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=3, 1994 , data-sort-value="Deeper Love", " A Deeper Love" , , , - , "

100% Pure Love "100% Pure Love" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Crystal Waters from her second studio album, '' Storyteller'' (1994). It was released on April 11, 1994, as the album's lead single. The song was a hit in many countries, reac ...

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Crystal Waters Crystal Waters (born November 19, 1961) is an American house and dance music singer and songwriter, best known for her 1990s dance hits " Gypsy Woman", " 100% Pure Love", and 2007's " Destination Calabria" with Alex Gaudino. All three of her s ...

, , - , " All I Want for Christmas Is You" ,

, , - ! rowspan="6" scope="row" , 1995 , "

Everlasting Love "Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, originally a 1967 hit for Robert Knight and since remade numerous times, most successfully by Love Affair, as well as Town Criers, Carl Carlton, Sandra Cretu, and Gloria Estef ...

" , , , - , " I Kissed a Girl" , , , - , " Fastlove" , rowspan=2, , , - , " Jesus to a Child" , rowspan=2, , - , " Waterfalls" , TLC , - , "

I Am the Body Beautiful I, or i, is the ninth Letter (alphabet), letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in Engl ...

" , Salt N Pepa , , - ! rowspan="3" scope="row" , 1996 , "

Seasons of Love "Seasons of Love" is a song from the 1996 Broadway musical ''Rent'', written and composed by Jonathan Larson. The song starts with an ostinato piano motif, which provides the harmonic framework for the cast to sing "Five hundred twenty-five thou ...

" (theme from the musical '' Rent'') , Introduced in the musical '' Rent'' , , - , " Take Me or Leave Me" , & Fredi Walker , , - , " Wannabe" ,

Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vict ...

, , - ! rowspan="6" scope="row" , 1997 , "

Fly Life "Fly Life" (often stylized as "Flylife") is a song by English electronic dance music duo Basement Jaxx from their fourth extended play, ''EP3'', released in 1996. The track was largely based on the 1996 single "Live Your Life with Me", which the ...

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Basement Jaxx Basement Jaxx are an English electronic music duo consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe. The pair got their name from the regular club night they held in Brixton, London, UK. They first rose to popularity in the underground house scene ...

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" , Ultra Naté , , - , " Together Again" ,

, , - , " Close My Eyes" ,

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Outside Outside or Outsides may refer to: General * Wilderness * Outside (Alaska), any non-Alaska location, as referred to by Alaskans Books and magazines * ''Outside'', a book by Marguerite Duras * ''Outside'' (magazine), an outdoors magazine Film, th ...

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One More Hour 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

" , Sleater-Kinney , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=6, 1998 , " Heaven's What I Feel" , , , - , "

" ,

, , - , " Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" ( Hex Hector remix) , Deborah Cox , , - , data-sort-value="The Origin of Love", " The Origin of Love" , Introduced in ''

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Hedwig and the Angry Inch may refer to: * ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (musical), 1998 ** ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (soundtrack), 1999 * ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (film), 2001 {{disambig ...

'' , , - , data-sort-value="Boy Is Mine", " The Boy Is Mine" ,

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...

Monica Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...

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" , , , - ! rowspan="5" scope="row" , 1999 , " Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" , Shania Twain , , - , " Waiting for Tonight" , , , - , " Strong Enough" ,

, , - , " Heartbreaker" ,

, , - , " It's Not Right but It's Okay" ( Thunderpuss remix) , , , - ! rowspan="6" scope="row" , 2000 , " Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" ,

, , - , "

Let's Get Loud "Let's Get Loud" is a song recorded by American singer Jennifer Lopez for her debut studio album ''On the 6'' (1999). Originally written by the song's co-writer Gloria Estefan for herself, she felt as if the song was too similar to her previous ...

" , , , - , " Spinning Around" , , , - , " Proud" , Heather Small , , - , " Stronger" , , , - , " Sobreviviré" , Mónica Naranjo , , - ! rowspan="7" scope="row" , 2001 , " Lady Marmalade" (theme from the film '' Moulin Rouge!'') , Christina Aguilera, Mýa,

Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...

and Pink , , - , Song for the Lonely" ,

, , - , " It's Raining Men" (theme from the film '' Bridget Jones's Diary'') , , , - , " Keep on Livin'" , Le Tigre , , - , "

There You'll Be "There You'll Be" is a song by American country music singer Faith Hill. Written by Diane Warren, produced by Trevor Horn and Byron Gallimore, and orchestrated by David Campbell, the song was released on May 21, 2001, and was included on ...

" (theme from the film '' Pearl Harbor'') , , , - , " Your Disco Needs You" , , , - , " Can't Get You Out of My Head" , , , - ! rowspan="4" scope="row" , 2002 , " ¿A quién le importa?" , Thalía , , Gay anthem in the Spanish-speaking world and cover of the Alaska and Dinarama song from 1986. , - , " Beautiful" , Christina Aguilera , , - , " Love at First Sight" , , , - , "

No More Drama ''No More Drama'' is the fifth studio album by American singer Mary J. Blige, released on August 28, 2001, by MCA Records. Following the critical and commercial success of her fourth studio album, ''Mary'' (1999), ''No More Drama'' was similarly w ...

" (Thunderpuss remix) , Mary J. Blige , , - ! scope="row" rowspan="5" , 2003 , " Defying Gravity" , Introduced by Idina Menzel, from the musical '' Wicked'' , , - , " Fighter" , Christina Aguilera , , - , " Me Against the Music" , featuring

, , - , " Dragostea Din Tei" , O-Zone , , - , " Mr. Brightside " , The Killers , , - ! scope="row" , 2004 , " Take Your Mama" , Scissor Sisters , , - ! scope="row" , 2005 , " Hung Up" ,

, , - ! rowspan="6" scope="row" , 2006 , " Listen" , rowspan="2" ,

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

, , - , " Freakum Dress" , , - , "

Stars Are Blind "Stars Are Blind" is a song recorded by American television personality and socialite Paris Hilton for her debut studio album, ''Paris'' (2006). It was released as the lead single from the album on June 5, 2006, by Warner Bros. Records. The song ...

" , , , - , data-sort-value="Best of Both Worlds" , " The Best of Both Worlds" , , , - , " Buttons" , , , - , "

Todos Me Miran "Todos Me Miran" ("''Everyone looks at me''") is a song by the Mexico, Mexican artist Gloria Trevi. Released as a single in 2006, the song peaked at number 18 on the ''Billboard'' Latin Pop Songs chart and number 32 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. It ...

" , , Gay anthem in the Spanish-speaking world , - ! scope="row" rowspan="4" , 2007 , " Get Me Bodied" ,

, , - , " Gimme More" , , , - , " Untouched" , The Veronicas , , - , "

My Love Is Pink "My Love Is Pink" is a song by English girl group Sugababes from their fifth studio album, ''Change'' (2007). It was written by band members Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range in collaboration with the songwriting and production team Xenomania, who ...

" , Sugababes , , - , " Into the New World" ,

Girls' Generation Girls' Generation (), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piece ensembl ...

, , - !2008 , " The Promise" , , - ! scope="row", 2009 , " She Wolf" , , - ! scope="row" rowspan="6" , 2010 , " Kesha , , - , "All The Lovers" , rowspan="2" , , , - , " Get Outta My Way" , , - , " Firework" ,

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...

, , - , " Raise Your Glass" , Pink , , - , " Dancing on My Own" , Robyn , , - ! scope="row" rowspan=4, 2011 , " Born This Way" , Lady Gaga ,
, - , " Till the World Ends" , , , - , " Run The World (Girls)" , rowspan=2,

, , - , " Love On Top" , , - ! scope="row" rowspan="4" , 2012 , "

Call Me Maybe "Call Me Maybe" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen for her EP ''Curiosity'' (2012) and later appeared on her second studio album and first international album ''Kiss'' (2012). The song was written by Jepsen and T ...

" , , , - , " Same Love" , Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert , , - , " Thinkin Bout You" , , Frank Ocean , , - , "

Let's Have a Kiki "Let's Have a Kiki" is a song by American band Scissor Sisters. The song was released as the third single from their fourth studio album '' Magic Hour''. It was released on September 11, 2012 in the United States and September 18, 2012 in the Unit ...

" , Scissor Sisters , , - ! scope="row" rowspan="10" , 2013 , " Land of Lola" , rowspan=2,

Billy Porter William Ellis Porter II (born September 21, 1969) is an American actor and singer. Porter gained notice performing on Broadway before starting a solo career as a singer and actor. Porter won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical fo ...

, , - , " Raise You Up/Just Be" , , - , " Follow Your Arrow" , , , - , " " , ,

Themes

Sources of gay anthems

List of historically significant gay anthems

See also

Notes

References