Interested in diversifying your playlist a little bit? Below I’ve listed some of my favorite queer songs – all written by people in the LGBTQ+ community. The songs are a mix of different genres and styles but all focus on love – finding it and losing it. Links for all of the songs are listed below in pink!
1. “1950” – King Princess
1950 is about having unrequited love for someone from a queer perspective. Following the release and popularity of the song King Princess said “Queer love was only able to exist privately for a long time, expressed in society through coded art forms. I wrote this song as a story of unrequited love in my own life, doing my best to acknowledge and pay homage to that part of history.”
2. “Girls Like Girls” – Hayley Kiyoko
Although any number of Kiyoko’s songs could make it on this list, Girls Like Girls is a classic. She sings of falling in love with a girl who is currently dating a man. After gaining massive popularity Kiyoko said “I loved the idea of how all these guys always are stealing other guys’ girls and I was like, ‘There’s no female anthem for a girl stealing another guy’s girl.”
3.” PYNK” – Janelle Monáe
Another artist known for multiple LGBTQ+ anthems, Janelle Monáe’s PYNK is a nod to the Pussy Power movement and celebrates the beauty of the vagina. Following its release she described the song as “a brash celebration of creation. self love. and pussy power! PYNK is the color that unites us all, for pink is the color found in the deepest and darkest nooks and crannies of humans everywhere… PYNK is where the future is born…” Even if the song isn’t your cup of tea, I definitely recommend still watching the beautifully made and empowering music video.
4. “Girls/Girls/Boys” – Panic! At The Disco
Although this isn’t a new song, it has always been a favorite of mine. The song is simple and direct with its lyrics. “Girls love girls and boys. And never did I think I could be caught in the way you got me. But girls love girls and boys. And love is not a choice.”
5.”She Keeps Me Warm” – Mary Lambert
I’ll admit, some of these songs haven’t been the happiest with unrequited love and love that has failed. This song however is not one of those songs. Lambert’s song is a story about meeting someone, longing to be with them, and their story of falling in love. This song might feel familiar as part of it was featured on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ song Same Love (another great LGBTQ+ positive song), however the ballad is a beautiful piece on its own.
6.”Tongue“ – MNEK
MNEK’s song is HOT. It’s all about having a strong sexual desire and connection with another person PLUS being in love with them. They both know something is going on but neither is making a move yet. Definitely a great song to listen to when you’re with your significant other.
7.“Blue Neighbourhood Trilogy”– Troye Sivan
This recommendation is actually a trilogy of songs by Troye Sivan known individually as “Wild”, “Fools”, and “Talk Me Down”. The three songs – and their music videos tell a cohesive story about friendship turning into love and then loss. I strongly recommend watching all three songs back to back, but be warned there is no happy ending here.