Many gay divas and superstars have taken the stage and dazzled the audience with their vocal prowess. Many of the biggest musicians of the late 20th century and beyond, who are from the LGBTQ+ community, have long been embraced in the music industry.
Although it shouldn't matter whether a performer or band is gay, lesbian, transgender, et al, there have been those who have excelled significantly over time in the music industry. The truth is that some of the greatest musicians of all time have been and remained openly gay, and their work has endured for decades.
Certain LGBTQ+ performers and bands, both new and old, have completely revolutionised the music industry. Gay musicians such as Freddie Mercury and Elton John have gone on to become LGBTQ+ icons.
The music industry is arguably one of the most inclusive ones we are aware of. These groundbreaking LGBTQ+ musicians have given their own splash of colour to the walls of popular music's unending hallways, whether it be by standing strong in the face of adversity, advocating for rights and medical research, or giving a platform to people whose voices were previously unheard.
Here is a list of some of the greatest musicians who were open about their identity and have rocked the world with their music.
Elton John: Of all LGBTQ+ musicians, Sir Elton has received possibly the most awards. Active since 1967, Elton John has sold over 250 million recordings, been knighted and raised more than £350 million for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The performer has relentlessly fought for LGBTQ+ rights throughout the world, notably in Russia, where he asked President Vladimir Putin in 2013 if he would be interested in learning about numerous persons who have been punished under Russian anti-homosexual legislation.
Sir Elton has made a lot of friends thanks to his humanitarianism and compassion, including Eminem, who he assisted in his sobriety in the mid-2000s. John continues to be a cherished radio mainstay with endless classics including “Tiny Dancer,”“Rocket Man,” and more. He is also a popular choice for karaoke nights.
Freddie Mercury: Rock and roll icon and front-man for Queen, Freddie Mercury, is the author of timeless songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Killer Queen.” Mercury’s voice was heard frequently on all rock radio stations during the 1970s and 1980s, and his incredible performances filled arenas.
Mercury was an inspiration for the gay community for decades while keeping most of his private life private. Unfortunately, he passed away from HIV/AIDS in 1991. With one of the finest voices of all time to boot, Mercury was the epitome of a performer — full of life and energy. He gave it his all and, for the most part, didn’t seem to be ashamed of who he really was, whether he was performing in drag in the “I Want to Break Free” music video or drawing tens of thousands of fans to Wembley.
Mercury had built a reputation as one of the most groundbreaking LGBTQ+ musicians, the impact of which was apparent. The legacy left is improbable to ever be surpassed.
Sam Smith: Sam Smith, the British singer of "Stay With Me," came out in 2014 and admitted that his beloved man served as the inspiration for the timeless hit. Another high point in Smith's burgeoning career came in 2015 when “Writing On The Wall” became the first James Bond theme song to top the UK charts.
Smith's fourth studio album Gloria (2023), featured the number-one single "Unholy", a song by him and German singer Kim Petras.
Since his astonishing debut album, In The Lonely Hour, which temporarily earned him the moniker "male Adele," Smith's image has shown signs of increasing confidence. His work has been much more experimental than that, in reality.
Smith has now revealed their genderqueer identity and has continued to dazzle audiences with their amazing voice.
Ricky Martin: In 1999, Ricky Martin achieved international success and made history by becoming the first Latin artiste to top the Billboard album charts. His popularity was largely captured by the hit song Livin' La Vida Loca, which had frothy dance-floor vigour and enough pop hooks to win over Top 40 radio programmers.
However, Martin's refusal to renounce his Spanish-language roots caused him to gradually lose commercial traction outside the Latin market. In 2010, the “King of Latin Pop” came out as gay.
Martin has long been regarded as one of the most significant gay musicians in the world, thanks to classics like “Livin' La Vida Loca.”
Demi Lovato: Demi Lovato left the Disney Channel's Camp Rock and Sonny With A Chance shows in 2008 and released their debut album, Don't Forget. She later came out as non-binary and now utilises they/them and she/her pronouns. Unbroken, their third album, released in 2011, featured a more mature sound and featured the now-iconic anthem Skyscraper.
Lovato has pushed sonic limits with each of their subsequent releases since 2015's Confident, an impressive electro-pop breakthrough. Holy Fvck from 2022 has a lot to say about self-empowerment, suggesting that Lovato's songwriting will become much more unexpected in the years to come.
Lady Gaga: One of the biggest pop stars of the twenty-first century, Lady Gaga has been outspoken about being bisexual. Her megahits, which include smashes such as"Just Dance" and "Born This Way," have served as anthems for the LGBT community.
Frank Ocean: With albums such as Channel Orange and Blonde, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Frank Ocean solidified his status as a pop music icon throughout the decade of 2010. Ocean revealed his homosexuality in an open letter he wrote in 2012.
With major releases like channel ORANGE and Blonde, the latter of which contains Nights, a song frequently referred to as being one of the best beat shifts of all time, Ocean has very coolly created his own romantic and introspective world, paving the path for male LGBTQ+ performers in R&B. Ocean undoubtedly has a director's touch, and his music provides a soundtrack for folks who feel like their love lives are playing out like a movie.
Halsey: Halsey (Ashley Frangipane), a New Jersey native, began writing music at the age of 17. A parody of Taylor Swift's song, "I Knew You Were Trouble" that the electropop singer posted on Tumblr and YouTube in 2012, quickly gained the attention of other users of such platforms. Since then, more than a million copies of Halsey's top-charting albums, including Room 93, Badlands, and Manic, have been sold.
Openly bisexual, Halsey declared in March 2021 that she employs both "she/her '' and "they/them" pronouns. Halsey frequently incorporates her bisexuality into her music and speaks out about the difficulties that come with it, such as erasure and the belief that it's simply a phase. She also frequently donates to pro-LGBTQIA+ organisations.
Brandi Carlile: Brandi Carlile is one of the world's most brilliant singer-songwriters and the recipient of 18 Grammy Awards so far. Carlile never ceases to astound listeners and reviewers with her work, whether it be solo or in conjunction with The Highwomen, an all-female quartet. Since 2002, she has been out about being gay