Rolling Stone's 35 Essential LGBTQ Pride Songs: A Historical Retrospective from Stonewall to Today
By
Rolling Stone
Summary
Rolling Stone editors curate a list of 35 essential LGBTQ pride songs spanning from the 1970s post-Stonewall era to contemporary gender-queer rock, R&B, and pop. The article traces the evolution of queer musical expression through artists like Sylvester, The Kinks, and Perfume Genius, exploring themes of sex, drama, heartache, struggle, liberation, and identity. It serves as both a historical retrospective and a celebration of LGBTQ+ musical contributions.
Source
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIs there an LGBTQ sensibility? What was it 50 years ago, before much of today's language for gender and sexual identities even existed?
What follows is not a completely comprehensive (or ranked) list, but one that follows the story from post-Stonewall disco parties to the gender-queer rock, R&B, and pop of today.
Which songs best evoke the sex, drama, heartache, struggle, liberation, and mindfucks of queer lives then and now?
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