There are bubbly pop songs about falling in love and heartbreak, as well as moody R&B and hip-hop songs that launched movements. There might be some songs you don't know at the top of the list that nabbed that spot because the track's weight as an anthem was more powerful than streaming numbers. To define a gay anthem (and a great one at that), we took notice of a song's mainstream popularity, but also dissected each track's messaging, quality, queer factor, the icon or ally status of the artist, if the gays scream when the track comes on, and how much of a pop culture moment the track was. The 2010s are coming to an end, and music is gayer than it's ever been. Gay anthems have evolved, though they still revolved around themes like celebrating your sexuality, unrequited love, overcoming hardship, and ultimately invoking a sense of community. Previously, pop divas have been ubiquitous with gay anthems, but for the first time this decade, we're finally seeing a push of actual LGBTQ artists in mainstream media. Fast forward 20 years and we got songs like 'Believe' by Cher or 'Beautiful' by Christina Aguilera to keep us inspired.Īnthems usually have a few defining qualities.
Probably remixed over a trap beat, but nevertheless, they are still celebrated in our community. 'I Will Survive' by Gloria Gaynor or 'I'm Coming Out' by Diana Ross are still played in gay clubs around the world. Your mind probably immediately goes to the classics. Their first single and video Smalltown Boy chronicled the well worn story of a disconnected youth leaving his home town for the big city and its promised.
