20BiTeen The Rate:: Hello..It's Cutlery

Welcome to everyone and anyone!


Somehow, I’m back again.


I didn’t think I’d run another rate.


But I also didn’t think I’d be wearing a mask every time I left my apartment.


We never quite know what the world holds for us but if there’s one thing I can depend upon, it’s music! This rate is full of incredible music created by amazing queer artists! There’s not one genre or sound that defines our community because just like each of us it contains multitudes. Spend time with this music. Uncover the lyrics and hum the melodies. Some songs will challenge you. Some will sooth you. Others will make you dance or cry or scream or all three at the same time.

This is not a rate to play through once and throw out some numbers. Many of these artists are underheard and undervalued because of who they are. We owe it to their artistic vision to give each song our attention.

All of which to say, no troll ballots please! I’m not expecting anyone to hand out exclusively 8+ scores, but I’m not expecting a lot of 0’s. So why don’t I stop going on and get to the rules:

Rate Rules:

• Rate every song from 1-10. You get one 0 and one 11 but don’t have to use either.
• Go wild with decimals and commentary!
• Please be honest with your ballot but please don’t troll. If you’re not sure just send me a message!
• Deadline is Monday November 9th! There are 113 songs to rate so make sure you give yourself the time you need!
• Everyone needs to say thank you to @Cutlery for their incredible graphics!

Now, let’s get to the music!


Tegan and Sara are absolute monoliths when it comes to music created by queer people! I’m not being facetious when I say countless artists in this rate would not be here were it not for them. With their latest album, Hey I’m Just Like You, they reached back to their highschool years and rediscovered the magic in their younger selves. With the help of an all female team behind them, including the incredible Alex Hope, they’ve crafted a emotional and inventive album that explores a young queer person’s space in this world.

With her sophomore album, Shura announced to the world that she’s not some shy shrinking violet but instead someone who fucks. Also someone who has big tender thoughts and feelings. But isn’t that being gay? Yes, but also rewriting your relationship to religion and sex! Through it all, Shura gives us grooves and all the feels.

Speaking of destroying the sophomore slump, Muna came out swinging with their second effort. They somehow made songs about the lasting scars of failed relationships, the gravitational pull of a toxic ex and odes to our younger selves complete bops without losing a drop of emotional relevance. But who will be their Number One Fan?

Clairo is our young buck out of the four main artists but she more than holds her own against these living legends and forum faves. With expert production from the best and gayest part of Vampire Weekend (Rostam), Claire Cottrill has crafted aching songs of finding yourself and finding love in the wilderness of youth. These are songs that sneak up on you when they’re not grabbing you by your shirt collar. Lyrics that glide over the production until diving straight into your heart.


I was intentional after 20GAYteen to include each main artist’s whole album cause I’m still sad Dirty Computer hasn’t been rated in full. Culling down to four albums was HARD and there were still some artists I (and others) felt were deserving of a more in depth spotlight! So we have six Main Extras (As a famous gay poet said: Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself)


Fresh off the rebirth of her very own rate is PopJustice’s favorite horny swede! With pop hooks for days and her very own songwriting style filled to the brim with humor and heart, Tove Lo released one of the defining Not Quite Mainstream But Still Pop records of 2019!


A hard album to not include in full but I was not ready for a bunch of “This song sounds the same” and “OMG Matty from the 1975…” BS. So instead y’all get two exquisite cuts from Amber Bain and her emotional electropop. The Japanese House will be bringing the type of yearning only us queers can really feel.


Before I started gathering songs for this rate, I had never listened to Tami T (my apologies to @OspreyQueen and her PJ Chart FYCs). Now she has songs on my Receiptify! A Swedish producer carrying the pop loving electronic flame of the Knife, what’s not to love?


Carrying the torch for white twinks is Cub Sport! The Australian band is fronted by a gay married couple and their self titled album was my biggest discovery of 2019 according to my Spotify Unwrapped! It’s an album full of big pop hooks, chilled out electronic moments, and lead singer Tim Nelson’s incredible voice.


Did someone say incredible voice? Orville Peck, the masked cowboy character of an “anonymous musician,” has the type of deep old school country voice that will wake your loins. Not to mention, the songs are the type of big hearted country tunes absent from country radio full of references to artists far outside of country.


It took the advocacy of three of the forum’s biggest queer music supporters to bump TR/ST up to the minor big leagues but I’m glad I listened! Robert Alfons came back after a lengthy hiatus with two albums in 2019 featuring his one of a kind voice and production.


Just like last year, we’ve filled the extra songlist to the brim with some amazing queer talent! From BIG names like Sam Smith and Lil Nas X to cult faves like COBRAH and L Devine to artists I had never listened to before this rate, there is something for everyone here! Please try to give the extras time. Maybe a voice or a sound will rub you the wrong way on first listen. Give a second listen. Maybe try it again on another day! You could rush and listen to everything the day before voting closes, but that would make me sad.

Queer Women

1. Raveena “Sweet TIme”
2. Pronoun “run”
3. L Devine “Naked Alone”
4. Kehlani “Nights Like This”
5. Highwomen “If She Ever Leaves Me”
6. Black Belt Eagle Scout “At the Party”
7. Superknova “Off My Body”
8. Montaigne “Love Might Be Found”
9. SOAK “Deju Vu”
10. Yung Baby Tate “Camp”
11. Vagabon “Water Me Down”
12. June Jones “Look at You Go”
13. Sateen “Gotta Give Me Your Love”
14. Girl in Red “Bad Idea”
15. Kira Pura “Everything Is Better Without You”
16. Art School Girlfriend “Diving”
17. Katie Dey “Stuck”
18. Jay Som “Tenderness”
19. Torraine Futuram “Miles from Heaven”
20. King Princess “Hit the Back”
21. NIMMO “Place to Rent"
22. COBRAH “U KNOW ME”
23. Shygirl “BB”
24. Sleater-Kinney “Can I Go On”

Queer Men

1. Greyson Chance “Shut Up”
2. Kaytranada “10%”
3. Kevin Abstract “Georgia”
4. Perfume Genius “Pop Song”
5. Lil Nas X “C7osure”
6. Bronze Avery “Spilling Out”
7. Vincint “Please Don’t Fall in Love”
8. T. Thomason “Hope”
9. Cachurro “Mantra”
10. Will Young “All the Songs”
11. Josef Salvat “Modern Anxiety”
12. LIE NING “ “tonight”
13. Miss Benny “Every Boy”
14. Holland “Loved You Better”
15. Luis Gamarra “ Por un Beso”
16. Girlpool “Hire” “Hire”
17. Pet Shop Boys ft Years & Years “Dreamland”
18. Mashrou’ Leila “Calvary”
19. Twinkids “Eighteen”
20. C Duncan “He Came From the Sun”
21. Tom Aspau “Back to Earth”
22. Frank Ocean “In My Room

Non Binary Artists

1. Sam Smith “How Do You Sleep?”
2. Kindness “Lost Without”
3. Claud “If I Were You”
4. Dorian Electra “Flamboyant”
5. Tunde Olaniran “Jean Grey”
6. Sir Babygirl “Heels”
7. Lizette Lizette “Non”
8. imbi the girl “Peaches & scream”
9. Ezra Furman “Transition from Nowhere to Nowhere”

Please let me know if I misgendered anyone!


Here's the PM-able songlist!

Spoiler: Full Song LIst

1. “Hold My Breath Until I Die”
   
   
2. "Hey, I'm Just Like You"
   
   
3. "I'll Be Back Someday"
   
   
4. "Don't Believe the Things They Tell You (They Lie)"
   
   
5. "Hello, I'm Right Here"
   
   
6. "I Don't Owe You Anything"
   
   
7. "I Know I'm Not the Only One"
   
   
8. "Please Help Me"
   
   
9. "Keep Them Close 'Cause They Will Fuck You Too"
   
   
10. "We Don't Have Fun When We're Together Anymore"
    
    
11. "You Go Away and I Don't Mind"
    
    
12. "All I Have to Give the World Is Me"
    
    
13. “That’s Me, Just a Sweet Melody”
    
    
14. "Side Effects"
    
    
15. "Religion (U Can Lay Your Hands on Me)"
    
    
16. "The Stage"
    
    
17. "Bklynldn"
    
    
18. "Tommy"
    
    
19. "Princess Leia"
    
    
20. "Flyin'"
    
    
21. "Forever"
    
    
22. "Control"
    
    
23. "Skyline, Be Mine"
    
    
24. “Grow”
    
    
25. “Number One Fan”
    
    
26. “Stayaway”
    
    
27. “Who”
    
    
28. “Navy Blue”
    
    
29. “Never”
    
    
30. “Pink Light”
    
    
31. “Taken”
    
    
32. “Hands Off “
    
    
33. “Good News (Ya-Ya Song)”
    
    
34. “Memento”
    
    
35. “It's Gonna Be Okay, Baby”
    
    
36. "Alewife"
    
    
37. "Impossible"
    
    
38. "Closer to You"
    
    
39. "North"
    
    
40. "Bags"
    
    
41. "Softly"
    
    
42. "Sofia"
    
    
43. "White Flag"
    
    
44. "Feel Something"
    
    
45. "Sinking"
    
    
46. "I Wouldn't Ask You"
    
    
47. “Bad as the Boys”
    
    
48. “Glad He’s Gone”
    
    
49. “Maybe Your the Reason”
    
    
50. “Lilo”
    
    
51. “Princess”
    
    
52. “Stay Where You Are”
    
    
53. “As Long As You’re Happy”
    
    
54. “Party Pill”
    
    
55. “Turn to Hate”
    
    
56. “Dead of Night”
    
    
57. “Bicep”
    
    
58. “Iris”
    
    
59. Art School Girlfriend “Diving”
    
    
60. Black Belt Eagle Scout “At the Party”
    
    
61. Bronze Avery “Spilling Out”
    
    
62. C Duncan “He Came From the Sun”
    
    
63. Cachurro “Mantra”
    
    
64. Claud “If I Were You”
    
    
65. COBRAH “U KNOW ME”
    
    
66. Dorian Electra “Flamboyant”
    
    
67. Ezra Furman Transition from Nowhere to Nowhere”
    
    
68. Frank Ocean “In My Room”
    
    
69. Girl in Red “Bad Idea”
    
    
70. Girlpool “Hire”
    
    
71. Greyson Chance “Shut Up”
    
    
72. Highwomen “If She Ever Leaves Me”
    
    
73. Holland “Loved You Better”
    
    
74. Imbi the girl“Peaches & scream
    
    
75. Jay Som “Tenderness”
    
    
76. Josef Salvat “Modern Anxiety”
    
    
77. June Jones “Look at You Go”
    
    
78. Katie Dey “Stuck”
    
    
79. Kaytranada “10%”
    
    
80. Kehlani “Nights Like This”
    
    
81. Kevin Abstract “Georgia”
    
    
82. Kindness “Lost Without”
    
    
83. King Princess “Hit the Back”
    
    
84. Kira Pura “Everything Is Better Without You”
    
    
85. L Devine “Naked Alone”
    
    
86. LIE NING “tonight”
    
    
87. Lil Nas X “C7osure”
    
    
88. Lizette Lizette “Non”
    
    
89. Luis Gamarra “ Por un Beso”
    
    
90. Mashrou’ Leila “Calvary”
    
    
91. Miss Benny “Every Boy”
    
    
92. Montaigne “Love Might Be Found”
    
    
93. NIMMO “Place to Rent” by NIMMO
    
    
94. Perfume Genius “Pop Song”
    
    
95. Pet Shop Boys ft Years & Years “Dreamland”
    
    
96. Pronoun “run”
    
    
97. Raveena “Sweet TIme”
    
    
98. Sam Smith “How Do You Sleep?”
    
    
99. Sateen “Gotta Give Me Your Love”
    
    
100. Shygirl “BB”
     
     
101. Sir Babygirl “Heels”
     
     
102. Sleater Kinney “Can I Go On”
     
     
103. SOAK “Deju Vu”
     
     
104. Superknova “Off My Body”
     
     
105. T. Thomason “Hope”
     
     
106. Tom Aspaul “Back to Earth”
     
     
107. Torraine Futuram “Miles from Heaven”
     
     
108. Tunde Olaniran “Jean Grey”
     
     
109. Twinkids “Eighteen”
     
     
110. Vagabon “Water Me Down”
     
     
111. Vincint “Please Don’t Fall in Love”
     
     
112. Will Young “All the Songs”
     
     
113. Yung Baby Tate “Camp”

 

Deadline is
Weds Nov 18 @ 6 PM EST
Start listening now babies!

 

What Remains?
​

“Hold My Breath Until I Die”
"Hey, I'm Just Like You"
"I'll Be Back Someday"
"Don't Believe the Things They Tell You (They Lie)"
"Hello, I'm Right Here"
"I Don't Owe You Anything"
"I Know I'm Not the Only One"
"We Don't Have Fun When We're Together Anymore"
"All I Have to Give the World Is Me"

"Side Effects"
"Religion (U Can Lay Your Hands on Me)"
"The Stage"
"Bklynldn"
"Tommy"
"Princess Leia"
"Flyin'"
"Forever"
"Control"
"Skyline, Be Mine"

“Grow”
“Number One Fan”
“Stayaway”
“Who”
“Navy Blue”
“Never”
“Pink Light”
“Taken”
“Hands Off “
“Good News (Ya-Ya Song)”
“Memento”
“It's Gonna Be Okay, Baby”

"Alewife"
"Impossible"
"Closer to You"
"North"
"Bags"
"Softly"
"Sofia"
"White Flag"
"Feel Something"
"I Wouldn't Ask You"


“Bad as the Boys”
“Glad He’s Gone”

“Maybe Your the Reason”
“Lilo”


“Princess”
“Stay Where You Are”


“As Long As You’re Happy”
“Party Pill”

“Turn to Hate”
“Dead of Night”

“Bicep”
“Iris”


Art School Girlfriend “Diving”
Black Belt Eagle Scout “At the Party”
Bronze Avery “Spilling Out”
C Duncan “He Came From the Sun”
Claud “If I Were You”
COBRAH “U KNOW ME”
Dorian Electra “Flamboyant”
Ezra Furman Transition from Nowhere to Nowhere”
Frank Ocean “In My Room”
Girl in Red “Bad Idea”
Girlpool “Hire”
Highwomen “If She Ever Leaves Me”
Holland “Loved You Better”
Jay Som “Tenderness”
Josef Salvat “Modern Anxiety”
Kaytranada “10%”
Kehlani “Nights Like This”
Kevin Abstract “Georgia”
Kindness “Lost Without”
King Princess “Hit the Back”
Kira Pura “Everything Is Better Without You”
L Devine “Naked Alone”
LIE NING “tonight”
Lil Nas X “C7osure”
Lizette Lizette “Non”
Mashrou’ Leila “Calvary”
Montaigne “Love Might Be Found”
NIMMO “Place to Rent” by NIMMO
Perfume Genius “Pop Song”
Pet Shop Boys ft Years & Years “Dreamland”
Pronoun “run”
Raveena “Sweet Time”
Sam Smith “How Do You Sleep?”
Sateen “Gotta Give Me Your Love”
Shygirl “BB”
Sir Babygirl “Heels”
Sleater Kinney “Can I Go On”
SOAK “Deju Vu”
Superknova “Off My Body”
Tom Aspaul “Back to Earth”
Torraine Futuram “Miles from Heaven”
Tunde Olaniran “Jean Grey”
Twinkids “Eighteen”
Vagabon “Water Me Down”
Vincint “Please Don’t Fall in Love”
Will Young “All the Songs”
Yung Baby Tate “Camp”

 

Results!​

101. "Por Un Beso" by Luis Gamarra 7.05
102. "Keep Them Close Cause They Will Fuck You Too" by Tegan and Sara 7.02
103. "Stuck" by Katie Dey 7.01
104. "Peaches & Scream" by Imbi the Girl 6.88 (rounded down)
105. "Sinking" by Clairo 6.88 (rounded up)
106. "Shut Up" by Greyson Chance 6.87
107. "Please Help Me" by Tegan and Sara 6.78
108. "Sweet Melody" by Shura 6.75
109. "You Go Away and I Don't Mind" by Tegan and Sara 6.63
110. ""Every Boy" by Miss Benny 6.52
111. "Mantra" by Cacurro 6.42
112. "Look at You Go" by June Jones 6.27
113. "Hope" by T. Thomason 5.32

 

LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!​

 

But...but...

 

Well yay.

 

The entirety of forevher

Sofia, Bags, White Flag, North, etc.

Hey, I'm Just Like You's opening run of songs

It's Gonna Be Okay, Baby closing the album

And that's without even touching all the talent in the samplers and extras

I'm ready!

 

10's, 10's, 10's across the board

And I'm so excited for all the new discoveries along the way!

 

I’m so mad cause I gave my copy away so I can’t reference it in my write ups!

 

Oh my god, a song on this list... it seems that I won't have much trouble choosing an 11,

 

Good evening. fatyoshi would like to remind everyone to do the Right Thing in this rate and stan Vagabon.

 

This is KILLING me! And yes, please stan Vagabon! Though Sleater-Kinney do not deserve the trash can!!

 

I wonder which fun bop is getting it?

For the left half, I absolutely am every night. For the right, you are WRONG for this!!

 

Let me just mark down all my obvious 10s real quick. There's a lot!

 

By the way, cue to me submitting minutes before the deadline, despite having listened to most songs over five times already...

 

I missed last year's edition but I'm definitely here queer for this!

 

I wonder if it's a fun bop this time!!!

 

Oh yes, I did promise myself I'd listen to each main album at least 5 times to be able to say I gave them a fair shake. The extras are done tho and the quality is insane! Wouldn't be mad if they filled up the upper echelons of the ranking at all yeah, never gon' happen