Queerly Beloved, We are gathered here this day to celebrate the year 20GAYTeen of our Lorde and all the tremendous music created by LGBT+ artists this year! We have been embarrassed with riches when it comes to music created by queer artists! It feels like within every genre -and pop especially- us queers are leading the way! I have spent a lot of time this year tracking down fantastic music created by queer artists to share with you all. I’ve been so grateful to all the amazing recommendations sent my way by so many wonderful members of this forum! Our list of 92 songs is my attempt to create a list that is representative of the multitude of experiences that exist in this world for a person who is queer. We have countless genres and multiple languages present as well as artists from just about every letter of our acronym. At this point, the list is pretty set in stone but if you see a glaring omission please let me know! Thanks to the suggestion of the always gracious @beyoncésweave, our song selection is broken down into two categories. The first are a selection of songs from the major albums of 20GAYteen representing different members of the L, the G, the B, and the T in LGBT (quick disclaimer: the B side of the main artists is represented by artists who have identified as Pansexual). Let's take a look at our main contenders: Hayley Kiyoko: Lesbian Jesus Troye Sivan: God of the Twinks Years & Years: Drama Gay With A Budget MNEK: Underloved & Overtalented Ssion: The Artistic Genius You Haven't Heard of Yet Janelle Monae: Queer Black Excellence in Human Form Christine & The Queens: Very French & Very Talented SOPHIE: Producing Extraordinaire & The Best Part of PC Music [Editor's Note: I haven't made a single graphic for this so please don't expect anything fancy] The second category is our extras compromised of single tracks from a plethora of genres and identities. Please be sure to give this section a good listen as it includes not just PJ Faves like Rina & St. Vincent but little known artists with lots of talent and too few listeners! The Rules In case this is your first foray into Rates & Charts, you’ll copy and paste the song list below and rate every song on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best. You are allowed to bestow 11 whole points on one song only so choose wisely! I highly encourage you to include commentary cause otherwise our eliminations are gonna be a lot of me talking in circles. Please don’t troll vote! If you give one artist all 10’s and another artist all 0’s, I’m not gonna keep your ballot. If things look suspicious or I have questions, I will ask you to revisit things and decide from there. As this rate is specifically geared to a specific group of artists here are some guidelines I’d love for us to follow to keep everyone having fun. If one of these really rubs you the wrong way please let me know, I’m always down for a discussion: I don’t think there’s such thing as “queer music” and the diversity of sounds in this rate is a testament to that. Feel free to analyze and contemplate what makes a song “queer” or not to you but don’t zero a song cause you don’t think it’s “gay enough.” I’m all for reclaiming terms but let's be sensitive that different people may be in different places with that. I want this rate to be fun and full of kii’s but I don’t want any member to feel unwelcome or set off. Let’s be careful with what we’re saying and to who we’re saying it to. Me calling Troye a twink is the pot calling the kettle black and all in good fun, calling him our f-word may not be fun for another user. Please, please, please give the extras section a good chunk of time. There are SO many under heard queer voices in music today and so often they are from groups that are already under heard (people of color, people who are trans, First Nation people). If a song doesn’t click on first listen, especially if it’s not your typical pop song, give it a few more listens. Also in case this needs to be said: all voters are welcome! Finally, the moment you've been waiting for: The Song List! Hayley Kiyoko “Feelings” Hayley Kiyoko “Curious” Hayley Kiyoko ft. Kehlani “What I Need” Hayley Kiyoko “Sleepover” Hayley Kiyoko “HLNY” Hayley Kiyoko “Molecules” Christine and the Queens “Girlfriend” Christine and the Queens “5 Dollar” Christine and the Queens “Goya! Soda” Christine and the Queens “Doesn’t Matter” Christine and the Queens “What’s-her-face” Christine and the Queens “The Walker” Troye Sivan “My My My!” Troye Sivan “Good Side” Troye Sivan “Bloom” Troye Sivan ft. Ariana Grande “Dance to This” Troye Sivan “Lucky Strike” Troye Sivan “Plum” Ssion “Comeback” Ssion “ At Least the Sky is Blue” Ssion “Inherit” Ssion “Heaven is My Thing Again” MNEK “Correct” MNEK “Tongue” MNEK “Body” MNEK “Girlfriend” MNEK “Crazy World” Years & Years “All For You” Years & Years “Hallelujah” Years & Years “Karma” Years & Years “Rendezvous” Years & Years “Up In Flames” Years & Years “If You’re Over Me” Janelle Monae “Make Me Feel” Janelle Monae “Screwed” Janelle Monae “Django Jane” Janelle Monae “Pynk” Janelle Monae “I Like That” Janelle Monae “Americans” SOPHIE “It's Okay to Cry” SOPHIE “Ponyboy” SOPHIE “Faceshopping” SOPHIE “Is It Cold in the Water?” SOPHIE “Infatuation” SOPHIE “Immaterial” The Aces “Volcanic Love” Ah Mer Ah Su “Heartbreaker” Anna Calvi “Don’t Beat the Girl Out of My Boy” Big Freedia ft. Lizzo “Karaoke” Black Belt Eagle Scout “Soft Stud” Blood Orange “Charcoal Baby” Boygenius “Stay Down” Brandi Carlile “The Joke” Bright Light Bright Light “Tough Love” Brockhampton “Weight” Bronze Avery “Want 2” Calvin Arsenia “Headlights” Charlotte Day Wilson “Doubt” Dizzy Fae “Don’t Hate For Me” Fischerspooner “Have Fun Tonight” G Flip “Killing My Time” Goldilox “Decision” Halsey "Without Me" Holland “I’m Not Afraid” Jaime WIlson “Everything Is New” Jake Zyrus “Diamond” Jeremy Dutcher “Mehcinut” Jess Glynne “Thursday” Jessica 6 “The Storm Inside” King Princess “1950” Leadr “11:11” Leo Kalyan “Stranger” Merlot “Bad For You” MRSHLL “POSE" Now, Now “SGL” Pale Waves “There’s a Honey” Perta “From Fire” Planningtorock “Transome” Rae Morris “Lower the Tone” Reyna “Baby Forget It” Rina Sawayama “Cherry” Ryan Beatty “Powerslide” Serpentwithfeet “Cherubim” Shea Diamond “Keisha Complexion” Solomon Ray “Asi Asi” Sofya Wang “Found Love” St. Vincent “Fast Slow Disco” Teddy <3 “Body and Soul” Too Attached “I’m Afraid of Men” Vardaan Arora “Dance Like You” Villagers “Trick of the Light” VINCINT “Mine” Zolita "New You"
Results! 1. "Make Me Feel" by Janelle Monae 9.503 2. "Cherry" by Rina Sawayama 9.436 3. "Fast Slow Disco" by St Vincent 9.164 4. "Tongue" by MNEK 9.071 5. "Screwed" by Janelle Monae ft. Zoe Kravitz 8.988 6. "Pynk" by Janelle Monae 8.860 7. "Doesn't Matter (Voleur de Soleil)" by Christine & The Queens 8.764 8. "Feelings" by Hayley Kiyoko 8.737 9. "Comeback" by Ssion 8.693 10. "Girlfriend/Damn, Dis-Moi" by Christine & the Queens featuring Dam Funk 8.686 11. "All For You" by Years & Years 8.643 12. "Curious" by Hayley Kiyoko 8.595 13. "My My My!" by Troye Sivan 8.500 14. "Americans" by Janelle Monae 8.397 15. "I Like That" by Janelle Monae 8.334 16. "What I Need" by Hayley Kiyoko ft. Kehlani 8.306 17. "Django Jane" by Janelle Monae 8.268 18. "Up in Flames" by Years & Years 8.200 19. "5 Dollars/5 Dols" by Christine and the Queens 8.140 20. "Lower the Tone" by Rae Morris 8.080 21. "Bloom" by Troye Sivan 8.057 22. "SGL" by Now, Now 7.993 23. "I'm Not Afraid" by Holland 7.933 24. "Goya! Soda!" by Christine and the Queens 7.888 25. "Immaterial" by SOPHIE 7.859 26. "Baby Forget It" by Reyna 7.859 27. "Correct" by MNEK 7.851 28. "Body" by MNEK 7.859 29. "Hallelujah" by Years & Years 7.834 30. "Crazy World" by MNEK 7.813 31. "The Walker" by Christine & the Queens 7.783 32. "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile 7.773 33. "Rendezvous" by Years & Years 7.771 34. "Lucky Strike" by Troye Sivan 7.762 35. "Dance to this" By Troye Sivan ft. Ariana Grande 7.751 36. "Volcanic Love" by The Aces 7.743 37. "Karma" by Years & Years 7.720 38. "Molecules" by Hayley Kiyoko 7.700 39. "Heaven Is My Thing Again" by Ssion 7.657 40. "There's a Honey" by Pale Waves 7.653 41. "Powerslide" by Ryan Beatty 7.619 42. "Charcoal Baby" by Blood Orange 7.619 43. "It's Okay to Cry" by SOPHIE 7.603 44. "Karaoke" by Big Freedia ft. Lizzo 7.583 45. "Sleepover" by Hayley Kiyoko 7.581 46. "Inherit" by Ssion 7.571 47. "Soft Stud" by Black Belt Eagle Scout 7.552 48. "Mine" by Vincint 7.500 48. "Molecules" by Hayley Kiyoko 7.442 49. "If You're Over Me" by Years & Years 7.440 50. "The Good Side" by Troye Sivan 7.437 51. "Found Love" by Sofya Wang 7.424 52. "Girlfriend" by MNEK 7.418 53. "He'll Never Love You (HNLY)" by Hayley Kiyoko 7.374 54. "What's-her-face/Machin Chose" by Christine & the Queens 7.356 55. "11:11" by LEADR 7.335 56. "At Least the Sky is Blue" by Ssion 7.313 57. "Bad for You" by Merlot 7.300 58. "Killing My Time" by G Flip 7.292 59. "From Fire" by Perta 7.286 60. "The Storm Inside" by Jessica 6 7.284 61. "Have Fun Tonight" by Fischerspooner 7.257 TIE 62. "Stay Down" by boygenius 7.234 TIE 62. "1950" by King Princess 7.234 64. "Don't Beat the Girl Out of My Boy" by Anna Calvi 7.224 65. "Heartbreaker" by Ah Mer Ah Su 7.191 66. "Weight" by Brockhampton 7.131 67. "Body and Soul" by Teddy <3 7.13 68. "Keisha Complexion" by Shea Diamond 7.075 69. "Decisions" by Goldilox 7.061 70. "New You" by Zolita 7.057 71. "Plum" by Troye Sivan 7.025 72. "Dance Like You" by Vardaan Arora 6.928 73. "POSE" by MRSHLL 6.924 74. "Tough Love" by Bright Light Bright Light 6.8573 75. "Want 2" by Bronze Avery 6.8571 76. "Trick of the Light" by Villagers 6.841 77. "Is It Cold in the Water?" by SOPHIE 6.824 78. "Don't Hate for Me" by Dizzy Fae 6.822 79. "Stranger" by Leo Kalyan 6.814 80. "Cherubim" by serpentwithfeet 6.618 81. "Faceshopping" by SOPHIE 6.615 82. "Without Me" by Halsey 6.608 83. "Asi Asi" by Solomon Ray 6.522 84. "Headlights" by Calvin Arsenia 6.497 85. "Doubt" by Charlotte Day Wilson 6.317 86. "Transome" by Planningtorock 6.291 87. "Diamond" by Jake Zyrus 6.148 88. "Mehcinut" by Jeremy Dutcher 6.110 89. "Infatuation" by SOPHIE 6.105 90. "Ponyboy" by SOPHIE 6.03 91. "Thursday" by Jess Glynne 6.024 92. "Everything Is New" by Jaimie Wilson 5.962 93. "I'm Afraid of Men (Remix)" by Too Attached ft. Peaches 5.533 Queer Heroes 1. Sister Rosetta Tharpe 2. Harvey Milk 3. Bayard Rustin 4. Marsha P. Johnson 5. Dan Choi 6. Big Mama Thornton 7. Dick Leitsch 8. David Wojnarowicz 9. James Baldwin 10. Larry Levan 11. Roger Casement 12. Maurice Sendak 13. Alain Locke 14. Jean Wyllys 15. Vito Russo 16. Julie and Hillary Goodridge 17. Audre Lorde 18. Larry Kramer 19. Thomas Beatie 20. Kele Okereke 21. Tom of Finland 22. Cheryl Dunye 23. Mark Takano 24. Lynn Conway 25. Christine Jorgensen 26. Ruben Quesada 27. Maite Oronoz Rodríguez 28. Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir 29. Bob Marchan 30. Michel Foucault 31. Kate Brown 32. Indigo Girls 33. Pauli Murray 34. Joan Nestle 35. Kim Friele 36. Ruth Ellis 37. Mabel Hampton 38. Doris Fish 39. BD Wong 40. Geena Rocero 41. Willi Ninja 42. Janet Mock 43. Richard LaFortune 44. Sylvia Rivera 45. Patricia Highsmith 46. Elio Di Rupo 47. Peter Staley 48. Lori Lightfoot 49. Allen Barnett 50. Wendy Carlos 51. Alec Butler 52. Tab Hunter 53. Maulik Pancholy 54. Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed 55. Geraldine Roman 56. k.d. lang 57. Monifah 58. Chavela Vargas 59. Joan Armatrading 60. Jeanne Cordova 61. Michael Stipe 62. Dr. Marie Equi 63. Magnus Hirschfeld 64. Jennicet Gutiérrez 65. Pedro Zamora 66. Billy Tipton 67. Jim Egan 68. Ma Rainey 69. Krysten Sinema 70. Tammy Baldwin 71. Julio Salgado 72. Dustin Lance Black 73. Vikram Seth 74. Bamby Salcedo 75. Keith Haring 76. Renee Richards 77. Matthew Mitcham 78. Ricky Martin 79. Kit Yan 80. Steve Gunderson 81. Helen Zia 82. Bob Rafsky 83. Michael Sam 84. Sylvester 85. Ivy Bottini 86. Alan Turing 87. Camila Díaz Córdova 88. Tracy Chapman 89. Rock Hudson 90. Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark 91. Yosimar Reyes 92. Gilbert Baker 93. Agniva Lahiri
Songs We Could Have Rated!FYC #1: Chris Garneau & The Beginning of My Queer Music Journey FYC #2: Man Candy FYC #3: Trans Excellence FYC #4: Adorable Message Songs FYC #5: Queer Veterans FYC #6: Twins Edition: Guest Post from @ohnostalgia FYC #7: Sad Soft Sapphic Songs: Guest Post from @slaybellz FYC #8: White Men Overload FYC#9: Queer Lady Overload FYC#10: Man Candy Round Two FYC #11: Too Little, Too Late FYC #12: Almost Doesn't Count FYC #13: I Simply Could Not The Queers & Queer-Adjacents Who Voted: Ana Raquel CorgiCorgiCorgi Sanctuary Gimmework Soratami The Hot Rock dylanaber ufint yuuurei pop3blow2 Constantino reboot londonrain blob happiestgirl unititled evilsin inevitable Cutlery Riiiiiiiii Slaybellz Posh Spears Remyky22 Empty Shoebox Ohnostalgia Lost Boy Hurricane Drunk Music Is Life Untouchable Ace Kalonite Verandi Remorque King Bruno & Le0Night
Editor’s Note: I did not include Kim Petras on the song list cause I want this rate to feel welcoming to everyone and I know some of her comments from the past have been quite unwelcomed by many SA survivors. At the end of the day, this is my rate and I decide who’s in and out. If you want to talk about how she can/should be viewed in relation to Dr. Luke feel free to discuss that in her thread. I have reached out to some members to give us a little write-up about her year but have yet to get a yes from anyone. If you’d like to do an FYC before eliminations start lemme know!
Okay, go ahead and get this mess started @ohnostalgia @londonrain @Untouchable Ace @Riiiiiiiii @alanmr
Oh I'm a complete idiot and forgot to mention that you have 6 weeks to vote! Votes will be due by January 12th so happy holiday and holiday hangover listening!
Yes! It's finally here! I am so ready for this! Thank you @Trouble in Paradise for doing this. x Already scoring all the ones I know!!
On the big pop girls rate I struggled to give a 10 to five songs in total and here I'd give 11s left and right. 20GAYTeen really did that and then some.
So happy to have this out there! I’m headed to my new gay besties house to make my boyfriend watch the Bird Cage for the first time so I’ll begin the promo push tomorrow while I nurse my incoming margarita hangover!
So many 11 choices. (Also Dddd I’m really sorry but I’m going to be giving Thursday a high score. It’s so basic but honestly really great as well.)
YAS! I've been waiting for this and I'm here to crown Janelle and sink Troye. Plus: I can already feel the many new discoveries in this song list. If your 11 isn't one of these, you're wrong.
I have, like, a dozen possible 11s here. Good lord. The key change alone should take Tongue to the top 10.
I think what you have planned in this post is great promo already, convert them all to vote in our rate.
Yay! I'm about to have myself a queery little christmas! (that's my terrible pun quota filled for this rate, don't worry)