The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time

“You’re gonna see me rise,” English singer-songwriter Calum Scott sings, in this triumphant dance track. Inspired by his own coming out experience, this is a song that can make you feel empowered even in moments of defeat. The way Scott’s soft intro builds into a full-on belt can give any listener chills. —K.R.

Growing up as a Southern Baptist trans girl in the South, Cain has plenty of stories to tell. So the indie-folk singer turned her hymnal debut, Preacher’s Daughter, into a concept album. What emerged as the breakout song from the record was “American Teenager,” a nostalgic indie-folk anthem about the fleeting promise of the American Dream. Instead, Cain yearns for something more. —I.K.

Clarkson’s 2012 smash doesn’t so much offer encouragement as barrel right through obstacles with a relentless combination of tempo and belief. Ostensibly a song about a hard breakup, it’s a perfect pump-up anthem for anyone enduring a rough stretch of road. It works well when you’re feeling down, but it’s just as effective when you’re getting ready to go out and conquer the night. —J.F.

As “the most famous unknown singer of the ‘90s,” Wash was the focal point of club bangers like “Gonna Make You Sweat” and “Strike It Up.” But the gospel-inspired, ‘90s house track “Carry On” has become beloved by the queer community for its soaring melody and unwaveringly hopeful lyrics. Even RuPaul noted his favorite moment of Drag Race was when a contestant performed the track while Wash was a guest judge. “That song is very special to me because when my mother passed away, that was the song that I would play all the time,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016. —I.K.

Warm, gently pulsating, self-assured, and invitingly danceable, “Tilted” is a perfect electro-pop confection that bridges joy and darkness, yin and yang, French and English, ego and id. Navigating a topsy-turvy world, Chris (née Christine) finds balance and speaks for millions when he slips in and out of the irresistible hook at the heart of the song: “I am actually good/Can’t help it if we’re tilted.” —S.P.

With “Shine,” Olly Alexander delivers a pulsating, glittery song about the anxiety of being in love. Throughout the song, he’s begging his lover to “keep me alight,” but the feel-good melody is enough to make you forget about the potential for heartbreak. —I.K.

TJ Osborne wrote “Younger Me” with his bandmate brother, John, and Kendell Marvel about his own experience as a closeted gay teenager. It’s a landmark as a country single as well as a resonant message about the gift of being able to have the time and space to grow comfortable in one’s skin. Just as important, it’s also a poignant reminder of how isolating life can be for queer kids, and why laws that attempt to limit their knowledge only isolate them further. —J.F.

From his 2020 album, T.R.U.T.H., Australian singer Sebastian wrote this poignant ballad about a family member struggling with mental illness. The song is as tender as its sentiment, with Sebastian promising to be a steady support system without offering empty promises or clichés. “Instead of telling you you’ll be all right, I’m just gon’ be that someone by your side,” he sings. The takeaway: Words may not always come out right, but just letting someone know that you’re there for them is a powerful statement unto itself. —T.C.

“Be there for me, I’ll be there for you,” Goldford sings in the song’s pre-chorus. “Walk With Me” isn’t exactly a club-ready anthem; instead, it’s a soulful, gospel number about finding community and hope. —I.K.

For sheer youthful exuberance, you can’t beat “We Are Golden,” but “Happy Ending” is the start of an even more beautiful story. Not every saga or relationship ends joyously, but the piano-led orchestration, uplifting choir, and purity of Mika’s soaring falsetto and emotional resonance distill hope from despair and make this heartbreaker one of the most determinative and inspirational songs in his catalog. Happy endings, indeed. —S.P.

A propulsive EDM anthem, “Break Free” is primed for the dance floor – the kind that is full of sweaty bodies gyrating until 6 a.m. The song isn’t meant to be deep; instead, it embraces the ethos of “Carpe Diem” with Grande’s skyscraper vocals bursting like a firework through the chorus. —I.K.

Not long after its 2012 release, Goulding’s uplifting electro-pop anthem “Anything Could Happen” became a gay club anthem. While it’s not explicitly about the LGBTQ community, it’s a battle cry that has queer undertones — overcoming adversity, shrouding your identity, and a metaphorical battle: “After the war, we said we’d fight together/I guess we thought that’s just what humans do/Letting darkness grow/As if we need its palette and we need its color.” —I.K.

Released in 1984, Bronski Beat’s breakout single, “Smalltown Boy,” was the bold, semi-autobiographical story of its openly gay lead vocalist Jimmy Somerville — a tale of homophobia, a hate crime, and eventual liberation. It was progressive for the time, and decades later, the song has remained a defining part of the British New Wave trio’s lasting legacy. —I.K.

While “Stronger” isn’t directly about queer people, it’s an empowerment pop banger that might as well be. After all, Spears’ story of triumph over adversity has been instrumental in helping many queer people find self-acceptance. So it makes sense that LGBTQ people would adopt the 2000 track about finding community — it just so happens to be what makes its chorus so undeniably inspiring: “Now I’m stronger than yesterday/Now it’s nothing but my way/My loneliness ain’t killing me no more (no more).” —I.K.

Recorded for Season 5 of Queer Eye, “Be Me” represents the rocky but exhilarating journey to self-acceptance. Within the cathartic pop track, Vincint grapples with common personal battles of repression, religious doubt, and pain before eventually reaching a place of healing. “Was hiding away/For a minute I was thinking that I couldn’t be saved/But just like a prayer you were right there,” he sings with a hopeful lilt. —I.K.

If Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow” is a cheeky statement about being loud and proud, “Rainbow” is like a blanket to comfort you in the toughest times. A simple, unadorned piano ballad, “Rainbow” still radiates warmth, as Musgraves reassures everyone, “there’s always been a rainbow over your head.” —J.F.

Jackson’s most deeply spiritual song was written in response to a close friend who died of AIDS and serves as a loving tribute to all the disease’s victims and their families. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ production weds a house beat to a chord progression that gently descends and rises again while Jackson sings with faith that we’ll all one day be reunited with those who’ve gone before. —J.F.

Long before the “Padam”-ic took over gay bars and Pride celebrations everywhere, Minogue offered this euphoric ode to dancing your fears away. Released in 2010, more than two decades into her career, “All the Lovers” continues to be an anthem for the LGBTQ community. In fact, Minogue closed her set at WorldPride 2023 with the song, turning it into a surprise duet with her sister — and fellow gay icon — Danni. —T.C.

On the sultry, gospel-tinged track “I’m Ready,” Smith and Lovato sing about being ready to risk it all for love. As members of the LGBTQ community, Smith and Lovato are familiar with how shamelessly loving who you want to love is inherently a risk in a society that doesn’t fully accept queer relationships. But on this song, the two declare that they’re up for the challenge — and ready to reap love’s rewards. —I.K.

Macklemore lent his voice to the LGBTQ community in a big way with his hit “Same Love,” a marriage-equality anthem that was ubiquitous during 2012. But what really made the song stick was its showstopping hook about self-love, sung by lesbian singer-songwriter and poet Mary Lambert: “And I can’t change/Even if I tried/Even if I wanted to/And I can’t change.” —I.K.

Despite being released nearly a year prior, “Somebody Loves You” went viral in 2013 after a man uploaded a video of his flash-mob proposal to his boyfriend using the Betty Who track. It wasn’t long until the euphoric dance-pop anthem was ubiquitous within the LGBTQ community, fostering a message to remind you that you are cherished during those fleeting moments of hopelessness. —I.K.

“Girls Like Girls” earned Disney Channel alum Kiyoko the title of “Lesbian Jesus.” The synth-pop track, in which she declares that “girls like girls like boys do, nothing” in its chorus, served as Kiyoko’s own coming out to the world. In the song’s second verse, Kiyoko asserts herself as a force to be reckoned with as she’s surrounded by boys vying for the heart of the girl she’s into. The song (and its cinematic video of two female best friends falling in love) even inspired a novel written by Kiyoko and released in May 2023. —T.M.

A power-pop battle cry from Sia’s 2015 LP, This Is Acting, “Bird Set Free” features themes that often resonate with the queer community: repression and liberation. With her throaty belt, Sia turns the track into the emotional high of a sweeping self-empowerment anthem. —I.K.

As the title track to Jessie J’s 2011 album, “Who You Are” is a towering power ballad that acknowledges the melancholy that can come with being yourself, but ultimately serves as an encouraging self-empowerment anthem. It’s become one of the singer’s most beloved — and most-requested — songs. —I.K.

From “Soulmate” to “Everybody’s Gay,” Lizzo is no stranger to writing songs that are about unapologetically embracing who you are. The Max Martin-produced “Special” delivers Lizzo’s message once again via a motivational, mid-tempo R&B number about knowing your self-worth. “Fame is pretty new, but I’ve been used to people judgin’ me/That’s why I move the way I move and why I’m so in love with me,” she asserts. —I.K.

In an alternate timeline, the 2009 single “The Climb” could’ve been the point where Miley Cyrus branched fully into a country music career. With its message of perseverance and overcoming self-doubt, it’s a song that continues to inspire everyone to keep going — whether it’s in search of a dream or just through a difficult time — and learn to appreciate the long journey to some place better. —J.F.

Following a string of teen suicides, including the death of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, who took his own life after he was outed by a roommate, Kesha was inspired to write “We R Who We R.” “I was really affected by the suicides that have been happening, having been subject to very public hatred [myself]. I have absolutely no idea how these kids felt. What I’m going through is nothing compared to what they had to go through. Just know things do get better and you need to celebrate who you are,” she told Rolling Stone in a 2010 interview. It’s since lived on as a synth-heavy, dance-floor staple synonymous with pride. —I.K.

Released in the midst of Pride month in 2019, “You Need to Calm Down” takes aim at anti-gay protesters in its lyrics and in its video, which features a colorful cast of LGBTQ celebrities including the cast of Queer Eye and Hayley Kiyoko. Through it all, Taylor Swift doesn’t hold back from her haters: “Why are you mad?/When you could be GLAAD?” It’s all about the queer community tuning out the negative noise. —I.K.

As the lead single from Renaissance — the 2022 album dedicated to Beyoncé’s gay uncle Jonny — “Break My Soul” is innately a self-empowerment house anthem and ode to the Black, queer community. So it’s no coincidence that Queen Bey enlisted LGBTQ icon and bounce artist Big Freedia for her jubilant ode to resilience. It’s a song that inspires us to fall in love, quit our jobs, and release the stress of hate around us. —K.R.

The blazing chorus of Alaska y Dinarama’s 1986 synth-pop track — “Who cares what I do? Who cares what I say? I am this way, I’ll always be this way, and I’ll never change” — cemented the song as a pride anthem for Spanish-speaking queer people. The song has been been performed as an anthem of resistance and served as the World Pride hymn in Madrid in 2017. “In a very natural way, it became a sort of hymn,” Alaska told NPR’s Latino USA in 2018. “It was just the right time in Spain for [queer] things to become mainstream, and maybe the song was part of that.” The song’s chorus even serves as the closing line for host Supremme de Luxe on Drag Race España. —T.M.

Brought to life by Queen and the astounding gravitas of Freddie Mercury, “I Want to Break Free” is an instantly appealing emancipation ballad. Whether about a relationship, gender roles, oppressive governments, or coming out, all of which have been attributed to the song, it’s ultimately about busting out and freeing yourself. —S.P.

“Never Knew Love Like This Before” has remained a disco-soul dance-floor classic since the Nineties. But its message of an unparalleled kind of love has long-spoken to the LGBTQ community. The Mills hit even landed a prominent placement on Ryan Murphy’s ballroom drama Pose, when Candy takes her final bow. —I.K.

Like much of Elton John’s discography, “I’m Still Standing” centers on surviving in the face of adversity — a common thread for the queer community. Since its release in 1983, it’s become an uplifting number within the LGBTQ advocate and icon’s discography despite its message being about a failed romance. —I.K.

The lead single from The Greatest Showman soundtrack, “This Is Me” is a triumphant number about taking down detractors, while taking stock in oneself. The song comes at a pivotal moment in the film, as Settle — performing as a Bearded Lady — rallies her troupe of “freaks” to stand up to their harassers. It’s a powerful metaphor for anyone who’s ever been relegated to the fringes or felt like an outcast, with the knowledge that your struggles have made you strong enough to take on anything, or anyone. —T.C.

Summer and producer Giorgio Moroder brought Moog synthesizers to disco with “I Feel Love,” laying down the foundations for EDM and changing the sound of club music for years to come. Queered up and recorded by Bronski Beat in the Eighties, remixed over the decades, and sampled by Beyoncé just last year, the Queen of Disco’s original is the aural crème de la crème for trancing out on the dance floor. Feel the love. —S.P.

Carlile became a Grammy darling with “The Joke” and the 2018 album on which it appeared, By the Way, I Forgive You. It’s easy to see why: Carlile’s writing about queer kids surviving a world that doesn’t always want them is steeped in empathy and understanding. That would all be great enough as a message, but it’s Carlile’s gale-force vocal performance that truly lifts this one into the stratosphere. By the end, it’s impossible not to believe that it’s the picked on and overlooked who get the last laugh. —J.F.

It’s hard to believe Mariah Carey almost turned down “Hero” after originally writing it for Gloria Estefan. The self-empowerment anthem has become the music legend’s signature song, a source of hope and conviction that became even more personal after Carey’s own, well-publicized struggles. This simple yet stirring track heralds the power of inner strength, while Carey’s subsequent comeback — nay, emancipation — has made her an inspiration and yes, a hero to us all. —T.C.

Talk about love overcoming repression! Inspired by Bowie witnessing a kiss near the Berlin Wall, the title song from his 12th studio album tells a tale of two lovers, one from East Berlin and one from West Berlin, defying the barriers all around them by being “heroes, just for one day.” Reminding us that walls can always come down, the song sweeps listeners along as its protagonists come face to face with violence and Bowie’s majestic vocals offer a glimpse of the hero in everyone. —S.P.

Inspired by safe havens like Studio 54, Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” is the greatest pro-gay anthem of the disco era, and a turning point in the history of inclusion in pop music. Songwriters Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic have always been somewhat cagey about the song’s origins in gay culture. “I always say I’m hired to give you the record you want, not the one that I want,” Rogers has said. But lyrics like, “The time has come for me/To break out of the shell/I have to shout/That I am coming out,” have been making generations feel empowered and confident. —K.R.

Madonna’s dance-pop masterpiece has been a staple of empowerment ever since she uttered the immortal words, “Don’t go for second best, baby/Put your love to the test.” With its energetic percussion, horns, and chorus turning her soulful declaration into a party, and in tandem with one of the most expensive music videos ever made, “Express Yourself” is an exuberant call to arms for the self-respect, explicit communication between baes, and immaculate creation needed to … lift us to our higher ground. —S.P.

A dance-floor anthem with a decidedly defiant streak, “I Will Survive” has long soundtracked queer gatherings as a declaration of independence and kiss-off to haters alike. —T.C.

Michael’s Nineties hit was at once a statement on his own sexual liberation and a call to arms for people everywhere to liberate themselves from self-doubt and despair. —T.C.

Bareilles’ Broadway peer Viola Davis once said that her greatest fear is going to her grave and thinking, “I was not brave.” Bareilles’ 2013 hit is a courageous rallying cry to be just that and to “say what you want to say” before it’s too late. —T.C.

“True Colors” has been covered by everyone from Phil Collins to the cast of Glee, but Lauper’s original version remains an enduring staple, thanks to the singer’s heartfelt delivery and promise that listeners never have to live in the shadows again. —T.C.

“In June of 2015, we as a band decided that our LGBTQ community deserved a new song for Pride week,” said Muna’s Katie Gavin. They came up with “I Know a Place,” an uplifting reminder that home is where you make it out to be — and with whom you choose to make it. —T.C.

“The concept of chosen family has been long-standing in the queer community because a lot of people get kicked out of their homes and get ostracized from their family for coming out or just living true to themselves,” Sawayama told Apple Music in 2020. “I wanted to write a song literally for them.” The message: Safe spaces exist, whether it’s in your own home or not. “Chosen Family” has become one of Sawayama’s most popular songs and even received a co-sign (and remix) from one of the biggest LGBTQ stars of all time, Sir Elton John himself. —T.C.

“Kiss lots of boys/Or kiss lots of girls/If that’s something you’re into,” Musgraves sang on this 2013 country hit. It was a landmark moment of acceptance in a conservative genre. Country music has always had a contentious relationship with the LGBTQ community, but with “Follow Your Arrow,” Musgraves led the way for the genre to be more embracing. Now, other country artists are following suit. —T.C.

Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream hit is as bright and uplifting as its title, a celebratory track that encourages listeners to release their inner sparkle and let their colors shine. “Firework” has become one of Perry’s most anthemic songs, and a fan favorite. More proof of the song’s impact: “Firework” is the track Perry closes with every night of her Las Vegas residency. —T.C.

The music video to Aguilera’s now-signature ballad received a GLAAD Award for its positive depiction of the LGBTQ community, but it caused controversy at the time, with scenes of two men kissing and a transgender woman applying makeup leading to calls from parents to boycott the singer’s music (sound familiar?). In a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, Aguilera said she never once considered changing the video — or her stance. “It was so natural to me to have people embrace who they are and feel empowered by not only their sexuality, but just themselves and who they are,” she remarked. “Who knew that so many years later it would become this iconic moment where people give me stories about how it affected their lives and how they sort of came out to it?” An anthemic ballad about the beauty of staying true to yourself, Aguilera’s signature hit ends with a resounding resolve: “Don’t you bring me down today.” —T.C.

Few artists have had the kind of impact on the LGBTQ community as Lady Gaga, and few songs have fully captured the joy and resilience of the community as this one. Gaga has called the lead single off her celebrated album of the same name her, “this-is-who-the-fuck-I-am anthem,” and its lyrics and message have resonated with millions of others in the same way. Though it was released in 2011, the song is as relevant as ever, at once a battle cry for equality and a hype song for a night out. Whenever you’re feeling disheartened, heed Gaga’s words: “We were all born superstars.” —T.C.