Music is one of the most important art forms there is. It speaks to people's life experiences and feelings. It can transform one's mood or enhance it. The LGBTQ community has it's own special connection to music and it's place in pop culture. For many years, female pop stars have been known to have large gay fan bases. From time to time, they will represent those fans in their work. This has helped pave the way for openly LGBTQ artists to leave their own mark on pop music.
The following songs have been important forms of representation for the LGBTQ community. Here are the top five LGBT-themed songs everyone should know.
5. Christina Aguilera - "Beautiful"
When Christina Aguilera released her self-empowerment anthem, "Beautiful," in 2002, it touched many who could relate to it. This obviously included the LGBTQ community. When the video dropped, it validated that connection by featuring actual representation of LGBTQ people.
4. Mika - "Good Wife"
From his fourth studio album, "No Place In Heaven," Mika's "Good Wife" tells an all-too-familiar tale of unrequited love. It's a concept everyone can relate to and it's told in a way that gay men in particular will understand.
3. Janet Jackson - "Free Xone"
Released in 1997, "Free Xone" was a welcome yet unexpected inclusion on Janet Jackson's "Velvet Rope" album. The lyrics talk about homophobia and the need to be in a place where everyone can be themselves. The song is part of a long legacy of Jackson reaching out to the LGBTQ community through her music and charity work.
2. Madonna - "Deeper And Deeper"
When "Deeper And Deeper" was released as the second single from Madonna's "Erotica" album, it was a big success. What most people don't know, however, is the lyrical meaning. While every song is open to interpretation, Madonna wrote this song from the perspective of a young gay man coming out. It was a perfect fit for a song that became a gay anthem in the early nineties.
1. Troye Sivan - "Heaven" (feat. Betty Who)
Troye Sivan's courage and openness has made him an important LGBTQ artist. This song from his debut album is just one example as to why. The lyrics deal with the issue of religion and how it often shuns LGBTQ people. The lyrical resolve is empowering in its rebelliousness. The video for the song shows brilliant archive footage that will hopefully educate Sivan's young LGBTQ fans on their history.
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