For the end of Pride Month, I wanted to play a full list of LGBTQ rockers, and as I do when I have a specific theme I do a lot of research; and as always, when I do a lot of research, I want it recognized and immortalized. In this case, I found a Reddit thread that had a lot of information on it of LGBTQ rock musicians, to which I added what I alread knew, and then appended with what I found on Google and Spotify, and then inserted some remembered afterward. And here is all the notes on the artists I used in my playlist for your enlightenment and edutainment, in the order the songs appeared (in ascending order by key).
The B-52s - Frontman Fred Schneider and multi-instrumentlist Keith Strickland are both gay; bassist/vocalist Kate Pierson is bisexual; late drummer Ricky Wilson was also gay. Here's "Funplex" from the 2008 album of the same name.
Beth Ditto (Gossip) - identifies as bisexual, she was married to a woman at one time and is now married to a trans man. "I'm Alive" 2018 single.
Beach Bunny - I wasn't able to find biographical information on the band members so will take Spotify's word for it. "Vertigo" a 2024 single.
Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!) - a young transwoman currently putting out a lot of singles, including "All Fucked Out" from 2024.
Sleater-Kinney - Lead singer Coren Tucker previously identified as a lesbian, but now identifies as bisexual; vocalist/guitarist Carrie Brownstein identified as bisexual but now prefers to use queer or dyke.
Liza Anne - is gay and identifies as nonbinary. Enjoy "Cheerleader" from 2023.
St. Vincent - Stage name of Anne Clark. "When asked during a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone whether she identified as gay or straight, Clark responded: 'I don't think about those words. I believe in gender fluidity and sexual fluidity. I don't really identify as anything. I think you can fall in love with anybody. I don't have anything to hide but I'd rather the emphasis be on music.'" She currently identifies as queer and previously dated actresses Cara Delavigne and Kristen Stewart as well as musician Carrie Brownstein (above). "Big Time Nothing" from 2024's All Born Screaming,
Remi Wolf - the American singer and songwriter from Palo Alto, CA identifies as bisexual. "Cinderella" from Big Ideas (2024) slaps.
The Last Dinner Party - I didn't see any mention of sexulity or gender nonconformity in the Wikipedia pages for the band members, so I'm just guessing Spotify has better sources of information. Here's "Nothing Matters" from 2024's Prelude to Ecstasy.
Bikini Kill - Kathleen Hanna (also in Le Tigre, the Julie Ruin) - this punk/electronic rocker identifies as bisexual. "I Like Fucking" (and who doesn't?) from 1998.
Neon Trees - lead singer and keyboardist Tyler Glenn came out as gay in a 2014 Rolling Stone article. "Animal" from Habits (2010).
Halestorm - Lead Lizzie Hale is bisexual; covering bisexual Lady GaGa's "Bad Romance" in 2011 is double your plesure double your fun :).
Pansy Division - all the members are gay and all their songs are on gay topics. "That's So Gay" from 2009's album of the same name is still timely despite the dated slang.
Hüsker Dü - the three members are gay; frontman Bob Mould has put out some great solo work since they split up. 1984's "Something I Learned Today" is on the album Zen Arcade.
R.E.M. - Michael Stipe identifies as queer, is in a long term relationship with a man (photographer Thomas Dozol) but has had relationships with women in the past (notably Natalie Merchant). I chose a song I didn't remember hearing before, "Bad News" from In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003
released 2003.
released 2003.
Ezra Furman - the brilliant musician/songwriter is bisexual, and uses she/her and they/them pronouns. She came out as a transgender woman in 2021. Prior to this, she identified as genderqueer. Here is "Restless Year" from 2015's Perpetual Motion.
Courtney Barnett - the Australian singer/songwriter/guitarist has not publicly identified as lesbian but was in a rather public relationship with fellow musician Jen Cloher. I'd not heard of Jen Cloher before but will be looking into her to add to this list. "History Eraser" is on 2013's The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas.
Placebo - singer Brian Molko is bisexual and bilingual (French and English). Here's "Special K" from Black Market Music released in 2000.
Scissor Sisters - Generally considered more pop than rock, there's a lot of overlap in style. Members Jake Shears, Babydaddy, and Del Marius are all gay; former member Ana Matronic identifies as "a human being" but has had relationships with men and women. Here the band covers Franz Ferdiinand's 'Take Me Out" on their 2004 album Mary.
Marc Almond - though best known for the inescpably pop sound of Soft Cell, Almond has had an extensive solo career as well as leading bands Marc & the Mambas and Marc Almond & the Willing Sinners, which range through pop, rock, blues, lounge, showtunes, and all sorts of genre-defying gorgeousness. Here's one such from the Marc & the Mambas 1983 album Torment & Toreros, "A Million Manias" (one of my favorites).
Panic! At the Disco - frontman (and eventually only permanent member) Brendan Urie identified as pansexual in a 2018 interview though he'd previously defined himself as straight but sexually experienced with men. I picked "Don't Threaten Me With a Good Time" from 2016's Death of a Bacherlor because it samples another favorite song, "Rock Lobster."
Green Day - a Redditor I consulted claims all three members are bisexual, but Billie Joe Armstrong is the only one who says so on his Wikipedia page; nevertheless I would like to believe they all are and engaged in tour bus throupling in their youth. ;-) Here's "One Eyed Bastard" from the 2024 album Saviors,
Queen - I guess everybody knows Freddie Mercury was gay/bisexual. I went for a bouncy but obscure ditty I only recently stole from Fieger discovered, "Bring Back That LeRoy Brown" from Sheer Heart Attack (1974).
David Bowie - same as above. an early adopter of coming out as bisexual in the Glam Rock era. He later regretted coming out, not because it wasn't true but because it slowed his conquest of the US market. I considered adding the rock stars with whom he was reputed to be bisexual (notably Mick Jagger) but they never identified as such so I'l leave them out of it. I went for a song I hadn't heard in a very long time, ''Absolute Beginners" from the 1986 film of the same name.
Elton John - another "everybody knows," Sir Elton came out as bisexual in a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone; in 1992, he told Rolling Stone that he was "quite comfortable about being gay." He's been with his husband David Furnish for 32 years. I reached back into the mists for "Hercules" from the 1972 album Honky Château (fun fact, Elton John's middle name is Hercules, taken by deed poll that same year).
Culture Club - Boy George was never one to hide his light under a bushel, and many years down the road he admitted to an affair with bandmate Jon Moss, making the latter at least bisexual-adjacent so I guess he counts too. "Church of the Poison Mind" is perhaps my favorite track off 1983's Colour By Numbers.
Jobriath - the first openly gay rocker to get a contract with a major record label, way back in the early 70s, a founding father of Glam Rock and one of the first famous losses of the AIDS Epidemic. Here's his defiant "I'm a Man" from his 1973 self-titled album.
T. Rex - singer Marc Bolan famously stated he was gay, then said bisexual, though all his many tumultuous public relationships were with women. He didn't live long enough to provide clarity. I chose the delicious "Dandy in the Underworld" from the 1977 album of the same name.
Melissa Etheridge - the whole world's favorite cool lesbian aunt, so warm and wholesome you just want to hug her. Her music leans well into soft-rock and country but has rock and blues roots, and I was thrilled to find this tight cover of "On Broadway" on the 2023 EP Melissa Etheridge On Broadway.
Tom Robinson - British singer, bassist, radio presenter, and long-time LGBT rights activist, best known for the hit 1978 protest song "Glad to Be Gay."
Tegan and Sara - Canadians, twins, lesbians...truly a dynamic duo. I grabbed their wonderful queer love song "Boyfriend" from 2016's Love You To Death.
Faith No More - keyboardist Roddy Bottum (not a pseudonym, I was delighted to learn) came out as gay in 1993 though he had a brief relationship with Courtney Love before that. I went for the obvious with their megahit "Epic" from 1989's The Real Thing, mostly because I was running out of time to explore other options.
Judas Priest - Rob Halford publicly revealed his homosexuality on MTV in 1998. He broke down in tears saying, "It's a wonderful moment when you walk out of the closet. Now I've done that and I've freed myself. It's a great feeling for me to finally let go and make this statement..." With his leather-daddy style and unapologetic attitude he became an unofficial LGBTQ ambassador to a not very gay-friendly corner of the music world. Not a huge Judas Priest fan, myself, I selected the well-known "Living After Midnight" from 1980's British Steel because it felt cheerful.
Forgotten but not for long (I remembered these while I was playing the set at Starfall):
Super Cassette - a great lesser-known indie band from my hometown of Oakland CA (who I didn't discover until I moved to Eureka) fronted by nonbinary Max Gerlock .
Fall Out Boy - Bassist Pete Wentz identified as bisexual early in his career but it's not mentioned on his Wiki page; however, I think he's hot so I'm holding him to his word.
Noah Finnce - one of my YouTube crushes, a young bisexual trans man who puts out emo/thrasher punk pop that's a lot of fun.
YUNGBLUD - I can't believe I forgot him, he's been all over my news feeds lately, defending himself as pansexual and not just queerbaiting the public for credibility. Also he's a certified hottie.
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