Landmarks of queer representation in popular culture or unknown gems that slid under the radar. Music Oueer looks at the subversive sonas that celebrated queer life
DirectorsAmandine Fredon, Rebecca Manzoni
CreatorsAmandine Fredon, Rebecca Manzoni
Bronski Beat - Smalltown boy
Jun 20, 2026
A song written like a film script: the story of the daily life of a young gay man who has to leave his town to escape ostracism and violence.
Charles Trenet - The Extraordinary Garden
Jun 20, 2026
Legendary French singer Charles Trenet’s song uses poetic imagery to depict the Jardin des Tuileries, a gay cruising area in Paris.
Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix
Jun 20, 2026
In 2014 Conchita Wurst became the first bearded drag queen to win the Eurovision Song Contest with an affirming anthem of queer identity.
Eddy de Pretto - Kid
Jun 20, 2026
French singer Eddy de Pretto talks about homophobia and unrealistic expectations of masculinity in a very personal song.
Girl in Red - I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend
Jun 20, 2026
Straight to the point, Girl In Red sings of her same-sex desire and her love for another woman. I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend went viral and became an anthem for a generation of lesbians.
Gloria Gaynor - I will survive
Jun 20, 2026
The classic breakup song by Gloria Gayner is a feminist song that was adopted by the gay community as a anthem against adversity.
Indochine - Le 3eme Sexe
Jun 20, 2026
1985. In an atmosphere of rising homophobia and moral panic around AIDS, French rock group sing about non-binary identities.
Jean-Claude Pascal - Nous Les Amoureux
Jun 20, 2026
The first queer song to win Eurovision was a crooner’s calling out of discrimination against homosexuals.
Judy Garland - Over the Rainbow
Jun 20, 2026
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz is a song of hope and a symbol of a better world for the queer community.
Juliette Greco - Les Pingouins
Jun 20, 2026
In an era when female homosexuality was invisible, Juliette Gréco sings about lesbians with animal metaphors and mischievous humour.
Klaus Nomi - The Cold Song
Jun 20, 2026
With his countertenor voice and synthesisers, Klaus Nomi created an alien persona that blurred the lines between genres and challenged conventions.
Lil Nas X Montero - Call Me By Your Name
Jun 20, 2026
How can you be black, gay and believe in God in America in 2021? Lil Nas X has the answer.
Little Richard -Tutti Frutti
Jun 20, 2026
What if one of the most famous songs from early rock and roll was about gay desire? Consummate entertainer Little Richard was a queer presence in the early fifties.
Ma Rainey - Prove It On Me
Jun 20, 2026
Ma Rainey sang candidly and confidently about her relationships with women in the 1920s. As a black and bisexual woman, she turned the blues into a space of queer freedom.
Pomme - Grandiose
Jun 20, 2026
One of the first songs in French to deal with a young lesbian’s desire to have children. It was written in the wake of the major anti-gay rights protests in France in 2013.
Sexy sushi - Sex Appeal
Jun 20, 2026
Sexy Sushi celebrate lesbian desire with racy lyrics as part of a queer scene that’s all about humour and fun.
Sylvester - You Make Me Feel
Jun 20, 2026
In 1978 a high-energy disco track burns up the dancefloors of San Francisco in a frenzy of fulfilment, power and authenticity.
Troye Sivan - One of Your Girls
Jun 20, 2026
Troye Sivan plays with drag, desire and gender roles in his pop songs which are steeped in queer tradition.
Village People - YMCA
Jun 20, 2026
What’s the link between Christianity and queer club culture? In 1978 the answer was Village People’s YMCA.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax
Jun 20, 2026
In the 1980s, one song celebrating gay sexual climax became a worldwide hit.
