100 Best Pride Songs

Pride Month is here, and everyone knows that some of the best parts of Pride are the music. The best Pride songs can make you pump your fist in the air, wave a flag, dance or cry—because at their core, they convey feelings that are both universal and so unique to the community. Our Pride playlist includes the best gay songs and queer songs—but they're by no means limited to those identifiers and include hits from allies, nonbinary, pan and trans artists as well.

Related: The Best Pride Outfits on Amazon

100 Best Pride Songs

1. Diana Ross, "I'm Coming Out"

Because you want the world to know and you're gonna let it show (but only when you're ready, because it's your business).

Related: When Is National Coming Out Day?

2. Queen, "I Want to Break Free"

The lyrics. The drag. For God's sake, the Freddie Mercury.

3. The Village People, "Go West"

The Village People were way ahead of their time—and also somehow exactly of their time.

4. Sylvester, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"

Sylvester's disco smash still slaps today, and his impact on Pride and the community cannot be overstated.

5. SOPHIE, "Immaterial"

The late, great artist points out that "immaterial" is exactly what gender norms are, if we're being honest.

Related: The Best LGBTQ Books

6. RuPaul, "Supermodel"

Long before RuPaul's Drag Race, there was "Supermodel," which embraces much of the same language you hear in the hit show. You better work!

7. Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"

While not all the lyrics have aged well (hello, "orient"), Lady Gaga's anthem is still a beloved one.

8. Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors"

Let yours shine through, whatever combination of the rainbow they may be. Because they're beautiful!

9. Lil Nas X, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)"

"MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" was a big coming out for Lil Nas X, though he was already largely out beforehand. And the video? Pure art.

10. The Weather Girls, "It's Raining Men"

Hallelujah!

11. Martha Wash and RuPaul, "It's Raining Men ... The Sequel"

RuPaul brings some seriously hilarious commentary to this remix, including the brilliant idea of turning one's umbrella upside down to catch some of the precipitation.

12. Demi Lovato, "Cool for the Summer (Rock Version)"

Demi Lovato, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them/she/her pronouns, released a rock version of her pop hit that changes the lyrics from "Don't tell your mother" to "Go tell your mother," because she's proud. And we're proud of her!

13. The Scissor Sisters, "Let's Have a Kiki"

Because you know you want to.

14. Janelle Monáe, "PYNK"

The song. The video (with Tessa Thompson!). It's everything.

Related: What Does 'Sapphic' Mean?

15. Kesha, "We R Who We R"

Kesha wrote this track for her LGBTQIA+ "Animals" back when she still had a dollar sign in her name.

16. FLETCHER & Hayley Kiyoko, "Cherry"

FLETCHER and Hayley Kiyoko team up for one of the catchiest come-on songs ever. Hello, nice to meet you, my name's stuck in your head forever.

17. Beyoncé, "Summer Renaissance"

Beyoncé brings a Donna Summer sample to life in a whole new way with "Summer Renaissance," and nods to vogueing—and the fact that she's her own category. Bow down, bitches!

18. Madonna, "Express Yourself"

Madonna is a gay icon for a reason, and this song is part of that.

19. Kacey Musgraves, "Follow Your Arrow"

Kacey Musgraves has a simple message in "Follow Your Arrow," albeit an extremely rare one in country music: Love who you love. Do you. It's all good.

Related: LGBTQIA+ Pride Trivia

20. Bob Dylan, "He's Funny That Way"

Bob Dylan reworks "She's Funny That Way" to be a love song between two men.

21. Zolita, "Ruin My Life"

Because we've all had a relationship like that. Or, you know, been the person to ruin someone else's life.

22. The O'Jays, "Love Train"

"Love Train" is a classic bop that embraces unity and love. What's more fitting for Pride than that?

23. The Replacements, "Androgynous"

A bit of a deep cut from the perpetually underrated rockers, "Androgynous" tells the story of two, yes, androgynous people who are madly in love and refuse to hide it. Bless!

24. Psychedelic Furs, "Love My Way"

It's fashion with a gun, love.

25. Nada Surf, "Always Love"

Always love. Hate will get you every time.

26. Elton John, "The Bitch Is Back"

Because Elton John is perfect.

27. David Bowie, "Rebel Rebel"

An androgynous protagonist and a glorious glam hook? David Bowie knew what he was doing, even if everyone else was uncertain about it.

28. George Michael, "Freedom! '90"

George Michael knew the glory that comes from being yourself. And from being a supermodel.

29. Judas Priest, "Raw Deal"

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford wrote "Raw Deal" about Fire Island. It's one of the band's few songs explicitly about the singer's sexuality.

Related: The Best LGBTQ Pride Quotes

30. Against Me!, "True Trans Soul Rebel"

Laura Jane Grace croons beautifully and forcefully in this Against Me! track from Transgender Dysphoria Blues, the first album the band released after her transition.

31. Panic! At the Disco, "Girls/Girls/Boys"

Written about his first threesome, pansexual Panic! frontman Brendon Urie sings, "Love is not a choice."

32. Reel Big Fish, "She's Got a Girlfriend Now"

Yep, we found a ska song.

33. The Pet Shop Boys, "Go West"

The Pet Shop Boys deliver a more sentimental rendition of the Village People hit.

34. Janelle Monáe, "Make Me Feel"

This Janelle Monáe song basically makes a party.

35. Kelly Clarkson, "People Like Us"

Kelly Clarkson urges the listener to "come out / come out if you dare."

36. "F*ck You," Lily Allen

A delightful kiss-off to then-President George W. Bush for being a homophobic war criminal, Lily Allen spoke for most of America (who largely didn't even vote for the guy). Listen to the explicit version here, because it hits harder.

37. Sara Bareilles, "Brave"

Made even more popular thanks to Katy Perry's "Roar," "Brave" urges the listener to muster the courage to be unapologetically themselves.

38. Sister Sledge, "We Are Family"

If you've seen The Birdcage you'll appreciate this inclusion even more.

39. Melissa Etheridge, "Come to My Window"

"Come to My Window" was the first single Melissa Etheridge released after coming out. Check out Juliette Lewis in the video!

Related: What Does the Lesbian Flag Look Like?

40. Cher, "Believe"

Because Cher.

41. Baby Queen, "Want Me"

Baby Queen wrote this song about her massive crush on actress Jodie Comer. Good taste!

42. Baby Queen, "Nobody Really Cares"

Baby Queen references "Want Me" in "Nobody Really Cares," a nihilist encouragement to do your own thing because everyone else is too  self-obsessed to notice anyway.

43. Kylie Minogue, "All the Lovers"

Kylie Minogue, a self-aware gay icon, wrote this song just for her LGBTQ fans.

44. Troye Sivan, "Bloom"

He summed it up best in a since-deleted tweet that read, "#bopsforbottoms."

45. MNEK Featuring Hailee Steinfeld, "Colour"

Much as we adore Hailee Steinfeld, MNEK's lovely love song "Colour" slaps with or without her because he owns it. The lyrics are a sweet and overt nod to queer love: "Before you came into my life / Everything was black and white / Now all I see is colour / Like a rainbow in the sky."

46. Hedwig and the Angry Inch, "Tear Me Down"

This raucous Broadway tune urges you to stand up for yourself.

47. Erasure, "A Little Respect"

Erasure released "A Little Respect" in response to the U.K. criminalizing "promotion of sexuality" in schools in 1988. The law, called the Section 28 Act, resulted in the forced closure of many LGBT support groups at the time. It was repealed in 2003.

48. Janelle Monáe, "Lipstick Lover"

Monáe gets sexier than ever with this 2023 hit. Watch the NSFW version here.

49. Mika, "Grace Kelly"

A Freddie Mercury namedrop is part of the catchy hook to this pop anthem that's all about being yourself and embracing your own identity—whatever that may be on a given day.

Related: LGBTQ-Owned Brands to Support

50. Kesha, "Take It Off"

Kesha delivers a rollicking ode to her favorite drag spots.

51. Machine Gun Kelly Featuring WILLOW, "Emo Girl"

Mr. Megan Fox and Willow Smith team up to sing about girls that are both of their types.

52. Greyson Chance, "Dancing Next to Me"

Greyson Chance sings about the heartache and yearning for a guy who's in the closet.

53. CupcakKe, "LGBT"

Rapper CupcakKe shouts out the community in this fun hip-hop hit.

54. Jobriath, "Take Me I'm Yours"

Jobriath was one of the first openly gay rock stars to be signed for a major label. This S&M-themed anthem was one of his signature songs, and the gospel choir backing vocals are a cheeky touch.

55. Hayley Kiyoko, "Girls Like Girls"

Hayley Kiyoko's hit tune is also the title of her first book.

56. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "Relax"

The song was a hit upon its release in 1984, but the music video was banned or censored on many TV broadcasts. Since then, censors and standards have largely ... relaxed.

57. Pink, "Raise Your Glass"

Ally Pink features a same-sex marriage in her video for "Raise Your Glass," a joyous ode to being you.

58. Pink Featuring the Indigo Girls, "Dear Mr. President"

In this song directed at then-President George W. Bush, Pink teams up with the Indigo Girls to plead for equality.

59. Madonna, "Vogue"

Madonna embraced and helped further popularize vogueing in the mainstream with "Vogue."

Related: History of the Pride Flag

60. k.d. lang, "Constant Craving"

Singer k.d. lang won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Constant Craving."

61. Bronski Beat, "Smalltown Boy"

This heartbreaking song tells the story of a runaway whose family rejected him when he came out.

62. Mariah Carey, "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)"

From her album Rainbow, Mariah Carey gives a voice to everyone who's ever felt attacked or unaccepted for who they are with this power ballad.

63. Kehlani, "Open (Passionate)"

Kehlani sings about a female lover in "Open (Passionate)."

64. PVRIS, "Holy"

Singer Lynn Gunn wrote the PVRIS song "Holy" about a hypocritical friend who told her that being in a same-sex relationship was a sin.

65. Elton John, "Elton's Song"

This song and its accompanying video depict a teenage boy having a crush on one of his peers.

66. The Killers, "Somebody Told Me"

"Somebody told me / You had a boyfriend / Who looked like a girlfriend / That I had in February of last year." Hello, androgyny!

67. Tegan and Sara, "Boyfriend"

In this infectious pop confection, Tegan and Sara make it clear: "I don't want to be your secret anymore."

68. Dove Cameron, "Boyfriend"

Dove Cameron whispers intently, "I can be a better boyfriend than him." If you've ever encountered basically any cishet man, you'll know she's probably right.

69. Domo Wilson, "Bisexual Anthem"

There's a lot of bi erasure out there, and we are not having it.

Related: What to Know About Pride 2023

70. Halsey Featuring Lauren Jauregui, "Strangers"

Halsey and Lauren Jauregui sing about a strained relationship with a woman in "Strangers."

71. Frank Ocean, "Chanel"

"My guy pretty like Chanel," Frank Ocean sings to opens this track. While Ocean often had queer themes and undertones to his lyrics, this is one of the first times he's been this explicit about his sexuality.

72. David Bowie, "John, I'm Only Dancing"

It's been speculated that Bowie, who was openly bisexual, sang this from the perspective of a man assuring his boyfriend that while he's dancing with a woman, he's only dancing with her.

73. Christina Aguilera, "Beautiful"

Written by Linda Perry, Christina Aguilera's music video for "Beautiful" was groundbreaking at the time for its inclusion of same-sex couples.

74. Melissa Etheridge and Joan Osborne, "Bring Me Some Water"

While the original is great, this live duet with Joan Osborne takes Etheridge's classic to a whole other level.

75. Big Freedia, "Explode"

Recently re-popularized thanks to a Beyonce sample, Big Freedia's "Explode" demands that you "release your wiggle." Who are we to argue? And why would you want to?

76. Taylor Swift, "You Need to Calm Down"

Taylor Swift became an outspoken ally for a brief period of time while promoting Lover and after same-sex marriage was legalized in the United States. She's since been less outwardly vocal in her language, but shown support in other more subtle ways, including having a trans man as her love interest in her "Lavender Haze" video.

77. Shea Diamond, "I Am Her"

Shea Diamond wrote this empowering anthem as "a statement to a world that said I shouldn't exist." We're so happy that she does.

78. Girl In Red, "Girls"

This indie pop delight will make you want to rock a button-up shirt.

79. The Aces, "Girls Make Me Wanna Die"

The song, however, will make you wanna dance.

Related: The History and Meaning of LGBTQIA+ Pride Flags

80. Betty Who, "Team Queen"

Ally Betty Who penned "Team Queen" for The Book of Queer.

81. Trixie Mattel, "Break Your Heart"

Love country? Love drag queens? This is for you.

82. Lizzo, "Everybody's Gay"

It's a spectrum, people!

83. Shania Twain, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman"

Let's go, girls.

84. Judy Garland, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Judy Garland's perfect ballad from The Wizard of Oz is the perfect anthem.

85. Bikini Kill, "Rebel Girl"

Kathleen Hanna sings about a particularly badass girl crush before there was a term for it.

86. Culture Club, "I'll Tumble 4 Ya"

Boy George is one of the most underrated vocalists of his generation, and Culture Club helped make drag mainstream in a huge way. Also, it's a bop. That's enough.

87. Queen, "Don't Stop Me Now"

Try to sit still while listening to Freddie getting ready to explode.

88. George Michael, "Outside"

Spoofing his arrest, Michael was never cheekier or sexier than with "Outside."

89. Rod Stewart, "The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)"

Rod Stewart based the solemn "The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)," the story of a gay man rejected by his family and murdered in a random attack, on one of his own friends; the track was groundbreaking at the time of its release in 1976.

Related: Rainbow Recipes for Pride and Beyond

90. Tina Turner, "The Best"

Tina Turner was always an icon, but she became an even bigger gay icon thanks to the use of her song in one of the most romantic and heartfelt scenes of Schitt's Creek.

91. The Village People, "YMCA"

There's no need to be unhappy when "YMCA" plays.

92. Gloria Gaynor, "I Will Survive"

Because you will, and you have, and it's disco perfection.

93. Mariah Carey, "Obsessed"

While this song is actually a diss track at Eminem, we recommend singing it while waving rainbow flags at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

94. ABBA, "Dancing Queen"

You can dance. You can jive. And you will.

95. Sam Smith and Kim Petras, "Unholy"

This TikTok sensation made history when Kim Petras became the first trans woman to ever win a Grammy in 2023.

96. Mary Lambert, "She Keeps Me Warm"

Mary Lambert's track was sampled for Macklemore's "Same Love," but the original just hits you in all the feels in a different way.

97. Whitney Houston, "It's Not Right (But It's Okay) (Thunderpuss Mix)"

From the iconic Whitney Houston, who brought us the term "receipts," the Thunderpuss Mix version is key to bringing this breakup jam to a queer anthem.

98. Indigo Girls, "Closer to Fine"

If you've ever watched The L Word, you'll know why this is here.

99. Lou Reed, "Walk on the Wild Side"

Lou Reed sang about the transgender subculture like it wasn't actually wild at all.

100. Little Richard, "Tutti Fruitti"

While Little Richard had a complicated relationship with his own sexuality, "Tutti Fruitti" started out as a graphic song before the lyrics were sanitized for mainstream audiences.

Next, The Best Pride Memes