Social media negatively reacts to the 'Rolling Stone' ranking of 'most inspirational LGBTQ songs': 'What is this'

Katie Mather
Updated ·3 min read
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Rolling Stone has faced heat from social media after it published its list of the “50 most inspirational LGBTQ songs of all time” on June 28. The songs featured were described as having provided “a sense of hope and freedom that has carried the community through tough times.”

But social media didn’t seem happy with the final list, with many people highlighting how few queer artists were included on the list.

The question is being raised over what exactly counts as an “inspirational LGBTQ song” — does it have to be performed by a queer artist? Does it have to be about overcoming adversity? — versus a song that happens to be popular within the LGBTQ community.

LGBTQ artists make up about half the list, including George Michael, David Bowie, Sam Smith, Ethel Cain and Lady Gaga. The top song on the list was Lady Gaga’s 2011 hit “Born This Way” and was the first No. 1 single to feature the word “transgender” in it on the U.S. Billboard charts.

But the majority of the list does skew toward straight, white female performers like Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves, who is featured twice on the list.

Country singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, who has spoken out about being turned down by record companies through the 1980s because of her sexuality, even tweeted at the publication about not making the list. Etheridge’s 1993 song “Come to My Window,” about missing her partner while on tour, won her a second Grammy.

In response to Rolling Stone, Out magazine published “10 Inspirational LGBTQ+ Songs That Should’ve Made Rolling Stone’s List” and posed the question, “Why do ‘inspirational LGBTQ+ songs’ have to be just saccharine, Hallmark music?”

The artists Out highlighted include Lil Nas X, Janelle Monáe, Troye Sivan, Kim Petras and Sophie.

This is the second time this year Rolling Stone has faced backlash over its lists. In January, the publication put out “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” that omitted Celine Dion, Judy Garland, Jennifer Hudson and Madonna.

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