Okay, here is my sharing about “gay 80s singers”, hope you guys find it helpful.
I was watching some old music videos on YouTube, and I started thinking about all the great gay singers from the 80s. You know, back then it was a much bigger deal to be openly gay, especially if you were a famous musician. It was a time before the internet, and social media, so information spread much slower and people were generally less accepting. I mean, there were always rumors and speculation, but it wasn’t like today where everyone knows everything about everyone all the time.
So, I decided to do some digging. I started with the names I already knew. Of course, there’s Elton John. He’s like the poster child for gay 80s music, right? I love his song “I’m Still Standing” from 1983. It’s such an anthem! Turns out, he didn’t officially come out until later, but that song is still a classic.
Then, I tried to remember some other big names. This one is obvious, but there is Freddie Mercury. What a legend! His voice and his performances were just out of this world. Queen’s music is timeless. I read somewhere that he never formally came out as gay, but he was in a long-term relationship with a man, and his flamboyant style was pretty clear to everyone. Also, Boy George from Culture Club. He was another one who was super open about being gay, and his music was everywhere back then. “Karma Chameleon” anyone? That song was stuck in my head for weeks. I checked some of his interviews from back then, and he talked a lot about being different and not fitting in, which I think a lot of people could relate to.
- Elton John
- Freddie Mercury
- Boy George
After that, I wanted to see if I could find some less obvious names. I found this website that had a list of LGBTQ+ musicians from the 80s, and I started going through it. Some of these people I’d never even heard of, but their stories were really interesting. Some of them were out and proud, while others were more private about their personal lives. I discovered this band called Bronski Beat, and their song “Smalltown Boy” is all about a young gay man leaving his hometown to escape homophobia. It’s a powerful song, and the music video is really moving.
I also learned about Sylvester, who was this amazing disco singer. He was openly gay and genderfluid, which was pretty radical for the time. His music is so much fun to dance to, and he had this incredible stage presence. I watched some of his live performances, and he just owned the stage. It’s a shame he died so young. He could have become even bigger I think.
My Gay 80s Singers List
Anyway, after spending all day going down this rabbit hole, I realized just how many amazing gay musicians there were in the 80s. They paved the way for so many artists today, and their music still holds up. It was cool to learn about their stories and how they navigated fame and their sexuality during a time that wasn’t always accepting.
If you’re curious, I definitely recommend checking out some of these artists. It’s a great way to discover some new music and learn a bit about LGBTQ+ history at the same time. I made a playlist and listened to it the rest of the day. Maybe I’ll share it next time. I think it’s pretty cool, and maybe I turned into a fan of some of these guys after I did all this “research”! Anyway, that’s my adventure with gay 80s singers. Peace out!
