Random Greatest Gay Icons In Music (66 items)

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  (#1) Freddie Mercury

  • Dec. at 45 (1946-1991)

  Freddie Mercury may not have spoken publicly about his sexual orientation, but many people believe that he was openly gay. He was the lead singer of Queen (a slang term for gay), and he was a powerful icon in the gay community. He died of complications with AIDS in 1991. 
  
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  (#2) Elton John

  • 71

  Elton John is arguably the most popular gay musician in the world. He first came out as a bisexual in a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone, and in 1988, he announced that he was comfortable being gay. John has been in a relationship with David Furnish since 1993, and the couple has two children together.
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  (#3) RuPaul

  • 58

  Drag queen/actor/musician RuPaul has been a beacon of empowerment since she first emerged in the music industry with the hit "Supermodel (You Better Work)." RuPaul has since dedicated her life to promoting LGBT causes.
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  (#4) David Bowie

  • 72

  David Bowie was embraced by the gay community when he revealed his androgynous alter-ego Ziggy Stardust. In 1976, Bowie told Playboy magazine that he was bisexual, but he later declared that he was just a closet heterosexual. He is rumored to have had a sexual relationship with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. Bowie has been married to supermodel Iman since 1992.
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  (#5) Madonna

  • 60

  Madonna was going to gay bars from the time she was a teenager, and she was later named "The Greatest Gay Icon" by The Advocate.  She has fought for gay rights and same-sex marriage all over the world.  She says, "I wouldn't have a career if it weren't for the gay community."
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  (#6) George Michael

  • 55

  George Michael was outed after he was arrested for lewd conduct in 1998. He has since become an outspoken advocate for gay rights and AIDS research, and he frequently performs benefit concerts to support these causes. He showed humor and humility after his arrest by mocking the incident with his music video for "Outside" and satirizing himself on the comedy special for the finale of "Extras."
  
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  (#7) Boy George

  • 57

  Cross-dressing '80s icon Boy George has had a large gay following since his band Culture Club emerged in the music industry. At the height of his success, he never denied being gay in the media. Later, he stated that some of Culture Club's most popular songs were inspired by his relationships with other men.
  
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  (#8) Lady Gaga

  • 32

  Lady Gaga became a gay icon by promoting individuality and acceptance.  She would rather not be called a "gay icon" - instead, she prefers to be considered a "gay supporter." She currently has a boyfriend, but Gaga has stated that she is bisexual.
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  (#9) Cher

  • 72

  Cher has been a gay icon throughout her career, and her flamboyant style has been emulated by thousands of drag queens. She also starred as a lesbian in the film Silkwood, and she became even more involved with supporting gay rights after her son, Chaz, came out as transgender.
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  (#10) Marilyn Monroe

  • Dec. at 36 (1926-1962)
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  (#11) Prince

  • Dec. at 57 (1958-2016)

  Prince embraced his androgyny and sexuality in a way that made it cool for others to follow suit. 
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  (#12) Cyndi Lauper

  • 65

  Cyndi Lauper fully embraced the gay community, and they embraced her back.  She has written inspiring songs like "True Colors," and she has worked tirelessly to support gay rights. She even opened a homeless shelter to help young gay individuals who don't have anywhere to go.
  
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  (#13) Judy Garland

  • Dec. at 47 (1922-1969)

  The Advocate called Judy Garland "The Elvis of homosexuals." She is the inspiration of the slang term "Friends of Dorothy" - her character in The Wizard of Oz. Many gay people related with Dorothy's experience going from the black-and-white world of Kansas to the utopia that was Oz. The rainbow flag may have even been inspired by Garland's song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
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  (#14) Kylie Minogue

  • 50

  Pop superstar Kylie Mingoue has one of the largest gay followings in the world. She has stated, "My gay audience has been with me from the beginning... They kind of adopted me."
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  (#15) Divine

  • Dec. at 43 (1945-1988)

  Actor / singer / drag queen Divine has been a fearless gay icon since the late '60s, when she first met frequent collaborator John Waters. She toured the world, performing empowering disco music.
  
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  (#16) P!nk

  • 36

  Pink is a big supporter of gay rights and gay marriage. Her empowering music and strong sense of self has helped her develop a large gay fan base. 
  
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  (#17) Village People

  Village People were one of the first bands that directly targeted a gay audience. They had several disco hits and proved to have great crossover appeal.
  
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  (#18) Ricky Martin

  • 47

  Ricky Martin came out as gay in 2010. He wrote a statement on his website, saying, "These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within, and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed." He has since become an outspoken advocate for gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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  (#19) Britney Spears

  • 37

  Britney Spears was embraced by the gay community from the moment that she emerged as a pop star, but the "Toxic" singer didn't notice until her second tour.  She told Advocate Magazine, "I began to realize there were a lot of gay people coming to the shows, and they were just having so much fun, laughing and really enjoying themselves." Britney Spears is straight and has been married twice, although she famously shared a kiss with Madonna back in 2003.
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  (#20) Adam Lambert

  • 37

  "American Idol" alum Adam Lambert let the world know that he was gay after the reality competition had come to an end.  He has since been an inspiration to the gay community all over the world, for not shying away from any aspect of himself.  He has even pushed the envelope by sharing a kiss with his male keyboardist on the American Music Awards.
  
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  (#21) Barbra Streisand

  • 76

  Barbra Streisand has been supported by the gay community from the beginning of her career. She furthered her status as a gay icon after her son Jason Gould came out in 1991. Streisand said, "I would never wish for my son to be anything but what he is. He is bright, kind, sensitive, caring, and a very conscientious and good person." She has been a strong supporter for gay marriage.
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  (#22) Liza Minnelli

  • 72

  The daughter of gay icon Judy Garland and bisexual filmmaker Vincete Minnelli, it is only natural that Liza Minnelli has a huge gay following. She solidified her gay icon status to a new generation by appearing at Stanford and Anthony's wedding in the film Sex and the City 2.
  
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  (#23) Bette Midler

  • 73

  Bette Midler has been embraced by that gay community since the start of her career. 
  
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  (#24) Donna Summer

  • Dec. at 64 (1948-2012)

  Donna Summers seductive disco music made her a gay icon. She has stated, "I don’t know if I would have a career if it hadn’t been in some ways for the way 'Love to Love You Baby' started off, and everybody jumped on it. It was really in the gay clubs, the song took off — they really embraced that new sound. I have to give credit where credit is due."
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  (#25) Annie Lennox

  • 64

  Annie Lennox became a gay icon because of her androgynous style and intriguing vocals. The Advocate said of Lennox, "Her distinctive voice and provocative stage persona have made Lennox a longtime gay icon." Lennox is not gay herself, and she has been married three times.
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  (#26) Frank Ocean

  • 31

  Frank Ocean penned an open letter on his Tumblr blog stating that he had a romantic relationship with another man when he was 19. He instantly became a gay icon, as there are very few musicians who are open about their sexuality in hip-hop and R&B. Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons said, "Today is a big day for hip-hop. It is a day that will define who we really are. How compassionate will we be? How loving can we be? How inclusive are we? ... Your decision to go public about your sexual orientation gives hope and light to so many young people still living in fear."
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  (#27) Tina Turner

  • 79
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  (#28) Scissor Sisters

  Glam rock disco superstars the Scissor Sisters have legions of gay fans. Lead singer Jake Shears has been openly gay since he was a teenager, and the entire band supports gay rights.
  
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  (#29) Mika

  • 35

  Singer Mika came out as gay in 2012, but he has been creating fun pop music full of innuendo for his entire career, making him popular with the gay community.
  
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  (#30) Pet Shop Boys

  
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  (#31) Bette Davis

  • Dec. at 81 (1908-1989)
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  (#32) k.d. lang

  • 57

  k.d. lang came out in 1992, and she has been an outspoken advocate for gay rights.  She frequently donates portions of her album sales to AIDS research. 
  
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  (#33) Little Richard

  • 86

  Little Richard has described himself as a "bisexual alien," but his flamboyant performances and lavish style have made him a gay icon. He even worked as a drag performer in the early 1950s. 
  
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  (#34) The B-52's

  The B-52s have a huge gay following who love their kitschy brand of upbeat pop music. Lead vocalist Fred Schneider is openly gay, as was co-founder Ricky Wilson, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1985.
  
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  (#35) Tracy Chapman

  • 54

  Singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman has never publicly discussed her sexuality, but it is widely known that she was in a relationship with The Color Purple author Alice Walker.  Chapman is a gay icon for writing empowering songs like "Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution."
  
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  (#36) Tegan and Sara

  Lesbian twin sisters Tegan and Sara has developed a huge gay following for writing LGBT songs and, more recently, creating empowering pop music.
  
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  (#37) Melissa Etheridge

  • 57

  Melissa Etheridge first came out at the Triangle Ball, a gay celebration of President Bill Clinton's first inauguration. She is an outspoken advocate for gay rights, and she has never let society's judgments stop her from living her life the way that she intended.
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  (#38) Robyn

  • 39

  Robyn's unique brand of upbeat pop music has led her to develop a huge gay following.  She spoke with Out magazine about her song "Dancing on My Own" becoming a gay anthem: “Gay culture has always had to embody outsidership. I think we’re all just scared to be lonely. We all want to be loved, and we all want to be seen.”
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  (#39) Erasure

  Erasure front man Andy Bell is openly gay. The band has a huge gay following, and they have toured the world performing benefit concerts promoting gay rights.
  
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  (#40) Liberace

  • Dec. at 68 (1919-1987)

  Liberace never came out as gay, but his flamboyant performances and lavish style caused his to be embraced by the gay community around the world. He had several relationships with men throughout his life, but he kept them from the public.
  
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  (#41) Katy Perry

  • 34

  Katy Perry initially became a gay icon with the release of her mega-hit "I Kissed a Girl."  She described her Gay Icon status to CGG, stating, "Maybe [I’m a gay icon] because of my big personality and my use of color and frankness and, you know, kitschiness; if kitsch could be my middle name, I definitely would take that!" She continued on, stating that she is a proud gay activist.
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  (#42) Michael Stipe

  • 59

  REM frontman Michael Stipe describes himself as a queer artist, stating, "I think there’s a line drawn between gay and queer, and for me, queer describes something that’s more inclusive of the grey areas." He has been an advocate for AIDS research since the early '90s.
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  (#43) Carol Channing

  • 98

  Carol Channing loves the gay community, and they love her back. She has said, "The gay community is responsible for so much of my success, and I love them. It's a mutual love affair, really. They make the better audiences too, because they laugh often and loudly."
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  (#44) Rob Halford

  • 67

  Judas Priest front man Rob Halford came out in 1998. He told The Advocate, "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." He is a gay icon of rock n' roll.
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  (#45) Sylvester

  • Dec. at 41 (1947-1988)

  Musician Sylvester was openly gay and an empowering figure to the gay community.  He was deemed the "Queen of Disco" by his fans.
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  (#46) Lance Bass

  • 39

  'N Sync member Lance Bass came out as gay in 2006. He said, "The thing is: I'm not ashamed – that's the one thing I want to say. I don't think it's wrong; I'm not devastated going through this. I'm more liberated and happy than I've been my whole life. I'm just happy."
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  (#47) Rufus Wainwright

  • 45

  Singer Rufus Wainwright has been openly gay since he was a teen. Wainwright spoke to the Huffington Post in 2013 regarding his feeling about being a gay artist: "I've always embraced it, only because there is such a fabulous history of really gay artists, especially in songwriting."
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  (#48) Joan Baez

  • 78

  Joan Baez has been an advocate for the gay community since the 1970s. She performed benefit concerts and marched in the memorials for openly gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk after he was assassinated.  She also dedicated her song "Altar Boy and the Thief" to her gay following.
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  (#49) Morrissey

  • 59

  The Smiths frontman Morrissey has stated that he is asexual and celibate, but that doesn't mean that he isn't a gay icon. His personal songs, consummate performances, and flourish for style has led the gay community to embrace Morrissey. He has stated, "Unfortunately, I am not homosexual. In technical fact, I am humasexual. I am attracted to humans. But, of course... not many."
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  (#50) Bananarama

  

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