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Melissa Etheridge

Melissa Etheridge is a popular American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

She released her debut album in 1988, but she achieved mainstream success with her fourth album, Yes I Am.

But before she achieved global fame, Etheridge performed in small venues, including lesbian bars.

She came out publicly as lesbian in 1993, and she has been a gay rights activist since then.

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Troye’s soulful vocals and unapologetic representation of queer identity earned him widespread acclaim.

Troye’s advocacy for LGBTQ+ visibility in the music industry inspires and creates a more inclusive world for queer individuals globally.

10. Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert, born on January 29, 1982, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor who has significantly impacted the music industry.

Elton John

Speaking of Elton John… the music legend’s impact on music and culture in general is immense.

But his contribution to the LGBTQ community is also huge.

He declared he is bisexual in the 70s, but he officially came out as gay to Rolling Stone magazine in 1992.

So besides becoming a music star known for hits like “Tiny Dancer” and “I’m Still Standing”, Elton John became an LGBT advocate and icon.

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"'Bisexual' always sounded very medical, like something you do to a frog in 9th grade science or something."

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Lil Nas X

At the peak of his fame after the viral release of his 2018 country-rap hit "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X publicly came out via Twitter in 2019, but didn't specify his identity.

Famous worldwide, her music fuses genres including pop, merengue, rap and reggaetón.

We weren’t sure about including boygenius on this list — their music isn’t really “pop” but as the Gay Pop conversation has continued this week, they do keep coming up, and so here we are. Lance Bass 

Lance Bass rose to fame as a member of the famous boy band NSYNC, along with Justin Timberlake.

He came out as gay in 2006, in a cover story for People magazine.

That same year, Bass was awarded the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award.

And he has been one of the most influential gay pop singers ever since.

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Before his stardom with Queen, he performed under the stage name “Larry Lurex.” His flamboyant onstage persona and powerful vocals earned him a place in music history.

Despite societal beliefs about gay relationships during his era, Freddie courageously embraced his bisexuality.

His life story includes personal challenges such as navigating various societal attitudes towards homosexuality and battling HIV – these aspects of Mercury’s life added layers to an already complex figure in pop culture history.

2. Elton John

Elton John has unequivocally secured his place as one of the most iconic figures in music.

Mika

Mika rose to fame in 2007, with his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion.

Generally, he is best-known for his catchy hits such as “Grace Kelly”, “Lollipop”, and “Relax (Take It Easy)” – and all of them still sound great.

At first, Mika declined to label himself, and he kept his personal life to himself.

However, in 2012, he described himself as gay, and he has been more open about his private life ever since. 

All things considered, Mika’s songs are an integral part of modern pop music, and he  remains one of the most influential gay pop stars. 

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In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, the singer stated: "I believe in gender fluidity and sexual fluidity.

gay singing

In a fun plot twist, they’ve also become a mainstay sidelines at women’s basketball games nationwide, including headlining 2023’s WNBA All-Star game halftime show. Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus has also been an active supporter of LGBT community throughout her career.

Even though she rose to fame as a Disney teen star, she turned out to be a bold pop star who keeps exploring and experimenting with her image.

When it comes to her private life, Miley is probably mostly spoken about in the context of her turbulent relationship with Liam Hemsworth. 

But she has also identified with pansexuality and being gender fluid.

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To honor that responsibility, Stacker researched music history to highlight 25 icons you might not know are members of LGBTQ+ communities.

From classic gender-bending rockers to Afrofuturism pop stars—continue reading to learn which of the world's most beloved singers and songwriters are also LGBTQ+.

You may also like:Country-pop star Kelsea Ballerini salutes fans who have followed her from small venues to arena shows

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Ma Rainey

Posthumously deemed the Mother of Blues, Ma Rainey rose to stardom in the early 1920s through her raspy voice.

Mark Feehily 

Mark Feehily rose to fame as a member of the Irish boy band Westlife.

Westlife is one of the most successful Irish groups of all time, and they achieved huge success.

During Westlife media interviews, Feehily never talked about his sexuality or personal life.

But in 2005, Feehily came out as gay, and he has been an activist for LGBTQ rights ever since.

Feehily is also the highest-charting LGBT performer on the UK Singles Chart.

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They took time letting us in, feeling safe and secure enough to share their truth with us — first coming out as pansexual in 2018, then nonbinary in 2022, and in 2023 penning love letters to polyamory on their Age of Pleasure album. She threw a "lesbian party," which led to her arrest; she was later bailed out of jail by her rumored lover and fellow blues singer Bessie Smith.

Enjoy!

1. Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury, whose real name was Farrokh Bulsara, took the world by storm as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen. "But I had no inclination to hold any banners or be a representative of any group of people."

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Joan Jett

Known as the star of one of rock's first girl groups, Joan Jett is equally as famous for her sexuality as her signature raspy bravado.

Then, during a concert that same year, the pop sensation revealed that her hit song "Poker Face" was about sleeping with a man while fantasizing about women. Lady Gaga remains a vocal LGBTQ+ advocate—she used her 2025 Grammy Award acceptance speech to spotlight the transgender community, saying, "Trans people deserve love.

She released her third studio album in 2024 and is dating actress Lily Rose-Depp.

One of the biggest and most explosive talents of the last few years, the Ghanian-American singer-songwriter’s music fuses pop, R&B, afrobeats andalté.

This English singer-songwriter has five studio albums and a lot of hits under her belt and is known for her specific blend of pop, alternative and rock music, and for her feminist political activism.

He then came out as bisexual in 2023.