# List of gay anthems

This is a list of historically significant gay anthems.
| Year released | Song title | Artist(s) | Notes |
| 1920 | "The Lavender Song" ("Das Lila Lied") | Lyrics by Kurt Schwabach | |
| 1928 | "Prove It On Me" | Ma Rainey | |
| 1929 | "If Love Were All" | Noël Coward | Written for the operetta Bitter Sweet. |
| 1932 | "Mad About the Boy" | Noël Coward | |
| 1937 | "Easy Living" | Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra | |
| 1937 | "My Funny Valentine" | Rodgers and Hart | |
| 1938 | "Lush Life" | Billy Strayhorn | |
| 1939 | "Over the Rainbow" | Judy Garland | Featured in the film The Wizard of Oz. Written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. This song and the film gained such a following that gay men would use the phrase "friends of Dorothy" to refer to themselves. |
| 1952 | "Hound Dog" | Big Mama Thornton | |
| 1953 | "Secret Love" | Doris Day | Written by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster for a well known queer coded film, Calamity Jane, the song was embraced by the LGBTQ+ community as an anthem for expressing the joy of gay liberation. When asked about how she felt during a 2011 interview with The Advocate, she replied, "I was not aware of that, but that's wonderful." |
| 1954 | "The Man That Got Away" | Judy Garland | |
| 1955 | "Tutti Frutti" | Little Richard | |
| 1957 | "Somewhere (There's a Place for Us)" | From the musical West Side Story | |
| 1958 | "My Baby Just Cares for Me" | Nina Simone | |
| 1958 | "Secretly" | Jimmie Rodgers | |
| 1960 | "As Long as He Needs Me" | Shirley Bassey | |
| 1962 | "The Man I Love" | Gene Howard | |
| 1962 | "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe" | Troy Walker | |
| 1963 | "Hello Stranger" | Barbara Lewis | |
| 1964 | "You Don't Own Me" | Lesley Gore | |
| 1966 | "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" | Dusty Springfield | |
| 1966 | "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" | Roberta Flack | |
| 1968 | "Don't Rain On My Parade" | Barbra Streisand | |
| 1970 | "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" | Diana Ross | |
| 1970 | "Lola" | The Kinks | |
| 1970 | "You Don't Own Me" | Dusty Springfield | |
| 1971 | "March from a Clockwork Orange" | Wendy Carlos | |
| 1971 | "Stonewall Nation" | Madeleine Davis | |
| 1971 | "It Must Be Love" | Labi Siffre | |
| 1972 | "Walk on the Wild Side" | Lou Reed | |
| 1972 | "All the Young Dudes" | Mott the Hoople | |
| 1972 | "Friends" | Bette Midler | |
| 1972 | "Starman" | David Bowie | |
| 1974 | "Rebel Rebel" | David Bowie | |
| 1974 | "I Will Always Love You" | Dolly Parton | |
| 1974 | "Jolene" | Dolly Parton | |
| 1974 | "Love Is the Message" | MFSB | |
| 1974 | "The Bitch Is Back" | Elton John | |
| 1975 | "I Was Born This Way" | Carl Bean | |
| 1975 | "I Was Born This Way" | Valentino | |
| 1975 | "Home" | Introduced by Stephanie Mills Popularised by Diana Ross | |
| 1975 | "Landslide" | Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac | |
| 1976 | "Dancing Queen" | ABBA | |
| 1976 | "The Killing of Georgie" | Rod Stewart | |
| 1976 | "Turn the Beat Around" | Vicki Sue Robinson | |
| 1976 | "Jolene" | Dolly Parton | |
| 1976 | "Somebody to Love" | Queen | |
| 1977 | "I Feel Love" | Donna Summer | |
| 1977 | "Gold Dust Woman" | Fleetwood Mac | |
| 1978 | "Got to Be Real" | Cheryl Lynn | |
| 1978 | "Baby I'm Burning" | Dolly Parton | |
| 1978 | "I Will Survive" | Gloria Gaynor | |
| 1978 | "Glad to Be Gay" | Tom Robinson Band | |
| 1978 | "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" | Sylvester | |
| 1978 | "I Love the Nightlife" | Alicia Bridges | |
| 1978 | "Macho Man" | Village People | |
| 1978 | "Y.M.C.A." | Village People | |
| 1978 | "Last Dance" | Donna Summer | |
| 1978 | "I'm Every Woman" | Chaka Khan | |
| 1978 | "Pride" | Grace Jones | |
| 1979 | "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" | ABBA | |
| 1979 | "Boys Keep Swinging" | David Bowie | |
| 1979 | "You Know How to Love Me" | Phyllis Hyman | |
| 1979 | "Don't Stop Me Now" | Queen | |
| 1979 | "It's My House" | Diana Ross | |
| 1979 | "We Are Family" | Sister Sledge | |
| 1979 | "Knock on Wood" | Amii Stewart | |
| 1979 | "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" | Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand | |
| 1979 | "Go West" | Village People | |
| 1979 | "Stars" | Sylvester | |
| 1980 | "I'm Coming Out" | Diana Ross | |
| 1980 | "9 to 5" | Dolly Parton | |
| 1980 | "Private Idaho" | The B-52's | |
| 1980 | "Never Knew Love Like This Before" | Stephanie Mills | |
| 1981 | "Menergy" | Patrick Cowley | |
| 1981 | "Pull Up to the Bumper" | Grace Jones | |
| 1981 | "Puerto Pollensa" | Written by Marilina Ross. First popularized by Sandra Mihanovich | |
| 1981 | "Tainted Love" | Soft Cell | |
| 1982 | "Edge of Seventeen" | Stevie Nicks | |
| 1982 | "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | Culture Club | |
| 1982 | "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" | Jennifer Holliday | |
| 1982 | "It's Raining Men" | The Weather Girls | |
| 1982 | "Love My Way" | The Psychedelic Furs | |
| 1982 | "Right on Target" | Paul Parker | |
| 1983 | "Church of the Poison Mind" | Culture Club | |
| 1983 | "This Charming Man" | The Smiths | |
| 1983 | "So Many Men, So Little Time" | Miquel Brown | |
| 1983 | "Rise Up" | The Parachute Club | |
| 1983 | "Relax" | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | |
| 1983 | "I Am What I Am" | Written by Jerry Herman | From the musical La Cage aux Folles. |
| 1983 | "I Am What I Am" | Gloria Gaynor | |
| 1983 | "Holiday" | Madonna | |
| 1984 | "Din Daa Daa" | George Kranz | |
| 1984 | "Smalltown Boy" | Bronski Beat | |
| 1984 | "Why?" | Bronski Beat | |
| 1984 | "You Think You're a Man" | Divine | |
| 1984 | "I Want to Break Free" | Queen | |
| 1985 | "Conga" | Miami Sound Machine | |
| 1985 | "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" | Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin | |
| 1985 | "How Will I Know" | Whitney Houston | |
| 1985 | "Miss Celie's Blues" | Written by Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton and Lionel Richie | Also known as "Sister" from the film The Color Purple. Sung by the character Shug to Celie in the film, this song has been called an anthem for the Black lesbian community. |
| 1985 | "Running Up That Hill" | Kate Bush | |
| 1985 | "So Macho" | Sinitta, written by George Hargreaves | |
| 1986 | "¿A quién le importa?" | Alaska y Dinarama | Gay anthem in the Spanish-speaking world. |
| 1986 | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | The Communards | |
| 1986 | "Oh L'amour" | Erasure | |
| 1986 | "Libertine" | Mylène Farmer | Gay anthem in the French-speaking world |
| 1986 | "Kiss" | Prince | |
| 1986 | "True Colors" | Cyndi Lauper | |
| 1987 | "Seven Wonders" | Fleetwood Mac | |
| 1987 | "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" | Whitney Houston | |
| 1987 | "It's a Sin" | Pet Shop Boys | |
| 1987 | "Sans contrefaçon" | Mylène Farmer | Gay anthem in the French-speaking world |
| 1988 | "A Little Respect" | Erasure | |
| 1988 | "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" | Belinda Carlisle | |
| 1988 | "Fast Car" | Tracy Chapman | |
| 1988 | "Mujer contra mujer" ("Une femme avec une femme") | Mecano | Gay anthem in the Spanish and French-speaking world. |
| 1989 | "Work That Pussy" (Boom Boom remix) | Ellis D | |
| 1989 | "Elements of Vogue" (David DePino mix) | David Xtravaganza and Johnny Dynell | |
| 1989 | "Deep in Vogue" | Malcolm McLaren | |
| 1989 | "Let's Go" | Fast Eddie | |
| 1989 | "In Private" | Dusty Springfield | |
| 1989 | "Express Yourself" | Madonna | |
| 1989 | "Like a Prayer" | Madonna | |
| 1989 | "If I Could Turn Back Time" | Cher | |
| 1989 | "Closer to Fine" | Indigo Girls | |
| 1989 | "Part of Your World" (from the film The Little Mermaid) | Composed by Ashman and Menken Introduced by Jodi Benson | |
| 1990 | "Vogue" | Madonna | |
| 1990 | "Freedom! '90" | George Michael | |
| 1990 | "Show Me Love" | Robin S. | |
| 1991 | "Finally" | CeCe Peniston | |
| 1991 | "Better The Devil You Know" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 1991 | "In My Life" | Bette Midler | |
| 1991 | "Losing My Religion" | R.E.M. | |
| 1991 | "Justified and Ancient" | The KLF and Tammy Wynette | |
| 1992 | "Constant Craving" | K.d. lang | |
| 1992 | "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" | Sophie B. Hawkins | |
| 1992 | "Supermodel (You Better Work)" | RuPaul | |
| 1992 | "Deeper and Deeper" | Madonna | |
| 1993 | "Come to My Window" | Melissa Etheridge | |
| 1993 | "Yes I Am" | Melissa Etheridge | |
| 1993 | "I'm Every Woman" (theme from the film The Bodyguard) | Whitney Houston | |
| 1993 | "Rebel Girl" | Bikini Kill | |
| 1994 | "A Deeper Love" | Aretha Franklin | |
| 1994 | "100% Pure Love" | Crystal Waters | |
| 1994 | "Girls & Boys" | Blur | |
| 1994 | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" | Mariah Carey | |
| 1995 | "Everlasting Love" | Gloria Estefan | |
| 1995 | "I Kissed a Girl" | Jill Sobule | |
| 1995 | "Fastlove" | George Michael | |
| 1995 | "Jesus to a Child" | George Michael | |
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | |
| 1995 | "I Am the Body Beautiful" | Salt N Pepa | |
| 1996 | "Cunty" | Kevin Aviance | |
| 1996 | "Seasons of Love" (theme from the musical Rent) | Introduced in the musical Rent | |
| 1996 | "Take Me or Leave Me" | Idina Menzel and Fredi Walker | |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | |
| 1997 | "Fly Life" | Basement Jaxx | |
| 1997 | "Free" | Ultra Naté | |
| 1997 | "Together Again" | Janet Jackson | |
| 1997 | "Close My Eyes" | Mariah Carey | |
| 1997 | "Outside" | Mariah Carey | |
| 1997 | "One More Hour" | Sleater-Kinney | |
| 1998 | "Heaven's What I Feel" | Gloria Estefan | |
| 1998 | "Believe" | Cher | |
| 1998 | "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" (Hex Hector remix) | Deborah Cox | |
| 1998 | "The Origin of Love" | Introduced in Hedwig and the Angry Inch | |
| 1998 | "The Boy Is Mine" | Brandy & Monica | |
| 1998 | "Outside" | George Michael | |
| 1999 | "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" | Shania Twain | |
| 1999 | "Waiting for Tonight" | Jennifer Lopez | |
| 1999 | "Strong Enough" | Cher | |
| 1999 | "Heartbreaker" | Mariah Carey | |
| 1999 | "It's Not Right but It's Okay" (Thunderpuss remix) | Whitney Houston | |
| 2000 | "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" | Mariah Carey | |
| 2000 | "Let's Get Loud" | Jennifer Lopez | |
| 2000 | "Spinning Around" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2000 | "Proud" | Heather Small | |
| 2000 | "Stronger" | Britney Spears | |
| 2000 | "Sobreviviré" | Mónica Naranjo | |
| 2001 | "Lady Marmalade" (theme from the film Moulin Rouge!) | Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Lil' Kim and Pink | |
| 2001 | Song for the Lonely" | Cher | |
| 2001 | "It's Raining Men" (theme from the film Bridget Jones's Diary) | Geri Halliwell | |
| 2001 | "Keep on Livin'" | Le Tigre | |
| 2001 | "Murder on the Dancefloor" | Sophie Ellis-Bextor | |
| 2001 | "There You'll Be" (theme from the film Pearl Harbor) | Faith Hill | |
| 2001 | "Your Disco Needs You" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2001 | "Can't Get You Out of My Head" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2002 | "¿A quién le importa?" | Thalía | Gay anthem in the Spanish-speaking world and cover of the Alaska and Dinarama song from 1986. |
| 2002 | "Beautiful" | Christina Aguilera | |
| 2002 | "Love at First Sight" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2002 | "No More Drama" (Thunderpuss remix) | Mary J. Blige | |
| 2003 | "Defying Gravity" | Idina Menzel | |
| 2003 | "Fighter" | Christina Aguilera | |
| 2003 | "Me Against the Music" | Britney Spears featuring Madonna | |
| 2003 | "Dragostea Din Tei" | O-Zone | |
| 2004 | "Take Your Mama" | Scissor Sisters | |
| 2005 | "Hung Up" | Madonna | |
| 2006 | "Listen" | Beyoncé | |
| 2006 | "Freakum Dress" | Beyoncé | |
| 2006 | "Stars Are Blind" | Paris Hilton | |
| 2006 | "The Best of Both Worlds" | Hannah Montana | |
| 2006 | "Buttons" | The Pussycat Dolls | |
| 2006 | "Todos Me Miran" | Gloria Trevi | Gay anthem in the Spanish-speaking world |
| 2007 | "Get Me Bodied" | Beyoncé | |
| 2007 | "Gimme More" | Britney Spears | |
| 2007 | "Untouched" | The Veronicas | |
| 2007 | "My Love Is Pink" | Sugababes | |
| 2007 | "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)" | Groove Armada and Mutya Buena | |
| 2007 | "Into the New World" | Girls' Generation | |
| 2008 | "The Promise" | Girls Aloud | |
| 2009 | "Untouchable" | Girls Aloud | |
| 2009 | "She Wolf" | Shakira | |
| 2010 | "We R Who We R" | Kesha | |
| 2010 | "All The Lovers" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2010 | "Get Outta My Way" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2010 | "Firework" | Katy Perry | |
| 2010 | "Raise Your Glass" | Pink | |
| 2010 | "Dancing on My Own" | Robyn | |
| 2010 | "Y'all Get Back Now" | Big Freedia | |
| 2011 | "Born This Way" | Lady Gaga | [45][181][145][182][54][183][78] [53][67][142][177][68][52][42][69][70][184][9][71][8][56][37] |
| 2011 | "Feels Like" | DJ MikeQ | |
| 2011 | "Till the World Ends" | Britney Spears | Some parts are written by Kesha and Female Fatale remix featured Kesha and Nicki Minaj |
| 2011 | "Run The World (Girls)" | Beyoncé | |
| 2011 | "Love On Top" | Beyoncé | |
| 2012 | "Call Me Maybe" | Carly Rae Jepsen | |
| 2012 | "Euphoria" | Loreen | |
| 2012 | "Flatline" | Sugababes | |
| 2012 | "Same Love" | Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert | |
| 2012 | "Thinkin Bout You" | Frank Ocean | |
| 2012 | "Let's Have a Kiki" | Scissor Sisters | |
| 2013 | "Land of Lola" | Billy Porter | |
| 2013 | "Raise You Up/Just Be" | Billy Porter | |
| 2013 | "Follow Your Arrow" | Kacey Musgraves | |
| 2013 | "People Like Us" | Kelly Clarkson | |
| 2013 | "Closer" | Tegan and Sara | |
| 2013 | "She Keeps Me Warm" | Mary Lambert | |
| 2013 | "Brave" | Sara Bareilles | |
| 2013 | "Girls / Girls / Boys" | Panic! at the Disco | |
| 2013 | "Let It Go" | Idina Menzel | |
| 2013 | "Work Bitch" | Britney Spears | |
| 2014 | "True Trans Soul Rebel" | Against Me! | |
| 2014 | "Break Free" | Ariana Grande | |
| 2014 | "Born An Angel" | Afida Turner | |
| 2014 | "Really Don't Care" | Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd | |
| 2014 | "Sissy That Walk" | RuPaul | |
| 2014 | "Welcome To New York" | Taylor Swift | |
| 2015 | "Beauty Never Lies" | Bojana Stamenov | |
| 2015 | "Run Away with Me" | Carly Rae Jepsen | |
| 2015 | "Cool for the Summer" | Demi Lovato | |
| 2015 | "Girls Like Girls" | Hayley Kiyoko | |
| 2015 | "King" | Years & Years | |
| 2016 | "Secret Love Song, Pt II" | Little Mix | |
| 2016 | "Vroom Vroom" | Charli XCX | |
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony | |
| 2016 | "Into You" | Ariana Grande | |
| 2016 | "Only a Girl" | Gia Woods | |
| 2016 | "Formation" | Beyoncé | |
| 2016 | "Hold Up" | Beyoncé | |
| 2016 | "Sorry" | Beyoncé | |
| 2016 | "Change" | Christina Aguilera | |
| 2016 | "Telepathy" | Christina Aguilera | |
| 2016 | "Touch" | Little Mix | |
| 2016 | "LGBT" | CupcakKe | |
| 2016 | "All In" | Monsta X | |
| 2016 | Tomodachi | Hikaru Utada | |
| 2017 | "Loving Someone" | The 1975 | |
| 2017 | "The Joke" | Brandi Carlile | |
| 2017 | "Heart Attack" | Chuu | |
| 2017 | "Cut to the Feeling" | Carly Rae Jepsen | |
| 2017 | "New Rules" | Dua Lipa | |
| 2017 | "Chanel" | Frank Ocean | |
| 2017 | "Power" | Little Mix | |
| 2017 | "Boys" | Charli XCX | |
| 2017 | "Call Me Mother" | RuPaul | |
| 2017 | "This Is Me" (theme from the film The Greatest Showman) | Keala Settle | |
| 2017 | "Honey" | Kehlani | |
| 2017 | "Heaven" | Troye Sivan and Betty Who | |
| 2017 | "Mystery of Love" (theme from the film Call Me by Your Name) | Sufjan Stevens | |
| 2017 | "Visions of Gideon" | Sufjan Stevens | |
| 2018 | "Curious" | Hayley Kiyoko | |
| 2018 | "Strawberries & Cigarettes" | Troye Sivan | |
| 2018 | "My My My!" | Troye Sivan | |
| 2018 | "Bloom" | Troye Sivan | |
| 2018 | "Make Me Feel" | Janelle Monae | |
| 2018 | "Pynk" | Janelle Monae | |
| 2018 | "No Tears Left to Cry" | Ariana Grande | |
| 2018 | "Thank U, Next" | Ariana Grande | |
| 2018 | "I'm Not Afraid" | Holland | |
| 2018 | "Rainbow" | Kacey Musgraves | |
| 2018 | "Immaterial" | Sophie | |
| 2018 | "Colour" | MNEK and Hailee Steinfeld | |
| 2019 | "On a Roll" | Ashley O | |
| 2019 | "Break Up (Bye Bye)" | The Frock Destroyers | |
| 2019 | "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" | Todrick Hall | |
| 2019 | "Don't Start Now" | Dua Lipa | |
| 2019 | "Show Yourself" | Idina Menzel | |
| 2019 | "A Little Bit Alexis" | Annie Murphy | |
| 2019 | "Lights Up" | Harry Styles | |
| 2019 | "You Need to Calm Down" | Taylor Swift | |
| 2019 | "Flash Pose" | Pabllo Vittar feat. Charli XCX | |
| 2020 | "Betty" | Taylor Swift | |
| 2020 | "Physical" | Dua Lipa | |
| 2020 | "Man's World" | Marina Diamandis | |
| 2020 | "Rain On Me" | Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande | |
| 2020 | "Supernova" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2020 | "Pink Pony Club" | Chappell Roan | |
| 2021 | "Younger Me" | Brothers Osborne | |
| 2021 | "Agatha All Along" | Kathryn Hahn | |
| 2021 | "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" | Lil Nas X | |
| 2021 | "UK Hun?" | United Kingdolls | |
| 2021 | "Come Through" | Priyanka feat. Lemon | |
| 2021 | "Walk" | Saucy Santana | |
| 2022 | "Boyfriend" | Dove Cameron | |
| 2022 | "This Hell" | Rina Sawayama | |
| 2022 | "Cozy" | Beyoncé | |
| 2022 | "Heated" | Beyoncé |
| 2022 | "Pure/Honey" | Beyoncé | |
| 2022 | "Bad Habit" | Steve Lacy | |
| 2022 | "Unholy" | Sam Smith feat. Kim Petras | |
| 2022 | "Casual" | Chappell Roan | |
| 2023 | "Let Loose" | Loosey LaDuca | |
| 2023 | "Not Strong Enough" | Boygenius | |
| 2023 | "Because of You" | Gustaph | |
| 2023 | "Padam Padam" | Kylie Minogue | |
| 2023 | "Rush" | Troye Sivan | |
| 2023 | "Speed Drive" | Charli XCX | |
| 2023 | "Float" | Janelle Monáe | |
| 2023 | "Lipstick Lover" | Janelle Monáe | |
| 2023 | "Ice Slippin | Omar Apollo | |
| 2023 | "Bongos" | Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion | |
| 2023 | "Got Me Started" | Troye Sivan | |
| 2023 | "Loveher" | Romy | |
| 2023 | "Red Wine Supernova" | Chappell Roan | |
| 2023 | "One of Your Girls" | Troye Sivan | |
| 2024 | "Yes, And?" | Ariana Grande | |
| 2024 | "Bodyguard" | Beyoncé | |
| 2024 | "Good Luck, Babe!" | Chappell Roan | |
| 2024 | "Nasty" | Tinashe | |
| 2024 | "360" | Charli XCX | |
| 2024 | "Lunch" | Billie Eilish | |
| 2024 | "Birds of a Feather" | Billie Eilish | |
| 2024 | "Alright" | Victoria Monet | |
| 2024 | "Talk/Bye Bye" | Omar Rudberg | |
| 2024 | "A Twink and a Redhead | Grant & Ash | |
| 2024 | "Joyride" | Kesha | |
| 2024 | "Nissan Altima" | Doechii | |
| 2024 | "Talk Talk" | Charli XCX and Troye Sivan | |
| 2024 | "Disease" | Lady Gaga | |