TRENDING

Happy Pride month! LGBTQ+ artists are always putting out loads of great music, an expression of everything from joy and love to pain and shame. Visibility matters, solidarity matters, and being an ally matters, so it's *super* important that we amplify the voices of queer artists not only this month but all year round.

We've compiled a list of some of our favorite artists that emanate the strength and spirit of the queer community, all while serving the most powerful bops. From moody indie to electropop to R&B soul, these artists are taking over the world in every color, and we are *so* here for it.

The essentials

You know them, you love them. These are the artists that have headed the pride music wave for a while now, serving killer song after killer song. (Icon type beat.) After all, how can go wrong with artists who've mastered both themselves and their mediums?

Frank Ocean

Must-listens: Nights, Pink Matter, Thinkin Bout You

Troye Sivan

Must-listens: WILD, Bloom, for him.

Kehlani

Must-listens: Honey, Can I, Gangsta

Conan Gray

Must-listens: The Story, Lookalike, Astronomy

The recs

No pride playlist can be complete without these stunners, whose music we honestly don't understand how not everyone has heard of yet. All stars in their own right, these artists shimmer and sparkle, sure to brighten both your playlist *and* your soul.

Phoebe Bridgers

Must-listens: Kyoto, I Know The End, Smoke Signals

Hayley Kiyoko

Must-listens: Curious, Found My Friends, What I Need

Janelle Monáe

Must-listens: Make Me Feel, I Like That, Q.U.E.E.N.

Victoria Monét

Must-listens: Jaguar, Moment, MONOPOLY

Kim Petras

Must-listens: Malibu, I Don't Want It At All, Unlock it (Lock it)

Arlo Parks

Must-listens: Caroline, Green Eyes, Hope

The hidden gems

Lastly, the underrated yet not in the least way undertalented artists. Women, especially that of the LGBTQ+ community, are known to be unrepresented in the music industry, even when they're brimming with talent and musical goodness. Go give them a play *rn*.

Rina Sawayama

Must-listens: XS, Dynasty, This Time Last Year

Zolita

Must-listens: Bedspell, Oblivion, Holy

MUNA

Must-listens: Number One Fan, Bodies, Motivation

Carlie Hanson 

Must-listens: Only One, Numb, Side Effects

Happy listening!

All GIFs via GIPHY. Slider image @conangray.

Want more? Follow us on Spotify and check out our GL playlist "so good, can't see straight" for more rainbow tracks!

by Sophia Zhang | 6/1/2021