Songs By Queer Musicians For Every Stage Of Your Story

In this slow, chill melody, U.S. songwriter, Orion Sun, paints a distinct image of themselves lusting over a love interest. Although the artist describes the song as "about feeling like you're not good enough" (via The Line of Best Fit), we believe it's the perfect song for musing over your crush: "You got me waiting at the corner, waiting at the red light, waiting at the crosswalk thinking of you."

If you've ever found yourself in a trance while picturing that special someone and fantasizing about any sort of interaction with them, then this track will sum it all up for you. When Cupid's spell befalls the heart, it can send us into a state of giddiness and excitement, but also vulnerability and anxiety. Let Orion Sun calm your nerves with their harmonious fusion of soft singing and energetic tempo in "Dirty Dancing."

"Silk Chiffon" by U.S. group, MUNA, featuring Phoebe Bridgers, is one of those songs you play on repeat for hours on end and don't feel bad about it. "Silk chiffon, that's how it feels, ooh when she's on me" are the lyrics that make this a hit for when you're in your first relationship. If you've ever been in that situation before, you know that the first few weeks of a romance are something special. Every interaction is infused with electricity as you navigate unknown territory and learn each other's quirks, dreams, interests, and fears.

This queer anthem can also symbolize the first sexual experience with a partner. Being intimate with someone for the first time is a blend of anticipation, vulnerability, and connection, which the song accurately illustrates. "Silk Chiffon" is also an accurate representation of the common trend in queer music, the "longing" or romantic thread that interlinks queer songs. "We should define queer music as music of longing," says MUNA's Josette Maskin (via The Line of Best Fit). "That's literally the gayest thing ever."

To be "in your feelings" is an expression that refers to being deeply immersed in your emotions or experiencing heightened sensitivity. It signifies a state where emotions take center stage, influencing thoughts, actions, and overall perception. It's okay to be emotional. Life, love, relationships, and our existence in the LGBTQ+ community can be challenging sometimes. 

"Nights Like This" by U.S. singer and songwriter, Kehlani, featuring Ty Dolla $ign, is an ideal choice for those reflective moments when you just want to sit with yourself and be emotional. Although the song calls out someone for their flaky behavior, it's also moody enough for vibing to when you're on a low. "You gon' say you want me, then go switch it up, just gon' play with my emotions just because, you gon' get my hopes high, girl," Kehlani sings. However, if you ignore the lyrics, the song's melody is quite the sexy tune, making it great for a make-out session — just saying!

Honestly, it's a real struggle in the LGBTQ+ community. Sometimes, you just don't know if the person you're talking to at the bar is queer or if the person on Tinder is only exploring their sexuality and not looking to be in a partnership. With the increased number of heterosexual women hosting their bachelorette parties in gay bars, the former statement couldn't be more true for gay women who may encounter straight women in queer spaces. "Like gentrification, hetrification occurs when people feel privileged to take over the spaces of others," wrote professors Laurie Essig and Vincent Jones II (via The Boston Globe) who researched this issue.

So, if you're someone who has been in the situation of not knowing your crush's sexual identity and wants a song to blare in order to get you through it, "GAY 4 ME" by Australia's G Flip, featuring Lauren Sanderson, is just the song. G Flip and Sanderson draw a lyrical image of somebody who isn't quite sure if they want to be in the queer pot ... but then kinda does at the same time. "She don't wanna stay, then she go and say, 'let's mess around,' and then she go down." To summarize the song, the Melbourne multi-instrumentalist shouts: "She says she's only gay for me, and I don't know what to believe."

"B******" is one of those songs that just makes you so proud, empowered, and happy to be queer. In this track, Tove Lo and her tribe of successful artists have fun with raunchy lyrics that basically give guidance on how to please a woman sexually — because women know, right? The music video is a hilariously liberating adaptation that shows how female pleasure is often left on the back burner. After all, the opening line is: "Appreciate it, touch me like you know what you do and what you don't." 

In the video, a heterosexual couple visits a dark, spacious loft where Tove Lo and her gang teach the guy how to perform oral sex on his girlfriend. In the end, the woman has so much fun with her teachers, aka the singers on the track, that she dumps her boyfriend and heads back to the loft. Overall, the song empowers gay women and women alike to own their sexuality and celebrate their bodies. "Everyone on this track is so different. All are boss ladies in our own way," Icona Pop told Billboard about the track she worked on with Lo, Charli XCX, Elliphant, and ALMA.

There can be various reasons why someone may struggle to love. Past heartbreaks or traumas can create emotional barriers that make it difficult to trust and open up. Insecurities and low self-esteem can lead to a fear of rejection or feeling unworthy of love.

You may also be experiencing internalized homophobia that can affect your experience as a queer person, such as learning to accept and love yourself and thus, love others. "Internalized homophobia encompasses the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that arise from the belief that queerness is bad, wrong, sinful, or inferior to being straight," explains sex therapist Casey Tanner (via Healthline).

"All Dressed In White" by New York City-born songwriter, King Princess, features potent lyrics that convey the fear that people may have in a partnership: "I want to be yours, for sure, I'm trying my best, for you ... I  want to be good, but it's gonna take time."

We don't recommend trying this at home, but Claudia Mills from Bitters certainly gives us the zest we all need after a difficult breakup. "Stole Your Car" is a passionate song that delves into the measures one might take to seek revenge after a fight or a breakup. 

Breakups can be messy. The end of a relationship that once held promises of love can leave a deep sense of loss and confusion. But if you're in your not-sad-but-angry stage, then this is the track for you. If you feel revengeful but don't actually want to carry out any vengeance, listening to "Stole Your Car" will satiate your inner vigilante — not to mention the music video that is targeted to romantic avengers. 

At the beginning of the video, the artist is seen mid-swing with a baseball bat against a sleek, black vintage Mustang. But right before she bats, the British musician pauses, finds the keys to the car, and drives around Los Angeles at night. "I know you're upset, you'll get over it, I got no regrets, cos you're a piece of s***," Mills sings as blurry scenes of a woman (the owner of the car) flash on the screen intermittently. The heavy electric guitar sounds paired with the crisp pound of the drums, as well as Mills' sultry voice, make us feel like we're in a '90s memory.