50 Iconic Songs for Pride Month

Never apologize for who you are! If you’re looking to boost your confidence before heading out to Pride events, turn this song up loud. Not only is this song full of empowerment, it can help to inspire you to be yourself no matter what anyone else thinks. Talk about a perfect Pride message!

From the hit musical based on Allison Bechde’s coming-of-age queer graphic novel Fun Home, this song has made every butch I know tear up, with good reason. This song is about young Allison seeing an older queer person for the first time and finally seeing a path towards an affirming adulthood. This beautiful song is a great reminder of the importance of queer visibility.

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Lesbian sex symbol and brilliant musician, k.d. lang earned multiple Grammy nominations for this sultry song. For many lesbians of a certain generation, this song was a first indicator they might be queer! This song is as good today as when it was released in the 90s.

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“You've got your mother in a whirl. She's not sure if you're a boy or a girl,” sings Bowie. Lots of us know what that’s like! This song is iconic for any queer playlist and is just a classic.

Pride is all about queer community and the families that we create. This is a song that everyone knows and will enjoy hearing over brunch, or while getting ready to go to the bar. This is a song that brings us together and helps us feel connected.

It doesn't get much louder and prouder than this. If you aren't shout-singing along with, "I got my pride, PRIDE. I got my pride, PRIDE, PRIDE!!!!" then you'd better have your pulse checked.

This country single was a powerful message in the genre from band member TJ Osborne about how hard it was to be a closeted gay teenager who “didn’t know that being different really wouldn’t be the end.” This is a song about building the strength to keep going and developing confidence in yourself. A lot has changed in the world, but it’s still brutally hard to be young and queer — a good thought to keep in mind this Pride season.

Pride began as a riot, and the resilience of our community is what we celebrate every June. This 70s song has stood the test of time for a reason — not only is it danceable, but it brings with it an important, empowering message we all need now more than ever.

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It’s always exciting for a song to explicitly speak to the trans experience. This song captures the pain and frustration that come with not being seen as who you are by others. It’s a loud, thrashy song that will wake everyone up and get them ready for Pride.

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A new favorite for 2024 Pride is this collaboration between Willie Nelson and Orville Peck, an out country musician. “Inside every cowboy, there’s a lady who’d love to slip out,” he sings. The music video with country music royalty and queer ally Willie Nelson is adorable and worth watching. This is an outlaw country at its best and sure to make you tap your boots.

Le Tigre is part of the iconic soundtrack of feminist Riot Grrrl punk. No matter what is going on in your life, this song will inspire you to keep on going through the hard times, be they personal or political.

This queer punk classic is the sound of the Riot Grrrl movement. Perfect for a Pride playlist, this song will get you ready to dance and protest. “In her lips, I taste the revolution,” sings lead singer Kathleen Hanna. This is a song that doesn’t shy away from the joy and subversiveness that sits at the root of Pride.

It’s a little cringe now, but I remember when Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” was the song of Pride. Thankfully, this feel-good tune has taken its place. It’s certain to pump you up whether you’re marching in the parade or hitting the club with your friends.

With lyrics like, "I heard that there's a special place/Where boys and girls can all be queens every single day," this song is basically made for Pride. Play it when you're getting ready, to get the party rolling or to keep it going.

This iconic pop ballad is not just a Grammy-winning track — it's also a tender, inspiring anthem that has taken on a special meaning in the LGBTQ+ community, which Lauper has long advocated for. “I see your true colors / And that’s why I love you," she sings. "So don’t be afraid to let them show / Your true colors are beautiful like a rainbow.”

This lustrous, hypnotic 2014 track from Perfume Genius — the project of Seattle singer-songwriter Mike Hadreas — serves as a defiant response to what Hadreas calls "gay panic". It celebrates being unapologetically yourself, making it an essential Pride play from one of today's most powerful queer voices.

Taylor Swift's fun, unapologetically bold pop track saw the pop star become a more outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, with lyrics like, "Why are you mad / When you could be GLAAD?" The music video itself is basically just one big Pride fest full of celebrities who are part of the family.

In the unabashedly queer anthem that immediately cemented itself as one of the most important songs of our era, Lil Nas X has earned his place as an LGBTQ+ icon. It's also stuffed full of symbolism, if you're the type who likes to discuss hidden meanings too.

This classic 80s hit is a must-have on any Pride playlist. This song just makes you laugh and feel good, so it’s certain to liven up any gathering. One might even argue that to not include this song on a playlist is a major gay faux pas.

Five hundred twenty-five, six hundred minutes — IYKYK! This is one of the most memorable songs from the soundtrack of RENT and a great reminder to reflect on how you’re living, getting your priorities in order and focusing on friends, chosen family, and community. Plus, this song will delight your showtune gays.