Pride Month 2022: That Grape Juice’s Essential LGBTQ+ Songs

June is officially here. You know what that means: it’s Pride Month! A time to not only celebrate the LGBTQ+ community but also to remember how we have come.

When thinking of LGBTQ+ anthems, one may think of the grandiose divas that still fill nightclubs today. However, while those songs do deserve their place in history, in our minds, and in our hearts, we wanted to compile a list that represents various eras of music.

So, join us below to see what R&B jams and sugar-Pop bops made the list this year…

RuPaul – Supermodel (You Better Work)

Before “Sashay” and “shantay” were synonymous with LGBT icon RuPaul and the hit drag competition series ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ the phrases were prominently featured in ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)’ – the first major-label single from his 1993 album ‘Supermodels of the World.’ Easily one of the 90’s best dance offerings, ‘Supermodel’ was groundbreaking for the scope of its almost-unprecedented representation of LGBT people of color. And while the tune tributes the heyday of the supermodel (i.e. Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and more), Ru was front and center for the entirety of the Randy Barbato-directed video – showcasing looks that could arguably rival those of the women he was singing about. Nearly 30 years later, ‘You Better Work’ remains a call to action to everyone who wants to show off their stuff on the dancefloor and runway. But for the LGBT community, it’s an anthem.

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Malcolm McLaren – Deep In Vogue

Before Madonna sent the mainstream into absolute hysteria with her chart-topping 1990 single ‘Vogue,’ Malcolm McLaren was heating up the underground with his similarly bass-buoyed bop ‘Deep In Vogue.’ A tribute to the New York ballroom culture, ‘Deep’ is a class in Black and Brown LGBTQ history that serves as part of an unofficial soundtrack of sorts for the groundbreaking documentary ‘Paris is Burning.’ The tune is accompanied by a sizzling black-and-white music video that showcased some jaw-dropping moves from voguing icon Willi Ninja and others. The similarities between the lesser-known clip and Madonna’s now-iconic tribute to the vogue scene continue to be a source of debate on if the Pop diva swiped the concept.

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Destiny’s Child – Survivor

While the magic in DC’s ‘Survivor has long been its universal appeal, there’s no denying its lyrical resonance within the LGBTQ community.

For, as much as Pride is about celebration, it’s also about resilience and overcoming – both of which the song represents in earnest. It’s an anthem and an affirmation and one that is oh so apt for this season.

Lil Nas X – That’s What I Want

While Lil Nas X waves the flag for LGBTQ Pride on a daily basis, he truly elevated himself and the movement with the release of ‘That’s What I Want.’

Like most, we love the 23-year-old for his colorful flamboyance and unapologetic commitment to being himself each and every time. However, with this particular song, he did what has so rarely been “allowed” in the entertainment space: he humanized queer love.

In unpacking a layered and complicated narrative, Nas shone a light on the very simple desire of queer folk to experience love – just like everyone else.

Dolly Parton – Baby I’m Burnin’

There is a lot to be said about the Queen of Country’s disco era – mainly, it being scattershot at best – but it did give us the absolute gem of ‘Baby I’m Burnin.’ Designed to light up a room, ‘Baby I’m Burnin’ is classic Dolly, in other words, legendary.

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Cyndi Lauper – True Colors

“Your true colors are beautiful like a rainbow,” proclaimed Pop diva Cyndi Lauper on her 1986 #1 hit ‘True Colors’ from the album of the same name. On the surface a simple song about being a friend in someone’s time of need, the tune took on a life of its own and eventually became a gay anthem of pride and self-acceptance. Over the years Lauper has embraced the transformed reception of True and even started the True Colors foundation – a nonprofit with the mission of eradicating homelessness among LGBT youth.

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Jennifer Lopez – Tens (ft. Jack Mizrahi)

J.Lo has unquestionably stood as a longtime advocate for the LGBTQ community and conjured up bops that have kept the gworls moving for almost three decades.

‘Tens,’ a rare gem from her 2014 album ‘AKA,’ sees the singer serve up an unapologetic voguing anthem that demands that all report to the dancefloor.

From its request for ” legends, statements, and stars” to its designer namechecks to its nod to ballroom culture, this is an almighty bop and an underrated one too.

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Rina Sawayama – This Hell

From the opening line of “Let’s Go Girls,” Rina Sawayama infuses the country stylings of Shania Twain’s ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman’ with the pop-rock instrumentals of Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way.’ An ode to owning who you are, ‘This Hell’ is a fiery banger from beginning to end.

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Carly Rae Jepson – Run Away With Me

While Carly Rae Jepson makes some of the best pop music ever, there has always been something deeper to her music than just fun synths and catchy lyrics. While her song ‘Call Me Maybe’ is an LGBTQ+ anthem in its own right, it is the propulsive pop of ‘Run Away With Me’ that truly speaks to the queer experience. With lyrics such as “I’ll be your sinner in secret,” she has not only made a definitive Pop song but also ensured the song’s sing-along status.

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Here’s a playlist with additional gems from the likes of Whitney Houston, Frank Ocean, Diana Ross, and more:

Do you agree with our picks?