26 Notable LGBTQ Songs Since 2010 | Playlist

16. A Great Big World Ft. Futuristic, “Hold Each Other”

Album: When the Morning Comes, 2015

“Hold Each Other” isn’t the first foray into LGBT related songs for A Great Big World.  On debut album Is There Anybody Out There? the pop duo dropped “Everyone Is Gay.” Although corny, the song came from a good place. “Hold Each Other” is more meaningful, particularly for Chad King, who is gay. King embraces his sexuality on the second verse, fearlessly using the pronoun he.

“Everything looks different now / All this time my head was down / He came along and show me how to let go…/ Something happens when I hold him / he keeps my heart from getting broken.”

Playing devil’s advocate, perhaps “Hold Each Other” makes a subtle statement.  BUT, the statement is notable considering the few instances in pop references same-sex male relationships.

17. Sam Smith, “Lay Me Down”

Album: In the Lonely Hour, 2014

On In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith dabbles in the plight called love, specifically unrequited love. Openly gay, he implies his sexuality throughout the album.  Understanding his perspective, it fills in the blanks for the listener, revealing a larger significance. On “Lay Me Down,” Smith is particularly devastated.  His love is gone, and he misses everything about him.

“Told me not to cry when you were gone / But the feeling’s overwhelming, it much too strong.”

He tugs at the heartstrings on the chorus. It’s relatable to anybody who’s experienced heartbreak:

“Can I lay by your side, next to you, you? / And make sure you’re alright / I’ll take care of you / I don’t want to be here if I can’t be with you tonight.”

The music video amplifies the significance from the LGBTQ perspective.  Initially set as a funeral, it ends in a same-sex marriage at a London church.  The Church of England is notably divided about homosexuality.  The funeral scene seems to be symbolic – subject to interpretation.  Perhaps Smith lays his past to rest and embraces the present.  Perhaps it represents the death of the old guard and birth of the new – freedom to marry whoever.  Regardless, he makes a statement which serves as a catalyst for conversation, debate, and discussion.

18. Marsha Ambrosius, “Far Away”

Album: Late Nights & Early Mornings, 2011

Lyrically, “Far Away” tackles suicide.  In the context of the song, there aren’t any direct references to homosexuality. What the listener takes away is that Ambrosius is heartbroken after her friend commits suicide.  As sad as the situation is, “Far Away” finds Ambrosius depicting her emotions in the aftermath.

The accompanying music video takes things a step further, incorporating homosexuality and homophobia.  The homophobic component drives the male to commit suicide.

“If I had known Sunday morning, that you would be gone / I would’ve never come home / I wouldn’t have answered my phone to hear the voice had a tone / I knew that something was wrong / The cop’s the one who had told me that you were alone inside / An empty room / Identified you as my baby / Oh my baby, so far away.”

What further amplifies the significance of the video is the use of black characters.  Homophobia is more pronounced in the black community, so Ambrosius took a bigger risk with “Far Away” given the storyline and social implications.  A Think Progress article (from February 2016) by Zack Ford suggests black homophobia is a myth, based on a Public Religion Research Institute survey.

19. Hozier, “Take Me to Church”

Album: Hozier, 2014

“Take Me to Church” was a no. 2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.  Furthermore, the song was nominated for the Grammy for song of the year.  Listening emptily, it’s easy to see why it was a massive hit.  Who doesn’t enjoy a song that references sex?  Considering the depth of its subject matter analytically, it’s almost unbelievable it achieved the commercial accolades it did.

In a NY Mag interview, The Irish singer/songwriter describes the song as being about sex, humanity, and disdain for the church “teaching shame about sexual orientation.”  The lyrics of the song confirm those strong feelings:

“My church offers no absolutes / She tells me ‘worship in the bedroom’ / The only heaven I’ll be sent too / Is when I’m alone with you.”

Furthermore, in the interview, he tackles the influence of church in Ireland, and homophobia in Russia. Key lyrics, such as “We were born sick, you heard them say it,” confirms this.   Throughout its course, “Church” amplifies blasphemous references to make a statement.  Ultimately, that statement is that all humans, regardless of sexuality, should be able to love and be with whomever they’d like.

20. Frank Ocean, “Thinkin Bout You”

Album: Channel Orange, 2012

Frank Ocean took a risk coming out as bisexual during the run of 2012 debut LP, Channel Orange.  The black community is a work in progress in regards to LGBT friendliness.  Ocean didn’t suffer in the least commercially. Channel Orange went on to be nominated for the Grammy for album of the year.  One of the reasons for its success was single “Thinkin Bout You.”

“Thinkin Bout You” straddles a line.  Without knowledge of Ocean’s sexuality, the naïve listener won’t necessarily pick up any LGBT references.  Explicitly, there’s just one, and it’s relatively subtle:

“My eyes don’t shed tears, but boy, they pour when… I’m thinkin’ ‘bout you…do you think about me still?”

“Thinkin Bout You” is about being in love for the first time and for Frank Ocean, that experience occurred with a guy.

“Yes of course I remember, how could I forget how you feel? / You know you were my first time, a new feel…”