GL.25.04: NORA TANG
GL.25.05: Tony Schoenberg
GL.25.06: Mario Sanders
GL.25.07: Darrin Shillair
GL.25.08: Scott Lawson
GL.25.09: Erik Kristjanson
GL.25.10: Curt Trnka
GL.25.11: Marisa Plaice
GL.25.12: Max Einstein
***
2025 has been a rough year, especially if you are living in America, and especially if you are a minority of any kind. So much has happened this year that it’s hard to believe 2025 only started 11 months ago. While most of the current events have been terrible at best, the music this year has been a much-needed reprieve. The LGBTQ artists were working overtime to provide pockets of queer joy: from Peach PRC’s punny ballad about strap-ons, to Gatlin rejecting her conservative Christian upbringing to be with a woman, to Khalid finally releasing new music, 2025 has truly been for the gays. Let us discuss.
There was the good: Ben Platt delivered a spellbinding live performance of Addison Rae’s “Diet Pepsi.” T-girls jasmine.4.t & Audrey Hobert both had phenomenal debut albums. Conan Gray hit a note at the VMAs that left Ariana Grande’s family speechless, and Chappell Roan released a country bop about topping that was inexplicably used by the Canadian Hockey League in their promo videos.
There was the messy: Renee Rapp chronicled her sordid 2-way affair on tour with Towa Bird. Multiple bisexual artists were forced to come out after accusations of “queer-baiting.” Julien Baker and Lucy Davis confirmed their relationship status after trio boygenius broke up (😢), and certainly there is some un-aired dirty laundry amongst the cast of Wicked.
Finally, there was June, where Jojo Siwa, FLETCHER, and Betty Who proved that lesbophobia comes in many forms, especially when it’s coming from three women who no longer identify as lesbians. Two of these feel mostly insignificant, but Cari Fletcher - now rebranded as trad wife to her TERF boyfriend - created a true rift in the wlw community. For these reasons, but moreso because they didn’t release any worthy music, they’ve been excluded from my playlist. I’ve since deleted the many paragraphs I’ve written here to save you the deep dive, but feel free to reach out to me if you’re truly interested in the discourse.
Of course, many queer-adjacent / “I make music for the gays” artists released music as well. Hilary “That’s-so-girl-wearing-a-skirt-as-a-top” Duff debuted her first single since 2015! And we got new albums from Sabrina Carpenter, MARINA, Goldie Boutelier, & more. Tate McRae finally broke out in the mainstream…only to put out a single with The People’s Enemy: Morgan Wallen. Fortunately, Hayley Williams restored balance by threatening to catch him outside a Whole Foods after releasing an album shading the “racist singer.”
So, with no further ado, I present to you my 2025 list of top songs, primarily of queer & female artists. I’m aware my music taste has really devolved into a lesbian trope; I’m also unapologetic. Maybe in 2026 I’ll do what Florence + The Machine says and give music by [straight] men a try… but probably not.
** the vibe gets more upbeat as the playlist progresses
“The Subway” - Chappell Roan
“I Won't Quit On You” - Hayley Williams
“Diet Pepsi (Live)” - Ben Platt
“Music by Men” - Florence + The Machine
“The Hand” - Annabelle Dinda
“Carry The Name” - Djo
“Marigolds” - Andrea Bejar
“i don't want your garden” - Hazlett
“Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl” - Maggie Rogers, Sylvan Esso
“Right? (mercury Version)” - flipturn, mercury
“Guy Fawkes Tesco Dissociation” - jasmine.4.t
“Bug” - Remember Sports
“Heaven” - Syd Taylor
“Cry Cry Cry” - King Princess
“Passenger” - Glitterfox
“Dead Man Walking.” - Mon Rovîa
“If She Was A Boy” - Gatlin
“Bottle Blonde” - Momma
“warm” - Ariana Grande
“Neon Nuptials” - Goldie Boutilier
“Scraps” - Victoria Bigelow
“BUTTERFLY” - MARINA
“Vodka Cranberry” - Conan Gray
“Either” - Tiny Habits
“Digital Empathy” - Trevi Moran
“Mature” - Hilary Duff
“Takes One To Know One” - The Beaches
“How It's Done” - HUNTR/X
“Beat A Bitch Up” - Alemeda, Doechii
“Sweet n' Low” - Peach PRC
“Thirst Trap” - Audrey Hobert
“Take Me Dancing” (feat. SZA) - Doja Cat, SZA
“When Did You Get Hot?” - Sabrina Carpenter
“ExtraL” (feat. Doechii) - JENNIE, Doechii
“please don't call (333)” - Khalid
“theclubrock” - Benny Bellson
“It's ok I’m ok” - Tate McRae
“You'd Like That Wouldn't You” - Reneé Rapp
“Gnarly” - KATSEYE
“Good Ol’ Days” - Hayley Williams
“The Giver” - Chappell Roan
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