LGBTQ Rock Musicians
There was a time when declaring your homosexuality as a rock musician was a big no-no if you wanted to get ahead in the music industry. In fact, this situation is what prompted the founders of the all-gay rock bank Pansy Division to create their group in 1991. John Grinoli, one of those founders, argues they were the first publicly out all-gay rock group (see his biography for a link to the story).
Today, there is a significant number of publicly out LGBTQ rock musicians from numerous countries around the world. The groups these musicians belong to are often familiar - The Styx, Savage Garden, REM, Sleater-Kinney, Placebo, Scissor Sisters, The Smiths, Placebo, Grizzly Bear, Primal Scream, Vampire Weekend, The Pogues, and many more. But do you know the LGBTQ individuals?
We have identified a large number of LGBTQ rock musicians. They hail from Brazil, Sweden, the United States, Great Britain, Iceland, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Argentina, and Ireland.
- Rostam Batmanglij, United States, Vampire Weekend
- Roddy Bottum, United States, Faith No More
- Cazuza, Brazil, Barao Vermelho
- Philip Chevron, Ireland, The Pogues
- Jayne County, United States, solo
- Ed Droste, United States, Grizzly Bear
- Cassia Eller, Brazil, solo
- Chris Freeman, United States, Pansy Division
- John Ginoli, United States, Pansy Division
- Tyler Glenn, United States, Neon Trees
- Debbie Googe, Great Britain, Primal Scream
- Laura Jane Grace, United States, Against Me!
- Rob Halford, Great Britain, Judas Priest
- Darren Hayes, Australia, Savage Garden
- Scott Hoffman, United States, Scissor Sisters
- Luis Illades, United States, Pansy Division
- Maja Ivarsson, Sweden, The Sounds
- Jobriath, United States, solo
- Jonsi, Iceland, Sigur Ros
- Paul Masvidal, United States, Cynic
- Brian Molko, Belgium, Placebo
- Steven Patrick Morrissey, Great Britain, The Smiths
- Bob Mould, United States, Sugar
- Frederico Moura, Argentina, Virus
- Kele Okereke, United States, Bloc Party
- Stefan Olsdal, Sweden, Placebo
- Chuck Panozzo, United States, Styx
- Joel Reader, United States, Pansy Division
- Sean Reinert, United States, Cynic
- Renato Russo, Brazil, Urban Legion
- Jake Shears, United States, Scissor Sisters
- Dusty Springfield, Great Britain, solo
- Michael Stipe, Great Britain, REM
- Justin Tranter, United States, Semi-Precious Weapons
- Corin Tucker, United States, Sleater-Kinney, and Corin Tucker Band
- Justin Utley, United States, solo
- Reg Vermue, Canada, Gentleman Reg
