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 band Pansy Division to create their group in 1991. John Ginoli, one of those founders, argues they were the first publicly out all-gay rock group (see his biography for a link to the story).

There are a few mentors in the industry that have paved the way for today's out generation and are prominent LGBTQ activists in their own right. Notable among these are Chuck Panozzo and Rob Halford.

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, Grizzly Bear, Primal Scream, Vampire Weekend, The Pogues, and many more. But do you know the LGBTQ individuals?

The following LGBTQ individuals have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:

Clive Davis, United States
David Lawrence Geffen, United States
Elton John, Great Britain
Janis Joplin, United States
Laura Nyro, United States
Billy Preston, United States
Ma Rainey, United States
Dusty Springfield, Great Britain
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, United States
Jann Wenner, United States

We have identified a large number of LGBTQ rock musicians. They hail from Brazil, Sweden, the United States, Germany, Great Britain, Lebanon, Uruguay, Iceland, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland. (Of course, 'rock' is a fluid definition, and we have excluded other LGBTQ musicians that more accurately fit the pop, synthetic, or folk category - albeit, a subjective assessment, but you can find them by searching for their biographies by name.) The times have changed and being an out and proud LGBTQ rock musician is no longer a barrier to a successful career.

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