Every June, we turn to songs of joy, resilience and community to soundtrack our Pride Month festivities.
There are the anthems we always can count on hearing — from Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out" to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way."
But the LGBTQ+ experience is such a vast mosaic of stories, histories and identities that we think it's time to reconsider what we include in the "Pride canon." What are records that may not immediately come to mind when we think of Pride anthems but might deserve a spot in said canon?
We've put together a playlist of songs for your consideration. Plus, here's a deep dive into four of those Pride canon contenders.
"Goodbye Earl," The Chicks
"Goodbye Earl" is country music doing what country music does best — telling a story. It's a twangy, defiant tale of two best friends exacting revenge on an abusive spouse. On the surface, the song is a story of sisterhood, survival and solidarity. We could leave it at that, and it'd still be a contender for the Pride canon.
Yet, many fans have rightly pointed out that "Goodbye Earl" could be interpreted as a sapphic love story. After all, Mary Anne and Wanda do end up buying a farm together. The pair's story is also vaguely reminiscent of Fried Green Tomatoes, a classic literary lesbian love story.
"Loud Places," Jamie xx featuring Romy
Off of Jamie xx's In Colour, "Loud Places" captures an experience few dance tracks do — you're dancing, awash in the glow of people and music, but you can't help but feel alone. There's a pang of melancholy creeping just beneath the supposed euphoria of the experience.
The dance floor has long been a sacred space for queer people, and there are plenty of Pride anthems that celebrate its function as a place of joyful connection and expression. But the dance floor can also be a space to forget and escape.
Romy's voice, wistful and precise, aches with resignation, and she turns "Loud Places" into a shimmering comedown from the high of queer romance.
"Crowded Table," The Highwomen
Unlike many Pride anthems, "Crowded Table" doesn't shout from the rafters; it's a soft-spoken embrace, welcoming you inside.
Co-written by Brandi Carlile for the Americana supergroup's sole album, the country-folk ballad contains a simple, yet powerful, message of inclusivity. One of the many gifts of being a queer person is the chosen family, a community where love isn't scarce.
For queer folks, especially those estranged from biological family, the vision in "Crowded Table" is both tender and radical — a gentle reminder that Pride isn't just about being seen, but about being held.
"Long Long Time," Linda Ronstadt
One of Linda Ronstadt's most enduring hits, "Long Long Time" is pure heartache. With sparse instrumentation, she traces the outline of an unrequited love and a yearning that simply refuses to die. It's the sort of record that makes you want to look out the window on a rainy day and remember all of the people you never got to love out loud. It's a sentiment that feels true to many queer listeners.
On top of that, "Long Long Time" also happens to soundtrack one of the greatest gay love stories told on TV: In 2023, the song was featured in the third episode of The Last of Us, which tells the story of Bill and Frank. Be warned: Your heart will break.
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