IST 605: LGBTQ+ Representation in Music

In this book, readers delve into a queer-centric narrative on the history of popular music. It focuses on how queer (LGBTQ+) artists, who at the time were deeply closeted, have broken through in making their presence known. This book also sheds insight into how mainstream straight-identifying artists incorporated queer identifiers, culture, and iconography in their stage presence, music, and marketing. This book is imperative to consider when looking at the scope of queer music history since it conveys more context to how not only queer artists were developed, but how LGBTQ+ culture has made its way into mainstream culture. One limitation of this book is its accessibility through online options, as it is more broadly available in print format.

This book explores the lives and legacies of 50 LGBTQ+ artists, who they were, and how they have impacted the queer music scene as it is today. Featuring icons like Elton John, Freddie Mercury, and more, this text showcases their work and life, connecting it to both LGBTQ+ culture and music history. The scope of this book is entirely reflexive to the history and modern-day translation, while also being highly relevant as an introductory tool to understanding both LGBTQ+ culture and music. It also builds a foundation for understanding who these icons were, and their ever-changing impact. However, while the book provides an in-depth look at these selected musicians, it leaves out a broader range of LGBTQ+ artists who have also shaped the music landscape in diverse and powerful ways.

In this text, readers explore how artists like Freddie Mercury, George Michael, David Bowie, Madonna, and others influenced both the queer community and popular culture. The text highlights the reciprocal relationship between these artists and their impact on other musicians, as well as their influence on the aesthetics within the queer community. This resource is particularly valuable for studying LGBTQ+ musicians, as it illustrates how these artists contributed to the social acceptance of queer musicians who followed them. A limitation is that the text is primarily available in print; however, University at Albany students can request it through interlibrary loan.

During the 1950s and 1960s, right before the Gay Liberation Movement, there was an uproar of gay men working in media corporations, acting as the backbone to many successful musicians at that time. Working in positions of manager, songwriter, producer, and more, this text gives insight into how LGBTQ+ professionals have always been a part of our music consumption, even if not directly in the forefront. This text proves valuable in the study of LGBTQ+ musicians, as it acts as a tool to see how individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ have always been a part of the development of what is known today as popular music. One drawback of this text though, is that it focuses on men identifying as gay rather than the whole scope of LGBTQ+ identifying individuals.

This book offers an engaging exploration of the history of LGBTQ+ musicians and their direct influence on the evolution of music. It is told in a detailed historical narrative, beginning its scope focusing on 20th-century jazz and blues. Through the text, Bullock sheds insight on both popular and overlooked recorded musicians, offering some knowledge on how their work reflected and shaped the hardships and successes of the LGBTQ+ community. This source is a great tool for understanding the historical context that LGBTQ+ artists once existed within and offers a unique approach to researchers seeking to learn more about it. However, one limitation of this text is that it offers a wide scope that may result in only superficial coverage of certain key figures or movements.