32 Queer Covers Of Songs by Straight Artists Because Everything’s Better When It’s Gayer

This post was originally published in September 2014 and has been updated and re-vamped with new artists and songs in February 2021.

My friends, I love a cover. I love covers so much I watched every season of Glee. But most of all I love queer covers, aka queer people covering songs. Give me a gay cover! Let us share in this love together? I attempted to only pick songs that had videos where things happened, like people singing for example, but some covers were too good to skip even though their video was audio-only. ALSO I was looking for songs usually by male artists about women so we could have some pronoun fun but also there are exceptions to that as well because of goodness and my personal desires. I also was looking for covers of songs by straight artists but I have indicated where that premise was slightly compromised. Lez begin!

Miya Folick, “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” (Death Cab for Cutie)

Tracy Chapman, “Stand By Me” (Ben E King)

Alex G, “Perfect” (Ed Sheehan)

Joy Oladokun, “My Girl” (The Temptations)

Marika Hackman, “Between the Bars” (Elliot Smith)

Be Steadwell, “Use Somebody” (Kings of Leon)

Brandi Carlile, “Wildflowers” (Tom Petty)

https://youtu.be/ZPRkpyHUpJU

Julia Nunes & dodie & Orla Garland, “God is a Woman”  (Ariana Grande)

(as far as i know, orla is not queer, but the other two people in this are!)

Hayley Kiyoko, “Mr Brightside” (The Killers)

Rebecca Black, “Love Me Two Times” (The Doors)

Note: Jim Morrisson may have been bisexual.

Jessica Betts, “I Kissed a Girl” (Katy Perry)

Japanese Breakfast, “Head Over Heels” (Tears for Fears)

King Princess, “Happy Together” (The Turtles)

Joan Jett, “Crimson and Clover” (Tommy James)

https://youtu.be/mHZBBNRrano

Janelle Monae, “I Want You Back” (The Jackson 5)

Sara Ramirez, “Chasing Cars” (Snow Patrol)

Unfortunately she is not the only singer on this track but we have what we have

Demi Lovato, “Take Me To Church” (Hozier)

Kai Mata, “Riptide” (Vance Joy)

k.d. lang, “Crazy” (Patsy Cline)

Katie Melua, “Just Like Heaven” (The Cure)

Melissa Etheridge, “Brown Eyed Girl” (Van Morrison)

Indigo Girls, “Romeo and Juliet” (Dire Straits)

Holly Miranda, “Lover You Should’ve Come Over” (Jeff Buckley)

Me’Shell NdegéOcello, “Who Is He and What Is He To You” (Bill Withers)

St. Vincent, “Lithium” (Nirvana cover, performed with surviving members of Nirvana)

Note: Kurt Cobain was possibly bisexual but this has not been definitively declared. Also Pat Smear is bisexual.

Lily Brown, “Rude” (Magic)

This song is actually unbearable in its heterosexual version but delightful when it’s gay.

Mary Lambert, “Teenage Dirtbag” (Wheatus)

Tayla Parks, “What’s Going On” (Marvin Gaye)

Halsey “Sucker” (Jonas Brothers)

K’s Choice, “Yellow” (Coldplay)

Tegan & Sara, “Dancing in the Dark” (Bruce Springsteen)

Santana Lopez and Brittany S Pierce, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (Whitney Houston)