25 Albums Every Gay Guy Should Hear

Gay DJs, tastemakers and music aficionados on the albums that are essential to the gay experience.
From: Next Magazine

 There are just some albums that speak directly to gay dudes. Whether they’re by an actual queer artist or a diva with undeniable gay appeal; whether they reflect something about the gay experience or simply insinuate themselves into it; whether they’re recognizable gay anthems or queer cult classics—something about them makes these recordings essential listening for homos of all stripes. We asked gay DJs and music aficionados as well as Next Magazine’s own editors which albums they consider indispensable additions to their music collections. Here’s the list we came up with.

Robyn

Body Talk

Body Talk, for me, was Robyn’s statement of purpose. This was her second full-length solo record since she came back with Konichiwa Records, and it was the most fully formed Robyn record we had heard. What I love about it is that it is so quirky, so original, so challenging, but it never gets that far away from really luxurious pop song structure. And the songs are really easy to get inside of, even while being subversive. I’m sure people get tired of straight artists claiming a connection to gay culture because they’re “outsiders.” But Robyn really is an outsider. And a lot of this album is about being an outsider who is suddenly on the inside, and I think a lot of gay guys—especially today—relate to that. —Robert Maril

Body Talk is the seventh studio album by Swedish recording artist Robyn, released on 22 November 2010 by Konichiwa Records. Robyn first announced plans in early 2010 that she would was planning on releasing three mini-albums throughout the course of 2010. The first two mini-albums of what was dubbed the Body Talk series, Body Talk Pt. 1 and Body Talk Pt. 2, were released in June and September 2010. The two albums saw two single releases, with Robyn citing that only one single would be released per mini-album.

Although Robyn originally announced that she would be releasing three mini-albums in 2010, it was later announced that instead of releasing a third mini-album, a full-length album would be released. The album acts as a compilation album, containing the "best songs" from the Body Talk series, as well as five new songs. The five new songs were also available separately as an EP, titled Body Talk Pt. 3, in certain territories. As of July 2013, the album has sold 93,000 copies in the United States.