The History of Queerness in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Was it Accepted in 1986?
- Isabella Basile
- Jun 30
- 4 min read
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was founded in 1983, with its first induction class in 1986. Some of the inductees were Jimmie Rodgers, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Robert Johnson, The Everly Brothers, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Chuck Berry.
The History of Queerness in Rock & Roll
Historically, Rock & Roll was known to be rebellious, and strived to uplift the oppressed and reform social and political structures. Members of the queer community were and still are among the oppressed. Artists and bands like Alice Cooper, David Bowie, KISS, Twisted Sister, Queen, Elton John, RuPaul, and the New York Dolls were some of the few bands that showed pride in queerness and diversity by dressing in the flamboyant style of Glam Rock and Drag.
Glam Rock and Drag
Glam Rock and Drag have many similarities to them, but what is Glam Rock and Drag?
Glam Rock, originating in the UK, is defined by its flashy looks in clothing, makeup, and hairstyles. Common clothing and accessories used were colorful glitter, platform shoes, boas, exaggerated makeup, and more.
Drag, originating around the 19th century, is an art form where femininity, masculinity, or other forms of gender expressions are exaggerated, typically involving the act of cross-dressing.
Drag, mentioned as far back as 1388, became more common in the 19th century during musicals, where males performed in female roles. The term "drag" has also been suggested to originate from 19th-century theater slang, referring to the look of long skirts trailing on the floor.
What Was Going On in the 1980s?
During the 1980s, there were setbacks like AIDS being described as a "gay plague" and the Bowers v. Hardwick court case in 1986, which ruled that the constitutional right to privacy did not extend to the LGBTQ+ Community. But, there was also progression, which included the foundation of the Human Rights Campaign Fund in 1980 and the first official documentation of AIDS being published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on June 5th, 1981.
Little Richard
Little Richard, born Richard Wayne Penniman, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He is the first LGBTQ+ artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But with this came controversy and ultimately, a complex legacy. At the beginning of his career, Little Richard was openly flamboyant and expressive of his sexuality. But in 1958, he abandoned rock and dismissed his claims of being gay in fear that God was against it.
Over the course of the next decade, and in 1982, in an interview with David Letterman, Richard claimed, “God gave me the victory. I’m not gay now, but, you know, I was gay all my life” and “I believe I was one of the first gay people to come out, but God let me know that he made Adam be with Eve, not Steve. So, I gave my heart to Christ. I’m a man for the first time in my life.” And in 2017, he called homosexuality an “unnatural affection.” These acts of Little Richard's indecisiveness on his own sexuality upset the LGBTQ+ Community.
Other Queer Musicians who have been induced to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Elton John, Class of 1994
"I believe that love is love and being able to love as we choose is a basic human right." - Elton John
Janis Joplin, Class of 1995
"Don’t compromise yourself.
It’s all you’ve got."
- Janis Joplin
Dusty Springfield, Class of 1999
"My sexuality has never been a problem to me,
but I think it has been for other people."
- Dusty Springfield
Freddie Mercury, Class of 2001
"The Carmen Miranda of rock 'n' roll. But what can I say?
I'm a flamboyant personality.
I like going out and having a good time."
- Freddie Mercury
Billie Joe Armstrong, Class of 2015
"I like it. I think it's f---ing cool that someone calls me a bisexual icon. I've seen that before. I'm like, 'F---, yeah!"
- Billie Joe Armstrong
Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Class of 2022
"Hello, I’m the gay guy in the band. You see that there is what heavy metal is about. We call ourselves the heavy metal community, which is all inclusive, doesn't matter what your sexual identity is, what you look like, color of your skin, the faith that you believe in or don't believe in. Everybody's welcome."
- Rob Halford
(during Judas Priest Acceptance Speech 2022)
Artists I would Add to the Rock & Roll HOF Ballot
Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)
She is an amazing influence on girls and women, breaking barriers in rock music and showing that we, too, can be in rock bands in a male-dominated field.
Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile, most known for "The Story," would be a perfect fit for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She has already contributed to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by performing in 2021 for the "In Memoriam" segment, honoring the Everly Brothers.
The B-52's
The B-52’s, known as icons for the LGBTQ+ Community and as pioneers of the new wave genre, are known for playing a crucial role in breaking gender and LGBTQ+ barriers in rock music, with four out of the five members being part of the LGBTQ+ Community.
Lady Gaga
Known for her modern glam rock look to her support of the LGBTQ+ community, and her work on A Star is Born with hit single "Shallow," Lady Gaga would be a perfect addition to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan would be an amazing addition to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame not only for her music, glam rock and drag style, but for what she has done for musicians in the last year, one being donating $25,000 to Backline challenging others to match the donation (check out Mental Health Matters: A Musician’s Guide to Getting Support).
LONG STORY SHORT: Queer artists were inducted, but queerness itself wasn’t fully embraced or highlighted until more recently. The Hall of Fame has slowly become more inclusive, but it has a long way to go in recognizing queer contributions not just through artists, but through the lens of identity and cultural impact.
