Mighty Real

A History of LGBTQ Music, 1969-2000

By: Barry Walters

Narrated by: Barry Walters

“An excellent history of the queer world’s countless music scenes.”
—Emma Alpern, Vulture

“An essential book for this moment.”
—Rob Sheffield

The definitive history of LGBTQ music, from Stonewall to RuPaul, and its impact on culture and American life

From the underground dancefloors of the Seventies to the global charts of the Nineties, LGBTQ artists and audiences shaped music’s sound, style, and spirit. In Mighty Real, veteran journalist Barry Walters chronicles its LGBTQ history from the Velvet Underground to the 21st century’s dawn as he honors the artists who redefined gender, defied tradition, and dared to challenge sexual norms with the help of a record business that wasn’t as straight as commonly believed.

Drawing on his decades as a New York- and San Francisco-based music critic, Walters examines how LGBTQ musicians, music industry executives, and fans reshaped the mainstream. He connects the dots between David Bowie’s dazzling reinventions, Grace Jones’s androgynous glamor, Prince’s boundary-shattering sexuality, and the radical candor of the Indigo Girls to prove they’re all doing the same thing: fighting oppression.

With exuberance, insight, and encyclopedic knowledge, Walters brings to life the songs and society that filled dancefloors, bedrooms, and streets as he uncovers yesteryear’s coded LGBTQ messages that paved the way for today’s unabashedly queer hits. Mighty Real is a masterful love letter to the music that liberated generations, and it’s written in a page-turning, personal way that blurs distinctions between chronicle and memoir. This is the rare and revolutionary music history told to help you laugh, cry, and then rally against lingering inequality.

Very enjoyable!

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I bought this audiobook. Music histories can be hit or miss, and I wasn't exactly looking forward to how long it was. Well, I was wrong on both counts. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It hit right in my musical sweet spot — and while I was familiar with all the acts mentioned, there was a lot I didn't know about the details behind the stories. As for the length, it never feels drawn out. In fact, when it was over I kind of wished it had kept going. If you're gay and a fan of music, I highly recommend this one. Great job, Barry!