Queer the Music with Jake Shears

How Queer Artists Transformed Pop Music in 1984 | Ian Wade | Queer the Music with Jake Shears

September 29, 2026·38 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Jake Shears is joined by journalist and author Ian Wade to discuss his book 1984: The Year Pop Went Queer and explore how one remarkable year became a turning point for queer visibility in pop. From the shock and sexuality of Frankie Goes to Hollywood and the radical visibility of Bronski Beat, to Madonna, Divine and the gay club culture breaking into the charts, they unpack a moment when queer music was reshaping the mainstream. They also look at how far queer representation in music has come since 1984, what has changed and why visibility still matters today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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