GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist
The GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist is an annual award that honors musicians who used songs, music videos, or live performances to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance. The artist may be LGBTQ or an ally. The award is given to an artist who has released a full-length, EP-length album, or single during the current eligibility period and the release must be sold through a major music retail store and/or a major online music store. In addition to the album itself, media interviews, public statements, and other information may be considered when selecting nominees and award recipients. It is one of several categories of the GLAAD Media Awards, which are presented by GLAAD—a U.S. non-governmental media monitoring organization founded in 1985, formerly called the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation—at ceremonies in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco between March and June.
The award was introduced in 2003 as a competitive category at the 2nd GLAAD Media Awards where it was awarded to American rock band Two Nice Girls. Initially, the category consisted of five nominees but this was increased to include up to ten nominees starting at the 28th GLAAD Media Awards. To date, there has been one tie, with both Adam Lambert and Frank Ocean winning the award in 2013 for Trespassing and Channel Orange respectively. The current holder of the award is Janelle Monáe for Dirty Computer.
Winners and nominees
| Year | Recipient | Work | Nominees |
| 1991 | Two Nice Girls | Like a Version | |
| 1992 | Phranc John Corigliano | Positively Phranc "Symphony No. 1" | |
| 1993 | Elton John Garth Brooks | "The Last Song "We Shall Be Free" | |
| 1994 | Melissa Etheridge | Yes I Am | |
| 1995 | Melissa Etheridge Indigo Girls Disappear Fear | "I'm the Only One" "This Train Revised" Disappear Fear | |
| 1996 | Boy George Jill Sobule | Cheapness and Beauty "I Kissed a Girl" | |
| 1997 | Extra Fancy Me'Shell N'Degeo'Cello | Sinnerman "" | |
| 1998 | Janet Jackson | The Velvet Rope | |
| 1999 | Rufus Wainwright Queen Pen | Rufus Wainwright "Girlfriend" | |
| 2000 | Indigo Girls | Come On Now Social | |
| 2001 | K.d lang | Invincible Summer | |
| 2003 | K.d. lang and Tony Bennett | A Wonderful World | |
| 2004 | Rufus Wainwright | Want One | |
| 2005 | Scissor Sisters | Scissor Sisters | |
| 2006 | Melissa Etheridge | ' | |
| 2007 | Scissor Sisters | Ta-Dah | |
| 2008 | Rufus Wainwright | Release the Stars | |
| 2009 | K.d. lang | Watershed | |
| 2010 | Lady Gaga | The Fame Monster | |
| 2011 | Scissor Sisters | Night Work | |
| 2012 | Lady Gaga | Born This Way | |
| 2013 | Adam Lambert Frank Ocean | Trespassing Channel Orange |
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| 2014 | Tegan and Sara | Heartthrob | |
| 2015 | Against Me! | Transgender Dysphoria Blues | |
| 2016 | Troye Sivan | Blue Neighbourhood | |
| 2017 | Tegan and Sara | Love You to Death | |
| 2018 | Halsey | Hopeless Fountain Kingdom | |
| 2019 | Janelle Monáe | Dirty Computer |