Just because Pride Month has come to a close does not mean recognition of queer identities must come to an end. Rather, let it be the opposite—acknowledge and honor contributions from queer people especially when their “month” has passed. Here are 10 gay, bisexual, and pansexual artists who deserve appreciation all year round.

1. Sam Smith

Sam Smith came out two years ago in an interview with Fader magazine, in which he discussed his album "In the Lonely Hour." Smith wrote the melancholy yet successful album from a place of unrequited love he felt for a man. Since the release of "In the Lonely Hour," Smith’s talent quickly earned the attention it deserves. Among his many awards, Smith has won include four Grammys, two of which were for his song “Stay With Me.” Smith also has an Oscar under his belt which he won for “Writing’s On The Wall,” a song he performed for the James Bond movie "Spectre."Outside of his successful music, Smith also opened up about the bullying he experienced as a gay man in all sorts of contexts, including from within the gay community itself. He promises to continue to speak up about homophobia, as well as support gay youth. Smith combined his love for music and the pride he holds for his identity with a music video for his song “Lay Me Down,” which tackles the debated issue of gay marriage.

2. Halsey

Ashley Frangipane, who goes by the stage name Halsey, identifies as bisexual and has been open about her sexuality from the start of her career. This honesty about not only sexuality but a range of other issues, such as her mixed race upbringing and living with bipolar disorder, enables her to serve as a role model for her fans. On the downside of her success, however, Halsey has had to defend allegations that claim her bisexuality is a lie. As well as standing up for herself, Halsey is unafraid to call out biphobia, which entails the dismissal of bisexuality as a real identification people choose for themselves. Despite these petty accusations, Halsey continues to remain authentic to herself and release creative singles such as “Colors,” whose corresponding video features Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey.

3. The Internet

Yes, this is the actual name of a new R&B group made up of old members of the hip-hop collective Odd Future, which boasted artists such as Tyler the Creator and Frank Ocean. Since their formation, The Internet have gone on to release three albums. Their most recent record, "Ego Death," received the Best Urban Contemporary Album nomination at the Grammys and launched The Internet into a world of critical acclaim. The vocals behind The Internet’s soulful tracks is Sydney Bennett, also known as Syd tha Kid, who identifies as gay and effortlessly sings about women in several of The Internet’s most popular songs. With tracks that meld the futuristic with the nostalgic and a success that is bound to continue its course, The Internet certainly proves itself worthy of such a loaded name.

4. Sia

The singer with the powerful vocals and tendency to hide her face describes herself as gay, which for her encapsulates how she dates men, women, and anyone who falls somewhere else on the gender spectrum. The Australian native was cited as one of the 25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians by SameSame, an LGBTQ+ news organization that operates out of the Land Down Under. Sia has written songs for some of music’s biggest stars such as Beyonce (“Pretty Hurts”), Rihanna (“Diamonds”), and David Guetta (“Titanium”). But two years ago Sia released her own top 40 single, “Chandelier,” which earned her four Grammy nominations, as well as a music video that is one of the most viewed on YouTube with 1.3 billion views. As of late, “Cheap Thrills,” the second single from her latest album This Is Acting, has been dominating airwaves and is certainly a summer hit.

5. Troye Sivan

Another representative of Australian talent is 21-year old Troye Sivan, who came out as gay on his YouTube channel two years ago. Since then, Sivan has never bothered to hide that the catchy, hit songs he writes are in fact about boys, a fact which he illustrates not only in his lyrics but also through heartbreakingly beautiful music videos. Along with his successful singing career, Sivan also maintains his YouTube channel, and uses it as a space to discuss sexual health issues that are important to know about, especially for young people. Sivan also makes sure to collaborate with other young artists such as Canada’s Alessia Cara, singer and writer of the relatable hit single “Here.” Together, they released a duet version of Sivan’s song “Wild,” complete with an additional verse written by Cara.

6. Frank Ocean

One of the most memorable and poignant LGBTQ+ moments in modern hip-hop history was when singer Frank Ocean made a Tumblr post revealing that his first real love was a guy. After this pivotal letter, people began to speculate if this first love inspired Ocean’s hit song “Thinking About You,” as well as “Forrest Gump,” both of which employ male pronouns. Along with romance, other topics that dominate Ocean’s songs include money and fame, the latter which he certainly gained after the release of his album "Channel Orange" in 2012. "Channel Orange" received widespread praise from music critics and later won Ocean the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Ocean revealed in 2013 that he was working on a new album, and then in 2015 claimed it would release in the summer, but then summer arrived and nothing appeared. Fans have been strung along ever since, and continue to eagerly await a new album from Ocean. In fact, fans sometimes fear that he has given up music permanently. This anticipation for fresh Ocean tunes has dragged on for so long that it eventually turned into a meme. Although some of these memes claim that Ocean has completely dropped off the face of the earth, Ocean continues to be active on Tumblr, as well as plugged into current events. His post about the Pulse nightclub shooting proves to be a shining example of this fact. His words are exquisite, thoughtful, and reflective on what it means to be LGBTQ+ in a homophobic world.

7. Mary Lambert

First stepping into the limelight when she featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ pro-gay rights anthem “Same Love,” gay singer and poet Mary Lambert has since forged her own path in the mainstream music industry. Before working with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Lambert had released several small EPs. After singing with the duo, however, Lambert incorporated the chorus into a song she wrote called, “She Keeps Me Warm.” In 2014, she debuted her first studio album titled, "Heart On My Sleeve."Lambert’s album title represents her lyrical style, which stands out for its honesty and vulnerability, two qualities that she considers to be high priorities in not only her songs but her poems. Lambert has on occasion combined slam poetry, music, and empowering messages, as evident in her tracks “Body Love” and “Dear One.”

8. Years & Years

Olly Alexander, with his curly hair, lanky limbs, and sweeping vocals, leads the band Years & Years, who are known for their catchy synth beats and sincere lyrics that dance tracks too often lack. Alexander, who identifies as gay and queer, did not have a giant coming out complete with a magazine cover and in-depth profile. Rather, he has been straightforward from the start, writing male pronouns into his lyrics and candidly admitting that they are about his past boyfriends. Alexander finds this form of representation through pronouns deeply important, and advocates for pronoun diversification in music. Indeed, songs by Years & Years are either gender neutral, such as “King,” or explicitly sing about a “he,” such as in “Without.”

9. Angel Haze

Pronouns not only hold significance in songs, but also in one’s personal identification. Raeen Rose Wilson, a rapper who goes by the name Angel Haze, does not subscribe to one gender, but rather to no gender. Thus, Haze prefers the pronoun “they” rather than “he” or “she.” Haze is also fluid when it comes to their sexuality. As a pansexual, Haze defines their sexuality to mean, “To just want love. To have a connection with anyone you can find it with.” After a string of online mixtapes, Haze released their debut album "Dirty Gold" in 2013, which opened to positive reviews. One of their lead singles from the album, “Battle Cry,” features Sia, and tackles themes of religion and depression, two topics that play significant roles in Haze’s past. In the present, along with making music, Haze seeks to shine light on the issues of youth depression and queer interracial dating.

10. A Great Big World

Last summer, the duo that created the heart-wrenching ballad “Say Something” proved with their single “Hold Each Other” that vocalist Chad King really did need to say something. In the song, the first chorus follows the story of a straight couple: “Something happens when I hold her / She keeps my heart from getting older.” Yet the second time King recites the chorus, he opens with, “Something happens when I hold him / he keeps my heart from getting broken.” King describes this moment as more than a lyrical twist—for him, it was a coming out moment, and he has since opened up about how “Hold Each Other” started as a heteronormative tune and then evolved into a coming out song. King confessed that he initially felt uncomfortable with shifting pronouns in the middle of the song, but he ultimately remains happy with the decision. Based on the positive feedback the “Hold Each Other” received upon its release, it is safe to say that listeners were grateful King committed to the idea.

All 10 of these artists are not only brilliant sources of pop culture representation for queer people, but they are also just talented musicians, period. Just look at the numbers of their album sales, awards, hit singles, and views on YouTube. They are obviously queer, here, and not going anywhere, because they have amazing music to release and fans to please.