20 essential songs for your Pride Month playlist

“Work Bitch” by Britney Spears

It goes without saying, but Britney Spears is a gay icon (just ask GLAAD). The gay community embraced her early on because of her catchy songs, her shameless attitude and sexy stage persona, and her ability to tear up the stage with a dance break like none of her contemporaries could. When she went through her very public personal struggles, the gay community remained by her side and realized another reason to love her: her perseverance.

As a thank you to her loyal LGBTQ fans, Britney released the ultimate gay bop, “Work Bitch.” It had a thumping bass beat, catchy nonsensical lyrics (“Go call the police! Go call the governor!”), the phrase “you better work bitch!” shouted over and over, and of course a music video with a dance break that brought back a glimmer of the old Britney we all knew and loved.

The song wasn’t necessarily a huge hit on the charts, it definitely wasn’t her strongest vocal performance, and it didn’t win any awards. However, it solidified Britney’s status as a certified gay icon, and got her voice blasting out of the speakers in gay clubs for a whole new generation to appreciate. If you’re lucky, you might even see a handful of people pulling out the music video choreography right there on the dance floor, and that’s dedication!

If RuPaul taught us anything, it’s that shouting “you better work!” will instantly make your song a smash for a Pride party.