New analysis from YouGov Profiles data reveals that, among adult fans, One Direction is the music act with the strongest correlation to gay men
Kylie Minogue and Madonna have had a fair run with the mantle, but new YouGov research reveals that among adult music fans, One Direction is now the band with the most particularly gay enthusiasm.
Using data from the YouGov Cube – our connected data vault of over 120,000 different data points, collected from over 200,000 UK adults - we compared British men who identify as gay to the rest of the population and pulled out the music artists that are most disproportionately popular among them. Liking One Direction is now the most standout feature of gay mens' music tastes, ahead of Kylie and Madonna.
These aren't the music artists that are most popular within the British gay community (that award goes to Sam Smith, actively liked by 15%) – but rather the artists that are most over-represented by it.
There are no official statistics for the size of the lesbian, gay and bisexual population in Britain, and the census has been viewed as an inappropriate method, due to insufficient privacy when it is filled out. LGBT rights charity Stonewall say 5-7% is a "reasonable estimate" – YouGov Profiles estimates it at 7%.
Many of the names on the list have spoken out for the gay community, including One Direction's Harry Styles who criticised the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church. Throughout history music has been pivotal in the acceptance of LGBT culture – artists who have embraced it have become popular advocates, and have helped to unify the movement.
