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Rolling Stone [UK] ― Best Music Books of the Year

Jon Savage, the acclaimed author of *England’s Dreaming*, delivers a groundbreaking exploration of the profound impact of gay culture on popular music from 1955 to 1979 in *The Secret Public*. This compelling history traces the influence of queer artists on some of the most significant cultural shifts of the twentieth century, revealing how their music—often coded for an audience forced into secrecy—helped bring about the dismantling of discriminatory laws and the blending of queer and mainstream culture.

The book opens with the electrifying presence of Little Richard, whose high-energy performances, gospel-infused screams, and flamboyant persona captivated a generation of white teenagers in the conservative 1950s. As rock and roll gained momentum, artists like Elvis Presley, borrowing heavily from Black music, mesmerized the nation with his provocative sound and movements. Meanwhile, Hollywood icons such as James Dean and Rock Hudson became cultural symbols, despite the necessity of concealing their true identities. During this period, music—alongside cinema and fashion—became an essential outlet for covert expressions of queerness, though open displays of homosexuality were met with arrests and persecution.

As the countercultural revolution of the late 1960s took hold, and the “Summer of Love” encouraged free expression, gay communities continued to face oppression from law enforcement, media, and politicians. Figures like FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, himself widely believed to be a closeted homosexual, kept tight surveillance on the LGBTQ+ community, while television programs perpetuated damaging stereotypes. Despite these challenges, a cultural shift was already underway. Music began to serve as an unstoppable force for change. Bette Midler found an impassioned audience in the gay community, performing for crowds at New York’s Continental Baths, while David Bowie shattered traditional notions of identity and became one of the most influential artists of his generation.

The book concludes with the dramatic downfall of disco at the end of the 1970s, marking a pivotal moment when queer culture had undeniably entered the mainstream. By this time, the music that had once been relegated to the fringes of society had become a transformative force, forever altering the landscape of pop culture.

Featuring 36 illustrations, *The Secret Public* is a riveting and essential chronicle of the ways in which queer artists shaped modern music and culture, ensuring that their impact could never again be erased or ignored.