Music is the media we carry in our pockets, something we can jack into at any time. Even considering we all now carry our personal computers in our pockets, you still have to look at and physically engage with a cell phone or other mobile device. Meanwhile, you can listen to music while doing just about anything. Even without headphones, music is in every store and restaurant. You practically have to be in your own home to get away from it.
So when Katy Perry is singing about how “Ur so gay, and u don’t even like boys,” 
or Kayne West is talking about all these dudes “up on [his] dick, no homo,” we have to examine what message we’re sending about people who are gay.
The popular tunes often seem to be the ones we take most issue with. Now, whether that’s because they have an irritatingly catchy tune, or they’re played and talked to death because of their controversial content it’s hard to say, but there does seem to be some correlation between offense and chart toppers.
On the other hand, we see more and more artists willing to come out than ever before. They wait until they’re big, yes. There are many places where discrimination against sexual orientation is still okay, and job security is nice to have.
When Neon Trees’ Tyler Glenn came out in Rolling Stone magazine, the gay community suddenly had another person to look up to. Flamboyant and outrageous, yes, but he’s a rock star. He’s also Mormon, along with the rest of his band.
Then Macklemore’s status as a popular ally (being straight, himself) has inspired more people to come out as allies. And Christine Aguilera’s “Beautiful” 
being adopted as the “gay anthem” of 2002, being recognized by GLAAD “for its positive portrayal of alternative lifestyles” (Songfacts).
We’re still bombarded with images of females kissing for the pleasure of their straight audiences, and Aguilera is not exempt (just Googling “Aguilera and Madonna” returns endless pics, screenshots, and videos of that one moment during the 2003 VMAs). Being a girl who likes girls seems to make your body just as much public property as being pregnant: everyone is allowed to touch and ask.
There is a huge mixed message from music. We’re starting to hear more queer-positive messages, but they don’t always make the top charts. Sometimes we get the artist in the top ranks, but as party/summer anthems. At least it gets us listening to the artists, and maybe investigating more about their background and inspirations, right?