Iconic Sex Anthems.
From Etta James to Prince.
You see, unlike with small talk or, say, dating app banter, music allows for a certain brash, unfiltered form of candor—especially concerning sex. And while social decorum has long forbidden us from approaching our conquests unsolicited and declaring things like “sex with me is amazing” (shoutout to Rihanna), it would appear that musical artists have a unique platform for laying it all out on the table. And therein lies the appeal: beyond, you know, the general sensory appeal of listening to music, the medium also operates as a space for folks to verbalize truths and desires sans fear of judgment. And for listeners, it’s affirming to see those impulses honored.
Of course, the last century has provided any number of iconic sex anthems—be they songs explicitly about sex, or songs that are so sexy it’s hard not to feel your libido rising when they come on (looking at you, James Blake). The roster is versatile: Some tracks play important roles in the zeitgeist (perhaps you, like me, promptly streamed “I Just Had Sex” by The Lonely Island after losing your virginity) while some play more innocuously at weddings and bar mitzvah parties.
All the same, the musical powers-that-be have spent the last hundred-or-so years producing an eclectic, expansive, oft-raunchy library of storied sex anthems. So, after much-heated debate, outreach, and tense deliberation, we’ve selected some our favorites (in no particular order):
For the slow and sensual crowd:
- Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye
- I Just Wanna Make Love To You by Etta James
- No Diggity by Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre
- Any Time, Any Place by Janet Jackson
- Love To Love You Baby by Donna Summer
- Erotic City by Prince
- Untitled (How Does It Feel) by D’Angelo
- I’ll Make Love To You by Boyz II Men
- Use Me by Bill Withers
- Red Light Special by TLC
- Fade into You by Mazzy Star
- Retrograde by James Blake
- Climax by Usher
- Rocket by Beyoncé
- Earned It by The Weeknd
- Bed Chem by Sabrina Carpenter
- Slow by Kylie Minogue
- Criminal by Fiona Apple
Tried and true staples:
- Like A Virgin by Madonna
- Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band
- Need You Tonight by INXS
- Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
- Leisure Suite by Feist
- Cold Sweat by Tinashe
- Electric Feel by MGMT
- When You’re Smiling And Astride Me by Father John Misty
- Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel
- Sex With Me by Rihanna
- 2 Become 1 by The Spice Girls
- I Just Had Sex by The Lonely Island
- I Wanna F*ck You by Akon
- Best I Ever Had by Drake
- Positions by Ariana Grande
- Work It by Missy Elliott
