Music Tuesday: National Coming Out Day, Merle Haggard and more

Wondering what we’ve got cooking this week on youtube.com/music? Now’s your chance to find out -- and be sure to check the music page later this week to get a taste of October’s most significant new releases.

Out, Proud and...Loud!
In honor of National Coming Out Day, we assembled a playlist of artists and bands who make great music...and who also happen to have members who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. We profile a huge range of musicians, including the wonderfully outrageous Big Freedia of New Orleans’ bounce scene. (She joins a long list of gender-bending New Orleans performers who’ve found acceptance there that they might not have found anywhere else.) Rapper Shunda K of the underground duo Yo! Majesty recently embarked on a solo career -- we feature her second video off the new album today, which includes a cameo from electropop provocateur Peaches. We’ve also got videos from Antony and the Johnsons, Sigur Ros, Girl In A Coma, Xiu Xiu and many more.



Merle Haggard Recommends
Country much? The man who invented (with a little help) what became known as “the Bakersfield sound” and went on to become a leading light of the outlaw country movement takes to YouTube today, offering up some of his favorite videos. Haggard is a living legend, and we’re incredibly proud to share this window into his musical world.



Ryan Adams “Lucky Now”
Speaking of country music, Ryan Adams was a vaunted darling of the alt-country scene for many years...then he disappeared from the radar. The singer-songwriter is back -- and in fine form -- this week with a new album and a new video.



Sarah Bardeen, Music Community Manager, recently watched “El Freaky presenta: Raka Rich & Geko Jones in Bogota.”