Now, Billboard is taking the time to celebrate their efforts — check out our picks for the 25 best songs released by LGBTQ artists in 2021 so far below. Allison Ponthier, "Cowboy" "It took New York to make me a cowboy." In nine simple words, rising folk artist Allison Ponthier distilled her message of growth, change and self-acceptance into a masterful single. Throughout the excellently crafted "Cowboy," Ponthier waxes poetic on issues of identity, as she tells her very own coming out story in the context of a Western tableau. The gorgeous harmonies, grade-A production and her skillful songwriting made for one of the most memorable debut singles of the year, cementing Ponthier's place as a queer star on the rise.