I wonder if MTV somehow forgot that George Michael was queer until the online backlash.

On September 22nd, MTV announced that RAYE, sombr, and Teddy Swims would perform the George Michael tribute at the 2026 VMAs. People were quick to point out the elephant in the room: none of them are queer.

George Michael was a queer icon. Known for his work with Wham! and solo hits like “Careless Whisper,” “Faith,” and “Father Figure,” he has a legacy unlike any other. He was forced out of the closet in 1998 after being arrested in a sting operation, but said that he didn’t feel “any shame whatsoever” about his identity. You cannot separate George Michael from his queerness, and attempting to do so is an affront to his legacy.

Luckily, following the backlash over the lack of queer representation in the lineup, MTV added a surprise appearance from Adam Lambert at the end of the tribute. He was fantastic. Adam Lambert is a one-of-a-kind performer who clearly loves and respects George Michael’s music and legacy.

However, major problems remain. First, MTV only added Adam Lambert to the performance after the backlash. Second, there should have been more queer performers involved from the beginning. There are plenty of queer artists working in pop and pop-adjacent music.

Country star Orville Peck, who is gay, introduced the performance. He was available. Troye Sivan was also there. Chappell Roan would have been perfect. Lil Nas X, Sam Smith, Janelle Monáe, Miley, Rebecca Black, Billie Eilish, Halsey, and Lady Gaga were all possible choices.

Not everyone on that list fits the style, but a queer presence is vital to truly honoring George Michael’s legacy. The lineup did not need to consist exclusively of queer performers, but the fact that its only queer artist was a late addition is mind-boggling.

The performance was excellent for the most part. RAYE was fantastic, as always, while Teddy Swims sounded great. Adam Lambert remains a powerhouse in any setting, and his portion was especially enjoyable. He was clearly having a blast, and everything about his section—from the design to the other performers—was as wonderfully queer as I had imagined. Had Adam been part of the original lineup, his appearance might have resolved most of my concerns about its composition. Unfortunately, we know he was added at the last minute. Still, he delivered a fantastic show.

None of this criticism is directed at the performers. They delivered a great tribute, especially Adam Lambert and RAYE. The problem lies entirely with MTV. For almost any other artist, this might not have been an issue. However, this was George Michael. Ignoring the queerness of his legacy until public backlash forced a correction makes me wonder why MTV constructed the tribute this way in the first place. I love George Michael, and that means I believe he deserves respect.

Not every performer needed to be queer. Some people may have viewed an entirely queer lineup as reducing George Michael to his identity, which would not have been good, either. However, I do believe the tribute should have featured a majority-queer lineup. Keeping RAYE and Adam Lambert while replacing the two straight men with queer performers, for example, would have been a perfect solution.

I am glad that MTV ultimately honored his legacy and responded to the public backlash by correcting the lineup. I simply do not think that correction should have been necessary in the first place.

You can watch the George Michael tribute below.

Emma Platt