Sony Targets Gay and Lesbian Audience

I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor is bound to make it. So too, perhaps, will the more discordant tones of Yoko Ono's club hit, Walking on Thin Ice. But you can count on Barbra Streisand being there. Sony Music announced the launch of a label dedicated to supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered artists.

Music With a Twist, a joint venture with Wilderness Media and Entertainment, will feature artists who have crossover appeal, and also plans to release compilations aimed at gay and lesbian audiences. "We're looking to sign artists who make great hit music that can have mass appeal regardless of genre," said Matt Farber, president of Wilderness. "There have been independent gay and lesbian labels before, but nothing that has the clout of Sony. We can mine all the great music within the Sony archives and beyond."

The disposable income of the estimated 30 million gay men and women in the US is thought to be more than $300bn (£170bn). Mr Farber points to the mainstream success of television series such as Queer Eye and Will and Grace as an indication that gay artists can reach a mass audience.

He likens the commercial appeal of gay artists to other niche markets such as African-American and Hispanic music. "Beyoncé may be African-American but she sells way beyond her core," he said. "Media and entertainment brands are now being created for the gay and lesbian audience following the success of brands for other minorities."

Wilderness is at the forefront of that trend. In June last year it launched Logo, the gay and lesbian network run by MTV that reaches 20m American homes. This weekend the company is also launching a national radio show called Twist, which will target gay and "gay adjacent" audiences with a mix of music, celebrity interviews, entertainment reports, lifestyle advice and news.

The first release from Music With a Twist will be a compilation in June to coincide with National Gay Pride Month.