It's like they're making love to your ears!

While by all accounts a wonderful, wholesome pastime, porn is by no means most people's ultimate career aspiration. Of course, most porn stars enjoy what they do just fine, but it's safe to say a lot of them usually have bigger-picture aspirations; reasons why they're baring it all on screen, time after semen-drenched time.

For some, that reason is music. The connection is obvious; porn means money and connections, two things you need if you want to be at good at making songs as you are at making love.

As such, it's no surprise that there's a weird funnel from the porn world into the music industry. The process began in the '70s with many well known adult actors making the transition to the world's most hilarious genre, disco. In fact, an album became an almost requisite follow-up to a film, a point evidenced brilliantly by Ron Jeremy's completely embarrassing “Freak of the Week” (which sees the unlikely porno superstar rapping quite atrociously on an otherwise pretty booty-poppin’ Miami bass tune by DJ Polo). Today, EDM is rife with examples of post-porn DJs and producers, and during that 40-odd year between now and the disco dick era, players of the flesh flute have demonstrated an equally impressive ability to play instruments and computers with aplomb.

Not all the music porn stars make is … how do we say, "inspiring," but some of it is genuinely great stuff that bears calling out if only to prove that porn stars have a surprisingly artillery of talents that far transcend "taking it hard" and "cum-face."

Here are six of the greatest porn star songs ever made, in no particular order … just like in a gang bang.

Traci Lords – "Control"

If she wasn't outed for lying about her age, Traci Lords might still be doing porn.

After it came out in 1986 that she'd lied about her age and produced at least 75 porn fims since her Sweet 16, she left the industry amidst shame that she'd caused trouble for her co-stars, who thought she was of age. But instead shruggingly apply at Hobby Lobby or worse, go to college, she started acting and singing, even landing a role in Johnny Depp's least annoying film to date, Cry Baby. After lending her voice to alt-rock songs like “Love Never Dies” (a minor hit from the Pet Sematary Two soundtrack) and the Manic Street Preachers’ “Little Baby Nothing," she released her debut album 1000 Fires in 1995. It was a monster departure from what people expected of her, seeing Lords make a hard left turn away from not only acting, but her growing reputation as a rock singer as well. The latter, she left behind in favor of breakbeat rave, acid techno, and trance, as she made a entrance into the DJ world.

"Control" was her biggest hit, popular not only because of the dominatrix persona she subsumed in the video, but because of her unique deliverance of semi-spoken vocals in a way that wasn’t too dissimilar to the electroclash movement a few years later (also, look out for John Waters in the video). We can't say much for the rest of the album, other than it was brave in its addressing of dark lyrical themes like her rape and thoughts of suicide. Heavy stuff, but good for listening.

 

Dennis Parker – "Like An Eagle"

Somewhere in the mix of his wildly successful gay porn career, '70s sex god Dennis Parker met Jacques Morali, the producer The Village People and Eartha Kitt. Magic was made, and together they created the album Like An Eagle for legendary disco label Casablanca Records. The title track “Like An Eagle” remains a cult classic, beloved by everyone from LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy to Todd Terje to The Last Shadow Puppets’ Miles Kane alike … we just like it because you can tell how much he's longing for dick in this song. 10/10 can relate.

 

Jessie Andrews – "You Won't Forget Tonight"

Jessie Andrews is the anti-porn star. With a no-makeup/ no plastic rule for herself, she's adopted a sort of Jack of All Trades approach to life that's seen her gain great success from every venture she takes on, be it business, modeling, sex stuff or music.

She's been DJing and producing for the last few years, building up a rep for herself as a young, independent talent who doesn't fit the mold, and her hit single "You Won't Forget Tonight" shows why. Right at home serenading any pool party across this country, it's also thoughtfully nuanced and well-produced. Clearly, someone knows what an Ableton is.

 

Sasha Grey – "4 A.M."

Always a fan of industrial music and bands like Throbbing Gristle, legendary porn human Sasha Grey formed her own industrial band, aTelecine, in the late 2000s. They had a hit, "4 A.M.," which, though abstract and spacey, shows a distinct commitment to the genre and the propagation of its sound. Also, good on her for diving below the mainstream; while most porn stars stick to disco, rap or EDM, Sasha remains as mysterious and underground-seeming musically as she does in porn. Great job.

More recently, she's been singing on Death in Vegas' last record and performing as part of the band, and acting in films like Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience.

 

Andrea True – "More, More, More"

Andrea True's “More More More” is one of the disco era's most recognizable gems, thanks in part to a revival of the song in the '90s with Len sampling the track on their ultra-hit “Steal My Sunshine” and with its hook being used in a famous Sex & The City promo.

Perhaps the most well-known song on this list, it's easy to see why she quit her porn career shortly after charting on Billboard, yet her attempt to return to the industry years later wasn't met with as warm a reception. Apparently "more, more, more" doesn't apply to MILF stuff …

 

Cosey Fanny Tutti – "October Love Song"

Cosey Fanni Tutti left her mark on the music world as a member of the vital band Throbbing Gristle (Sasha Grey's favorite) and along with her partner Chris Carter, as one half of Chris & Cosey. The latter released a small hit, the surrealist, industrial synth track "October Love Song," however, her music has always been just a facet of a greater body of performance art work that also included porn and art.

Some of her work was used in Throbbing Gristle’s notorious ICA exhibition Prostitution in 1976, which ruffled feathers and provoked outrage from the establishment and the feminist press of the time alike. Makin' Daddy proud.