"It was super complicated for me in the '80s," he told the magazine. "I was totally open with the band and my family and my friends and certainly the people I was sleeping with. I thought it was pretty obvious."

Usmagazine.com said the singer, 48, usually dodges questions regarding his sexual orientation. Stipe told Spin that was because he "didn't always see" how revealing that information could benefit other people.

"But I see now, of course, that's the case," the singer said. "I'd just never felt strongly enough about a particular relationship to say, 'Yeah, he's my boyfriend, that is what it is.' Now I recognize that to have public figures be very open about their sexuality helps some kid somewhere out there."

Stipe has directed several of his band's music videos and has served as executive producer on the films "Velvet Goldmine," "Being John Malkovich" and "Man on the Moon."