Whether you’re dreading the day or eagerly awaiting it, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to delve into music’s most popular topic: love. Here are songs for the love birds and the lone wolves, and if you fall somewhere in between, feel free to choose your own musical journey.
For the valentine’s day lovers:
“Rollerblades” by Dominic Fike
Like your significant other should, a lot of songs make you feel like the only girl in the world; but “Rollerblades” makes you really believe it. Fike sings of loving his partner from head to toe or, literally, from their shoulder blades to their rollerblades. A slow but steady drum beat and Fike’s raspy but smooth vocals make this the perfect background music for quality time with your boo. Sometimes, the production of Fike’s vocals make it sound like a voicemail left to a lover, which I argue is the modern-day love letter.
“Flowers In Your Hair” by the Lumineers
A short but sweet folk song, “Flowers In Your Hair” brings to mind running through a field of flowers with the one you love; living for the moment and appreciating the little things. It’s young love embodied in energetic and sweet acoustic guitar, fiddle and drums and frontman Wesley Schultz’s folksy vocals.
“Here In My Arms” by Leon Bridges
Close your eyes while listening to this song and you’re transported to a 1920s speakeasy, slow dancing the night away with your special someone. Bridges’ soulful, smooth voice paired with the backing of soft drums and trumpet make you want to hold on tight to the one you love.
“Right Side of My Neck” by Faye Webster
In this song, Webster is lovelorn, holding onto the feeling of being with her partner in their short moments apart. Webster’s whisper-soft, dreamy vocals accompany soft jazz instrumentals as she croons, “The right side of my neck still smells like you.” This is the perfect backing track to your inner thoughts right after you hangout with your boo, when you’re reminiscing on the way you feel in their presence.
For the valentine’s day haters:
“Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
This song really takes you back. Frontwoman Karen O’s reflections of “they don’t love you like I love you” and “I’ll stay, stay, stay” echo the fleeting moments of an ending relationship. You’re thinking of your ex moving on to other things and other people and reminiscing over the time you spent with them. Ouch.
“Self Control” by Frank Ocean
Oddly enough for an artist that hasn’t released an album since 2016, Frank Ocean continues to be the go-to artist for heartbreak anthems. One can argue that any Frank Ocean song can occupy this spot, but I argue that “Self Control” is the perfect mix of mournful yet introspective reflection. Frank embodies that thought process perfectly with lyrics like, “Wish I was there, wish we’d grown up on the same advice and our time was right.” With whiny but pleasant vocals, Ocean understands why his relationship ended but acknowledges the feelings remain. Things don’t always work out and people grow apart. But, at the end of the day, there are still emotional remnants.
“Moon Song” by Phoebe Bridgers
If you know, you know. Bridgers is the queen of sad songs, and “Moon Song” is arguably her saddest one. Her songwriting hinges on the details of small but defining moments in her relationships, e.g. “you asked to walk me home but I had to carry you” and “we fought about John Lennon until I cried.” For me, recalling past relationships means recalling little moments: some fond, some not so much. Bridgers’ understanding of this makes her songs so heart wrenching. Be warned, “Moon Song” is not for the faint of heart, so try to listen to it sparingly.
“Sundress” by A$AP Rocky
Now that “Moon Song” is over, you’ve had a good cry and are ready to move on. In “Sundress,” A$AP Rocky curses an ex that has moved on, so be that ex. Imagine that A$AP’s salty quips of “you took some time away from me, I see you made your mind” are about your long-gone emotional attachment.
Hopefully, these songs have helped you process your feelings, whether good or bad, on a day that seems to tug at the heartstrings of many.