Valentine’s Day is not the time for chocolate or flowers or even love. It’s the time for playlists. Breakup playlists to scream at your ceiling, classy playlists for candlelight dinners, or salacious playlists for “late-night activities.” Whatever playlist you might be making, here are four great love songs to consider adding.
“Not My Fault” by Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion
If you’re in the mood for an infectious serotonin boost and a delulu level of self-confidence, this is the song you want on blast. But beware: The song comes with an inescapable bout of sudden obsession for Reneé. Apart from turning heads with her unique and modernized take on the classic character of Regina George, her performance of “Not My Fault” has been circulating on TikTok, inciting a truly terrifying wave of simping fans in the comments. The song encourages confidence, self-respect, and spontaneity in relationships. Recommended for anyone who feels like the mess of relationships is hitting them too hard. It will remind you not to take things so seriously…well, that and to “get her number [and] her name.”
“a girl like me” by flowerovlove
Joyce Cisse is the lead singer of flowerovlove and an up-and-coming Black artist. At only 18 years old, she is becoming a popular lo-fi artist in Gen Z’s eyes. The overthinking that comes alongside the giddiness of a new crush is a universal experience—and this song encapsulates that uncertainty. Staring at the sent message on your phone, dissecting every word as you anxiously stare at the “read” symbol below it. Feeling the butterflies, but fearing that they might not feel the same way. flowerovlove captures the vulnerability present at the spark of every romantic connection. Fortunately, instead of overthinking your own crushes, you can simply put her song on repeat. floverovlove articulates both heterosexual and queer relationships with the fluid switch of the lyrics—“would a boy like you like a girl like me”—to “would a girl like you like a girl like me” and “would a boy like you like a boy like me.” Through these subtle shifts, flowerovlove highlights the fluidity and complexity of relationships, while portraying the universal human experience of falling for someone new.
“You’re My Best Friend” by Queen
We all know “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Another One Bites the Dust,” but with all the love in the air, we ought to give some recognition to Queen’s song “You’re My Best Friend.” It’s easy to get caught up in relationships and romance. Good friendships can be hard to find, but when you do find those connections, they are often some of the most special relationships in your life. Often we forget to tell our friends how much we care for and appreciate them. So this Valentine’s Day, show your friends some love by blasting this classic Queen song. Who needs a date with that kind of plan?
P.S. I am well aware that the song was written with the intention of being a love song from John Deacon to his wife, so Queen superfans, don’t come for me.
“Almost (Sweet Music)” by Hozier
Although on the surface this may not seem like a love song, it is a proponent of perhaps the most important type of love—appreciation for those who inspired you. Hozier wrote the song with the goal of paying homage to various jazz players who came before his time, honouring them and their songs through lyrical references. In doing so, he portrays the love and reverence that we might have for those who inspire and pave the way for us. In another aspect, listeners of this song have taken away a different type of love. All across TikTok, people have sparked the sweetest trend from Hozier’s song, creating compilations of themselves during struggling moments and comparing them with how they are now—as happy as they were when they were in the innocence of childhood. Although this was perhaps not his intention, Hozier sparked a trend of internal affection, showcasing the self-love that everyone deserves.
