It’s Valentine’s Day. Maybe you’re in a relationship and unsure what level of celebration will prove your true and undying commitment. Maybe you’re single and you think Valentine’s is yet another commercial holiday designed to dupe suckers into buying disposable goods. Either way, we’ve got you. Our Valentine’s playlist — split into two parts, for the lovers and haters — will get you through this day.
FOR THE LOVERS
Grouplove – Tongue Tied
An absolute bop that will get you dancing like no one’s around. It’s all about that youthful, naive, exhilarating love that seems like it could last forever. Favourite lyric: “I loved you then and I love you now.”
Cage the Elephant – Trouble
First heard on the soundtrack to Edge of Seventeen (a perversely funny coming-of-age film), this track is hazy and romantic in a non-suffocating way.
Favourite lyric: “I said it was love and I did it for life.”
Weaves – Drag Me Down
A spooky and delightfully unrecognisable cover of a One Direction song, this female-led track features on the horror-comedy TV series Crazyhead. Still, it’s a hopeful one.
Favourite lyric: “All my life you stood by me, when no one else was ever behind me.”
Ibeyi – Faithful
Ibeyi is a duo of French-Cuban twin sisters and here, they deliver us a sparse, languid tune about what love requires in order to survive.
Favourite lyric: “My heart is set, you are the one for me.”
The Mowgli’s – Say It, Just Say It
An uptempo tune, Say It, Just Say It is for someone who hasn’t found love but would do anything to.
Favourite lyric: “You make me feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life, and I could die to find that simple kind of love you can’t deny.”
Jagged Edge (feat Run of Run DMC) – Let’s Get Married
We’re ending with a throwback tune about marriage, because why not? From the year 2000 — a golden era for R’n’B — Jagged Edge get pretty adorable here.
Favourite lyric: “We ain’t getting no younger, we might as well do it.”
FOR THE HATERS
The Neighbourhood – Afraid
An aggressive start to our playlist, The Neighbourhood know exactly how to make bitterness sing.
Favourite lyric: “It hurts but I won’t fight you. You suck, anyway.”
The 1975 – Loving Someone
The 1975 like to mix social commentary with indie pop, and Loving Someone is no different.
Favourite lyric: “I’m the Greek economy of cashing intellectual cheques.”
The Kooks – Bad Habit
The title says it all — who needs love when you’ve got your vices? Heavy on the percussions, Bad Habit is funky, smooth and addictive.
Favourite lyric: “Oh man, you know I wish I had it all.”
Melanie Martinez – Cry Baby
The kind of song you’d imagine playing in the background of a bizarre heist.
Favourite lyric: “Your heart’s too big for your body, it’s why you won’t fit inside.”
Olly Murs – You Don’t Know Love
This tune somehow manages to be about both a terrible relationship and not realising what you’ve had until it’s gone.
Favourite lyric: “You don’t know love ‘til it feels like you died when it’s missing.”
Hailee Steinfeld – Love Myself
Self-love on Valentine’s Day = crucial. Steinfeld takes a tired cliche and turns into something fresh and fun.
Favourite lyric: “I LOVE ME.”
