A Valentine’s Playlist for Every Season
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I wasn’t going to write anything about this particular day, except to share a few playlists from over the years but then I read this newsletter by Haley Nahmen and it inspired me a bit, which feels weird to say because I have never actually romantically celebrated Valentine’s Day.
One time a guy did accidentally invite me on a second date on Valentine’s Day but I didn’t go (and actually never saw him again). Some of my associations with the romantic holiday include: countless Galentine’s day celebrations, going to a sushi restaurant with my brother when I was really little, and every year, my mom sending me a care package — a little Valentine’s treat that I can always count on.
But despite nearly 29 years of living, I have never had a romantic Valentine’s Day. What possible insights could I share on this particular day? Well, I don’t know if I really have any insights. If you’ve spent the majority of your life single, you might also have complicated feelings around Valentine’s Day.
When I was younger, it felt cool to hate the day. Just chalk it up to corporatism and consumerism — an excuse to buy, buy, buy. And over the years, I’ve seen people maintain this attitude, or perhaps it’s a new generation of young people who find this feeling of hatred towards the day new and cool to them.
Now, I have no strict feelings about Valentine’s Day. I don’t love it and I don’t hate it. It just exists. Like any other day. Any day is a good day to show someone you love them, romantically or otherwise. But I do understand the novelty in this particular day.
In Barcelona, on St. Jordi’s Day (which happens to align with World Book Day) lovers give exchange books and roses. Now, that’s a day I’d like to celebrate.
Love is wonderful in all its forms and sometimes it’s a little painful and sometimes it feels impossible to find. And Valentine’s Day will come and go year to year for 28 years or more, or less, with little fanfare. But even in these dark times, I still feel full of love and I hope you do too.
Turns out, I have a lot of playlists related to this theme. So, no matter what you’re feeling, you can find something to enjoy.
Here is a valentine’s playlist for every season.
WEIRD ROMANCE
Mood: romantic but not over the top.
This is one of my favorite playlists that I’ve ever made. I asked my friends to share songs that they found romantic but that weren’t necessarily or explicitly romantic songs. The results were incredible. I sprinkled in a few of my own odd balls and the result is a journey that takes you through many unique versions of love. I did get a rave review last year that this was an excellent soundtrack to host your Valentine’s Day celebrations to. Listen on Spotify.
Most Romantic
Mood: gooey romantic, at least to me.
I have a megamix of all the songs that I personally find incredibly romantic. Ranging from Crosby, Stills, and Nash, to Kendrick Lamar, if you want to get inside my head and understand what I personally find to be romantic, here’s your chance. Listen on Spotify.
I Prefer Your Love
Mood: you grew up religious so your sense of love is deeply tied to God.
There’s this Kali Uchis song that says, “You are my church, you are my place of worship.” That lyric really stood out to me. How many songs compare lovers to religious experiences? Sometimes, I start playlists with very specific ideas and honestly, this question of comparing love to God or a spiritual experience felt like it was primed for a playlist. I have a couple versions of this playlist, a shorter one that’s a bit more on theme and longer one that I’ve been slowing editing over time.
Listen on Spotify (short edition)
Listen on Spotify (long edition)
Side Note: it probably says a lot about me and my upbringing that I find I Prefer Your Love by St. Vincent to be one of the all time most romantic songs. It was originally written for her mother when she was sick and I that deep sense of love is apparent in the song. I prefer your love to Jesus. What love is greater than the willingness to face eternal damnation?
Anti-Valentine
Mood: you just don’t give an eff about the day but in a way that you actively want to hate on it.
Not in the mood in the mood this year? From jazz to modern pop, you can celebrate (or protest) valentine’s day all on your own. Listen on Spotify.
Explicit Content
Mood: you want to be sad.
This is a breakup playlist. Plain and simple. It’s really sad. I made it when I was really sad. And it will probably make you really sad. Listen at your own risk.
V-day Vibes
Mood: traditional, romantic Valentine’s Day playlist.
Not much to say here. This has a mix of pretty much everything that you can find on all those other playlists. Similar to WEIRD ROMANCE, this would probably also make a nice soundtrack for your and your honey. Listen on Spotify.
P*ssy Power
Mood: you just want to celebrate being a bad b.
I guess I had to include one, non romantic playlist, that’s just about empowerment. This is my go-to for that mood. Listen on Spotify.
Bonus Content
Bon Voyage
Mood: nostalgic romance.
Before I made playlists, I made mix cds. This is one of the earliest mixes I made for someone that I really liked. It previously existed in my iTunes library that I then burned onto a cd and gave as some kind of love letter. After my laptop was stolen on my 20th birthday, and I lost all my downloaded music, I made the transition to Spotify. I decided to recreate this mix cd as a playlist. It’s weird because I don’t talk to this person anymore and I’m not romantically interested in them anymore but it’s a really good playlist. It’s very nostalgic and I think just says a lot about the person I was in 2011 and how I approached romance (maybe how I still do?) There’s a lot more to this story but still I thought I’d share this with you to enjoy at my expense. Listen on Spotify.
