Every year, publications recycle the February content as if the general public is unaware that Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” are the undisputed greatest of love songs of all time already. Even without the standard rolodex of romantic classics, there’s enough love to go around without having to count on covers, remakes, or soundtrack singles– it just won’t include Celine Dion.
Considering that the late Aretha Franklin covered Alicia Keys’s “No One” for her 2014 album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, there’s a whole new age of love songs worth appreciating. While Dolly Parton’s original version of “I Will Always Love You” and Billy Joel’s “She’s Got A Way About Her” crown the nostalgia factor, Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking out Loud” and Colbie Caillat’s “Bubbly” set a new standard to today’s love ballads, which leaves Cigarettes After Sex and Lana Del Rey to harness their contemporary moodiness into pure bliss. Even left-field genres like Eurodance know a thing or two about love thanks to Kylie Minogue’s iconic dance delight “Love At First Sight.”
Ahead, with an appreciation for underrated gems, these are the best love songs to have on your Valentine’s Day playlist, from throwback staples to modern classics and every genre in between.
Dolly Parton “I Will Always Love You” (1973)
Originally released in 1973 after leaving pal Porter Wagoner’s show, Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” was later popularized via the “‘nineties-vocal-diva” treatment a la Whitney Houston in 1992. Hailed as one of the greatest love songs ever written, Parton’s heartfelt dialogue and wistful delivery convey a poignant message of gratitude, resilience, and the pain of saying goodbye. The soaring melody and genuine sincerity in Parton’s voice on “I Will Love You” championed many generations’ unsaid feelings while simultaneously etching itself as an ageless romantic masterpiece.
Shania Twain “You’re Still The One” (1998)
Shania Twain knows when to celebrate, and romance is always a plus– when it comes around. The Grammy-winning single “You’re Still The One” is Twain’s victory lap, an enduring testament to love that’s been in the making for years. One that always hasn’t been easy, but through great devotion, genuine connection, and a bit of country, anything is possible.
Ed Sheeran “Thinking out Loud” (2014)
Sheeran is no stranger to love and heartbreak; actually, he’s quite adept in turning those gushy feelings into hit records, where each of his five”Popular Tracks” on Spotify exceeds one billion streams, including the guitar-ridden “Thinking out Loud.” Although questioning if the English native’s artistic legitimacy has become a nonsensical debate, wedding receptions seem to be his universally approved space since 2014. Despite its new-age status, “Thinking out Loud” spent the past decade captivating listeners with Sheeran’s transcendental vision of true love, poetic verses, and soulful voice, which fit perfectly into many people’s “happiest day of their life” and defined a new generation of love ballads.
Whitney Houston “Saving All My Love” (1985)
Out of Whitney Houston’s pocketful of love ballads, perhaps her 1985 self-titled debut record preserves her most pure ideologies, so much that “Saving All My Love” still sounds fresh in 2024– even if full-blown saxophones aren’t widely used in mainstream pop anymore.
Colbie Caillat “Bubbly” (2007)
Colbie Caillat may not be as grandiose as other entries, but she captures love in its most simple form on “Bubbly”– and, sometimes, that’s all we need. While acoustic pop rarely turns into a Billboard hit, Caillat’s 6x RIAA-Certified Platinum sophomore single reads like a love letter detailing a blossoming romance through Caillat’s soft voice, melodic guitar, and intimate charm.
Paula Abdul “Rush Rush” (1991)
This dancing diva may be better known for her sucker punch hits like “Straight Up” and “Cold-Hearted Snake,” but even the coolest need a “spicy” moment. The pure erotica of “Rush Rush” by Paula Abdul is completely expected and equally captivating to the early ’90s crowd with its steamy production and quivering songstress. Powered by a Keanu Reeves-led music video, who wouldn’t enjoy making a breathy love song between two megastars into a Billboard chart-topper and, now, a perfect throwback for the bedroom?
Snow Patrol “Chasing Cars” (2006)
The mid-2000s was the prime fast-lane experience to seeing pop-rock turning into instant classics, which included a more indie take with Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars.” Much like Ed Sheeran’s entry, it became a wedding staple partly through universal love sentiments; however, Gray Lightbody’s soul-stirring voice underpins the emotional buildup as the melody reaches its climactic conclusion. The iconization of “Chasing Cars” also comes from the Grey’s Anatomy cast’s spirited rendition from their sole musical-themed episode, led by Tony-winning actress Sara Ramirez.
Alicia Keys “No One” (2007)
If you give Alicia Keys a piano, she will write at least five hits. Keys in 2007 was ferocious with the pen, bridging her soulful voice in a “classic yet vintage, desperate yet triumphant” way, which won her Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Aretha Franklin also covered this for her 2014 album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.
Mariah Carey “Fourth of July” (1997)
The Songbird Supreme may have built 19 No.1 Billboard hits, but nothing compares to the treasure trove that is 1997’s Butterfly album. High off her first licks of post-marriage freedom, Mariah Carey doubled down on her R&B feels and let the pen follow suit. There, “Fourth of July” sparkles like a fireworks display as she soaks in her new-found independence with a new lover, all accentuated by her sing-song whistle register shining in the background.
Lana Del Rey (ft. The Bleachers) “Margaret” (2023)
Lana Del Rey has a track record of brooding over smiling, even in music. But once in a while, you catch a gleam of light, especially on “Margaret,” dedicated to Margaret Quaily, wife to Del Rey’s frequent collaborator and friend Jack Antanoff. Packaged as a lowkey, off-the-cuff rambling that sprawls over five minutes, the folky orchestral instruments add an element of sophistication to the alternative-pop production, tipping the recurring “when you know, you know” sentiments to real-life manifestations.
Maroon 5 “She Will Be Loved” (2002)
Before Maroon 5 ventured down the pop stardom path, their humble beginnings displayed a well-rounded array of young love soaked in indie pop-rock, all stemming from their twinkly-eyed debut record, Songs About Jane. Among the enamored track stands “She Will Be Loved,” a lighter version of alternative rock singles like “This Love” and “Hard To Breathe,” but commercially superior on the love spectrum. Everyone dreams about chivalry seen in ’80s teen rom-coms, and Maroon 5 brings that feeling alive in the chorus.
Kylie Minogue “Love at First Sight” (2001)
The Queen of Australian Pop embraced the new millennium with warmth and eurodance. Housed on Kylie Minogue’s iconic Fever album (2001) stands the Grammy-nominated single “Love At First Sight,” a euphoric dance track about the electrifying feeling of an instant connection. Tied together with Minogue’s signature up-tempo sultriness, “Love At First Sight” celebrates the unexpected for a lifetime– and then some.
Cigarettes After Sex “Sweet” (2017)
No one does haunting romance like Cigarettes After Sex, even if lead singer Greg Gonzalez is obsessively admiring your body on “Sweet.” The band’s dreamy atmosphere is not only lyrically mesmerizing, the track captures a desire to connect skin-to-skin to where Gonzales would gladly break his heart for you. In a new generation of love songs, Cigarettes After Sex’s “Sweet” still doesn’t match their peers in love ballads, though what they deliver evokes an existential awakening similar to lightning in a bottle.
Billy Joel “She Got A Way About Her” (1981)
Released as part of his album Songs in the Attic (1981), Billy Joel’s lyrical genius is prime and sharp with heartfelt composition and admiration. Like Colbie Calliat, the stripped-back approach on “She’s Got A Way About Her” is ablush with sheer simplicity and rhapsodic imagery. His generation-spanning effect on romance led Joel to encapsulate his greatest swooners on 2013’s She’s Got A Way: Love Songs compilation album.
Bruno Mars “Just The Way You Are” (2010)
Where most love songs grip you with emotion, Bruno Mars rolls out the compliments on 2010’s extra-shimmery “Just The Way You Are.” It’s straight to the point and, truthfully, makes listeners feel nothing short of perfect in their own skin.
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