39 Essential Love Songs for the Ultimate Valentine's Day Playlist (2024)

Spanning decades and genres, this collection is the ultimate fun and romantic February 14 playlist.

By Erin Cavoto
39 Essential Love Songs for the Ultimate Valentine's Day Playlist (1)

There are tons of ways to express heartfelt Valentine's Day wishes to all the special people in our life on February 14. You can send flowers, write sweet Valentine's Day quotes in a card, or cook an intimate Valentine's Day dinner. Another easy way to shower those closest to you with love is to say it with a song. Because we can't always find just the right words to say how we feel, luckily there are plenty of talented musical artists who sum it all up for us! We've rounded up some of the best Valentine's Day songs ever, as well as the greatest love songs of all time, to create a romantic soundtrack for Valentine’s Day this year.

Whether you're going out or staying in, these tunes set the mood right away with the most romantic song lyrics. Some will give you butterflies about meeting the one you love, some will for sure make you cry. The list features obvious love song heavy hitters, like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Etta James. And while there are plenty of songs about Valentine's Day (and even some songs with valentine in the title!), including tracks from Bruce Springsteen and Fiona Apple, we've made sure to include some classic country love songs too, like Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You."

Play this list straight through or use it to jumpstart your own playlist for your special someone (one of our favorite Valentine's Day ideas for couples!) Add "your song," as well as tunes you listened to on your first date, memorable road trips, or your wedding day. One thing's for sure, these classic Valentine’s Day songs will create a wonderfully dreamy backdrop to celebrate love on February 14 and all year long.

1

"These Arms of Mine" by Otis Redding

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Maybe you've been together forever, but this song will take you back to those early days of passion and longing.

2

"Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis

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The promise of forever love is the theme of this classic country hit.

3

"Something" by The Beatles

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The lyrics to this Beatles classic are certainly tender and sweet—but the accompanying music video starring the Fab Four and their significant others really brings "Something" into the tear-jerker status of all-time great love songs.

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4

"All of Me" by John Legend

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This is perhaps the newest classic love song that's become incredibly popular over the last decade. It's from John's fourth studio album, "Love in the Future."

5

"Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran

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Cliché in all the right ways, this love ballad about growing old with your loved one became an instant classic the moment it was released.

6

"You're Still the One" by Shania Twain

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This heartfelt crossover ballad with lyrics like "You're still the one I want for life" and "You're still the one that I love, the only one I dream of" speaks to sticking it out in the name of love, no matter the odds.

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7

"My Funny Valentine" by Frank Sinatra

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While this song has been covered hundreds of times, Frank Sinatra's version of this famous Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart tune is unbeatable.

8

"Valentine" by The Replacements

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American rock band The Replacements put this song out on their fifth studio album in 1987, Pleased to Meet Me.

9

"Valentine's Day" by Steve Earle

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This moving, earnest song might say everything you need and want to say this Valentine's Day.

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10

"Won't You Be My Valentine" by Dore Alpert

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If you're trying to find the right words to ask that special someone out, this 1962 track will do all the talking for you.

11

"Be Mine" by R.E.M.

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This song is said to be a play on Valentine's Day candy hearts but personalized for the narrator's lover.

12

"First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack

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Roberta Flack made this song an international hit with her breathtaking 1972 recording.

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13

"It's Your Love" by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

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Country music's king and queen come together for a seriously heartfelt and powerful duet.

14

"Valentine's Day" by Bruce Springsteen

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This song was featured on Bruce Springsteen's 1987 album Tunnel of Love.

15

"Valentine" by Willie Nelson

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This track keeps it short and simple, asking the classic line, "Won't you be my Valentine?"

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16

"Valentine" by 5 Seconds of Summer

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The Australian quartet released this song in 2018, which the band described as the "ultimate Valentine's Day song."

17

"My Valentine" by Paul McCartney

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This 2011 song features Eric Clapton, while actress Natalie Portman stars in the music video.

18

"Valentine" by Pentatonix

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The popular a capella group reimagined this song originally created by Jessie Ware, along with a beautiful music video.

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19

"Valentine" by Martina McBride & Jim Brickman

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This romantic tune is sure to remind you and yours what you really mean to each other.

20

"Valentine" by Train

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Be warned: You might have this catchy song stuck in your head for weeks!

39 Essential Love Songs for the Ultimate Valentine's Day Playlist (23)

Erin Cavoto

Erin Cavoto is the Editorial Assistant at ThePioneerWoman.com, covering food, holidays, home decor, and more.

39 Essential Love Songs for the Ultimate Valentine's Day Playlist (2024)

FAQs

What is the number one most romantic song? ›

Caption Options
  1. 1. “ I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston. ...
  2. 2. “ All of Me,” John Legend. ...
  3. 3. “ Your Song,” Elton John. ...
  4. 4. “ Thinkin Bout You,” Frank Ocean. ...
  5. 5. “ At Last,” Etta James. ...
  6. 6. “ Running Up That Hill,” Kate Bush. ...
  7. 7. “ I've Got You Under My Skin,” Frank Sinatra. ...
  8. 8. “ Drops of Jupiter,” Train.
Feb 13, 2023

What is the old school song for Valentine's Day? ›

'Love Me Tender' by Elvis Presley

Simple and sweet, "Love Me Tender" is one of the greatest Elvis songs of all time, right along with "Can't Help Falling in Love," which, of course, also makes our list of the best Valentine's Day songs ever.

What is the most played song of all time? ›

There's even a dispute over the exact title. Yet “It's a Small World,” also known as “It's a Small, Small World” and “It's a Small World (After All),” is very likely the most played song in music history — nearly 50 million times.

What is the most streamed love song? ›

The study revealed that Perfect by Ed Sheeran takes the top spot, with 2.7 billion streams worldwide and occurring in 129 times in playlists.

What is considered the most beautiful love song ever written? ›

  1. "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers.
  2. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin. ...
  3. "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley. ...
  4. "Faithfully" by Journey. ...
  5. "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. ...
  6. "All of Me" by John Legend. ...
  7. "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion. ...
  8. "At Last" by Etta James. ...
Feb 12, 2020

What is considered the greatest love song of all time? ›

Greatest ever love songs, ranked
  1. 'At Last' by Etta James. ...
  2. 'All of Me' by John Legend. ...
  3. 'Let's Stay Together' by Al Green. ...
  4. 'All Night' by Beyoncé ...
  5. 'Nothing Compares 2 U' by Sinéad O'Connor. ...
  6. 'Something' by the Beatles. ...
  7. 'God Only Knows' by the Beach Boys. ...
  8. 'I Will Always Love You' by Dolly Parton.
Jan 10, 2024

What songs to play on Valentine's day? ›

If you love country music, you'll appreciate songs like "Golden Hour" by Kacey Musgraves. There are also a few songs taken straight from the soundtracks of the best Valentine's Day movies, like "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston and "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion.

What woman sang My Funny Valentine? ›

The song first hit the charts in 1945, performed by Hal McIntyre with vocals by Ruth Gaylor.

What is the most played song in 2024? ›

"Fortnight", the lead single from Taylor Swift's eleventh studio album and featuring Post Malone, achieved the highest weekly sales and streams for a song in 2024.

What is Taylor Swift's most listened song? ›

Song TitleStreamsDaily
Cruel Summer2,061,645,1753,104,552
Blank Space1,796,174,421839,717
* I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)1,638,411,296674,985
Anti-Hero1,522,481,5941,022,380
149 more rows

What song was #1 the longest? ›

"Old Town Road" holds the record for the longest stretch at No. 1 with 19 weeks. It also became the fastest song in history to be certified diamond.

What is the best song to say "I love you"? ›

  • "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss. ...
  • "I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis. ...
  • "Shallow" by Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper. ...
  • "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars. ...
  • "At Last" by Etta James. ...
  • "Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden. ...
  • "This Kiss" by Faith Hill. ...
  • "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova.
Jan 18, 2022

Who sang the best Love Song ever? ›

#ARTISTTITLE
1Whitney HoustonI Will Always Love You
2Elvis PresleyLove Me Tender
3Celine DionMy Heart Will Go On
4JourneyOpen Arms
51 more rows

What is one romantic song that everyone knows? ›

"I Will Always Love You" - Whitney Houston | Hot 100 Peak: No. 1 for 14 weeks (1992)

What was the romantics biggest hit? ›

"Talking in Your Sleep" is a song by American rock band the Romantics. Released in September 1983, It became the band's most successful single in the US, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1984.

What is considered to the #1 romantic movie? ›

1. “Casablanca” (1942)

What is the number one single song of all time? ›

According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.

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