Look, love songs aren’t always the deepest and most dramatic tunes that make you weep and think about calling an ex (don’t you do it).
Sometimes, love is best expressed through an irresistibly sweet earworm of a pop song that perfectly captures your feelings—no matter how corny.
We’ve picked out our fav 20 love songs to add to your dating playlist. These bops do double duty for when you want to shout your love (or like) from the rooftops and dance a little while doing it!
Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z – Crazy in Love
By the age of 21, Beyoncé displayed an insane level of style, confidence, and talent, arguably unmatched by her musical peers or certainly any other 21-year-old!
Her first number-one solo single, “Crazy in Love,” marked the beginning of two decades of dominance and introduced the iconic “uh-oh” dance. There’s also a charming nostalgia to it since her relationship with Jay-Z was still under wraps when this track and its music video were released.
Look, love songs aren’t always the deepest and most dramatic tunes that make you weep and think about calling an ex (don’t you do it).
Sometimes, love is best expressed through an irresistibly sweet earworm of a pop song that perfectly captures your feelings—no matter how corny.
We’ve picked out our fav 20 love songs to add to your dating playlist. These bops do double duty for when you want to shout your love (or like) from the rooftops and dance a little while doing it!
Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out of My Head
Aussie pop legend Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” is a perfectly named track for its super, bordering on annoyingly catchy nature.
The lyrics repeat throughout the four-minute song, creating a repetitive yet infectious dance-pop anthem that captures the spinning cycle of obsessing over someone you’re interested in.
Lady Gaga – Bad Romance
“Bad Romance” cemented Lady Gaga’s status as a pop visionary and became one of the earliest viral songs. It exploded in popularity when it hit the airwaves and got 1.8 billion views on YouTube.
This song represents Lady Gaga at her best, combining a concept-driven track with strikingly abstract visuals. As for the theme of love, what’s more relatable than Lady Gaga belting out “I don’t wanna be friends” over and over?
Taylor Swift – Love Story
Taylor Swift’s romantic history has been in the public eye for over a decade, largely due to her songwriting skills and her highly publicized romances. Although she’s known for crafting biting lyrics about past relationships, “Love Story” illustrates what it’s like to stay off her sh*t list and end up the subject of a tune while still in her favor.
Billie Eilish – Ocean Eyes
Billie Eilish has secured her position as the undisputed queen of alt-pop, thanks to her devoted stanbase and widespread critical acclaim. But back in 2017, a 15-year-old Eilish was just beginning to break through the edges of mainstream pop. “Ocean Eyes” served as a hauntingly beautiful introduction to her now-familiar style of multi-layered vocals and eerily calm production by her brother and collaborator Finneas.
Lana Del Rey – Video Games
“Video Games” captures a haunting declaration of unbridled adoration and nostalgia. Lana Del Rey drifts dreamily through her romantic fantasies, her airy, delicate vocals delivering anthems of total devotion wrapped in summer-y imagery. Lana’s unique ability to deliver swelling, piano-driven ballads stays unmatched.
Major Lazer and DJ Snake – Lean On
Diplo’s repertoire doesn’t typically feature many love songs, but “Lean On” stands out as an unexpected gem. This track, made for the dance floor and loosely based on the theme of love, centers around the simple need for “someone to lean on.” While Diplo may not be the standard bearer for romantic music, “Lean On” serves as a suitable stand-in for the time being.
Harry Styles – Adore You
Harry Styles is literally begging to shower his affection on someone, anyone, and it’s literally unbelievable that the lyrics say no one is banging down his door to accept. Even though everyone knows there are millions who would happily oblige, “Adore You” is a stellar bop that leaves a lasting impression.
King Princess – Ain’t Together
Music often reflects cultural norms, and historically, conventional love songs have predominantly depicted cisgender heteronormative relationships. However, in recent times, artists like King Princess have championed the diversity of relationships. “Ain’t Together” explores the distinctly millennial concept of situationships, challenging traditional relationship labels and asking, “Do you think labels make it taste much better?”
Grimes – Genesis
Today, Grimes is recognized as the alt-synth-pop princess of the people. Back in 2012, she set the stage for over a decade of musical excellence with “Genesis,” a dance track that delivers its message powerfully with just a few lines of repeated refrain. This song skillfully explores the repetitive patterns of love and its often overwhelming consequences.
Justin Bieber Featuring Ludacris – Baby
At just 15 years old, Justin Bieber was showing his romantic side. Sporting a modernized bowl cut that boys everywhere tried to emulate, the baby-faced pop star released “Baby,” a song that perfectly encapsulates puppy love, crushes, and the sting of first heartbreaks. Featuring a charmingly wholesome verse from Ludacris, the track is both irresistibly catchy and delightfully cute.
Ariana Grande Featuring Mac Miller – The Way
“The Way” is a perfect example of a collaboration done flawlessly—no notes. Ariana Grande delivers her ethereal high notes throughout the verses, while Mac Miller grounds the song with his rap interludes. This track beautifully showcases the real-life romantic partnership between the two artists. RIP Mac Miller.
Christina Aguilera – Come On Over
Long before Christina Aguilera introduced us to her “Dirrty” persona, she embodied a much cleaner and bubblier image reminiscent of early 2000s pop, akin to Britney Spears. Though Aguilera would later fully evolve into her unique style, “Come on Over” remains a standout track from her initial rise to pop stardom. The song’s message is straightforward, with Aguilera showcasing her vocal prowess as she invites a boy over. While it features a super young Christina, her unmistakably talented pipes are clearly there—she has the range.
Rihanna – Love On the Brain
The 2016 release of “Anti” marked a turning point for Rihanna, showcasing her not only as a hitmaker but also as an artist capable of crafting a cohesive, genre-spanning album with stand-alone tracks. In “Love On The Brain,” Rihanna fully utilizes the natural raspiness of her voice as she pleads, begs, and demands ongoing love—a request that seems simple enough, considering it’s RiRi, for goodness sake.
Justin Timberlake – My Love
There was a time when Justin Timberlake and producer Timbaland formed the dynamic duo of pop. A highlight of their collaboration is “My Love,” where Timberlake delivers almost the entire song in a striking falsetto, breaking only to blend singing with rapping in the chorus. With heartfelt lyrics such as, “If I wrote you a symphony just to say how much you mean to me,” it’s easy to be swept away in the moment.
Mariah Carey – We Belong Together
Featuring ethereal “come back, come back” ad-libs and a piano-led melody, “We Belong Together” is a prominent track in Mariah Carey’s nearly three-decade-long career. Known for maintaining her songbird diva status, Carey usually appears utterly unflappable, making it particularly relatable to hear her express regret over prematurely letting go of a lover in this song.
The Backstreet Boys – As Long As You Love Me
In 1997, the Backstreet Boys, with their bleached hair, baggy jeans, and impeccably synchronized dance moves, were considered the dreamiest quintet on the planet. “As Long As You Love Me” remains a cherished artifact from this golden era of the group, featuring each member taking turns showcasing their melodic skills in a heartfelt tribute to the girl they adore—it still holds up to this day.
Prince & The Revolution – Raspberry Beret
Trust Prince to be charmed by a woman’s choice of accessories. “Raspberry Beret” is an enduring feel-good song, complete with female-led backing vocals and a chorus that begs to be sung along to. It’s a tune that will keep influencing stylish wardrobe selections for years to come.
Khalid – Location
“Location” is smooth, welcoming, and resonates with a universal appeal. Khalid embodies the ideal partner, providing straightforward communication and promising his immediate presence, all delivered through teenage vocals that are almost too charming to believe.
Lorde – Sober
“Sober” is ironically named, as the song actually celebrates the whirlwind of drunken summer nights spent with cute boys in crowded places. Lorde’s 2017 album “Melodrama” expertly captures a range of women’s emotions, weaving through the joys of love, the pangs of anxiety, and the journey of self-discovery. “Sober” playfully explores the thrill of letting go and the allure of being adored.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re in the mood to dance your heart out or simply sing along to some bops about love, our playlist of 20 love songs has what you are looking for!
From pop icons to alt-pop sensations, each track brings its own flavor of love to your playlist—there’s something for everyone.
The best soundtracks of our lives are marked by music that makes us feel, and every one of these songs delivers on that front, no matter if you’re happily single, dating, looking for someone to date (we can help wink, wink), deeply in love, or anywhere in between.
