60 Best Valentine's Day Songs, From Classic Love Songs to Modern Hits

What is the most romantic Valentine's Day song?

If you only play one, make it "At Last" by Etta James or "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley: both have been the soundtrack of Valentine's dinners for decades. Among modern songs, "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran and "Die with a Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars are the ones couples share most. And if you want a song literally about the day, "My Funny Valentine" is the standard.

Classic Valentine's Day love songs

1. "At Last", Etta James: the love was worth the wait.
2. "Can't Help Falling in Love", Elvis Presley: simple, slow and timeless.
3. "My Funny Valentine", Chet Baker or Frank Sinatra: the Valentine standard.
4. "Unchained Melody", The Righteous Brothers: the ultimate slow dance.
5. "L-O-V-E", Nat King Cole: playful and charming.
6. "Let's Stay Together", Al Green: soul for a long relationship.
7. "The Way You Look Tonight", Frank Sinatra: for the moment they walk into the restaurant.
8. "Endless Love", Lionel Richie and Diana Ross: the big 80s duet.
9. "Wonderful Tonight", Eric Clapton: warm and unhurried.
10. "Your Song", Elton John: honest and sweet.
11. "Something", The Beatles: George Harrison at his most romantic.
12. "Be My Baby", The Ronettes: the famous drum intro.
13. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", Queen: fun and flirty.
14. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", Frankie Valli: the horns, the build, the joy.

Modern love songs for Valentine's Day

15. "Perfect", Ed Sheeran: the modern standard.
16. "Die with a Smile", Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars: a duet about forever.
17. "All of Me", John Legend: love with every flaw included.
18. "Lover", Taylor Swift: cozy and devoted.
19. "Golden Hour", JVKE: a soaring piano ballad.
20. "Until I Found You", Stephen Sanchez: retro and dreamy.
21. "Thinking Out Loud", Ed Sheeran: about loving each other at 70.
22. "Just the Way You Are", Bruno Mars: a compliment in song form.
23. "Love Story", Taylor Swift: the fairytale version.
24. "Say You Won't Let Go", James Arthur: a whole relationship in four minutes.
25. "Adore You", Harry Styles: bright and flirty.
26. "Paper Rings", Taylor Swift: love that does not need anything fancy.

R&B and soul for a Valentine's night in

27. "Best Part", Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R.: soft and intimate.
28. "Adorn", Miguel: smooth devotion.
29. "Snooze", SZA: about never wanting to leave their side.
30. "Love on Top", Beyoncé: joyful key changes.
31. "Crazy in Love", Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z: for getting ready.
32. "Let's Get It On", Marvin Gaye: you know what it is for.
33. "Ribbon in the Sky", Stevie Wonder: love that was meant to be.
34. "Spend My Life with You", Eric Benét and Tamia: a proposal in duet form.

Country Valentine's Day songs

35. "Amazed", Lonestar: the country love song.
36. "Then", Brad Paisley: love that keeps growing.
37. "Speechless", Dan + Shay: lost for words.
38. "Tennessee Whiskey", Chris Stapleton: smooth and slow.
39. "Die a Happy Man", Thomas Rhett: needing nothing more than each other.
40. "Forever and Ever, Amen", Randy Travis: a classic with a smile.
41. "Remind Me", Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood: for rekindling the spark.

Songs with "Valentine" in the title

42. "My Funny Valentine", in the versions by Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald.
43. "Valentine", Martina McBride and Jim Brickman: a 90s duet made for the day.
44. "Valentine", Laufey: a modern jazz-pop take on falling for someone.
45. "Happy Valentine's Day", OutKast: playful and funky.
46. "Valentine's Day", Bruce Springsteen: a quiet, late-night song.

Love songs from the movies

For a movie night on February 14, pair the film with its love song: "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing, "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic, "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge, "City of Stars" from La La Land and "Shallow" from A Star Is Born. Playing the song after the credits is a sweet way to move from the couch to a slow dance in the living room.

Galentine's Day songs

47. "Wannabe", Spice Girls: friendship first.
48. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", Cyndi Lauper: the Galentine's anthem.
49. "Lean on Me", Bill Withers: for the friends who show up.
50. "Count on Me", Bruno Mars: sweet and simple.
51. "Good as Hell", Lizzo: confidence boost.

Anti-Valentine's songs for the happily single

52. "Flowers", Miley Cyrus: a self-love anthem.
53. "Dancing on My Own", Robyn: cry-dancing, gloriously.
54. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", Beyoncé: hands up.
55. "I Will Survive", Gloria Gaynor: the original.
56. "Since U Been Gone", Kelly Clarkson: shout it out.
57. "Love Myself", Hailee Steinfeld: self-care, set to pop.

Valentine's songs for kids and classrooms

58. "Skidamarink": the classic "I love you" song for preschoolers.
59. "You Are My Sunshine": easy for little voices.
60. "You've Got a Friend in Me", Randy Newman: for a friendship-themed class party.

Valentine's songs by relationship stage

First Valentine's together

Keep it light and charming: "Golden Hour", "Kiss Me", "L-O-V-E" or "Adore You". A big ballad on a first Valentine's can feel like a lot.

A few years in

Songs about choosing each other: "All of Me", "Lover", "Say You Won't Let Go".

Married or long-term

Songs about love that lasts: "Thinking Out Loud", "Then", "Let's Stay Together", "Forever and Ever, Amen".

Valentine's songs for a long-distance relationship

Send a song timed to their morning, with one line about the next time you will see each other. "Snooze", "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele and "Until I Found You" travel well, and a song that names both of your cities makes the distance feel smaller.

Planning a Valentine's proposal?

Valentine's Day is one of the most popular days of the year to propose. If you are planning one, choose a song for the moment you kneel ("Marry You" for a playful proposal, "Can't Help Falling in Love" for a classic one) or a song written about your relationship that ends with the question.

Where does "My Funny Valentine" come from?

It was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1937 Broadway musical Babes in Arms, and became a jazz standard through recordings by Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. It is one of the most recorded love songs ever, which is why it plays somewhere in almost every restaurant on February 14.

How do you plan a Valentine's playlist?

• Getting ready: upbeat songs like "Crazy in Love" or "Love on Top".
• Dinner: classics and jazz at a low volume, "My Funny Valentine", "The Way You Look Tonight".
• Dessert: the dedication, with your song.
• Later: slow R&B, "Best Part", "Adorn", "Snooze".
• The last song: the one from your first date, if you remember it, or the one you both sing in the car.

Which song should you dedicate on Valentine's Day?

Choose the song that says something true about your relationship. For a new relationship, keep it light ("Kiss Me", "Golden Hour"); for a long one, choose a song about love that lasts ("Thinking Out Loud", "Then", "Forever and Ever, Amen"). Add one line about why it reminds you of them; that sentence is what turns a song into a dedication. For more ideas, see our lists of songs to dedicate to your boyfriend and first dance songs.

Valentine's Day ideas with music

• Recreate your first date with the song that was playing.
• Book a jazz club or a small concert.
• Take a dance lesson together, salsa or swing.
• Make a playlist with one song for every month you have been together.
• Hide a song link in a card for them to find at work.
• Cook dinner together to a playlist of the songs from your first year.
• End the night with a slow dance in the kitchen to the song you call yours.

A Valentine's song written about the two of you

Every song above was written about someone else. A personalized love song is about you: how you met, the first date, the nickname, the trip, the inside joke, the little habits you love. It does not wilt like roses and it comes back every February 14. See our guides to a Valentine's song for her and a Valentine's song for him, and more Valentine's song gift ideas.

How to create a Valentine's song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: ballad, R&B, pop, country, jazz and more.
2. Add both of your names, or the nicknames you use.
3. Share three moments from your story, each with one concrete detail.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page you can send by link and the lyrics as a PDF, usually within minutes, even on February 14.

Give a Valentine that lasts longer than roses: create your love song and hear four previews for free.