A widely celebrated cultural phenomenon, Valentine’s Day is a day that some look forward to, and some dread. Thankfully, the Varsity Music Team have done what we do best and curated two playlists that should cater to everyone’s Valentine’s moods.

First up, we’ve got our Valentine’s Day Love Playlist — filled with delightfully romantic songs about being smitten with another person and falling in love, made for those who are excited and engulfed by the spirit and wonder of Valentine’s Day. Here are some highlights:

Don’t Delete the Kisses — Wolf Alice

Quite possibly one of the most charmingly innocent songs I’ve ever heard, perfectly capturing the gentle yet enchanting process of falling in love with someone, Wolf Alice’s 2017 single is a song that could send a gentle warmth through the coldest of hearts. With soft spoken-word verses and a chorus that was simply made to scream along to, this synth-heavy, ethereal banger sets a high bar for modern saccharine love songs.

A Dream With a Baseball Player — Faye Webster

Sometimes romanticising impossible relationships and pining over strangers is better than something realistic… right? Well, Faye Webster’s catchy, witty song is certainly enough to make you feel that way! Written during the pandemic, it tells the story of how Webster has created an imaginary love story with a celebrity, while also poking fun at herself for the ridiculousness of the whole situation. An impeccable choice for the hopeless romantics out there!

God Only Knows — The Beach Boys

This one needs no introduction. If you didn’t know it before you saw Love Actually for the first time, you were really missing out. ‘God Only Knows’ is the definitive love song. Filled with exaggeration and devotion, as well as being a complete earworm, this instant feel-good classic is the piece that completes every playlist of love songs.

And for those of us who aren’t feeling quite so lovestruck this Valentine’s Day, we’ve also got you covered. Introducing Varsity’s Valentine’s Day Anti-Love Playlist: a collection of songs ranging in emotion, recounting tales of broken relationships, apathy and anger.

I Bet On Losing Dogs — Mitski

Can any artist truly capture the feelings of utter dejection and the resignation to sadness as Mitski? I thought not. Blunt and bleak, she sings airily about misplaced hope and believing in something she knows is doomed. Flawlessly conveying a longing for any form of connection at an emotional low point, no song is better than ‘I Bet On Losing Dogs’ for the ‘me time’ of a stay-in Valentine’s Day.

Kill V. Maim — Grimes

Right, so you’re finished with sadness. It gets boring after a while. Fortunately, Grimes’s ‘Kill V. Maim’ is a rage-fuelled, dynamic electro-pop masterpiece with the power to inject an obscene amount of energy and confidence into any listener. No matter how many times she tries to convince us that it’s about gender-bending mafia vampires, it’s clear that she created a fantastic headbang-friendly song with a poignant message about society’s tendency to excuse deplorable male behaviour.

Night Shift — Lucy Dacus

After wallowing then releasing your wrath, you’re left in a strange place in the middle of the two. Where do you go? ‘Night Shift’ by Lucy Dacus: the cathartic, bitter yet reflective solution. The song follows Dacus through her stories of trying to move on from a past lover, recounting sweet moments and moments of despair. Eventually, she reaches an intense, belted conclusion — she simply never has to see this person again.

Hopefully this taster of the two playlists has given you an idea of what to expect. Whichever one you’ll be listening to on February 14th, the Varsity Music team wishes you a Happy Valentine’s Day!