The Valentine’s Playlist

If music is the food of love, you’d better have some pretty good tunes lined up for tonight if you want to ensure the date doesn’t go south. 

Luckily for you, there’s plenty of options for aspiring romantics, from Questlove’s 24-hour playlist “to play in the background while you procreate” to the Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs.

On the hunt for musical inspiration, we asked the Tab team to share their favourite songs to help set the mood. The result: possibly the finest collection of “baby-making” music ever assembled.

The master of seduction and being trapped in closets, R Kelly may be cheesy as hell but if this song doesn’t inspire extensive pelvic thrusting, we honestly don’t know what will.

Best Played When: Getting dirty on the dancefloor.

Ne-Yo may not be the best Valentine’s role model (just look at how he makes a hash of it with his girl in the video) but guys everywhere could learn a few dance moves from him.

Best Played When: You want to convince your special someone just how special they are

A guilty pleasure of one of our editors, Christina’s bitterness might seem like an unusual match for Valentine’s but you’d have to be truly heartless to not get emotional when this comes on.

Best Played When: You get home upset after the date goes terribly.

A genuine classic, this karaoke staple is a perfect mood-setter. Just kiss her already!

Best Played When: To soundtrack that first kiss (obviously!)

A classic from our teenage years, this song’s sure to get you rapping along with Kano in your bedroom mirror whilst you get ready tonight.

Best Played When: Getting ready to go out

One for all the Valentine’s one-night-stands, Abel Tesfaye just wants to hear you love him, even if you don’t mean it.

Best Played When: We feel Youtube commenter TheKilla388 put it best – “This song is for Sex time…lol”

You know you’re on to a good thing if the person you’re with is game to sing this with you post-coitus. Although maybe avoid eye contact when the “best 30 seconds of my life” line comes up.

Best Played When: Do we really need to tell you?

What makes it onto your Valentine’s playlist? Let us know in the comments.

Cover Photo by Andrew Steinmetz