The history of Valentine's Day has more to do with hate, political advances, oppressive emperors, secrets and killing than candy hearts and overpriced dinners. But that's okay, we're glad Hallmark fixed that (thanks Hallmark!) and now we can wear our hearts on our sleeves and selfies. The dying stuffed toy making industry is saved and now there is a day where power ballads and Celine Dion is acceptable. 

Like a horse and carriage, romance and song is most synonymous so overcome by the power of love, we have collated the ultimate playlist for all sorts of music lovers out there. Love songs for everyone, even you metalheads! Let the Bandwagon Lurve DJs take you on the sometimes smooth-sailing and sometimes not journey of love with this specially prepared playlist.

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The genre of pop has always been there for us. Britney Spears for secondary school hormones, Taylor Swift pretending to be awkward but sometimes nailing it, and boy bands for doing their jobs so well through the years. Without feel-good pop, there is no romance. 

Budapest | George Ezra
Latch | Sam Smith
Love Me Harder | Ariana Grande

Everyone loves being serenaded to, it's science. Plus all songs sound more romantic when it is played acoustic. So come on lovers pluck the (heart)strings on that guitar with this selection of chill and mellow tunes that feel like opening those expensive V-Day cards (the ones with music when you open). 

Green Eyes | Coldplay
Heartbeats | Jose Gonzalez
Quelqu'un M'a Dit | Carla Bruni 

Lots of distortion, droning riffs and a wall of sound is EXACTLY how love should sound like. Think of it as the period where everyone is coy and everything is sweet and awkward. So cute. Shyness is nice but shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life that you'd like to so say it in song. 

Sometimes | My Bloody Valentine
Stargazer | Stella Luna
Dagger | Slowdive 

We also got some post-rock love songs for you dreamy lovers out there who just want to lie down and watch the clouds pass by while listening to layers of reverb-y guitars and textured soundscapes. Although we don't recommend doing that these days 'cause it's the rainy season. 

Washer | Slint
You, You're Awesome | Do Make Say Think 
Built On Miles of Hope | Amateur Takes Control 

Derived from the German word 'volk', folk music literally means 'people's music'. Always about love (love for the country, other people etc.), the folk genre is where love songs were born. Thankfully nowadays they've dropped the stuffiness and flowery language and folk music can be cool.

Dear Sylvan | Aspidistrafly 
Advanced Falconry - Mutual Benefit 
Abacus | Fionn Regan

Sometimes love is so powerful and feelings are so strong that you need to have a genre called 'power ballads'. It is combination of explosions in the sky (not the band), silky mullets and singing with eyes closed and clenched fists. Go big or go home, buddy. 

Said I Loved You... But I Lied | Michael Bolton
More Than A Feeling - Boston
I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner

Love is often awkward, strange and unexpected. So many questions, so much eloquent thoughts running through my head and so much feelings that I can somehow put into words so eloquently. Indie: the pop culture educated, well read, knows-who-Foucault-is person’s diary, or Tumblr in song(s).

Talking Backwards | Real Estate
In Reverse | The War On Drugs
Brand New Colony | The Postal Service

They say less is more and minimalism practices that to the extreme — ambient, drone, noise, lo-fi and everything in between. It also gives the opportunity to represent love at its most unadulterated and raw. Here are the minimalist love songs that never fail to move us with just one sustained chord.

Holding | Grouper 
Love After Love | Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
Be Little With Me | Stars Of The Lid

Geeks and nerds deserve love too guys, don't let our inability to openly express ourselves and our crippling insecurity complex fool you! If we can't communicate with saccharine words, then let us express our love through odd time signatures, irregular rhythm structures and sharp guitar melodies. 

Love Unlimited | Enemies
The Ongoing Horrible | Maps & Atlases 
My Only Swerving | El Ten Eleven 

No club bangers here, we want to keep it chill and sexy smooth today. Have some deep bass beats and some baby-making vibes for a night to remember. Sometimes a happy February 14th becomes a happy November 14th!

Elegiac | Tom Day & Monsoonsiren 
Can't Do Without You | Caribou
Pieces | Bonobo

You might not think that dissonant growling vocals, heavily distorted guitar rhythms and blast beats can be agents of love but whoaaa mama you'll be surprised by the songs we're offering. When metal fans mosh today, there won't be walls of death… there will be walls of LOVE. 

Hyperdrive | Devin Townsend
Oblivion | Mastodon
Take My Bones Away | Baroness

The term emo comes from the word emotional. Why emotional? Because of love dammit. Lyrics of heartbreak and longing notwithstanding, the alternating screaming and singing vocals, the loud/fast instrumentations are all about waxing poetry and romantic notions really.

Fall Down, Never Get Back Up Again | La Dispute
Grim Heart/ Black Rose | Converge 
Rose of Sharon | Title Fight 

The most potent love songs in this playlist lies in this genre. Romancers, so much to learn from the lyrics of R&B songs. Yes, sweet might turn for the explicit sometimes but some love songs have to keep it real, no?

Really Love | D'Angelo
Hours | FKA twigs
Is It Love | Thundercat

Rappers are not known for their sensitivity but sometimes love is complex okay. Being overly mushy is not cool sometimes and 'bad boys' are a legit thing. Besides, if they rap about you even if they call you derogatory names, it means that they love you right? Uh huh, honey.

So Far To Go feat. Common & D'Angelo | J Dilla
Shame | Freddie Gibbs, Madlib
His & Her Fiend | Schoolboy Q, SZA

Everyone says jazz is the language of love. Which is quite true we say. Always keeping it classy, Jazz is the cool cat and smooth operator of all the genres. If yours is a serious, sophisticated love, choose jazz all the time. 

My Foolish Heart | Bill Evans Trio
Love Will Find A Way | Pharoah Sanders
Moonlight in Vermont | Billie Holiday