Dear Reader,

If you are with a partner or simply alone, just know that there will be NO EXCLUSIVITY today. It is Valentine’s Day! Couples, do not overtly display yourselves to the single people. To all the singles, let us try to be less bitter and a bit more chipper. In order to achieve this middle, the best way to combine both audiences is through music.

1. The Way You Look Tonight -- Frank Sinatra

If you have slipped into something comfortable, GOOD! This is the first step to treating yourself to this day of love. Might I say, I agree with Mr. Sinatra when I say, “I love the way you look tonight.” Starting with Mr. Sinatra means that we are going to journey back to a time where the word “love” meant something deeper than it does now. Enjoy the serenading while you can, because both you and I know “Old is Gold.”

2. I’d Love You to Want Me -- Lobo

If you do not feel as loved tonight, just know that Lobo is completely “Head Over Heels” in love with you. This is one of those songs that will leave weak-kneed and mushy. Thanks Lobo; you definitely proven yourself to be the love guru.

3. I Will Always Love You -- Whitney Houston

Now, we transition into some true feminine magic with the powerhouse herself, Whitney Houston. While she keeps telling us she will always love us, we know that we will love her more. This Valentine’s Day, her voice especially in this song will not be forgotten.

4. She’s Always a Woman -- Billy Joel

We know Billy Joel for his especially heartfelt songs, and this is no different. Most of the time artists sing about the grandeur that comes with love or being in love, but Joel sings about the beauty in simplicity. He reminds us that, though love is quite a gesture, it begins with a very simple thought.

5. Love Story -- Taylor Swift

Ms. Swift has always graced us with her love life through her music. On Valentine’s Day, the nostalgia continues with one of her earlier works. This adaptation of Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet", will definitely make you fall in love with something real or imaginative.

6. Halo -- Beyonce

If Shakespeare is not enough for you, be prepared to transport yourself beyond with Earth to something more angelic with “Halo.” No, not the video game.

The queen herself has not only well informed us about self-love, but she has also taught us to love others. We have heard countless times that love transcends beyond anything and that it wins all of the time. In this song, you can finally feel its holy power.

7. Love Me Now -- John Legend

On that note, we know that Mr. Legend knows how to both love and expect it in his new song “Love Me Now.” You can think of it as a sequel to “All of Me”, but both his video concept and his music’s inherent intentions convey that we must have love for both our close loved ones and those who are distant.

8. Love Myself -- Hailee Steinfeld

Before we can start loving others, we have to love ourselves first. Hailee Steinfeld teaches us to love ourselves also, which is why I recommended you to wear something comfortable and to bake a cake. That cake is not for anyone but you, because loving yourself is the first part about embracing Valentine’s Day.

9. In Common -- Alicia Keys

We are slowly gearing back to accepting others in addition to ourselves with Alicia Keys wonderful tribute to humankind. The beginning of 2017 was quite a transition, and we must not forget that you and I are the same. The color of our skin, sex, and religion defines only one part. Buried deep within all of us lies the most commonalities. How do you fall in love? The healthiest way to fall in love is when you first find common ground.

10. Bleeding Love -- Leona Lewis

While love is beautiful, we know that in reality it hurts. When we feel that pain, it overcomes us, but that is when you feel closer to its power. Love can hurt, it can laugh, and as Leona Lewis describes it, it can definitely make you bleed.

11. Love The Way You Lie -- Eminem ft. Rihanna

Passion comes in different forms. Some seemingly normal, others more toxic. At the end of the day, the intensity of you love does not make it more powerful; it just makes it more intimate. Love is a concept that can be added within various contexts, yet it remains the same. If you decide to rap about it like Eminem did, it should still pull on your heartstrings just the same.

12. Stay -- Rihanna Ft. Mikky Ekko

Distance makes the heart grow stronger? It could; then again, it depends on the relationship. Rihanna narrates the struggles of love when you are not with it. On the contrary, if you are not feeling “it” in the first place, then FORGET ABOUT IT. Just enjoy the song because it sounds nice.

13. Wings -- Birdy

As we begin to wrap us the nostalgia, we can creep into the memories that may led us to feel love. Birdy sings about a past love and the intense experiences with it. It can provide wings and liberate just as much as it can restrain you. The effects of it are surreal, and Birdy provides exactly that imagery.

14. Love Song -- Sara Bareilles

Let us finish of with some irony, shall we? Sara Bareilles writes a love song about not writing a love song. While her intentions are contradictory, there seems to be a charm in her musical portrayal. Let us all be blessed with “love”, because I can tell you that it is at times just as contradictory as her song.

We have reached the dénouement of our Valentine’s Day journey. You and I know that love is boundless, toxic, passionate, funny, contradictory and of course LOVE-ly. Especially in the years moving forward, let us continue to evoke love to those around us. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Love,

Yours Truly

P.S. Here is a Spotify playlist for you all. There are countless love songs, but here is a start.