14 Indie and Rock Songs About Love, Infatuation, and Worship – Happy Valentine’s Day!

So, today is Valentine’s Day . If you’re dating someone, in a relationship, or foolishly married, then do we have some songs for you! When you’re in love, sometimes hearing the right song at the right moment makes you feel unbelievably good. But when you’re NOT in love, it’s like a punch in the stomach, so my apologies if your stomach is sore right now.

Love is, without a doubt, the most common theme in music lyrics. Love is something pretty much everyone but that god damn bitch ex-girlfriend of mine can relate to. Love inspires musical creation, and the ensuing breakup can lead to songs that inspire the opposite, as witnessed by yesterday’s Anti-Valentine’s Day Depressing Songs list.

We tried to go with newer songs, not necessarily classics, and songs that might not jump out at you at first. Otherwise, we’d have a billion songs from the 1960s, and a million songs from the Beatles alone. Indie and rock songs are the primary targets here, but we threw in a few from the peace loving 60s, despite our contradictory rant above.

The list is below, and the first song in the 14-track YouTube playlist is embedded. You can skip ahead if you don’t like the song (or skip back and listen to it again, since you’re SO in love). Since Valentine’s Day is on the 14th, we have chosen 14 songs, because we’re lame like that. They are listed below, in no particular order, because love is chaotic and disorderly…or something deep and profound like that.

Love/Infatuation/Worship Songs

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps: Rumoured to be a love letter from singer Karen O to Liars’ Angus Andrews, discussing how both bands’ constant touring might drive them apart.

Florence + the Machine – Cosmic Love: Brilliant song by Florence, who crafts a tale of love that is hopefully returned.

The Flaming Lips – Do You Realize?: The lyrics might look average when written down, but the delivery brings a lot of emotion to the song.

The Knife – Heartbeats: Is it a deep love song, or a reference to drugs? It’s on this list, so you know what we think.

Nirvana – Heart Shaped Box: “I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black” could only sound remotely “romantic” coming out of Kurt Cobain’s mouth.

U2 – With or Without You: The dichotomy of love. Also, look how YOUNG Bono looks in the video!

The Beatles – And I Love Her: Hard to pick one of the hundred Beatles songs about love, but this is a great one.

Oasis – Wonderwall: Perhaps guilty of wishy washy, meaningless lyrics, but tell that to the generation who grew up adoring this song.

Radiohead – True Love Waits: A man who will wait for his love, as long as she doesn’t leave him.

The Postal Service – Such Great Heights: Great use of imagery from the Death Cab for Cutie front man.

Rolling Stones – Wild Horses: Another oldie, but a goodie. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from a lot of things, like a nice steak dinner.

311 – Love Song: A cover of the Cure, but I love the 311 version, so it makes the list.

Great Lake Swimmers – Your Rocky Spine: Is this song about discovering a woman’s body, or the Canadian landscape?!

Magnetic Fields – The Book of Love: Great opening first lines, which I will just copy because I’m lazy and any interpretation will be worse than that actual words. “The book of love is long and boring; No one can lift the damn thing; It’s full of charts and facts and figures; And instructions for dancing; But I, I love it when you read to me; And you, you can read me anything.”

What songs get you excited and make you think of the love of your life (or the person you want to be the love of your life, whether they like it or not)? Let us know in the comments section, on Twitter @PeteHatesMusic, or on Facebook on the PeteHatesMusic page. Follow and Like PeteHatesMusic for all the silliest best lists and best new indie and rock music. and for the best cat videos!

14 Songs About Love, Infatuation, and Worship