Ah, modern love. Long gone are the delicate romanticisms of ye courtships of olde, replaced with a shockingly complex system of digital signals–both literal and figurative–to express your feelings for someone in the 21st century. Imagine how horrified the farmers of centuries past would be if they knew what eggplant emojis were being used for in 2015…anyway, the point is romance is difficult. Thankfully, your pals at idobi are here to help. Are you ready to take that crucial next step and slide into your future babe bae #bae’s DMs this Valentine’s Day? Here are ten songs you should consider using.
Bleachers – Wake Me
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhOLY14nXJ0
In a world where romance has dissolved into thirsty double-texting and booty calls, surprise your crush this year with a modern, yet classy, ballad by pop aficionado Jack Antonoff. With its sunny surfer riffs and well-timed palm mutes, “Wake Me” is sweet, simple, straight to the point, and just plain adorable. And there’s no need to be nervous because Antonoff’s lyrics sung in his soothing lower range will take care of all the work for you. The line “And I’d rather be sad with you / Than anywhere away from you” is guaranteed to seduce your fellow emo soulmate, while “If you’re lonely wake me” is the perfect pickup line to drop in their DMs since everybody knows teenagers don’t sleep and just spend all their time awake on the internet. (Catherine Yi)
Candy Hearts – I Miss You
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CIWlHMsF3g
The exhilaration of having a brand new crush couldn’t be better documented than with Candy Hearts’ “I Miss You”. Adorable pop riffs and a chorus that’ll have you hooked harder than nicotine will understand your minor obsession with your cute person of choice from beginning to end. From the moment your crush begins, you’ll find solace in Mariel Loveland’s lovestruck lyrics. Scream out, “I wanna spend forever hanging out with you,” while stalking every Facebook photo ever posted by the person who caught your eye, then switch over to their Instagram feed while hitting replay and relating deeply to the tale of sleep deprivation. Who knows, maybe you’ll even work up the courage to post some of the lyrics on your own social networks, hoping desperately to get the only “like” that matters. Or maybe you’ll make a big move and surrender to them a box of candy hearts, along with your very real one. (Emillie Marvel)
Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iV_1ESMHaI
You’ve always wanted to serenade that certain special someone with an acoustic guitar in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other, coupled with a voice that’s as sweet as chocolate. Honestly, trying to serenade someone when you’ve spent hours scrolling through their Instagram is terrifying. But hey, here’s the next best thing: sending them this song followed by plenty of flower emojis (which basically are the internet equivalent of a bouquet, right?). Anyways, let’s face it, Ben Gibbard is probably the only person out there who can sing, “I’ll follow you into the dark,” without sounding over-the-top creepy. His voice weaving through a simple guitar melody isn’t a dramatic proclamation of love by any means, but rather, a promise that goes farther than any “till death do us part” vow. So this year, leave the serenading part to Death Cab For Cutie–they’ve got you covered, and you won’t have to worry about suddenly forgetting all the guitar chords mid-song. (Emily Yee)
Farpoint – Satellite
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbGAYzrDD-o
21st century romance isn’t all love letters and dates at the diner–sometimes it’s as simple as waiting for your crush to pop up as “online” on Facebook chat. While you sit, impatiently waiting for them to message you first, you’ve got the lovestruck lyrics of Farpoint’s “Satellite” to keep you company, justifying the sleepless nights you spend scrolling through their Instagram profile (just don’t go double tapping that super cute selfie from two years ago–#mortified). This song is completely adorable in a “math love” kinda way, perfectly understanding how you feel every time you catch that special someone’s eye–nerdy, awkward, and hopelessly infatuated. Mixing poetic lines like “Wish it was you and me under these stars” with the plain reality of “I still feel complete when your name comes up on my screen”, Farpoint plays Cupid and puts a modern twist on a classic case of puppy love, right down to the screens separating you from your valentine. The animated guitars and sparkly, computerized synths lift you up higher than your spirits when that status light flicks green, and the drums are (almost) as fast as your heartbeat. Who said romance is dead? (Alex Bear)
The Front Bottoms – Peach
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSLGNwGynUs
“You are my peach. You are my plum. You are my Earth. You are my sun. I love your fingers, I love your toes; the back of your head, the tip of your nose.” …I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear those sticky-sweet words or see them pop up in a DM, am I right? With lyrics infinitely better than any Valentine’s Day card I’ve ever received, “Peach” is one of those kinds of songs that may initially get overlooked on an album, but once you discover them, you can’t shake them. A hidden gem, if you will. And this particular track, found on The Front Bottoms’ Talon of the Hawk, is definitely a sparkly little diamond you’ll want to give your crush on V-Day. Starting off with guitar strums reminiscent of junior high days and old-school Relient K tunes, “Peach” will help you jump right into the nitty gritty of letting your crush know how you feel. But with nods to blood and a hint of violence, keep in mind the song is also a bit on the risqué side. We’ll just leave these lines right here: “Once I sink my teeth, your skin’s not so tough / I’ll leave a tiny cut, there’ll be a lot of blood / But once you wipe it up, you will feel better about our entire situation.” Disclaimer: use this song at your own risk. (Alyson Stokes)
iamdavidcook – Perfect or Something
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtwxoNJA1S0
When it comes to talking to a crush, I never know what to say. But this Valentine’s Day, David Cook has me covered. This talented lyricist has a way of saying all the things at the tip of my tongue, only so much more eloquently. He starts the song with the phrase we’ve all thought before: “There’s just something about you.” Then he decorates his verses like one might decorate an elementary school Valentine box, with a slew of metaphors comparing someone special to a warm summer night (how Shakespearean!) and eyes like peach sunsets. He even sings, “I just saw a face that could send men to war”, giving the subject of this song some goddess-level praise. But above all, it’s the title that says everything I can’t. In the chorus, Cook brings the title to light with the lyric, “You’re perfect, or something, and that’s all I’m looking for.” Now that’s a line you could slap on a Valentine’s card. (Hannah Pierangelo)
The Maine – I Must Be Dreaming
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkAuenhriuE
If there’s a better way to express your affections for someone than comparing that person to a dream, I don’t know what it could be. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop-era The Maine seem to agree with me. With lines like “She watches the sun, but she’s the only one I have my eyes on” and “Pretty’s just part of the things she does that amaze me”, John O’Callaghan paints a picture of a girl so perfect, she must only exist in his dreams. It’s a song that doesn’t skip around the subject, directly asking the object of affection for reciprocation and assuring them that it’s the best decision they can make: “Tell me that you love me and it’ll be alright.” Maybe it comes across as a little over-confident, but is confidence really a bad thing in this situation? At least your crush can’t accuse you of being coy or vague; you’re putting your intentions on the table and it’s up to them to realize that they need you just as much as you need them. (Sam Devotta)
Paramore – Still Into You
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OblL026SvD4
There is arguably no cuter song to share with your long-term crush than the saccharine-sweet “Still Into You” by Paramore. Once you’ve had ~the feels~ for someone for long enough, there’s no sense dancing around it (unless you’re talking about the kind of dancing that Hayley Williams does in the music video)–you’ve gotta just tell them straight up, and what better way to do that than with the sincerity of a lyric like “I should be over all the butterflies, but I’m into you”? If you’re ready to let your future partner-in-crime know that your feelings are real while still keeping things cute and catchy, this is the perfect song for the job. Careful, though–since Williams and her man Chad Gilbert (who “Still Into You” was written for) just got engaged, make sure your crush doesn’t get the wrong idea about what you’re looking for. (Eleanor Grace)
A Rocket To The Moon – Baby Blue Eyes
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2tRQSAeTsA
With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s time to get ready for the ooey gooey and the lovey dovey. Now the epitome of the cute songs to pay attention to this time of year is “Baby Blue Eyes” by A Rocket To The Moon. Here’s a tune to make all the light-eyed ladies swoon. Nick Santino and his acoustic guitar sing about falling in love with “her baby blue eyes”, pointing out all the little things he loves about this girl. It’s cute, it’s cuddly, and it’s the perfect song for this Valentine’s Day. (Jenna Cafora)
The Summer Set – Mona Lisa
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6EXcn3Adb4
What person wouldn’t want to be told that they shined brighter than the moon or were more beautiful than the Taj Mahal? Comparing someone to the wonders of the world is quite a hefty compliment, but the charming devils in The Summer Set take it a step further in “Mona Lisa”. In this song, TSS claim their crush is even more magnificent than any “wonder of the world” and drop lines that are sure to dazzle the hopeless romantic in all of us. The slow acoustic guitar behind Brian Dales’ husky vocals sets a tender, affectionate tone, and the slightly cheesy yet smooth lyrics make it the perfect song to boost your Valentine’s Day spirit. “Mona Lisa” is the perfect combination of sentimental and sickeningly-sweet, and it’s sure to help you sweep your crush off their feet. (Danielle DeSisto)
