14 Songs for Your Long-Distance Valentine
You may be spending long periods of time apart due to career changes, college, travel, military deployment, or you might have unfortunately contracted COVID-19 and need to quarantine. Check out our playlist for your virtual romantic holiday.
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While Valentine’s Day is best spent with the person you love most, distance can often be a factor in those plans.
You may be spending long periods of time apart due to career changes, college, travel, military deployment, or you might have unfortunately contracted COVID-19 and need to quarantine. Regardless of how far the distance is, couples tend to feel both the emotional and physical impact of the separation the hardest often during this time of the year.
Here are the 14 songs – and not your routine playlist – for a Valentine’s Day spent apart.
“The Moon Song” by Karen O. and Ezra Koenig
“I’m lying on the moon/My dear, I’ll be there soon”
Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig joins Karen O. of The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s for a bittersweet melody about coming together with no definitive date. All we know of the couple is that they have each other, and one day their love will bring them to the same spot on the moon.
“All I need’s a fraction of your happy heart/All I need is you”
Maybe you and your love haven’t been to Moscow, but you won’t need to leave the house to appreciate the vibrant poppiness of London trio Autoheart. Listen to this for a boost in mood when those days of long distance seem to be getting you down.
“My Baby Just Cares for Me” by Nina Simone
It can be easy to think that your partner doesn’t care for you because they’re away from you, and many of us rely on seeing things to believe them when it comes to romance. If you and your partner are states away, on different time zones or just keep missing each other, queue up this classic from Nina Simone and let your heart (and your mind) be at peace.
“Lovely” by Lauren Babic and Jordan Radvansky
For a subtle rock cover of the Billie Eilish-Khalid megahit, listen to the hauntingly harmonious stylings of singer-music teacher Lauren Babic as she duets with musician Jordan Radvansky. The bittersweet poetic nature of the original song holds true while the revamped rock addition makes this an instant heart thumper.
“Glitter, in the dark/You got stuck to me like the sky and the stars”
Rafferty sparkles and shines through this vibrant take on alternative pop. Listening to it sets the mood of looking off at the sunset in the distance, wondering what your significant other might be doing. Take comfort in your connection (no matter how far apart you may be) with this song flowing through your headphones.
“Someday We’ll Be Together” by Diana Ross and The Supremes
“(Say, someday, we’ll be together) Some sweet day/I know, I know, I know, I know”
When it comes to vocal legends, Diana Ross sits at the top of the list. Her powerhouse performances led The Supremes to stardom, most notably with this soulfully sweet 1969 ballad. Appropriately, it offers hope and reassurance for all couples wishing to be together when they cannot.
“It’s just you and me now”
alt-J drops their latest album “The Dream” this month, but they released this electronic lo-fi style single last September. While the music and lyrics offer familiar comfort to the British trio’s fans, new listeners will thrive in the moody mixture of romance, lite rock and a kind of closeness that any couple can identify with.
“Rose of Sharon” by Mumford and Sons
Love has never been an easy street and distance can definitely be a driving factor in relationships. You want to be drawn together, not pulled apart, even when those inevitable arguments spring up. ‘Rose’ offers an odd form of comfort: yes, you will argue with your significant other, but you both know that you care for each other and things will eventually return to a better place. Listening to this can help get there sooner.
“home” by morgxn feat. Walk the Moon
“Take me back home/Where the blood runs through my soul/I can’t describe it, there’s nothing like it”
If you’re in a relationship where visits to your long-distance boo are very common (lucky you!), get ready to make this your anthem. morgxn is every bit of pop perfection as he hypes up the themes of home, happiness and finding comfort and love in those around you. You can stream the solo version or add some pep to the pop with fan favorites Walk the Moon.
“PORFA” by Feid and Justin Quiles
The normal nonstop thrills of Reggaeton aren’t present here, but the easy-listening beat of ‘PORFA’ mixed with the vibrant vocals of Feid and Justin Quiles makes this a song you can sit back and process everything with. Whether you speak Spanish, the theme of longing can be picked up on throughout the song and may even tug at your heartstrings if you’re missing someone far away.
“There’s nothing that I wouldn’t rather do/Just want to stay up all night with you”
Genre-transcendent superstar Beck has conquered just about every style of song you could imagine. His love songs, while few, are no different in power and pull. ‘Up’ offers a rush of rhythm, dance and subtle depth that can turn any downs in your LDR into ups.
“Happy Together” by Mark Ronson feat. King Princess
From Simple Plan to Weezer, there have been many, many covers of The Turtles’ 1967 classic. Master pop producer Mark Ronson brings in King Princess for an upbeat yet stripped back take on one of the most popular love songs of all-time. Even though the theme is about unrequited love, it works as an anthem for togetherness during times apart.
“Stay All Night” by The Black Keys
“Be here, babe, and hold me tight/And love me, girl, love me, babe”
Twangy love tunes are nothing out of the ordinary for this rock duo, and ‘Stay’ amplifies those feelings of longing, intimacy and being close after too long apart. It’s a begging, bluesy take that is best enjoyed when you have time to be with the one you love and can hold them tight.
“I always think about you/And I can’t live without you anymore”
In the past year, Michigander has played this song from coast-to-coast for fans, so it stands to say that this song works for those looking for silver linings on the dark clouds that currently hang over their relationship. Let’s be honest, no couple wants to be apart, but it’s songs like ‘Better’ that make the mood right and the qualms of being LDR shrink.
The last song on this playlist also comes with the most appropriate album name, “Everything Will Be Ok Eventually.” And no matter how long you and your significant other have been together (and in this case, apart), it’s true.