Valentine’s Day & The Soundtrack of Love: A Romantic New Wave Playlist

Valentine’s Day is for romance. But not just the kind of romance that belongs in love letters or candlelit dinners. Beyond eros—the passionate, romantic kind of love that gets plenty of attention—there’s also a way of seeing the world through love’s lens. It’s about embracing life with a lingering, longing, soft-focus gaze, rather than the cold, clinical logic of business sense.

Love doesn’t always make sense. It doesn’t have to. That’s not its job.

Instead, love’s role is to help us see the best in one another, to pull excitement and passion from the depths of the everyday—even when it feels irrational.

Love is a Choice

So much of love and romance is a choice.

It’s putting on a slow jam and slow dancing with the lights low, even when things feel difficult, scary, or painful. It’s choosing to dress up, feel good, and smell incredible, even when the world seems harsh.

And if there’s one thing Hollywood has made abundantly clear, it’s this: music has the power to shape reality.

Put the sparkling synthpop fizz of Duran Duran or The Thompson Twins behind a scene, and suddenly it’s drenched in the optimism and excitement of young love. But swap in Sarah McLachlan’s In the Arms of the Angel, and you’re bracing for heartbreak—preparing for impact.

The Ultimate ‘80s Valentine’s Day Playlist

This Valentine’s Day, we’ve curated a playlist of romantic ’80s songs to reclaim some glamor, passion, and enthusiasm for the future—even when love feels impossible.

From the dreamy surrealism of The Cure’s Just Like Heaven to the flirtatious fun of Duran Duran’s Hungry Like The Wolf, these tracks set the perfect tone for romance in all its forms.

• Melancholy longing: The Stone Roses – I Wanna Be Adored

• Euphoric devotion: Madonna – Like A Prayer

• A heartbroken plea: Real Life – Send Me An Angel

• Futuristic romance: A Flock of Seagulls – Space Age Love Song

• Weightless passion: Thomas Dolby – Weightless

• Unapologetic desire: Blondie – Call Me

• Instant nostalgia: Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time

Whether you’re celebrating love that’s new, old, or purely aspirational, these songs capture the essence of romance—its joy, its heartbreak, and its undeniable magic.

Press Play & Fall in Love

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about relationships. It’s about embracing a romantic way of living—one filled with music, movement, and meaning. So, put on that perfect outfit, press play on our ‘80s love songs playlist, and let the music write your love story.