True yearners know there is no rest for the romantic, and never a bad time to discover new music that gets you in your feelings and keeps you there. But it's hard to narrow down the best love songs of the year. Let's just say 2024 has been interesting! So many songs got our hearts beating. You never know what lyric is going to be dominating. So maybe the Joker sequel didn't have the twisted Lady Gaga love song of my dreams. (Joaquin Phoenix's cover of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," one of my favorite classic romantic ballads, was surprisingly pretty good. But other than that... not so much.) Oh well! There are plenty of other choices.
The new releases we added to our mushiest playlist this year came from romantics like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift (no big deal!!!), Hozier, Maggie Rogers, Chappell Roan, James Arthur, Suki Waterhouse, and Green Day. Here are the best new love songs of 2024.
"I'm Not That Girl" sung by Cynthis Erivo in Wicked
The movie musical breathed new life into one of Broadway's most devastating songs about having a crush on someone you're 99 percent sure doesn't have a crush on you back. (And even if Fiyero did feel the same way, he happens to be dating Elphaba's BFF.) Thank you, Cynthia Erivo!
Most romantic lyric: Every so often we long to steal to the land of what might've been. But that doesn't soften the ache we feel when reality sets back in.
"Die With A Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
Two very romantic artists with one very romantic collab.
Most romantic lyric: Wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow. So I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. Like it's the last night.
"Too Sweet" by Hozier
Everyone's favorite Irish yearner is back. How does he even make a song about two people with drastically different lifestyles, who maybe shouldn't even be together, sound so romantic?
Most romantic lyric: I think I'll take my whiskey neat. My coffee black and my bed at three. You're too sweet for me.
"You Look Like You Love Me" by Ella Langley feat. Riley Green
This is a duet about shooting your shot, and we couldn't be more here for it. Langley's old school voice is perfect, too.
Most romantic lyric: You look like you want me to want you to come on home.
"Beautiful Things" by Benson Boone
Even when you're happy and in love, you tend to worry that it might all be gone the next day. We can't help ourselves! That's the feeling that Benson Boone captures in this song.
Most romantic lyric: Oh God don't take these beautiful things that I've got
"Sailor Song" by Gigi Perez
Oooh, this song is not only passionate and romantic. It is very horny for an acoustic singer-songwriter. More of that, please!
Most romantic lyric: And we can run away to the walls inside your house. I can be the cat, baby, you can be the mouse. And we can laugh off things that we know nothing about. We can go forever until you wanna sit it out.
"4x4xU" by Laney Wilson
Trucks! Driving metaphors! Ah, the sweeping Americana of a country love song. This is exactly the kind of love song you want to belt out in the car.
Most romantic lyrics: Boy, after a long day. You know there ain't no wrong way to drive my crazy crazy in a 4x4 by you.
"Diet Pepsi" by Addison Rae
As a Coca Cola loyalist, it brings me no pleasure to announce that this song about young lust (her words, not mine) is a banger.
Most romantic lyric: I write my name with lipstick on your chest. I leave a mark so you know I'm the best.
"STUPID IN LOVE" by MAX feat. Huh Yunjin
Nothing feels better than a song about whirlwind bad decisions fueled by the power of love. Just, uhh, remember fun little fact that I learned from the 2024 film Anora. If you do get married in Vegas, make sure you have the means to travel because if you break up you also have to get annulled in Vegas.
Most romantic lyric: Tell me right now, before we come down. Can we make it work, baby? Let's find out!
"Made for Me" by Muni Long
Not only is this song the origin of "twin, where have you been" meme, it's a lovely love song that's so romantic from the very first line to the chorus and beyond. Welcome back, '90s R&B.
Most romantic lyric: The smell of your perfume. I thought I was immune.
“Don’t Forget Me” by Maggie Rogers
This song is such a good depiction of what it's like to want love, but not necessarily commitment in a traditional sense – especially when your friends in committed relationships don't really seem to be in love.
Most romantic lyric: So close the door and change the channel. Give me something I can handle. A good lover or someone that's nice to me.
"II Most Wanted" by Beyoncé & Miley Cyrus
This is my favorite love song of the year. Some people think this song is about a platonic friendship. Others think it's about a ride or die, later in life romantic relationship. Either interpretation works fine, IMHO! I'm sighing "me and who" regardless.
Most romantic lyric: And I'll be your backseat baby drivin' you crazy anytime you like, whoa, I'll be your shotgun rider 'til the day I, 'til the day I die
"Good Luck Babe!" by Chappell Roan
What I love about this song is that she's trying to damn this person. She's trying to tell them they're going to regret their choices. She wants her to know they were wrong to deny what they had. But even in doing so, she romanticizes those particularly infuriating one-sided relationships.
Most romantic lyric: You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
"BIRDS OF A FEATHER" by Billie Eilish
Any song featured in a Heartstopper trailer is romantic AF.
Most romantic lyric: I knew you in another life. You had that same look in your eyes. I love you, don't act so surprised.
"Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter
Sometimes you gotta love being loved! Coffee shops didn't really know what it meant when they wrote it on their little chalkboards, but we sang it all summer anyway.
Most romantic lyric: Say you can't sleep, baby, I know. That's that me espresso.
"I think about it all the time" by Charli xcx
Communication is not only key in a relationship, it's can be very romantic! Like when you visit friends who have become new parents and decide to talk about whether or not you and your partner want to have kids of your own. It's not the stuff of fairy tales, but these kinds of moments are what love really is.
Most romantic lyric: And they're exactly the same, but they're different now. And I'm so scared I'm missin' out on something. So, we had a conversation on the way home.
"fortnight" by Taylor Swift
Remember when we thought this album was gonna be about one thing, and then it was kind of mostly not? Proves that despite all the clues and Easter eggs you never truly know a person. The first single off of The Tortured Poets Department is a tragic love song and break-up song rolled into one because it's about an intense, albeit fleeting, romantic affair.
Most romantic lyric: I love you. It's ruining my life.
"we can't by friends" by Ariana Grande
The video for the song, at least, is a take on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (the album title is "eternal sunshine" after all), a very romantic movie. Just the phrase "we can't be friends" means two very different things when you're talking about romantic relationships. You only say that when you're about to get with someone or just breaking up with someone... right?
Most romantic lyric: I'd like to just pretend you cling to your papers and pens wait until you like me again
"Happy for You" by Dua Lipa
I know I've put a lot of sad songs on here, but this blew me away. Realizing that you're happy for someone you love and want to be with because they're happy with someone else is a weird, intense, scary feeling. It takes you by surprise.
Most romantic lyric: I must've loved you more than I ever knew
"Bobby Sox" by Green Day
Was nobody going to tell me that Green Day's new album has a song about kissing boys and girls? It's as sugar-sweet as an episode of Heartstopper (that's a compliment) and I kinda love it.
Most romantic lyric: You can drive me crazy all over again, and I'll bore you to death. It doesn't matter when we are in love.
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