Many folks enjoy listening to music while they read. Sometimes you want to curl up with your book and be serenaded by Dodie or Billie Eilish as your fictional couple falls deeply in love. That’s why I’ve come up with a list of 21 songs to put you in a lovey-dovey mood. I’ve gathered these songs to match 3 typical romance stages: Falling in Love, the Problem Phase, and Settled Love.
Falling In Love
1. Intermezzo by Pietro Mascagni
2. Air by Johann Sebastian Bach
3. Air So Sweet by dodie
4. Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish
5. Apple Pie by Lizzy McAlpine
6. we fell in love in october by girl in red
7. Love You for a Long Time by Maggie Rogers
This stage encapsulates the hopeful crushing, adorable meet-cutes, and sweet honeymoon phase of a relationship. It’s such a wonderful period; there are butterflies in your stomach and you can’t stop thinking about a certain someone.
The playlist for this stage begins with two instrumental songs — because of course there should be violins playing when your characters become smitten with each other. Next, three soft melodies capture the intense emotion of falling in love (with the slight fear of vulnerability). Lastly, we have two upbeat songs that explore the joy of love head-on. This part is perfect for the stage of a romance novel where the main character falls hopelessly in love with the love interest.
Problem Phase
1. Grow As We Go by Ben Platt
2. Kaleidoscope by Chappell Roan
3. Probably by Hippo Campus
4. Glimpse of Us by Joji
5. The Night We Met by Lord Huron
6. Be Seeing You by Soccer Mommy
7. Such a Simple Thing by Ray LaMontagne
In any romance novel, there are bound to be problems. From breakups, unrequited love, or being friend-zoned, this section doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. This part of the tracklist explores a typical heartbreak timeline that I’m sure many of us have read about or experienced.
The first and second tracks follow a lover who tries to convince their partner to stay with them but ultimately fails. In track three, the lover laments about their ex doing the same things with others as they did with them. Track four is like a response to this statement; the ex is the focus of the song, having glimpses of their old lover as they’re doing the same things with their new lover. The last few tracks express the all-too-common heartbreak of wanting someone back — which is quickly followed by the reminder of how bad they were hurt.
Settled Love
1. Baby I’m Yours by Artic Monkeys
2. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran
3. Nothing by Bruno Major
4. By My Side by The Paper Kites
5. Renee’s Song by Bazzi
6. The Girl by City and Colour
7. Do You Remember by Jack Johnson
Settled love is a beautiful time where you feel safe and comfortable with your partner. Maybe an engagement or marriage happens, but what’s most important is enjoying the little things together. Romance novels often tackle this topic at the very end of the book, when everything is resolved and the characters can be happy.
Baby I’m Yours and Thinking Out Loud are perfect to begin this section; they tell of commitment and imagining a future with someone. The next couple songs explore themes of simple pleasures, companionship, and the excitement of watching the cards of your life unfold. The Girl describes the hard (yet rewarding) work that is required to maintain a long-term partnership. The last song of the playlist, aptly, is a sweet story about someone having nostalgia for the beginning of their long term relationship.
Regardless of the romance novel you’re reading, I guarantee one — if not all — of these songs will apply. I hope you loved this list and maybe even found a new artist or song! If you want to access the full Spotify playlist, you can here. Happy reading!
Want more playlists? Try out this one for ACOTAR.
If you need a great book to pair with these songs, you can check out our romance bookshelf.
