Romantic Songs Playlist for Valentine's Day 2025

This time around, I was able to create this Romantic Songs Playlist 2025 from heartfelt tunes released in the past year. Give a listen on Spotify here .

As always, you can visit my posts from the past for more inspiration: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017,2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012. 

1. "Angels" – Mondo Cozmo
2. "Still Can't Believe" – Dr. Dog

3. "April" – Local Natives

4. "Colorful State" – Kashi Bashi

5. "In Front of Me Now" – Nada Surf

6. "Maybe We're Alright" – Guster

7. "Bright Spot II" – Blue Canopy, A Beacon School

8. "Duet" – Jon Hopkins

9. "Alone" – Maps

10. "Long as I'm Not the One" – Grandaddy

11. "Docket" – Blondshell, Bully

12. "One of a Kind" – The Heavy Heavy

13. "All a Mystery" – Phantogram

14. "Say You Love Me" – Wilco

15. "Dreamweavers" – trentmøller, DiSA

16. "Let Your Heart Fill Up" – Jerome Blazé

17. "Come Find Me" – Caribou

Top 20+ Songs of 2024

  Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "It's Over, If We Run Out of Love" – David Holmes, Raven Violet
2. "Talk is Cheap" – Dr. Dog

3. "Coming of Age" – Van Houten

4. "Make it Happen" – Wonder 45

5. "Alone" – Maps

6. "Let Your Heart Fill Up" – Jerome Blazé

7. "Angels" – Mondo Cozmo

8. "Bright Spot II" – Blue Canopy, A Beacon School

9. "One of a Kind" – The Heavy Heavy

10. "Consciousness Felt" – Tycho

11. "Strange World" – La Luz

12. "Apparition" – Quivers

13. "Nearly Daffodils" – English Teacher

14. "All a Mystery" – Phantogram

15. "Come Find Me" – Caribou

16. "Maybe We're Alright" – Guster

17. "The Hardest Part" – Washed Out

18. "Cherry Pie" – Fazerdaze

19. "Say You Love Me" – Wilco

20. "Together Forever" – STRFKR

21. "Alone" – The Cure

Summer 2024 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "The Hardest Part" – Washed Out

2. "Strange World" – La Luz

3. "Angels" – Mondo Cozmo

4. "Still Can't Believe" – Dr. Dog

5. "April" – Local Natives

6. "Hello" – Girl on Girl

7. "Colorful State" – Kishi Bashi

8. "Make it Happen" – Wonder 45

9. "In Front of Me Now" – Nada Surf

10. "Apparition" – Quivers

11. "Maybe We're Alright" – Guster

12. "So Lo" – Pond

13. "Docket" – Blondshell, Bully

14. "Nearly Daffodils" – English Teacher

15. "Forever" – Hovvdy

16. "Bright Spot" – Blue Canopy, A Beacon School

17. "Duet" – Jon Hopkins

Romantic Songs Playlist for Valentine's Day 2024

So this year, I was able to create the entire Romantic Songs Playlist 2024 from heartfelt tunes released in the past year and a half (still not bad?) Give a listen on Spotify here.  

As always, you can visit my posts from the past for more inspiration: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017,2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012. And check out everything listed together here!

1. "Sole Obsession" – Nation of Language
2. "Slugs of Love" – Little Dragon

3. "No More Lies" – Thundercat, Tame Impala

4. "Ordinary Love" – Roosevelt

5. "Three Drums" – Four Tet

6. "Each Night" – Poolside, Mazy

7. "Potion" – A Beacon School

8. "Always/Never" – STRFKR

9. "kisses" – Slowdive

10. "Days Go By" – SBTRKT, Toro y Moi

11. "Coming of Age" – Van Houten

12. "Is This Love" – James

13. "It's Over, If We Run Out of Love" – David Holmes, Raven Violet

14. "I Would if I Could" – Daniel Avery

15. "Future Falling" – The Album Leaf

Top 20+ Songs of 2023

My picks for top songs released in 2023 – in no particular order and no Spotify algorithms involved! Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Oceans Niagra" – M83

2. "From the Hill" – Nation of Language

3. "Goodbye to Music" – Flyying Colours

4. "The Fringe" – Cheekface

5. "Build a Bridge" – Deeper

6. "Wrong Side" – Tourist Activities

7. "My Love is Like" – Maps

8. "Back 2 It' – Teen Daze

9. "The Narcissist" – Blur

10. "Odyssey" – Beck, Phoenix

11. "Tropic Morning News" – The National

12. "Echolalia" – Yves Tumor

13. "Three Drums" – Four Tet

14. "Night Fell" – Hibou

15. "KITM" – The Beacon School

16. "Days Go By" – SBTRT, Toro y Moi

17. "Always/Never" – STRFKR

18. "Live Again" featuring Halo Maud – The Chemical Brothers

19. "Enjoy Your Life" – Flamingosis

20. "The World's Biggest Paving Slab" – English Teacher

21. "Each Night" – Poolside, Mazy

22. "Cousin" – Wilco

23. "prayer remembered" – Slowdive

24. "Blóòberg" – Sigur Rós

Fall 2023 New Music Playlist

 Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Journey to the Real World" – Tame Impala

2. "Soul Capturer" – Animal Collective

3. "My Big Day" – Bombay Bicycle Club

4. "NYC" – Local Natives

5. "Space Invader" – The National

6. "KITM" – A Beacon School

7. "Palms"– Teen Daze

8. "Build a Bridge" – Deeper

9. "Always/Never" – STRFKR

10. "Each Night" – Poolside, Mazy

11. "The World's Biggest Paving Slab" – English Teacher

12. "The Tower" – Future Islands

13. "Headlights On" – Wild Nothing, Hatchie

14. "Another Side" – Woods

15. "Cousin" – Wilco

16. "prayer remembered" – Slowdive

Summer 2023 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Three Drums" – Four Tet

2. "Odyssey" – Beck, Phoenix

3. "The Narcissist" – Blur

4. "Doomscrollers" – Quasi

5. "No More Lies" – Thundercat, Tame Impala

6.  "DAYS GO BY" – SBTRKT, Toro y Moi

7. "Slugs of Love" – Little Dragon

8. "Little Bit Of Sun" – Semisonic

9. "Potion' – A Beacon School

10. "Ordinary Love" – Roosevelt

11. "Repeat (If You Remind Me)" – Wye Oak

12. "Psychos" – Jenny Lewis

13. "Live Again (featuring Halo Maud)" – The Chemical Brothers

14. "Rainy Summer" – Teen Dave

15. "Become" – Beach House

16. "Blóoberg" – Sigur Rós

Top 20+ Songs of 2022

No algorithm involved and not in any order beyond setting up a nice sequence per usual. Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "It's Good to be Back"  –  Metronomy
2. "In Need of Repair"  –  Band of Horses

3. "California Sunset" (Instrumental Version) – Poolside

4. "Here to Forever" – Death Cab for Cutie

5. "This House is on Fire" – Broken Social Scene

6. "New Summers" – De Lux

7. "Who Put You Up to This?" – Sunflower Bean

8. "Clavicle" – Daphni

9. "Fuzz Jam" – The Lazy Eyes

10. "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" – Yeah Yeahs Yeahs, Perfume Genius

11. "Your Other Life" – Lord Huron

12. "Island Hopping" – Monster Rally

13. "Your Love" – Tourist

14. "Everything is Simple" – Widowspeak

15. "The Lightning I" – Arcade Fire

16. "The Lightning II" – Arcade Fire

17. "Dot" – A Beacon School

18. "We're Not in Orbit Yet" – Broken Bells

19. "Wild" – Spoon

20. "Superstar" – Beach House

21. "Light of Day" – ODESZA, Ólafur Arnalds

22. "Darklands" – trentemøller

23. "Lights Out" – Yrstruly poluto, DIIIV, Crooked Colours

24. "We Need a Bigger Dumpster" – Cheekface

Spring 2022 New Music Playlist

 Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "The Lightning II" – Arcade Fire
2. "King of Sweden" – Future Islands
3. "What, Me Worry?" – Portugal. The Man

4. "Who Put You Up To This?" – Sunflower Bean

5. "Only You Know" – Beach House

6. "The Mainline Song" – Spiritualized

7. "Magazine" – Toro y Moi, Salami Rose, Joe Louis

8. "It Just Goes On" – Flock of Dimes

9. "Ransom" – Pete Yorn 

10. "Call Me Home" – SASAMI

11. "Fuzz Jam" – The Lazy Eyes

12. "Dot" – A Beacon School

13. "Darklands" – trentemøller

14. "The Last One" – Daniel Rossen

15. "Skrting on the Surface" – The Smile

16. "The Reach" – Mogwai

Summer 2019 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify, enjoy!

1. "Saw Lightning" – Beck
2. "No Bullets Spent" – Spoon
3. "Fade In Nylon" – A Beacon School
4. "Lava"– Still Woozy
5. "Heartbreak" – Unloved
6. "You're Not Always On My Mind" – Quivers
7. "Raspberry Jam" Allah-las
8. "Do Si Do" – Jenny Lewis
9. "Calm Down" – Pete Yorn
10. "Easy" – Tycho
11. "Rylan" – The National
12. "Elixir" – Tourist
13.  "Entendre" – Eluvium
14. "Sleeper" – Trentmøller
15. "Love Yourself" – Sufjan Stevens
16. "I Am OK" – Lea Porcelain
17. "Pattern 16" – Jamison Isaak

Top 20+ Songs of 2018 with Spotify Playlist

Another round up with my fave songs of 2018 listed not by preference but how best to order them for the optimal listening experience – although I have to admit that David Byrne's "Everybody's Coming To My House" has to be my #1(along with the euphoric concert experience of seeing him in non-stop motion with band members at Forest Hills in September during his American Utopia tour.) Here's to the year that was and the one that will be!  Listen as a Spotify playlist here.

1. "Everybody's Coming To My House" – David Byrne
2. "Humility (featuring George Benson)" – Gorillaz
3. "Magnetism" – Vacationer
4. "Wide Awake" – Parquet Courts
5. "Once In My Life" – The Decemberists
6. "It's Late" – A Beacon School
7. "Buzzing In the Light" – Dr. Dog
8. "A Perfect Miracle" – Spiritualized
9. "The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs" – Wye Oak
10. "Don't Move Back To LA" – Okkervil River
11. "Wait By the River" – Lord Huron
12. "The Ceremony of Innocence" – Moby
13. "Forgive" – Roosevelt, Washed Out
14. "Gotta Run" – Lea Porcelain
15. "Hand It Over" – MGMT
16. "Music Snob" – De Lux
17. "Echo" – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
18. "Where Your Mind Wants to Go (featuring Ludovico Einaudi)" – Blonde Redhead
19. "Lemon Glow" – Beach House
20. "The One To Wait" – CCFX
21. "The Deconstruction" – Eels
22. "More" – Jamison Isaak

Top Ten Releases of 2018 – Plus Others Worthy of a Listen

Here's my list of the Top 10 Albums of 2018 – check them out on Spotify at the link here if you missed any, it'll be well worth your ears.

Also, I have a playlist of releases that came along during the year that I needed to revisit again and again. It's 27+ hours long (yes I still spend most of my day listening to new music) but fun to review! Fave Albums of 2018

In no particular order beyond providing the best segue for the playlist...

1. Wye Oak, The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs
2. Death Cab for Cutie, Thank You for Today
3. Okkervil River, In the Rainbow Rain
4. Dr. Dog, Critical Equation
5. The Decemberists, I'll Be Your Girl
6. Gorillaz, The Now Now
7. Moby, Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt
8. A Beacon School, Cola
9. De Lux, More Disco Songs About Love
10. Phosphorescent, C'est La Vie

Summer 2018 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify or as a YouTube Playlist (with glorious live versions by Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Dr. Dog and Washed Out!) 


1. "Magnetism" – Vacationer
2. "SGL" – Now, Now
3. "Back Seat Driver (Spirit Guide)" Bear Hands
4. "Wide Awake" – Parquet Courts
5. "Transhumanity" – JB Dunckel
6. "Once In My Life" – The Decemberists
7. "Quiero Otoño de Nuevo" – Mint Field
8. "Cranberry" – Hovvdy
9. "It Was Not Natural" – Wye Oak
10. "It's Late" – A Beacon School
11. "These Falling Arms" – The Sea and Cake
12. "It You're Going to Break Yourself" – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
13. "Human Being Song" – Okkervil River
14. "Buzzing In the Light" – Dr. Dog
15. "Black Car" – Beach House
16. "Pirates" – Brazilian Girls
17. "Juicy Socks" – Cherry Glazer
18. "Face Up" – Washed Out

Spring 2018 New Music Playlist

Listen on Spotify or as a YouTube Playlist (except "Find a Way to Keep Me" by Field Music and bonus tracks "Shades of Blue," "You Are Here," and "She May She Might" by Yo La Tengo).

1. "Always Ascending" – Franz Ferdinand
2. "The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs" – Wye Oak
3. "Out of the Pool" – Yo La Tengo
4. "Lemon Glow" – Beach House
5. "Don't Move Back to L.A."  – Okkervil River
6. "Under the Wheels" – Calexico
7. "This Is That" – David Byrne
8. "Mr. Tillman" – Father John Misty
9. "Wait By the River" – Lord Huron
10. "Algernon" – A Beacon School
11. "Leave It In My Dreams" – The Voidz
12. "Runnin'" – Wajatta
13. "The Ceremony of Innocence" – Moby
14. "Emerald Rush" – Jon Hopkins
15. "Find a Way to Keep Me" – Field Music
16. " More" – Jamison Isaak

Nutmeg State of Mind Charity Compilation Honors Newtown

Cover Photo by Chris Trigaux

Terry Carr and Peter Kelly of the new music discovery website The Up-Turn have released a comprehensive compilation of Connecticut-based bands in honor of the Newtown tragedy.  Nutmeg Stage of Mind is dedicated to the 26 victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School, as an "opportunity to help give some positive meaning to the outcome." These two college guys from Greenwich, Connecticut, put together a 19-track album encompassing many genres to "demonstrate our rich music scene and deep Connecticut pride while also attempting address a problem in our country." 100% of profits will be donated to Mental Health America, the country's leading nonprofit dedicated to "helping all people life mentally healthier lives."  With a suggested donation of just $5 per download, everyone is encouraged to listen/donate/share at the link here:

http://nutmegcollective.bandcamp.com

The music begins with the carefully crafted indie pop of A Beacon School (just written up in my last post).  More indie cred continues with Ghost of Chance, Dwight Smith and The Guru. Yet the collection boasts impressive breadth, with songs funky (Body Cheetah), punky (Fins) and folksy (Closely Watched Trains).  The solid rock in Birth of Flower along with a raucous trio of M.T. Bearing, Sidwalk Dave and Myty Konkeror, balances out the rap of Chef the Chef and Ghost Row.  There's the electronica of Color Plus and the fuzzed out psychedelia of Slates, while the cryptic spoken lyrics of Steeve provides closure with a wistful synth soundscape.  Lots to explore musically, plus the download comes with a PDF of artfully curated photos taken in Connecticut (see a few below).

Modern Rivals and A Beacon School Share Bill in Brooklyn

Patrick Smith

The Cameo Gallery showcase on January 3 featured not one but two members of the Big Foote Music + Sound family. Erick Lee of Modern Rivals and Patrick Smith, frontman for A Beacon School, brought their bands to serve as bookends for the night.

Lee and Smith are both on staff at this music house and use the studios during off hours to create their own personal sound. Each group brought a nice crowd of fans and fellow Big Foote types for their sets in this tiny space in Williamsburg.  I was also there to cover the show for PopMatters which posted today here.

Erick Lee