Whether you’re madly in love or suffering through a bitter break-up, our playlist of our favorite love and break-up songs compiled by the Reflector staff will have something for you no matter what state your love life is in. Be sure to listen to the songs on our lovers and heartbreakers playlists on Spotify.
Brianna Quaterman
Favorite Love Song: ‘Real Love’ – Clean Bandit & Jess Glynn
“Love this song because it’s fun and upbeat. It talks about the love you have for your significant other and it has a very happy feel to it.”
Favorite Break-up Song: ‘Won’t Go Home Without You’ – Maroon 5
“Love this song because it talks about how no matter where the guy is he’s never going to leave his girlfriend. Basically he’s saying he won’t let their love die. Such a beautiful song.”
Cabby Johnson
Favorite Love Song: ‘I’ll Be’ – Edwin MaCain
“This song is absolutely beautiful. Just listening to it I feel like he’s speaking directly to me. It’s been declared my wedding song for the past seven years.”
Favorite Break-up Song: ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ – Kelly Clarkson
“This song is so down to earth and energizing. It just makes me wanna dance and sing at the top of my lungs and let it all out.”
Donna Jones
Favorite Love Song: ‘All The Man That I Need’ – Whitney Houston
“I chose this song because you can feel how much Whitney loves whoever she’s singing about. When I’m in a relationship that’s how I want to feel about my boyfriend. The song just makes you smile.”
Favorite Break-up Song: ‘IDGAF’ – Big Sean
“I chose this song because I’m usually upset when there’s a break-up involved. This song gets you hyped up instead of all sad and mopey.
Yasmeen Waliaga
Favorite Love Song: ‘Up Against the Wall’ – Peter Bjorn and John
“This is my favorite love song because I love the way the music builds up and the singer’s voice is sexy. Also the lyrics are on point.”
Favorite Break-up song: ‘Xoxo’ – Cherub
“This is my favorite break-up song to listen to because it’s upbeat and fun, unlike most other break-up songs. The song is perfect to dance to instead of moping around to sad songs.”
Skyler Black
Favorite Love Song: ‘Alive with the Glory of Love’ – Say Anything
“The song is about a Jewish couple that is living through the Holocaust and they get sent to different camps but the love they feel for each other will keep them safe. I don’t think that any other love song can live up to that story.”
Favorite Break-Up Song: ‘Five Hundred Miles’ – Justin Timberlake feat. Carey Mulligan
“Anytime I listen to this song, it just gets to me. It’s such a simple song about jumping on a train and leaving with nothing and it’s just so perfect.”
Tayler Critchlow
Favorite Love Song: ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ – Aerosmith
“The person is just so in love with their partner that they don’t want to miss anything about them, the would forgo sleep in order to soak in every beautiful detail…now that can seem a little creepy and obsessive but I think all love has a bit of crazy thrown in there.”
Favorite Break-up Song: ‘Since You Been Gone’ – Kelly Clarkson
“Pretty awesome break-up song as far as break-up songs go. It is all about how much better off you are without them and showing your ex how well you have moved on and gotten over them. It is very empowering and fun to dance to.”
Jeff Licciardello
Favorite Love Song: ‘I Would Do Anything For You’ – Foster The People
While Foster The People may be most known for their dark hit, ‘Pumped Up Kicks,’ the band actually has a hidden jewel on their first album. ‘I Would Do Anything For You’ starts out slow and mellow, but then dives into an upbeat ballad that will make you want to dance like nobody is watching. If you aren’t in love yet, this song has the power of cupid’s arrow. Use it sparingly, as it can be dangerous in high doses.
Favorite break-up Song: ‘**** Em Only We Know’ – Banks
The classic tale of an unrequited love, Banks’s plea for this relationship is full of raw emotion. Begging for her “lover” to run away with her, Banks knows this emotion she thinks is love is true, even if only she knows. After a glass of wine (or maybe a bottle) this song will have you singing, “Just wanna tell you that I see you, baby, do you see me?” and yes — there will be tears.
Alexandra McCray
Favorite Love Song: ‘The Ballad of Love and Hate’ – The Avett Brothers
“This song is the story of if ‘love’ and ‘hate’ were actually in a relationship. I think it’s such a universal song anyone can relate to because at some point we’ve all been a person that needs forgiveness and we’ve probably done our fair share of forgiving someone when they least deserve it. Its message of unconditional love is so beautiful and powerful.”
Favorite Break-up Song: ‘No Regrets’ – Ella Fitzgerald
“Don’t let the slow medley of this song fool you, it is the perfect song for getting over a break-up. Fitgerald sings that even though the relationship has ended she’ll never regret the time they spent together or the love they shared. I love the undertone of sass throughout the song as she’s basically saying he’ll never find a love as true as theirs again and he’s throwing away something great. The last lyric of ‘So I say good bye with no regrets is perfection.”