Money Doesn't Equal Love - Anti Valentines' Day Play List

Just to be clear, I am not anti-Valentines’ Day. Let that be known. I think at its core Valentines’ Day is a wonderful excuse to go above and beyond for your partner and express gratitude for the positive impact they’ve had on your life. The problem with Valentine’s Day, is capitalism.

The monetization of our expressions of gratitude undermines the day’s sentimentality. The idea that you have to spend money to demonstrate your love is common. And all too often, the monetary value of the gifts you give is seen as equal to the amount of love you feel for the recipient.

Every year people are bombarded with pop up stalls filled with teddy bears that will eventually be thrown in the bin and tacky ten-dollar cards that mean less than a note written from the heart (which is free). People crowd into busy, expensive restaurants that are so full it’s uncomfortable, the whole time knowing they’d rather be at home, where, at the very least, they’d be able to hear each other talk.

The pressure to give lavish but ultimately meaningless gifts is overwhelming. We have all felt it. And I am by no means saying we should give no gifts, especially where your partner’s love language is literally gifts. What I am suggesting is that the gifts we do give should be more thoughtful, personalised and less value focused.

Anyway, lets get to the music. As you’ve probably guessed this anti-Valentines’ Day playlist is not going to be your usual angsty, heartbreak fuelled affair. Welcome to my pro-love anti-Valentines Day playlist (I know it sounds contradictory, and it kind of is, but hey, life’s confusing). Here are four songs that are meaningful to me and demonstrate that love can be expressed powerfully whether you buy a heart shaped box of chocolates or not.

I don’t think I need to explain to anyone how this song got on my playlist. It is a beautiful, heartfelt song about being an emotionally available and supportive partner or friend. One of the most crucial parts of a relationship is open communication and this song encourages people to reach out and offer a shoulder for those they love, giving them an outlet for pain and sense of safety.

Even though this song is essentially about a couple who are out of sync, which is not a fun situation to be in, I think the fantastic take away is that even when things are difficult you can offer support to one another and work together to resolve the situation. Things aren’t going well, but Cyndi does not seem resentful, rather she expresses that she willing to offer support and love. It is also a really fun song to sing, so extra points for that.

This song makes me cry sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes. I know it’s a sad song about loss that hits even harder now that it’s writer Prince has passed, but it’s also a great example of how essential meaningful human connection is, whether it’s with friends or a partner, and it reminds us to cherish the people we still have in our lives.

This song beautifully encapsulates what it’s like to see a person fully, understand them and accept them for who they are, which is what we all want, to be understood and accepted as we are by the people we love. When we accept each other in this way, it opens us up to grow together and feel safe to work on ourselves.

And for those who are wondering, yes, I did actually make this playlist on Spotify (it's got more songs on it than just these four, I promise). It’s called ‘Money Doesn’t Equal Love’ and if you are so inclined, you’re welcome to give it a whirl.

I have made the playlist collaborative, and I encourage you to add a song or songs that are meaningful to you. Let’s celebrate love together.

Happy Anti-Valentines’ Day, beautiful people!