Roses are Dead, Violets are Bleh

Valentine's Day is one of the most contentious holidays of the year.

It's a strange day and the only holiday to have taken on dual meanings and celebrations.

Originating with the Pagans and then eventually adopted into a celebrated feast day by the Christians, St. Valentine's Day has also become highly commercialized and expertly monetized.

Billions of dollars are spent on everything from sweet treats to sexy needs. Love songs are written and played. Restaurants feature chocolate-dipped strawberries or other love-inspired goodies. Romance movies suddenly dominate the airwaves, and people clear out a florist's entire inventory in one fell swoop.

Valentine's Day can be—and has become— a day to also celebrate your single-ness, whether it be recently acquired or long-time holding.

Anti-Valentine's Day celebrators are many. Some are vengeful and vindictive. Some may be fearful or happy. Some are hopeful but content. Some might be dismayed, while some are simple and satisfied. But, every one has every right to celebrate Valentine's Day even if they do so by protesting Valentine's Day.

The different feelings and emotions people have, which result in either hating Valentine's Day straight-up or loving the fact that they hate Valentine's day, make for a rather complex group of people.

So, to create any near-perfect anti-Valentine's Day playlist of music, one needs to account for these different emotional reasons of distaste and adjusting accordingly for the forever evolving and revolving feelings. A great anti-Valentine's Day playlist will flow seamlessly back and forth along a continuum of emotions and feelings.

Music is a powerful medium by which a message is sent and a great power can be shared.

I didn't individually spotlight each song in my anti-Valentine's Day playlist. A few are quite popular and an obvious choice to be included, so no explanation is necessary. I did single out the ones I feel are a bit under-appreciated, the ones that might be unknown to you, and the ones I feel need a additional shout-out.

I hope you enjoy my anti-Valentine's Day Playlist. Be sure to check out the entire list at the end of this post—you may find some new favorites.

Jay's Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist

1. Potential Breakup Song –Aly & AJ

- Simple and to the point. You seem to be getting everything, and I'm getting nothing. It's time that ends. It's clear that “without me, you know you're lost / Minus you, I'm better off.”

2. It's Alright, It's OK –Ashley Tisdale

- Ashley Tisdale is one of my favorite artists as of late. This song comes from her 2009 album "Guilty Pleasure." It shares the same feelings as Aly & AJ in that “I'm so much better without you.”

3. Lose You to Love Me –Selena Gomez

- Ultimately, an artist who I sincerely respect and one with amazing vocal talents. Lose You to Love Me shares such a powerful message about the toxicity of some relationships, and that it often takes enduring the pain of letting someone go to finally realize and achieve the love you have (and need) for yourself.

4. Cupid's Got a Shotgun –Carrie Underwood

- What's an anti-anything playlist without some country music? Carrie Underwood uses humor to share the message that I'm fine being single—please leave me alone. Y'all just need to stop trying to fix me up with your neighbor's cousin's milkman's kid.

5. Take a Hint –Victorious Cast (feat. Victoria Justice and Elizabeth Gilles)

- Going back to 2012 and pulling from Nickelodeon, I find the lyrics pretty funny and very catchy. I couldn't not put it on the playlist. It may focus on some stereotypes, but it's point is so often true.

6. That Don't Impress Me Much –Shania Twain

- Might as well continue with the stereotypical guy hitting on a girl—this time trying to impress her with his wild and grandiose stories of fame, fortune, and success.

7. Goodbye Gone –Lucy Hale

- Lucy Hale's Goodbye Gone tells a story of necessary heartbreak to “get my happy back.” It follows along the lines of Lose You to Love Me, but with a bit more revenge-ish behavior and is worthy of inclusion into an anti-Valentine's Day playlist.

8. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together –Taylor Swift

- One must include Taylor Swift. It would be a complete playlist without at least one song from the master of breakups and heartaches.

9. Before He Cheats –Carrie Underwood

- Straight-up is vindictive and vengeful. The perfect addition.

10. Not Your Girl –Celeste Kellogg

- Celeste Kellogg is an indie-artist I found some time ago and wanted to include some of her songs. Not Your Girl is a great fit for anti-Valentine's Day. It empowers a strong desire to be “done with you and the pain you put me through / The worries and the lies are just tears that I won't cry.”

11. Re-Arranged –Limp Bizkit

- This is a great song and fits with the theme of an anti-Valentine's Day playlist. Plus, I probably needed to have a couple of male vocalists on the list, right?

12. Get Over Yourself –Kelsea Ballerini

- It hits the nail on the head exposing how some peoples' egos warp the reality around them so much that it seems they are the only ones that matter to anyone and everyone. Honestly, though, not everything is about you. You seriously need to “get over yourself.”

13. Look At Her Now –Selena Gomez

- Much of Selena Gomez's album “Rare” helps to embrace one's inner-strengths and shares a power to help people through life's trials and tribulations. Look At Her Now puts self-respect, self-worth, and self-love front and center. It shows how it is to be human, to make mistakes, and then grow stronger and wiser because of those mistakes. I'm sure it took great courage to put out this album, and I hope those who need it can draw on and use that strength.

Thanks for reading. Happy Un-Valentine's Day to all.