Valentine’s Day playlists may traditionally be dominated by R&B jams and cheesy pop ballads, but rock fans know there are other — way better — options, which is why we’ve assembled 22 of our favorite pop-punk and emo love songs. It’s a mix of beloved hits, heartfelt one-hit wonders and lesser-known gems.
For every relationship that’s started in a mosh pit, every couple that got matching tattoos and every millennial who still dreams about their high school crush — this list is for you.
Key Highlights
- Variety of Genres: This playlist features pop-punk and emo love songs that go beyond traditional romantic music.
- Emotional Range: The selected songs capture a spectrum of feelings from joy to heartbreak.
- Iconic Bands: Includes tracks from well-known bands like Blink-182, Paramore, and My Chemical Romance.
- Relatable Themes: Each song tells a story that resonates with experiences of love and relationships.
Blink-182, “M+M’s”
Best lyric: “’Cause when I’m with you there’s nothing I wouldn’t do / I just want to be your only one”
There’s an awkward charm to “M&M’s,” one of Blink-182’s more underrated gems. Mark Hoppus handles lead vocals, pining after a girl he’s fallen for and hoping she feels the same way.
It’s simple and sweet, while also being undeniably catchy. Plus, there are references to masturbation and suicide — this is a Blink-182 song, after all.
Story of the Year, “Until the Day I Die”
Best lyric: “Until the day I die, I’ll spill my heart for you”
Story of the Year’s debut single is a powerful declaration of love, even when a relationship gets chaotic. The lyrics chronicle a tumultuous romance, filled with both adoration, pain and hate.
It’s a rollercoaster of emotion, punctuated by the intense vocals of singer Dan Marsala.
Paramore, “Still Into You”
Best lyric: “It’s not a walk in the park to love each other / But when our fingers interlock, can’t deny, can’t deny you’re worth it”
Yes, it was a major hit — and feels like an obvious choice for this list — but there’s just no escaping the endearing joy of Paramore’s “Still Into You.” Across three minutes and 30 seconds, Hayley Williams leads a heartfelt anthem to the unpredictability of romance.
See, love doesn’t have to make sense — when two people are meant for each other, it just somehow works. Of course, the great irony is that “Still Into You” was inspired by Williams’ relationship with Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory. They broke up in 2017, four years after the single’s release.
Yellowcard, “Only One”
Best lyric: “Here I go / Scream my lungs out and try to get to you / You are my only one”
Can a song be romantic, even if it ends in heartbreak? We say yes and Yellowcard seem to agree. The band’s 2003 power ballad “Only One” is a soaring, emphatic ode to the one who got away, inspired by frontman Ryan Key’s real-life breakup.
Say Anything, “Alive With the Glory of Love”
Best lyric: “I won’t let them take you, won’t let them take you / Hell no, no, oh no / I won’t let them take you, won’t let them take you”
The only song — at least that we’re aware of — that somehow turns life in a concentration camp into a tale of undying love. Inspired by his grandparents, who were both Holocaust survivors, Say Anything singer Max Bemis crafted the story of a couple whose passion and devotion can’t be extinguished by evil.
It’s a triumphant song about love conquering all and we still get energized every time it starts to play.
We the Kings, “Check Yes Juliet (Run Baby Run)”
Best lyric: “Run, baby, run / Forever we’ll be / You and me”
This breakout single for We the Kings perfectly encapsulated the heart-on-your-sleeve romance of early 2000s emo and pop-punk.
Unbridled youthful excitement pours out of every note as frontman Travis Clark sneaks his lover out of her parents’ home for a whirlwind night of excitement.
Taking Back Sunday, “MakeDamnSure”
Best lyric: “And we lay, we lay together just not / Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)”
The passion is fiery and intense on Taking Back Sunday’s 2006 hit “MakeDamnSure.” Frontman Adam Lazzara finds himself consumed by the object of his affection, determined that the two of them should be together.
Do lyrics such as “I’m gonna make damn sure / That you can’t ever leave” border on obsession? That’s in the ear of the beholder.
My Chemical Romance, “The Only Hope for Me Is You”
Best lyric: “We’ll have to make it on our own / Face all the pain and take it on / Because the only hope for me is you alone”
Leave it to My Chemical Romance to set a romantic song upon a doomsday backdrop. As the world crumbles around him, Gerard Way sings about the person he loves — the only one who can help him conquer the dark realities they face. It’s romance on a cinematic scale — exactly how MCR like it.
Something Corporate, “Punk Rock Princess”
Best lyric: If you could be my punk rock princess / I would be your garage band king / You could tell me why you just don’t fit in / And how you’re gonna be something
Andrew McMahon harnesses power chords to pop punk perfection on this track from 2002’s Leaving Through the Window. “Punk Rock Princess” finds McMahon yearning for a girl that seems just out of reach but that doesn’t stop him from dreaming about what their life together would be like.
The Starting Line, “The Best of Me”
Best lyric: “We got older but we’re still young / We never grew out of this feeling that we won’t give up”
Relationships require a lot of time and effort and even then there’s no guarantee things will work out. On their 2003 hit “The Best of Me,” The Starting Line chronicles a couple who have grown up together weathering the highs and lows of a long-term romance. There’s forgiveness frustration miscommunication and redemption all within the song wrapped together in a vibrant pop-punk package.
NOFX, “Falling In Love”
Best lyric: “Death don’t seem so bad / When I’m with you my only love / So close your eyes kiss me one last time / We’re gonna die but not our love”
Fat Mike and his NOFX crew will never be accused of being hopeless romantics yet this track off of 1997’s So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes, is low-key emotional. It tells the story of a couple embracing their final moments on earth expressing their devotion moments before their demise.
The heartfelt song is delivered in a frenzied punk package running at just two minutes in length.
Dashboard Confessional, “Hands Down”
Best lyric: “And you stood at your door with your hands on my waist / And you kissed me like you meant it”
Occasionally love brings along a moment so perfect you wish it would never end. That’s the feeling that’s captured in “Hands Down,” Dashboard Confessional hit single from 2001. Frontman Chris Carrabba’s voice drips with vulnerability as he chronicles an amazing yet fleeting romance culminating with a passionate kiss.
The Get Up Kids, “I’ll Catch You”
Best lyric: “Your arms in mine / Any time / Wouldn’t trade anything / You’re still my everything”
While many songs on this list express love in a grand cinematic fashion The Get Up Kids go in the opposite direction on this 1999 track. “I’ll Catch You” is beautiful in its vulnerability as frontman Matt Pryor expresses his undying devotion over a stark piano-based arrangement.
Roughly halfway through the tune the band opens things up for a moment of powerful passion before toning it down once more to close.
<h3Jimmy Eat World, “For Me This Is Heaven”</h3<p<strongBest lyric:</strong“When the time we have now ends / When the big hand goes round again / Can you still feel the butterflies?” </ p<pBeloved godfathers of emo Jimmy Eat World deliver a declaration that love is worth fighting for on this track from 1999's Clarity.< p<pThe message of "For Me This Is Heaven" is simple yet eternal: life is short our moments with those we love won’t last forever (even if we want them to) so let’s embrace the time we have.< p
The Used “I Caught Fire”
Best lyric: “So kiss me like you did / My heart stopped beating”
The opening guitar riff to “I Caught Fire” tricks you into believing you’re about to hear another one of The Used’s defiant bangers.
Instead ,the band offers up its most romantic lyrics ,a welcome yet unexpected change of pace for the group .The heartfelt subject does nothing to dull the power of frontman Bert McCracken’s distinctive voice as he passionately sings about melting in his lover’s eyes.< p
Alkaline Trio “Clavicle”
Best lyric: “I wanna wake up naked next to you / Kissing the curve of your clavicle”
Across an energetic acoustic guitar riff Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba tells the story of a woman he can’t stop thinking about .Six months ago her saw her for first time ,a week ago he got (liquid) courage finally talk her ,now they’re flirting over phone all he can think about lying next her.< p
The Wonder Years “Flowers Where Your Face Should Be”
Best lyric: “I saw you last night in my dream / I’m gonna marry you underneath driftwood from Crescent City”
After more than decade together ,the Wonder Years showed impressive musical maturation with their sixth studio album ,2018’s Sister Cities .The band always boasted fantastic lyrics but here depth writing got even more personal as best exemplified by heartwrenching song “Flowers Where Your Face Should Be.” < p
The gorgeous tune slowly builds as frontman Dan Campbell recalls seeing his love in dream ,his voice buoyed by swirling instrumentation heightening emotion.< p
Box Car Racer “There Is”
Best lyric: “Do you care if I don’t know what to say? Will you sleep tonight? Will you think of me?”
Tom DeLonge has never been afraid getting emo-tional .The punk legend wears hard on his sleeve with this track from his short-lived side project Box Car Racer.< p
“There Is” isn’t so much declaration love as it is yearning connection .You can practically hear DeLonge staring at window gazing sky as he ponders whether there’s anyone this world who will truly understand him.< p
Fall Out Boy – “Alone Together”
Best lyric: “Let’s be alone together/ We could stay young forever/ Scream it from top your lungs”
Fall Out Boy’s evolution has gone something like this :hardcore beginning ,pop punk breakout ,ascent stadium rock . “Alone Together” firmly fits latter category ,a lush soaring tune about eternal fire young romance .It’s kind love song sing along full volume.< p
Pierce The Veil “Kissing In Cars”
Best lyric: “As we wake up your room/ Your face first thing I see/ The first time I’ve seen love/ And last I’ll ever need”
One Pierce The Veil’s lesser known tracks –it was only Japanese version 2010’s Selfish Machines before later getting released as bonus song 2013 –“Kissing In Cars” emotional powerful deeply relatable.< p
The song’s lyrics revolved around couple broke up but love they still have each other too strong keep apart .They decide give another try even if odds seem stacked against them.< p
Head Automatica “Beating Heart Baby”
Best lyric: “Baby is this love real? Let me your arms feel beating your heart baby”
<pSometimes love can wild confusing even anxiety provoking.< p
Head Automatica tap into that frenetic energy their 2004 single "Beating Heart Baby." The energetic track bubbles urgency as romance between frontman Daryl Palumbo his partner endures despite each party's frustrations with other.< p
Motion City Soundtrack “This Is For Real”
This is best thing I’ve ever had real
<pThere's something wholesome about single off 2007's Even If It Kills Me .This Is For Real plays like honest confession man who tried everything find happiness but only thing actually brings presence his love.<
<pIt's well trodden lyrical territory but Motion City Soundtrack's pop-punk charm keeps exciting rather than cliche.<
Pop-Punk One-Hit Wonders: Where Are They Now?
You probably remember the songs and maybe the band names but do you know where these pop-punk one-hit wonders are now?
Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin
