Have you ever wished you had a playlist full of songs perfectly curated for an oddly specific feeling or a super niche scenario that feels almost unreal? Or maybe you’re looking for new and upcoming artists to check out. You might even want songs similar to a popular one you’ve heard before. Well, you’ve come to the right place!
This week’s playlist is called “For My Future Intellectual Soft Yearner Boyfriend,” a collection of songs that feel like being embarrassingly in love and yearning until you feel like your heart might explode. These tracks feel like kisses that leave you out of breath and 10-page love letters sent with rose petals inside. The mellow acoustics and drawn-out sounds make for the perfect soundtrack to listen to when you want to love or feel loved.
- “Compromise” by Role Model
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Although he went viral after opening for Gracie Abrams on her recent tour, Role Model has always been viral in my household. His latest album, Kansas Anymore (allegedly written about his breakup with Emma Chamberlain), is 13 songs worth of yearning, maturing, and reminiscing. Honorable mention: “Something, Somehow, Someday” is the textbook definition of a man embarrassingly in love. Emma Chamberlain, I applaud you.
- “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff Buckley
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Fun Fact: Jeff Buckley was actually the first yearner ever. I’m glad everyone figured that out when this song went viral last fall. The bridge of this song reminds me of the scene in Challengers where Art curls up in Tashi’s lap in bed before the tournament.
Even when writing about unrequited love, Buckley puts such a vivid and intoxicating sense of longing into his music. If a man ever wrote the lyrics “All my blood for the sweetness of her laughter” about me, I would fold instantly.
- “i wrote this song in your lap” by We Three
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Acoustic love songs always have that little extra kick to them. We Three are underrated as artists, but this track is underrated in general. The instrumental between the lyrics gives the vibe of a movie montage, with a bunch of cut clips of the main couple doing cheesy stuff together. Think famous rom-com TikTok edit.
- “Don’t Worry Baby” by The Brook & The Bluff
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I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like Danny would sing this about Sandy if the Grease cinematic universe had a scene where he’s alone in his room thinking about her. Nothing gets me like a song with a storyline that progresses through the song, and although subtle, this one is perfect. You’ll have to listen to it to understand what I mean, so check The Brook & The Bluff out while you’re at it.
- “20191009 I Like Her” by Mac DeMarco
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Mac DeMarco never ceases to amaze as an artist or songwriter. Although this song might get lost amidst the 199 other tracks on One Wayne G, DeMarco made sure it was worth the listen. There’s something about men who are willing to do anything for their woman (and will voice it through a beautifully produced song) that we need to bring back immediately. If you’ve got around 9 hours to spare, DeMarco’s latest album has plenty of other gems like this one.
- “Work Song” by Hozier
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If Jeff Buckley was the first-ever yearner, Hozier was the second. Hozier writes about life and people as if he were experiencing them for the first time, and his music never fails to make me feel the same way. Plus, you can tell when an artist loves women. Your baby is so sweet she gives you toothaches just by kissing you?! No grave could hold your body down, so you’d crawl home to her?! Enough said.
- “Almond Eyes” by Brandon Lake
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Brandon Lake made an EP with songs for his wife, and I think that should be the new standard. This track is filled with soft vocals and acoustics and lots of love. Honorable mention: “Set of 2” is just as beautiful; it’s just more upbeat.
- “Baby I’m Yours” by Arctic Monkeys
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I had to add a more upbeat song to this mix. Despite being a different sound from what you usually expect, this is the exact desperate pining you’re used to from Arctic Monkeys. If you were falling in love in a vineyard in Northern Italy, this song would be on that soundtrack. Think “I Wanna Be Yours” but sung by an Italian quartet.
- “If You Ever Want To Be In Love” by James Bay
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One of my favorite tropes is the boy in love with the cool girl he doesn’t have the guts to admit his love to. Not knowing how they feel sometimes makes you want them even more. The piano and backing vocals on this track are an exquisite touch. Honorable mention: “Peer Pressure” featuring Julia Michaels.
- “Wondering Why” by The Red Clay Strays
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This song feels like slow dancing in an empty bar under the neon lights, with just the jukebox music playing in the background. If you add “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton and “Must Be Doin’ Something Right” by Billy Currington to the queue, you can dance the night away. This might be a hot take, but no genre can make love songs like country can.
I chose songs written by men because boys in love are some of the biggest yearners of all. You should refuse to settle for anything less than a man who thinks about you the way Hozier thinks about his lover. If you’ve found a yearner of your own, keep them close and show them this playlist!
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