Love Songs: Handpicked Heartbeats, Radio Hits, and Other Delights 💘💋🔑

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about quiet candlelight and tasteful background music, but if we’re honest, most of our real love stories sound more like a mixtape burned at 2 a.m.—a little messy, wildly sincere, and occasionally questionable. I curated this playlist for Valentine’s Day with that in mind. Some of these tracks are handpicked radio hits that feel tailor‑made for the occasion; others are deep cuts and lesser‑known tunes that just hit me in the chest in the right way. I threw in some classic oldies, too—you can’t have a Valentine’s Day playlist without “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers, the gold standard of slow‑dance devotion. And I had to include Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” because the lyrics speak so simply and directly to being in love that it feels like overhearing someone serenade the person they adore, no pretense, just feeling.

I also purposely added two Elton John songs. I couldn’t leave off “No Valentines.” On the surface, it plays like an “anti–Valentine’s Day” ballad about loneliness, disillusionment with romance, and the sense that all the usual gestures—cards, hearts, the holiday itself—lose their meaning after heartbreak. I like the artistic idea behind it: a melancholy counterpoint to the usual Valentine’s sugar rush, a song that focuses on the absence of love rather than its celebration. It may be anti‑Valentine’s Day, but it belongs here, because every good love‑song playlist needs a shadow to make the light shine a little brighter.

Valentine’s Day Love Songs Playlist

“Every Day I Write the Book” – Elvis Costello

“My Funny Valentine” – Frank Sinatra

“Too Much Passion” – The Smithereens

“Cupid Must Be Angry” – Nick Lowe

“I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” – Elton John

“Under My Thumb” – The Rolling Stones

“The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)” – Cher

“No Valentines” – Elton John

“Lips Like Sugar” – Echo & the Bunnymen

“She Loves Me” – Stephen Duffy

“Wonderful” – Adam Ant

“If Sugar Was as Sweet as You” – Rockpile

“Now That I Have Found You” – The Juliana Hatfield Three

“Happy Loving Couples” – Joe Jackson

“Four Leaf Clover” – Catherine

"Modern Love" - David Bowie

“She Belongs to Me” – The Ramones

“What a Crying Shame” – The Mavericks

“Tempted” – Squeeze

“Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” – Christopher Cross

“It’s Different for Girls” – Joe Jackson

“Every Breath You Take” – The Police

“Love My Way” – The Psychedelic Furs

“Unchained Melody” – The Righteous Brothers

“The Lady in Red” – Chris de Burgh

“Fools Rush In” – Elvis Presley

“I Just Called to Say I Love You” – Stevie Wonder

"Baby, Baby" - Amy Grant

“Hammer in My Heart” – Utopia

"Higher Love" - Steve Winwood

“Juju Man” – Dave Edmunds

“Mystify” – INXS

“Every Time I See Her” – Dave Edmunds

“For Your Babies” – Simply Red

“Love Plus One” – Haircut 100

“At Last” – Etta James

“I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” – The Four Tops

“In Your Arms” – Erasure

“Never Tear Us Apart” – INXS

“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” – Marvin Gaye

“Love Shack” – The B‑52’s

Valentine’s Day playlists are never really finished; they just collect new stories. I like the idea that this one can keep evolving past whatever year you’re reading this, so consider this your invitation to help me wreck it (lovingly). Drop your own embarrassing favorites, anti‑Valentine’s anthems, slow‑dance staples, and “we really shouldn’t have called this our song” tracks in the comments. I’ll keep adding standouts to the list—because if love is a little chaotic, the soundtrack should be too.❤️

🎸 Rockin’ Into the New Year: A Retro MTV Journey from the ’80s to the ’90s 🎊

I can’t believe it’s already been a year since last year’s New Year’s post. I hadn’t planned on posting anything New Years-oriented this year, but why not make it a Wafflesound Music tradition? After publishing last year’s blog, I thought, “Aww, I could have added this video!” So, I decided to share it this year. It’s an MTV New Year’s Eve Rock n Roll Ball from 1987, featuring Dave Edmunds and friends. How fun! ♪♫.

Below is the full show from 1987:



Here's another cool video. This is the 1996 MTV video music awards complete with commercials and pre-show:



Watching this evokes a wave of nostalgia that's hard to resist. Those performances light up my face with both smiles and wistful sighs—MTV was truly a gem in those days. By the mid-nineties, the channel had transformed, yet it still held onto that enchanting aura. I recall sitting in my bedroom, eagerly awaiting my favorite music videos, rewinding VCR tapes to relive the performances that stole my heart, and tuning into award shows just to witness the thrilling chaos unfold live. Music videos were a vibrant tapestry of grunge, alternative rock, pop, and hip-hop, while televised concerts and award shows became exhilarating events—electric, unpredictable, and brimming with life.

I often wish for just a fleeting moment to be transported back to that mid-nineties realm—when life seemed simpler and nostalgia wasn’t merely something we viewed on a screen but a vivid experience we lived. Though we can't rewind time, thanks to YouTube and archived clips, I can at least glimpse those cherished days and reignite a flicker of that magic all over again.

Happy New Year! Crank up the tunes, celebrate the moments, and let’s rock 2026 like it’s a classic MTV night! 🎸🎉🥂🍾

Holiday Fruitcake Offers Alternative Music Choice to Standard Holiday Fare 🎄🎅☃️

If you’re looking to break free from the usual holiday playlist, Holiday Fruitcake 6 offers a welcome alternative. Released worldwide for the 2025 holiday season on Smoking Bishop Records, the latest volume in the Holiday Fruitcake series delivers a collection of entirely original holiday songs created by independent artists who put creativity first.

Holiday Fruitcake 6 is available to stream or download on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, Deezer, YouTube, and most other major digital platforms, with CDs also available. This year’s release features nine brand-new tracks from Busker Incognito & the Christmas Balls, The Gruntles, Lewis Music Inc., Cowboy Ernie Sites, Scoria, The Mohnflowers, Jolene Windmiller, and Dave Kline & the Mountain Folk Band, spanning a wide range of musical styles.

The album is paired with new YouTube videos for every song, expanding the project beyond audio alone. To showcase the music, a one-hour cable TV and internet special was created, hosted by Dave Kline, Bob Yost, and Dave Lewis, the principal producers behind the Holiday Fruitcake project. The new special joins three previous Holiday Fruitcake one-hour programs and is available on demand on YouTube, with additional airings on select cable outlets including BCTV and CWTAP-TV.

Click here to watch the show:



The Holiday Fruitcake project began in 2020 during the COVID lockdown, when producers and musicians Dave Kline and Dave Lewis set out to encourage artists to write and record original holiday music at a time when live performances and creative outlets had largely disappeared. Animator Bob Yost soon joined the effort, along with a growing circle of songwriters and performers, helping transform a one-time collaboration into an annual release series.

Now in its sixth year, Holiday Fruitcake continues to celebrate originality, collaboration, and genre-blending holiday music. The full Holiday Fruitcake catalog is available on major digital platforms, offering listeners a growing alternative to traditional seasonal fare.

I find the Holiday Fruitcake project genuinely interesting, especially as a platform for independent artists to showcase their creativity outside the usual holiday mold. It’s inspiring to see so many original voices come together to create something joyful for the season—and yes, in their own way, they really are bringing a little joy to the world.

More on this can be found here: https://www.bctv.org/2025/12/12/holiday-fruitcake-6-offers-alternative-music-choice-to-standard-holiday-fare/

The Mystical Genius of Sting’s “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You”

I’m not exactly sure what triggered this train of thought—perhaps it’s the bag of Harry Potter–themed Hershey Kisses staring back at me from my desk. However, every time I watch Sting’s music video for “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” I find myself enveloped in the same enchanting atmosphere reminiscent of worlds like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. There’s an almost spellbinding quality woven through the visuals—smoke, shadow, symbolism—that feels straight out of a wizard’s realm.

What captivates me the most is the video’s layered imagery. Initially, it comes across as surreal, dreamlike, and theatrical, but there’s an underlying tension that grapples with deeper themes: the decline of trust in institutions, religion, society, and perhaps even in oneself. Sting has always been a poet keenly attuned to the human experience, and this video feels like a window into that internal struggle, all cloaked in magic and metaphor.

As I revisit it, I grow increasingly impressed by the craftsmanship on display. This was created at a time before the digital tools and AI-driven effects that we have today. Though IMAX theaters began appearing as early as 1971, music videos still depended heavily on practical creativity—using lighting, staging, camera movements, clever editing, and symbolic visuals. Yet this video feels so rich, imaginative, and meticulously composed that it tricks the mind into believing it originated from a more modern toolkit.

The creative process shines through in every single frame, harmonizing flawlessly with the song itself. The way the chorus builds—both musically and emotionally—aligns perfectly with the evolving tones of the video. It creates a truly remarkable piece of music, enhanced by visuals that feel timeless, reflective, and strangely magical.

The song itself emerges as a masterpiece, and its profound emotional resonance elevates the visuals even further. When the chorus climaxes, it feels like a spiritual awakening—musically rich, warm, and full of momentum—so much so that the video acts as an extension of that emotional ascent. The arrangement, dynamics, and the unmistakable warmth of Sting’s voice all reinforce the song’s central themes: losing faith in the world, finding solace in a single unwavering individual, and attempting to navigate the chaos in between. It’s rare for a music video to match a song this seamlessly, particularly from the pre-digital age, but this one manages to do so with exceptional grace.

MTV to Shut Down Five UK Channels After 40 Years, Sparking Nostalgia and Concern for Artists

London – MTV, the iconic broadcaster that once revolutionised music by airing videos around the clock, is pulling the plug on five of its dedicated music channels in the United Kingdom. The channels – MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live – will stop broadcasting on 31 December 2025, marking the end of nearly four decades of non-stop tunes and visuals that shaped pop culture. While the flagship MTV HD channel will stay on air, focusing mainly on reality shows, the move has left fans and industry voices mourning the loss of a platform that launched countless artists into the spotlight.

This decision comes amid a major shake-up by MTV’s parent company, Paramount Global, as it cuts costs and shifts towards streaming services. The closures are not limited to the UK; similar shutdowns are planned across Europe, including in Poland, Hungary, the Benelux region, Germany, and Austria, where other channels like TeenNick and NickMusic may also face the axe. In the US, however, MTV’s music channels like MTV Classic and MTV2 remain unaffected for now, though fans there are watching closely amid rumours of potential changes.

MTV first burst onto screens in the United States in 1981 with the prophetic track “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles as its debut video. It expanded to Europe in 1987, kicking off with Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing,” a song that cheekily referenced MTV itself. By 1997, a dedicated UK channel was launched, captivating audiences with 24/7 music videos, countdowns, and live performances. At its peak, MTV was more than just TV – it was a cultural force, influencing fashion, trends, and youth identity worldwide.



But times have changed. Viewership for linear music channels has dropped sharply as people turn to platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify for instant, personalised music discovery.

Social media users have shared memories of iconic moments, from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” premiere to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” defining the grunge era. One fan tweeted: “MTV helped me discover artists… now it’s just 30 episodes of Ridiculousness a day.” Others pointed out the irony: while MTV once claimed video would kill radio, radio has adapted through FM and streaming, outlasting MTV’s music focus.

For artists, especially up-and-coming ones, the shutdown means losing a key avenue for exposure. In the 1980s and 1990s, an MTV rotation could make or break a career – think Madonna’s provocative videos or Britney Spears’ schoolgirl outfit in “…Baby One More Time.” Today, while digital platforms offer global reach, they lack the curated, communal experience MTV provided.

For the full story, please click the link below.

Source: https://centralnews.co.za/end-of-an-era-mtv-to-shut-down-five-music-channels-in-uk-after-40-years-sparking-nostalgia-and-concerns-for-artists/

I completely agree with this perspective. Honestly, I saw the writing on the wall years ago — right around the time MTV started shifting away from music videos and toward reality shows. MTV wasn’t just a television channel; it was a shared cultural experience that connected music lovers in a way today’s platforms can’t quite replicate. The excitement of seeing a new video premiere, the anticipation of who’d climb the charts next, or even the unexpected discovery of an artist you’d never heard before — those moments defined an era of discovery that felt personal. While streaming and social media have made music more accessible, they’ve also scattered that sense of togetherness. There was something magical about turning on MTV and knowing that millions of others were watching the same thing at the same time, discovering the same songs, and being part of the same musical moment.

For artists — especially those just starting out — the loss of MTV feels like another door quietly closing. Back then, a single video in rotation could launch a career overnight. Now, musicians have to fight through the noise of algorithms and endless scrolling, hoping their content catches the right eyes at the right moment. While platforms like YouTube and TikTok have opened new paths to discovery, they often favor trends over true artistry. The playing field may seem broader, but it’s also more crowded — and without that iconic platform bridging artists and audiences, many rising musicians have to work twice as hard to be seen and heard.

In a way, MTV’s shutdown marks the end of an era — one that celebrated the visual power of music and gave artists a stage unlike any other. It reminds us how much the landscape has changed, but also how timeless the connection between music and its listeners truly is. Even if MTV fades into nostalgia, its impact will always echo through every video, every performance, and every artist still chasing that same dream of being seen and heard.

From Charts to Concerts: BillboardTV Brings Music to Streaming

On Tuesday (Sept. 16), Billboard and Samsung TV Plus announced the launch of BillboardTV — a 24/7 streaming destination for music culture and news.

The exclusive channel will feature nonstop updates from Billboard News, never-before-seen interviews, red-carpet coverage and live concert specials.

The first major BillboardTV livestream of the fall will be an extended edition of Billboard Unfiltered, with top artists and creators unveiling and debating the 2025 year-end No. 1 songs across several key Billboard charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums chart.

“With BillboardTV, we’re advancing our vision of Samsung TV Plus as a home for live exclusive content and cultural experiences,” said Salek Brodsky, SVP & Global Head of Samsung TV Plus. “This new channel brings the full weight of Billboard’s influence into our ecosystem, giving fans direct access to the moments that matter, and is a powerful step in expanding our leadership as the go-to destination for premium entertainment.”

BillboardTV will be exclusive to Samsung TV Plus, which is available on Samsung TV, Galaxy, Smart Monitor and Family Hub devices.

To read the full story, please click the link below.

Source: https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/billboardtv-channel-samsung-tv-plus-1236067010/

BillboardTV just launched today, and it feels like the kind of music-centric programming fans have been missing since MTV shifted away from its roots. While today’s MTV is dominated by reality shows and endless Ridiculousness reruns, BillboardTV promises a lineup built around music culture—news updates, live concerts, artist interviews, and red-carpet coverage. It’s not yet clear whether the channel will feature traditional music video blocks, but its close ties to Billboard’s charts suggest we could see exclusive premieres and performances tied to the hits of the moment. The catch? It’s currently exclusive to Samsung TV Plus, so you’ll need a Samsung device to tune in. Still, for those craving something closer to the MTV of old—where music actually takes center stage—BillboardTV might be worth keeping an eye on.

My Favorite 10 Punk and Almost-Punk Albums

Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols – Sex Pistols (1977): The album that distilled punk into a snarling, sneering, shot of pure rebellion. Loud, brash, and unapologetically in-your-face.

Ramones – Ramones (1976): A fast, raw, and irresistibly direct blueprint for punk. Buzzsaw guitars, breakneck tempos, and sing-along hooks distill rock ’n’ roll down to its bratty, streetwise essence.

Leave Home – The Ramones (1977): Minimalism at its finest: blistering speed, buzzing guitars, and melodies that stick in your head like glue.

Dirk Wears White Sox – Adam and the Ants (1979): Adam and the Ants’ debut album isn’t your standard pogo-and-power-chords punk affair — it’s stranger, sharper, and more theatrical. Released in 1979, Dirk Wears White Sox blends post-punk edge, glam swagger, and a minimalist, art-school sensibility, all wrapped in Adam Ant’s distinctive vocal style.
Angular guitar riffs and jerky, staccato rhythms give the songs a tense, off-kilter feel, while the lyrics and delivery hint at both menace and camp. It’s the darker, more experimental side of Adam Ant, far removed from the polished, pop-friendly hits that would later make him a household name.
It might be post-punk at heart, but its restless energy and outsider attitude earn it a place alongside the era’s most adventurous punk records. So, I added this one!

London Calling – The Clash (1979): An ambitious double album that expands punk’s boundaries with rockabilly, reggae, and political fire.

Give ’Em Enough Rope – The Clash (1978): A tighter, heavier follow-up to their debut, with a more polished sound that still packs urgency and bite.

My War – Black Flag (1984): Drenched in rage and sludge, this album split the hardcore crowd with its slower, heavier second side — but it’s all pure intensity.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables – Dead Kennedys (1980): Surf guitar on speed meets razor-sharp satire. One of punk’s most biting and unique voices.

White Music – XTC (1978): Punk in velocity, art-rock in brainpower. Angular riffs and manic tempos make it a wiry, twitchy debut.

Walk Among Us – Misfits (1982): Horror-punk perfected. Campy, creepy, and catchy as heck.

I considered adding Green Day’s Dookie, but it leaned more toward alternative rock than straight punk. And while The Frantic Elevators had some great tracks with real punk bite, their overall catalog just didn’t hit hard enough to earn a spot here. Still, both deserve an honorable mention for moments that carry the same restless, defiant spirit that makes punk timeless.

From the raw rebellion of the Sex Pistols and The Clash to the infectious energy of the Ramones and the quirky edge of XTC, enjoy these classic punk rock anthems that helped define the genre’s explosive spirit.