This is a wedding blog. Love songs play an important role in the overall scheme of wedding entertainment, especially when it comes to the first dance.
Interestingly, Billboard Magazine said fewer love songs are being written these days when compared to pop songs of the 20th century. This should concern all of us. As music historian, Ted Gioia wrote in his book, “Love Songs: The Hidden History”:
“People are wrong to view these songs as mere entertainment or escapism. The purpose of a successful love song is to create love. The first love songs were part of fertility rites and they aimed at changing the world, not just describing it. When the Beatles sang ‘All You Need Is Love’ or John Coltrane performed A Love Supreme, they wanted to transform the world in which they lived. And on a personal level, many of us would not be here today if our parents hadn’t heard a love song at the right time and place. Those love songs aren’t just life-changing, they are life-creating.”
Here are the top love songs of the 21st century according to Billboard:
#1 “Love on Top” by Beyoncé
This catchy, bouncy love song is certainly danceable. And the lyrics are a good fit for a first dance song:
“Baby, it’s you, you the one I love,
You’re the one I need, you’re the only one I see.
Come on, baby, it’s you,
You’re the one that gives your all,
You’re the one I can always call
When I need you, make everything stop.
Finally, you put my love on top.”
#2 “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey
There’s a lot we can say about this love song. It was Ms. Carey’s sixteenth #1 hit. It was the third longest running number song (along with four others) since songs began being charted in the U.S. Billboard gushed that it was the “song of the decade.”
But is it the song for your wedding day? Nope. The video above tells the whole story. The song is about a bride who still pines for her previous lover. The lyrics groan that …
“I can’t sleep at night, when you are on my mind.”
And she’s not talking about her fiancée.
This song may have been a hit for Mariah Carey, but when considering the top love songs of the 21st century, it’s not a fit for you.
#3 “Thinkin’ ‘Bout You” by Frank Ocean
#4 “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys
The lyrics present a timeless message: love matters more than riches:
“Some people want it all,
But I don’t want nothing at all
If it ain’t you, baby,
If I ain’t got you, baby.
Some people want diamond rings,
Some just want everything,
But everything means nothin’
If I ain’t got you, yeah.”
Click the link above for a complete list of the top love songs of the 21st century. The best love songs tell a story of transformation, as Ted Gioia said above.
Which love song tells your story best? Whatever it is, we’ll play it on high-end equipment that sounds as good as a live performance. And to enhance the impact of your song, we can bathe the dance floor with customizable decor lighting to create the exact mood you seek. Learn more. Check on our availability today.
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