Forget oysters and chocolate, music is the ultimate aphrodisiac. And since Valentine's Day is the only holiday that celebrates pleasures of the flesh, it's the perfect time to create a Valentine's Day sex playlist you can get off to year round.
Whether synth pop, black metal, or hip hop gets you hot, study after study has shown how music can impact your physical and mental state. Listening to music inspires the release of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins, all while lowering cortisol levels. Surgical patients heal more quickly after listening to music, and music positively impacts cognitive functioning, too. But the most ~partwarming~ power music has is its ability to amplify your libido and help you physically go the distance, which can really come in handy if you're preparing for a marathon session. Pair these benefits with lyrics that conjure up sensual scenes of makeouts, hookups and kinky rendezvous, and it's easy to see how a sonic bump and grind can help you savor the sensation of skin on skin.
That said, figuring out what tracks to put on your sex playlist is no easy feat. Every person prefers a different aural palette for their sexing, but here are 12 songs from diverse genres that can spice up your V-Day sex whether you're partnered or flying solo with your favorite vibe.
1
"The Weekend" - SZA
Combining vulnerability and sensuality with a hot AF track, "The Weekend" shows SZA well-versed in the complexities of monogamy and sex in the real world.
2
"Justify My Love" - Madonna
Few female artists have explored the ins and outs of their own sexuality on the public stage like Madonna. "Justify My Love" is sonically spare and carnally-minded, with a video that offers plenty of temptations, too.
3
"The Sweetest Taboo" - Sade
Sex and Sade go together like PB&J. What more is there to say?
4
"Nasty Gal" - Betty Davis
Betty Davis' killer vocal performance celebrating femme power is total grinding inspo — and the ultimate track for a pre-session striptease.
5
"Violet The Organ Grinder" - Prince
The Purple One has enough sex jams to make multiple playlists out of, but this lesser-known song (originally released on the maxi-single for "Gett Off") shows off Prince's witty double entendres and ability to set a sleazy mood.
6
"I Sit On Acid" - Lords of Acid
Need some lyrical invocations to get your lover extra amped for oral? Look no further than this techno jem.
7
"Body Politics" - IAMX
Just released this month, "Body Politics" shows IAMX's Chris Corner at his most erotic and inviting. "Your body is the answer," he beckons, "your mind is in chains...when I touch you, I taste you, I only want to be inside."
8
"Sex With Me" - Rihanna
No sex playlist would be complete without Riri's magical workings as she brags about her bedroom skills, one line at a time.
9
"I Touch Myself" - Divinyls
Playlists for solo sex are just as worthy as partnered sex playlists, and what track celebrates self-love like Divinyls' "I Touch Myself"?
10
"Manna" - King Woman
A beautiful slow burn, King Woman's "Manna" — if played at high volume — will reverberate through all the right places on your body.
11
"Love Bites" - Def Leppard
'80s hair metal was a sex-obsessed genre if there ever was one, and Def Leppard ruled the school with their crotch-heating hits. Although "Pour Some Sugar On Me" is usually cited as a favorite for squeezing and teasing, "Love Bites" is a power ballad perfect for working up a sensual sweat.
12
"Physical (You're So)" - Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails' cover of Adam Ant's "So Physical (You're)" is crushingly sexy, and practically made for those moments when you want to tear your lover apart (with consensual pleasure, of course).
So whatever tracks you choose to use in your sexual Valentine's Day soundtrack, just make sure your playlist is set on repeat, because nobody should have to interrupt an orgasm to switch songs. Happy listening!
