This essay first appeared in the NPR Music newsletter. Sign up for early access to articles like this one, listening recommendations and more. I love the word "heartthrob." It stops you whether you ...

Every possible stage of the creation and dissolution of romance has been documented in song, encompassing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Romantic love is a prominent component of human life and ...

If you’ve ever fallen in love (or even in 'like') with someone, chances are there’s a Taylor Swift song for that. The pop star is no stranger to writing about the deepest aspects of crushing on ...

The universal language of music has united generations of lovers since the beginning of time. Falling in and out of love, grasping at unrequited love, mourning love lost and succumbing to deep love ...