The Best Indie Love Songs to Fuel Your Fantasies
“Swim Between Trees,” “Acolyte,” “I Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You),” and “Big Time” are some of the best indie love songs.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, love is in the air, and what better way to luxuriate in those heady hormones and intoxicating infatuations than by enjoying some indie love songs? Love — just love — can be a difficult subject to tackle compared to the darker emotions that often dominate our favorite musicians’ discographies, but when they’re done right, love songs have the power to hit home just as deeply as the heartbreak anthems.
Whether you’re locked into a 10-year relationship or need a soundtrack to feed the fantasies of your latest crush, we’ve got you covered. Here are Off the Record’s staff picks for the best indie love songs. (Not in the mood for love? Check out OTR’s best indie breakup songs for the ultimate anti-Valentine’s Day here.)
“Acolyte,” by Slaughter Beach, Dog
Ana Marks, Contributor
A song that feels as simple and honest as love should be, “Acolyte” by Slaughter Beach, Dog is a 2017 track from the band’s sophomore album. The lyrics intertwine the beautiful specificities of being in love in everyday life and yearning for an ambitious future, saying, “Annie, I want you to marry me / We'll wait a few years / I don't mean to frighten you / I just wanna be clear.” To accompany these lyrics, frontman Jake Ewald adds an indie-twang vocal to an infectious acoustic instrumental that takes up most of the song’s runtime of just over five minutes. Taking time to hum the instrumental melody in the middle of the track, Slaughter Beach, Dog makes it obvious that this is a song meant to be shared with the ones you love.
“Big Time” by Angel Olsen
Mitchell Stewart, Staff Writer
There’s something to be said about when a singer ventures out of their typical genre to experiment with something outside of their wheelhouse. On “Big Time,” Angel Olsen taps into a more country sound that is entirely different from anything else she’s done. “Big Time” is a perfect celebration of a stable love that you’ve spent your entire life waiting to get to. “Guess I had to be losing to get here on time,” Olsen sings. She shows that despite all the hardships we may experience in our love life, it all culminates and washes away when we finally meet the one who shows us that it was all worth it, as it brought us closer to our true love. “Big Time” is the perfect celebration of love, making you pull your loved one close and revel in the joy of a pure, unclouded love.
“Cariño” by The Marías
Jane Flautt, Music Extras Co-Editor
Watch the official music video for “Cariño.”
The Marías might be best known for their devastating breakup songs like “No One Noticed” and “Back To Me,” but they are also the creative engine behind the silky, dreamy love song, “Cariño.” A mesmerizing baseline, coupled with lead singer María Zardoya’s pure and ethereal vocals, makes for the perfect soundtrack to fall in love to. “My favorite term of endearment in English or Spanish is ‘cariño,’” Zardoya said when introducing the song on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert in 2024, and you can feel this softness and joy infuse the love song. The lyrics’ simplicity — “Eres una obra de arte / … Pintas en color [You’re a work of art / … You paint in color]” — lets the instrumentation take center stage, with a sensual blend of base and reverbed guitars transporting you to a velvety world filled with gentle love and earnest infatuation.
“I Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)” by Westside Cowboy
Brooke Shapiro, Music Extras Co-Editor
With their debut single, Westside Cowboy not only romped onto the scene with dynamism, but they also delivered an anthem for those so in love it hurts. “I Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)” is a gritty take on a love song, but it brims with just as much adoration as down-tempo classics. From the first downbeat to the last lyric, the British four-piece throws all they have at listeners in the two-minute and 45-second track. The chorus sees vocalists Reuben Haycocks and Aofie Anson-O’Connell delivering the song’s main refrain — “From the dirt in your nails / To the wear on your boots / I’ve never met anyone I thought I could really love / Until I met you” — as if they cannot possibly hold it in any longer. The track is a testament to that “pinch me, I must be dreaming” kind of feeling at the start of a new relationship, and Westside Cowboy’s relentless energy throughout is like the pumping of an enamored heart.
“Music Baby” by Jane Remover
Logan Goettemoeller, Senior Staff Writer
There are so many cheesy love songs written about budding romances. Stripped back guitar, soft vocals, two-part harmonies… You know the gist. However, it takes a lot for a song to truly embody the emotion of love, even if it’s got all of the amorous ingredients. “Music Baby” by Jane Remover nails the feeling of love through its unconventional reinvention of the love song; they not only tell a love narrative, but the music serves as a distinct sonic manifestation of love itself. Remover takes a Jersey club beat and implements lush electronic synths and hazy vocals for a mesmerizing musical experience of realizing you’re in love with someone as you’re partying the entire night away together. While there’s no shying away from infatuation with the intimate simplicity of “we just make music, baby” scattered throughout the entire song, the bridge’s testament to love powerfully conveys the deep emotion imbued at the core of “Music Baby”: “Who can I tell the truth? You make me feel myself / I gotta tell you, boy, I think that you’re the one / And if I tell you the way you make me feel / You get the feeling that you might be the one.”
“Real Love Baby” by Father John Misty
Tabita Bernardus, Head Writing Editor
Watch the official music video for “Real Love Baby.”
“I’m in love, I’m alive / I belong to the stars and the sky,” sings Josh Tillman, the man behind the folk-rock persona Father John Misty, in “Real Love Baby.” The 2016 sun-drenched, indie-pop track shimmers with groovy guitar licks and an infectious, 70s-inspired melody that doesn’t leave your brain the moment you hit play. Tillman writes about love as an eager invitation — in a way that says, “We’re on this earth once. Why not take the risk of falling head-over-heels?” His refrain of “I want real love, baby / There’s a world inside me” swims across the song with lush, feel-good harmonies as he relishes in the beauty of how much love each of us holds, and how abundant it can become when we find the people we want to share it with. “Real Love Baby” captures the dreamlike essence of summer nights, tunnel drives, and running through an open field of bright poppies. It lends a hand for you to take, and this time, choosing to do so involves leaning into a love free of inhibition. After all, if love isn’t worth the gamble, then what is?
“Somehow I Got You, Somehow You Love Me” by Joshua Slone
Mckenzie Blasi, Senior Staff Writer
“Somehow I Got You, Somehow You Love Me” by Joshua Slone captures the raw, unpolished sincerity that defines the very best of the indie genre. The track relies on a minimalist arrangement that allows the vulnerability of the lyrics to take center stage, creating an intimate atmosphere that feels like a shared secret. Its power lies in the relatable disbelief of the narrator, perfectly articulating that universal feeling of wonder when someone truly special chooses to stay. Unlike overproduced pop ballads, the song’s gentle imperfections evoke a sense of authenticity and real-world romance. The steady, rhythmic progression mirrors a heartbeat, grounding the ethereal melody in a way that feels both timeless and deeply personal. Ultimately, it stands out because it prioritizes emotional resonance over spectacle, proving that sometimes the simplest declarations of love are the most profound.
“Swim Between Trees” by flipturn
Mckenzie Blasi, Senior Staff Writer
“Swim Between Trees” by flipturn stands as a masterclass in indie songwriting by using lush, atmospheric instrumentation to mirror the overwhelming sensation of falling in love. The track’s ethereal guitars and driving percussion create a sonic landscape that feels both expansive and deeply private, capturing the dizzying nature of a new connection. Lead singer Dillon Basse delivers a vocal performance filled with a yearning sincerity that elevates the poetic lyrics beyond standard romantic tropes. Its brilliance lies in how it balances high-energy indie rock with moments of vulnerability, reflecting the bravery required to truly let someone in. The metaphor of swimming between trees perfectly encapsulates the surreal, fluid feeling of navigating life alongside a partner who makes the world feel different. Ultimately, it is one of the best indie love songs because it prioritizes the feeling of devotion over simple declarations, leaving a lasting emotional resonance.
“You got time and I got money” by Smerz
Mitchell Stewart, Staff Writer
One of the greatest love songs to come out of 2025 was Smerz’s “You got time and I got money.” The single perfectly captures the feelings of having a crush and how they absorb every thought that you have; you can’t stop thinking about all the things you like about them, be it their shoes, their clean t-shirts, or the restaurants they choose. When we fall in love, we enter a fog where our thoughts seem clouded by thoughts of our crush. Smerz’s production captures that feeling with their dreamy synths and soft vocals. Our thoughts in love are full of contradictions, captured perfectly when they sing, “Baby, can I see you naked? / Even though I love how you dress.” Whatever it is, “You got time and I got money” is a perfect encapsulation of the feelings we get when we fall head over heels in love.