Amapiano might have a chokehold on South Africans\u2019 hearts for the rest of the year, but when it comes to Valentine\u2019s Day, it\u2019s the classics that are getting us all choked up!<\/p>\n
Data shared by streaming giant Spotify ahead of Valentine\u2019s Day shows that South Africans are adding iconic love songs by artists like John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey to their playlists to express their feelings. Their tastes also don\u2019t differ much from global favourites, with many of these same artists featuring in the global top 10 love songs added to playlists going into Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n
Legend\u2019s emotional All of Me <\/em>is the most added love song both in South Africa and globally. British pop star Sheeran occupies two spots among South Africa\u2019s favourite love songs with Perfect<\/em> and Thinking Out Loud<\/em>, which is no surprise given that globally, he occupies the top artist spot when it comes to love songs.<\/p>\n Soundtracks to romantic movies also feature strongly among South Africa\u2019s most playlisted love songs- with Whitney Houston\u2019s I Will Always Love You<\/em>, featured in The Bodyguard, Bryan Adams\u2019 Everything I do (I do it for You)<\/em> from the 1991 movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Christina Perri\u2019s Twilight theme song, A Thousand Years<\/em>, all ranking in the top 10 most playlisted tracks.<\/p>\n A number of South Africa\u2019s favourite love songs are also deeply nostalgic with half of the top ten songs being more than 20 years old. Houston\u2019s version of I Will Always Love You<\/em> was released in 1992, although the original, by Dolly Parton, dates back to the 70s. Mariah Carey\u2019s Always be My Baby <\/em>is 28 years old, while Alicia Keys\u2019 If I Ain\u2019t Got You<\/em>, turns 20 this year. The oldest song however is the Elvis Presley classic, Can\u2019t Help Falling in Love<\/em>, which was released in 1961 and is enjoying a resurgence due to the recent release of a biopic of his life.<\/p>\n The list of artists that South Africans are adding to their playlists has a bit more current appeal- with recent Grammy winners Beyonce and Taylor Swift and this year\u2019s Super Bowl halftime artist, Rihanna all ranking in the top 10. And it seems when it comes to love – women say it best as six of South Africa\u2019s 10 most playlisted artists are women.<\/p>\n And while there are no South African artists ranking in the top 10, Spotify EQUAL alumni Elaine is tugging on South Africans\u2019 heartstrings. Her track You\u2019re The One<\/em>, is the literal one, as the top ranked South African love song.<\/p>\n See below for the full lists of most playlisted love songs on Spotify both in South Africa and globally.<\/p>\n The ten most playlisted love songs on Spotify in South Africa are:<\/p>\n \u00a6 All of me <\/strong>– John Legend<\/p>\n \u00a6 Perfect<\/strong> – Ed Sheeran<\/p>\n \u00a6 Thinking out loud <\/strong>– Ed Sheran<\/p>\n \u00a6 I will always love you <\/strong>– Whitney Houston<\/p>\n \u00a6 If I ain\u2019t got you <\/strong>– Alicia Keys<\/p>\n \u00a6 Just the way you are <\/strong>– Bruno Mars<\/p>\n \u00a6 Everything I do (I do it for you)<\/strong> – Bryan Adams<\/p>\n \u00a6 A thousand years<\/strong> – Christina Perri<\/p>\n \u00a6 Always be my baby <\/strong>– Mariah Carey<\/p>\n \u00a6 Can\u2019t help falling in love with you <\/strong>– Elvis<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Amapiano might have a chokehold on South Africans\u2019 hearts for the 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