So in a week where all we seem to be seeing is men taking off their masks and confirming how much they hate women, one comment on The New Feminist’s Facebook post struck me as pretty odd. In the comment, a man, in all of his penis-derrived wisdom, proudly declared that there are no love songs written by women. As everyone’s resident music nerd and go-to for proving men wrong, here’s my list of 121 love songs written and performed by women. Yep. This Valentine’s Day, we chose pettiness.
1. Antologia – Shakira
Written by: Shakira, Luis Fernando Ochoa
2. When We Were Young – Adele
Written by: Adele, Tobias Jesso Jr.
3. You Belong to Me – Carly Simon
Written by: Carly Simon, Michael McDonald
4. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin
Written by: Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Jerry Wexler
5. Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
Written by: Stevie Nicks
6. Songbird – Fleetwood Mac
Written by: Christine McVie
7. I’m with you – Avril Lavigne
Written by: Avril Lavigne, Scott Spock, Graham Edwards
8. If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
Written by: Alicia Keys
9. Hope Ur Ok – Olivia Rodrigo
Written by: Olivia Rodrigo, Dan Nigro
10. Crazy in Love – Beyonce
Written by: Beyoncé, Rich Harrison, Eugene Record, Shawn Carter
11. Kaleidescope – Chappell Roan
Written by: Kayleigh Amstutz (Chappell Roan), Dan Nigro, Skyler Stonestreet
12. I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders
Written by: Chrissie Hynde, Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg
13. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross
Written by: Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford
14. I Will Always Love you – Whitney Houston
Written by: Dolly Parton
15. Dim All The Lights – Donna Summer
Written by: Donna Summer
16. Si Voy a Pederte – Gloria Estefan
Written by: Gloria Estefan
17. All For You – Janet Jackson
Written by: Janet Jackson, James Harris III, Terry Lewis, Wayne Garfield, David Romani, Mauro Malavasi
18. Make You Feel My Love – Adele
Written by: Adele, Rosie Danvers
19. Love – Lana Del Rey
Written by: Lana Del Rey, Benjamin Levin, Emile Haynie, Rick Nowels
20. I’m in It with You – Loreen
Written by: Lorine Talhaoui (Loreen), Simen M. Eriksrud, Kiesa Ellestad, Espen Berg
21. Dress You Up – Madonna
Written by: Andrea LaRusso, Peggy Stanziale
22. Always be my baby – Mariah Carey
Written by: Mariah Carey
23. Emotions – Mariah Carey
Written by: Mariah Carey
24. Froot – Marina
Written by: Marina Diamandis
25. Adore You – Miley Cyrus
Written by: Stacy Barthe, Oren Yoel
26. These Words – Natasha Bedingfield
Written by: Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton, Wayne Wilkins
27. Worth it – Raye
Written by: Rachel Keen (Raye), Akil King
28. Love on the Brain – Rihanna
Written by: Robyn Fenty (Rihanna), Fred Ball, Joseph Angel
29. Diamonds – Rihanna
Written by: Sia Furler, Benjamin Levin, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen
30. Catch me in the air – Rina Sawayama
Written by: Rina Sawayama, Grace Barker, Oscar Scheller, Adam Crisp, Stuart Price
31. Chosen family – Rina Sawayama
Written by: Rina Sawayama
32. Pienso en tu mirá – Rosalía
Written by: Rosalía Vila, Pablo Díaz-Reixa, Antón Álvarez
33. Juno – Sabrina Carpenter
Written by: Sabrina Carpenter, Amy Allen, John Ryan
34. Inevitable – Shakira
Written by: Shakira, Luis Fernando Ochoa
35. Underneath Your Clothes – Shakira
Written by: Shakira, Lester Mendez
36. Too Lost in You – Sugababes
Written by: Diane Warren
37. Be My Baby – The Ronnettes
Written by: Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector
38. Snooze – SZA
Written by: Solána Rowe (SZA), Kenny B. Edmonds, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Leon Thomas, Blair Ferguson
39. Happy for You – Dua Lipa
Written by: Dua Lipa, Kevin Parker, Danny L Harle, Caroline Ailin, Tobias Jesso Jr.
40. Lover – Taylor Swift
Written by: Taylor Swift
41. Call It What You Want – Taylor Swift
Written by: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff
42. So High School – Taylor Swift
Written by: Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner
43. The Best – Tina Turner
Written by: Holly Knight, Mike Chapman
44. Saving All My Love – Whitney Houston
Written by: Shannon Rubicam, George Merrill, Narada Michael Walden
45. I Have Nothing – Whitney Houston
Written by: Linda Thompson, David Foster
46. I Turn to You – Christina Aguilera
Written by: Diane Warren
47. Video Games – Lana Del Rey
Written by: Elizabeth Grant (Lana Del Rey), Justin Parker
48. You’re still the one – Shania Twain
Written by: Shania Twain, Robert John “Mutt” Lange
49. The Power of Love – Celine Dion
Written by: Jennifer Rush, Mary Susan Applegate
50. Nobody Does It Better – Carly Simon
Written by: Carole Bayer Sager, Marvin Hamlisch
51. A Sunday Kind of Love – Etta James
Written by: Louis Prima, Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Stan Rhodes
52. The Only Exception – Paramore
Written by: Hayley Williams, Josh Farro
53. Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
Written by: Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuk
54. Love On Top – Beyoncé
Written by: Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash, Shea Taylor
55. Best Part – H.E.R, Daniel Caeser
Written by: Gabriella Wilson, Ashton Simmonds
56. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Written by: Christina Perri, David Hodges, Steve Kazee
57. Wings – Birdy
Written by: Jasmine van den Bogaerde (Birdy), Ryan Tedder
58. For My Lover – Tracy Chapman
Written by: Tracy Chapman
59. Here With Me – Dido
Written by: Dido Armstrong, Paul Statham, Pascal Gabriel
60. Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
Written by: Norah Jones
61. Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle To You – Dolly Parton
Written by: Patricia Rose Sebert, Hugh Moffatt
62. Linger – The Cranberries
Written by: Dolores O’Riordan, Noel Hogan
63. Loving You – Minnie Ripperton
Written by: Minnie Riperton, Richard Rudolph
64. Dreaming of You – Selena
Written by: Franne Golde, Tom Snow
65. To Be Loved – Adele
Written by: Adele Adkins, Tobias Jesso Jr.
66. Save the Best for Last – Vanessa Williams
Written by: Wendy Waldman, Phil Galdston, Jon Lind
67. No Ordinary Love – Sade
Written by: Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman
68. I’ll Never Love Again – Lady Gaga
Written by: Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga), Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, Aaron Raitiere
69. You Are In Love – Taylor Swift
Written by: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff
70. Moonlight – Kali Uchis
Written by: Karly Loaiza (Kali Uchis), Magnus August Høiberg, Benjamin Levin
71. Bubbly – Colbie Caillat
Written by: Colbie Caillat, Jason Reeves
72. 4 Page Letter – Aaliyah
Written by: Melissa Elliott, Tim Mosley
73. Head Over Feet – Alanis Morissette
Written by: Alanis Morissette
74. Me & Mr Jones – Amy Winehouse
Written by: Amy Winehouse
75. Eternal Flame – The Bangles
Written by: Susanna Hoffs, Billy Steinberg
76. Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper
Written by: Cyndi Lauper, Rob Hyman
77. Swept Away – Diana Ross
Written by: Sara Allen, Daryl Hall
78. I’m Every Woman – Chaka Khan
Written by: Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford
79. The Man with the Child in His Eyes – Kate Bush
Written by: Kate Bush
80. I Feel Love
Written by: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte
81. Smooth Operator – Sade
Written by: Sade Adu, Ray St. John
82. This Kiss – Faith Hill
Written by: Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner, Annie Roboff
83. Valentine – Laufey
Written by: Laufey
84. Baby I’m Burning – Dolly Parton
Written by: Dolly Parton
85. She Keeps Me Warm – Mary Lambert
Written by: Mary Lambert
86. True Blue – Boygenius
Written by: Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus
87. Closer – Tegan & Sarah
Written by: Tegan Quin, Sara Quin, Greg Kurstin
88. I wanna be your girlfriend – Girl in Red
Written by: Marie Ulven Ringheim (Girl in Red)
89. Come To My Window – Melissa Ethelredge
Written by: Melissa Etheridge, Hugh Padgham
90. A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton
Written by: Vanessa Carlton
91. Touching Toes – Olivia Dean
Written by: Olivia Dean
92. One In A Million – Aaliyah
Written by: Melissa Elliott, Tim Mosley
93. Love Me Like You Do – Ellie Goulding
Written by: Trove Nilsson (Tove Lo), Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Ali Payami
94. XO – Beyoncé
Written by: Beyoncé Knowles, Ryan Tedder, Terius Nash
95. How Do I Live – Trisha Yearwood
Written by: Diane Warren
96. Caught Up in the Rapture – Anita Baker
Written by: Dianne Quander, Garry Glenn
97. Young and Beautiful – Lana Del Rey
Written by: Lana Del Rey, Rick Nowels
98. Besame Mucho – Consuelo Velázquez
Written by: Consuelo Velázquez
99. Andar Conmigo – Julieta Venegas
Written by: Julieta Venegas, Coti Sorokin
100. Ocean – Karol G
Written by: Carolina Giraldo (Karol G), Carlos Morales, Jorge Valdés Vázquez, Ovy On the Drums
101. Amor Prohibido – Selena
Written by: Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, A.B. Quintanilla III, Pete Astudillo
102. The Feels – Twice
Written by: Anna Timgren, Boy Matthews, Justin Reinstein, Woo Min Lee “Collapsedone”
103. Maps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Written by: Karen Lee Orzolek, Brian Chase, Nick Zinner
104. No One – Alicia Keys
Written by: Alicia Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., George M. Harry
105. Love Of My Life – Erykah Badu
Written by: Erykah Badu, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Madukwu Chinwah, Robert Ozuma
106. Your Love – Nicki Minaj
Written by: Onika Mara (Nicki Minaj) jKamaljit Jhooti, David Freeman, Joseph Hughes, Andrew “Pop” Wansel
107. Make Me Feel – Janelle Monáe
Written by: Janelle Monáe Robinson, Julia Michaels, Mattias Larsson, Robin Fredriksson, Justin Tranter
108. Cool – Gwen Stefani
Written by: Gwen Stefani, Dallas Austin
109. Talk talk – Charli XCX
Written by: Charlotte Aitchison (Charli XCX), Alexander Cook, Ross Birchard, Troye Mellet, Brett McLaughlin, Kaelyn Behr, Kevin Hickey
110. Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish
Written by: Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell
111. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – Carole King
Written by: Carlone King, Gerry Goffin
112. Say Yes to Heaven – Lana Del Rey
Written by: Lana Del Rey, Rick Nowels
113. A Case of You – Joni Mitchell
Written by: Joni Mitchell
114. My Love Mine All Mine – Mitski
Written by: Mitski Miyawaki
115. Into You – Ariana Grande
Written by: Ariana Grande, Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Alexander Kronlund, Ilya
116. Nonsense – Sabrina Carpenter
Written by: Sabrina Carpenter, Julian Bunetta, Steph Jones
117. Fantasy – Jade
Written by: Jade Thirlwall, Pablo Bowman
118. Promise – Laufey
Written by: Laufey
119. How Do I Live? – LeAnn Rimes
Written by: Diane Warren
120. Lovers Forever – Cher
Written by: Cher, Shirley Eikhard
121. Love is a battlefield – Pat Benatar
Written by: Holly Knight, Mike Chapman
I really can’t say about the rest, but “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele is a cover of the Garth Brooks’ song.
Well, looking it up it turns out it was actually written by Bob Dylan and I had only heard of by Brooks first.