On this episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, it’s the annual Anti-Valentine’s Day Show, featuring all the downsides of love — heartbreak, jealousy, longing, suspicion, agony and pain. All the really good stuff!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for Feb. 15, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Sylvia’s Mother” – Dr. Hook (listener suggestion)
• “Operator” – Jim Croce 
• “Text from Your Ex (feat. Tinashe)” – Tinie Tempah
• “Losing Side Of Love” – Thee Sacred Souls
• “Goodbye Mr. Nice Guy” – Bazooka Jones (listener suggestion)
• “Good Luck Babe” – Franz Ferdinand (listener suggestion)
• “My Kink Is My Karma” – Chappell Roan
• “Don’t Like You Anymore” – Tanika Charles
• “Sweet Baby Since You’ve Been Gone” – Aretha Franklin
• “Writer In The Dark” – Lorde
• “Love Is A hurting Thing” – Lou Rawls (listener suggestion)
• “Happy Loving Couples” – Joe Jackson
• “Tights On My Boat” – The Chicks
  
• “Calling From The Car” – George Strait
• “You Keep me Hanging On” – The Supremes
• “Blah Blah Blah” – Dorothy Shay
  

• “That Don’t Appease Me” – Thornetta Davis (listener suggestion)
• “Ugly” – Fishbone (listener suggestion)
• “Maureen” – Fountains Of Wayne
• “Truck On Fire” – Carly Pearce
• “Exhausting Lover” – Ben Folds
• “Why” – Walter Charuba (listener suggestion)
• “Breakup Season” – Maya Delilah & Samm Henshaw
• “Bet You Got A Chick On The Side” – The Pointer Sisters (listener suggestion)
• “I Want None Of This” – Radiohead (listener suggestion)
• “Kiss With A Fist” – Florence & The Machine (listener suggestion)
• “Cry For Me” – The Weeknd
• “For Lovin’ Me” – Gordon Lightfoot (listener suggestion)
• “Smoke From A Distant Fire” – Sanford – Townsend Band
  
• “I Wanna Be Around” – Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra with Rodrigo Amarante

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Social media has dramatically changed our world. Connecting with new people meant leaving your house, starting a hobby or joining a group of interest. But social media and dating apps have made all of that much simpler, at least when you’re glued to a screen.

All it takes is the swipe of a finger to discover or connect with someone you may have never actually met in the real world. There is a significant number of people doing this via popular dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, BLK and Hinge. According to the Pew Research Center, 30% of adults in the U.S. have used a dating site or app.

Today on The Metro, on the eve of Valentine’s Day, we explore how social media and dating apps have altered romantic relationships. 

Guests:

• Stephanie Tong: Wayne State University professor and expert on the intersection of social media and relational communication.
• Aqua Tofana: Comedian and host of Match Made on Stage, a show where attendees sign up to speed date in front of a live audience.
• Erin Stiebel: Jewish educator and community leader in metro Detroit. While not an official matchmaker, she’s connected five couples who’ve gone on to fall in love and get married. 

Use the media player above to hear the conversation.

More headlines from The Metro on Feb. 13, 2025: 

• Narratives of Pain will host its “Broken Hearts and Connections” event at 6 p.m. on Valentine’s Day at the Apothecary Espresso and Coffee shop in Farmington. Therapist Dr. Zain Shamoon joined the show to discuss the event. 

• Each year, Kresge Arts in Detroit selects and awards an eminent artist. It’s someone who has dedicated their life to art and uplifting Detroit’s cultural community. The 2025 Eminent Artist Marion Hayden joined the show to discuss the honor. 

• WDET will be celebrating the end of its 75th year with a special member-only event at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit on Thursday. There’s so much history here at WDET and some of the most interesting stuff takes us back to the very beginning. News Director Jerome Vaughn dusted off the library shelves and hooked up the microfilm for a look at WDET’s early days.
• WDET’s Ryan Patrick Hooper caught up with Detroit Film Theatre Director Elliot Wilhelm to find out more about the Academy Award Nominated Short Films program running through March 2.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

This week, we’ve got a variety of Valentine’s Day activities, from ice skating to orchestral performances.

Plus, where to catch local soul, rock and house musicians this weekend. Read on to learn more.

Valentine’s Day celebrations

For the outdoorsy types, celebrate Valentine’s Day at Campus Martius Park with The Rink’s Sweetheart Skate. On Friday, Feb. 14, treat your special someone to a romantic evening of ice skating under the lights featuring feel-good ballads, timeless love songs and Broadway in Detroit giveaways from 6-9 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $9 for children under 13 and seniors over 58, and $8 for active military and first responders. For more information, visit downtowndetroit.org.

For the theater enthusiasts, head to Orchestra Hall to see the DSO perform Broadway Love Songs throughout the weekend. From Friday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 16, the Orchestra an all-star cast of vocalists will perform some of Broadway’s most cherished love songs, including timeless classics from “The King and I,” “Cinderella,” “South Pacific” and “West Side Story,” as well as contemporary hits from “Wicked,” “Hamilton,” “Cabaret” and more. Tickets start at $20 and limited seats remain for the Feb. 14 performances. For more information, visit dso.org.

For the academically-inclined, head to the Cranbrook Institute of Science for a Valentine’s Day edition of Science After Dark. This interactive 21+ event will explore love, sex and attraction through the lens of science, history and nature. Visitors can sip on signature cocktails while immersing themselves in lively demonstrations, spicy presentations and interactive activities. Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for non-members and $35 at the door (subject to availability). Pre-registration is highly recommended. For more information, visit science.cranbrook.edu.

For the party-goers, Spot Lite Detroit is throwing a Valentine’s Day Rocksteady Disco celebrating the 55th anniversary of David Mancuso’s The Loft. Love Saves the Day will honor The Loft’s legacy of inclusivity and soul-affirming beats, featuring DJ sets by Eddie C, Elado and Eddie Logix back to back with Peter Croce. The party starts at 9 p.m. and tickets start at $17. This event is 21+. For more information, visit ra.co.

Cultural festivities

This weekend, head to Valade Park on the Detroit riverfront for Winter Around the World. Festivities include an international food truck rally, a Desi high tea ceremony, a Chinese yo-yo demonstration and dance performances showcasing a variety of styles and genres by Detroit artists. Plus, there will be a Mardi Gras presentation on Saturday evening and a Lunar New Year celebration on Sunday. This event is free and open to all ages. To see the full lineup of events and learn more, visit detroitriverfront.org.

Local concerts

On Saturday, Feb. 15, head to Miss Eva’s in Detroit for Saturday Night Unplugged with Detroit-based singer-songwriter, Bevlove. She’s graced stages across the country, and will perform an intimate, stripped-down set for the audience at Miss Eva’s. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the performances starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit @missevasdetroit on Instagram.

On Saturday, Feb. 15, Detroit-based rock band The Feisty Birds are playing at The Loving Touch in Ferndale. Their music is influenced by a wide range of genres including jazz, fusion, pop, country and blues, and their sets include both covers that bring back special memories and original material. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $10. All ages are welcome. For more information, visit thelovingtouchferndale.com.

On Saturday, Feb. 15, Deep house maestro and Sound Signature affiliate Marcellus Pittman returns home for a soulful celebration of Black music at Spot Lite Detroit. Noire: A Celebration of Black Music features Pittman with special guest Kindle. The party starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $22. This event is 21+. For more information, visit ra.co.