If I Ain't Got You

For the song by Jay Sean, see All or Nothing (Jay Sean album).
"If I Ain't Got You"
Single by Alicia Keys
from the album The Diary of Alicia Keys
B-side"You Don't Know My Name"
ReleasedFebruary 17, 2004 (2004-02-17)
StudioKampo (New York City)
Genre
Length3:48
LabelJ
Songwriter(s)Alicia Keys
Producer(s)Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"You Don't Know My Name"
(2003) 		"If I Ain't Got You"
(2004) 		"Diary"
(2004)
Music video
"If I Ain't Got You" on YouTube

"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the world and in Keys' life, the song is about "how material things don't feed the soul". It was released as the second single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on February 17, 2004, by J Records. The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray's 1924 photograph Le Violon d'Ingres.[1]

"If I Ain't Got You" peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second consecutive R&B chart-topper, remaining atop of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for six weeks. The song received two nominations at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005), for Song of the Year and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, winning the latter. It was ranked at number 440 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[2] Since its release, Keys has said that it is one of her favorite songs.[3]

In 2023 the song was reinterpreted in a classical version by Keys and Kris Bowers for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Soundtrack, which the singer performed with a 70-piece orchestra of women of color.[4]

Background and composition

[edit]

Keys said that the idea of the song was inspired by Aaliyah's death: "The song idea came together right after Aaliyah passed away. It was such a sad time and no one wanted to believe it. It just made everything crystal clear to me—what matters, and what doesn't."[5]

In September 2020, Keys revealed that she almost offered the song to Christina Aguilera, as the singer wanted to work with Keys.[6] She eventually wrote the song "Impossible" for Aguilera's album Stripped.[7] There is a remix of the song that features additional vocals by Usher.

Commercial performance

[edit]

"If I Ain't Got You" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number sixty-four on the issue dated March 6, 2004,[8] peaking at number four, four months later, on July 3, 2004. It spent twenty non-consecutive weeks in the top ten, one of the longest stays of any song that year and outlasting many number-one singles.[9] The song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on May 1, 2004, and spent six non-consecutive weeks atop the chart. It was also successful on Billboard component charts, reaching number five on the Rhythmic Top 40 and number nine on the Mainstream Top 40.[10] The single was ultimately placed at number three on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 chart of 2004.[11]

In the United Kingdom, "If I Ain't Got You" debuted and peaked at number eighteen on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending April 10, 2004.[12] In late September 2009, the single returned to the chart at number fifty-four.[13]

In September 2016, Keys appeared on The Voice as a coach, with a contestant singing the song, and it made a new entry into the R&B/Hip Hop singles charts, driving total sales up to 1.5  million units.[14] By August 2020, the song had reached 4× Platinum certification.[15]

Music video

[edit]

The music video for "If I Ain't Got You", directed by Diane Martel, was filmed in Harlem, New York City, and features a cameo by rapper and actor Method Man as Keys' on-screen boyfriend.[16]

Accolades

[edit]
Award nominations for "If I Ain't Got You"
Year Ceremony Award Result Ref.
2004 Grammy Awards Song of the Year Nominated
[17]
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Won
Billboard Music Awards Hot 100 Single of the Year Nominated
[18]
Hot 100 Airplay Song of the Year Nominated
R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year Won
R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Song of the Year Won
MTV Video Music Awards Best Female Video Nominated
[19]
Best R&B Video Won
2005 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Song of the Year Won
[20]
ASCAP Pop Awards Most Performed Song Won
[21]
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Song Won
Outstanding Video Won
Soul Train Music Awards Best R&B/Soul Single – Female Won
[22]
Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year Won
[23]
Award nominations for "If I Ain't Got You (Orchestral)"
Year Ceremony Award Result Ref.
2023 MTV Video Music Awards Video for Good Nominated
[24]

Track listings and formats

[edit]

Personnel

[edit]

Personnel are adapted from the liner notes of The Diary of Alicia Keys.[33]

  • Alicia Keys – piano, producer, background vocals, vocals
  • Katreese Barnes – background vocals
  • Adamo Simione – engineering
  • Kerry Brothers Jr. – digital programming
  • Fred Cash Jr. – bass
  • Darryl Dixon – horn
  • L. Green – background vocals
  • Steve Jordan – drums
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing
  • Hugh McCracken – guitar
  • Cindy Mizelle – background vocals
  • Herb Powers Jr. – mastering
  • Joe Romano – horn
  • Arcell Vickers – organ
  • David Watson – horn

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[65] 4× Platinum 280,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[66] 4× Platinum 320,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[67] Gold 150,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[68] Platinum 70,000‡
Japan (RIAJ)[69] Gold 100,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[70] 4× Platinum 120,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[71] Platinum 40,000‡
South Korea (Gaon)[a] — 882,728[72]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[73] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[74] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[75] 6× Platinum 6,000,000‡
United States (RIAA)[76]
Mastertone 		Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

  1. ^ Sales from 2010 onwards

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for "If I Ain't Got You"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States February 17, 2004 Digital download (EP) J
[77]
February 23, 2004
[78]
March 9, 2004 Rhythmic contemporary radio
[79]
Japan March 24, 2004 Maxi CD Sony Music
[80]
Germany March 29, 2004
[39]
United Kingdom RCA
[81]
United States April 27, 2004 Contemporary hit radio J
[82]
August 9, 2004 Adult contemporary radio
[83]
France September 28, 2004 CD Sony BMG
[84]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Le Violon d'Ingres (Ingres's Violin)". J. Paul Getty Museum. J. Paul Getty Trust. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
  2. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  3. ^ "'The Voice' Coach Alicia Keys Reveals How Aaliyah's Death Inspired 'If I Ain't Got You': Exclusive Video". Billboard. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. ^ Reilly, Nick (4 May 2023). "Alicia Keys on revamping 'If I Ain't Got You' for 'Queen Charlotte' soundtrack". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  5. ^ Osei, Anthony (June 9, 2011). "Alicia Keys Says "If I Ain't Got You" Was Inspired By Aaliyah's Death". Complex. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  6. ^ Lavin, Will (September 19, 2020). "Alicia Keys' 'If I Ain't Got You' was almost a Christina Aguilera song". NME. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  7. ^ Gracie, Bianca (September 19, 2020). "We've Got A File On You: Alicia Keys". Stereogum. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  8. ^ "The Hot 100: Mar 06, 2004,". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  9. ^ "The Hot 100: Jul 03, 2004,". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
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