"If You Had My Love" | ||||
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Single by Jennifer Lopez | ||||
from the album On the 6 | ||||
B-side | "No Me Ames" | |||
Released | May 4, 1999 | |||
Studio | Sony Music (New York City) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:26 | |||
Label | Work | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Rodney Jerkins | |||
Jennifer Lopez singles chronology | ||||
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Music videos | ||||
"If You Had My Love" on YouTube | ||||
"If You Had My Love" (Dark Child Remix) on YouTube |
"If You Had My Love" is the debut single by American actress and singer Jennifer Lopez from her first studio album, On the 6 (1999). The song was written by Lopez, LaShawn Daniels, Cory Rooney, Fred Jerkins III, and its producer Rodney Jerkins, also serving as the album's lead single. A midtempo pop and R&B song, it features Latin music and hip hop influences, with lyrics revolving around the beginning of a new relationship, during which Lopez confronts her admirer with a number of ground rules.
Critics reacted positively to "If You Had My Love", praising its groove and production and how it complemented Lopez's voice. Upon its release, the song generated instant attention and became a commercial success, peaking at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. It became one of the best-selling singles of 1999, selling over 1.2 million units in the US alone. The song was also an international success, topping the charts in Australia, Canada, Finland, Greece, Hungary, and New Zealand. Its success came as a surprise to critics, making Lopez one of few actors to successfully crossover into the music industry. This also contributed to the growing popularity of Latin artists in Northern America. In retrospect, the song has been described by a few critics as an "R&B classic", and it is considered one of Lopez's best songs.
The accompanying music video, directed by Paul Hunter, features a voyeuristic internet concept, wherein Lopez's spectators are able to direct her through cyberspace. The provocative video received heavy rotation on MTV networks internationally, allowing Lopez to establish herself in a field that was primarily dominated by Janet Jackson and Madonna. The clip was nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards and five Billboard Music Awards. Lopez promoted "If You Had My Love" through performances at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards and VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards in 1999. She has subsequently performed it on a number of occasions, including her Let's Get Loud concerts in 2001, and her Dance Again World Tour in 2012, where she performed an acoustic version of the song. It also served as the opening number to her Las Vegas residency show, Jennifer Lopez: All I Have (2016).