The Loving Kind

"The Loving Kind"
Single by Girls Aloud
from the album Out of Control
B-side
Released12 January 2009
Recorded2008
GenreSynth-pop
Length3:53 (album version)
3:59 (radio mix)
LabelFascination
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Girls Aloud singles chronology
"The Promise"
(2008)
"The Loving Kind"
(2009)
"Untouchable"
(2009)
Music video
"The Loving Kind" on YouTube

"The Loving Kind" is a song by English-Irish girl group Girls Aloud, taken from their fifth studio album Out of Control (2008). The song was written by Pet Shop Boys, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania. Described as a "synth-pop ballad", "The Loving Kind" was originally written for inclusion on Pet Shop Boys' Yes (2009) before being given to Girls Aloud. Upon its release in January 2009, "The Loving Kind" peaked at number ten on the UK Singles Chart, thereby continuing their six-year streak of top-ten hits.

In the music video, the group portrays the "good" and "bad" Girls Aloud as they perform in mirrored boxes. "The Loving Kind" was promoted through numerous live appearances and was performed on 2009's Out of Control Tour. The song was largely praised by most contemporary music critics, although maligned by others for its similarities with "Call the Shots".