“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 11th 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 in February 2004, by J Records. The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray’s 1924 photograph Le Violon d’Ingres.
“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”. Since its release, Keys has said that it is one of her favourite songs. 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 colour.
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.” In September 2020, Keys revealed that she almost offered the song to Christina Aguilera, the singer wanted to work with Keys. She eventually wrote the song “Impossible” for Aguilera’s album Stripped. There is a remix of the song that features additional vocals by Usher.
“If I Ain’t Got You” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number sixty-four on the issue dated March 6, 2004, peaking at number four, four months later, in July 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. The song topped the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs in May 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. The single was ultimately placed at number three on the Billboard Year End Hot 100 chart of 2004.
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. In late September 2009, the single returned to the chart at number fifty-four. 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. By August 2020, the song had reached 4× Platinum certification. 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.
