If I Ain't Got You

"If I Ain't Got You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys from her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the terrorist 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." The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray's 1924 painting Le Violon d'Ingres.[1] Released on February 23, 2004, as the album's second single, "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 2005 Grammy Awards, for Song of the Year and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, winning the latter. It was ranked No. 440 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[2] Keys herself said that it is one of her favorite songs.[3] A remix featuring Usher, a Kanye West Radio Mix, and a Spanish-language version featuring Arturo Sandoval appear on the bonus CD of select international pressings of The Diary of Alicia Keys. The song was covered by singer Jordan Feliz in 2016.