Let Me Love You (Mario song)

"Let Me Love You"is a song by American singerMario,released byJ Recordson October 4, 2004, as the lead single from his second studio album,Turning Point(2004). The song was written by then-unknown American singerNe-Yo,Kameron Houff, andScott Storch,while production was handled by the latter. The song garnered Mario aGrammy Awardnomination forBest Male R&B Vocal Performancein 2006 and became a top-10 hit worldwide, reaching number one in the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

"Let Me Love You"
SinglebyMario
from the albumTurning Point
B-side
ReleasedOctober 4, 2004(2004-10-04)[1]
StudioSoundvilla (Miami Beach,Florida)
GenreR&B[2]
Length4:09
LabelJ
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Scott Storch
Mariosingles chronology
"C'mon"
(2003)
"Let Me Love You"
(2004)
"How Could You"
(2005)
Music video
"Let Me Love You"onYouTube

In 2008, "Let Me Love You" ranked number 45 onBillboard's All-Time Top 100 Hot 100 singles, during the first 50 years of the chart.[3]It was the eighth most successful single of the decade according to theBillboardHot 100 Songs of the Decade chart released in December 2009.[4]In 2013, it was ranked at number 53 onBillboard's All-Time Top 100 Hot 100 singles during the first 55 years of the chart.[5]Theremixof the song, also produced by Storch, containsrappedverses fromJadakissandT.I.

"Let Me Love You" is considered to be Mario'ssignature song,as well as a prominent track in2000s R&B music.[6][7][8]

Background and composition

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"It was during a time where people were trying to figure out what was the new phase of R&B, and I think it set up a playing field of what R&B could be in the pop world, but still be cool and urban."
— Mario talking about the song's impact.[9]

"Let Me Love You" was written by Kameron Houff,Ne-Yo,andScott Storch,who also produced the track.[10]Ne-Yo talked about the making of the song: "So my manager gets me down to Miami. [Storch] just happens to be working for Mario that week. We did, I think, three songs. And 'Let Me Love You' was the second song that we did. At the time we knew it was something special, but we had no idea that it was going to do what it did".[11]Mario spoke about the song's creation toBillboard:"I was working with Scott Storch for about two weeks in Miami. There were parties every night, and girls everywhere… anything you can imagine in a Scott Storch movie, mixed with my newfound fame, was there. So most of the records on [Turning Point] are uptempo club records. When Ne-Yo came in, we were like, 'We actually need to make some R&B songs for the ladies.' "[9]Ne-Yo revealed during a 2024 interview that he didn't think that Mario was the right performer for "Let Me Love You", because he considered the song's content too mature for an 18-year-old singer.[12]Speaking about giving "Let Me Love You" toMario,Ne-Yo said that "at the time that I wrote it I wasn’t trying to be an artist, I was completely content with just being a song writer but I think back on that song and I look back and think had I been trying to be an artist at the time that’s definitely one I would of held on to".[13]

"Let Me Love You" was co-written by R&B singerNe-Yo.

Speaking on the commercial success of the track, Mario said "Going from a child star to being a young adult is a very hard transition, and 'Let Me Love You' introduced me to the world as a young man", "I didn’t know it would touch so many people, but it was an emotional song and those records last forever."[14]Ne-Yo said that writing "Let Me Love You" led him from being exclusively a songwriter into the beginning of his career as a singer.[15][11][16]

"Let Me Love You" is a mid-tempo R&Blove songinG minor,centered around the progression C minor / G minor / F major. It is written incommon time.[17][18]Stereogumdescribed its instrumental as a "mechanized melodic backbeat with sturdy, clap-heavy drum track and some lost, wandering ’80s-style synth-pillows".[18]The song's lyrical content focuses on the singer's desire to have a romantic relationship with a girl instead of his significant other who cheats on her.[18]On "Let Me Love You", Mario was noted for portraying "a classic nonthreatening nice-guy type" character, with aMichael Jackson-inspired vocal performance.[18]

Critical reception

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Contactmusic.comcritic Tareck Ghoneim called "Let Me Love You" an "excellent track that oozes smooth soul, genuine feel good vibes and sing along sentiment as well. The beats have a lazy hip hop beat with soulful bass and seductive keys. It provides a nice and smooth backline for Mario to show what he’s made of and he delivers his soulful vocals with conviction and genuine serenity."[19]Caroline Sullivan, writing forThe Guardianfound that the song's "silky exterior encloses a core of smut that's all the more compelling for theAlpinepurity of Mario's voice. "[20]Billboardranked the song at number seven in their "Top 50 Love Songs of All Time" list.[21]Cleveland.comcommented that the track "does away with any flashy elements, sticking to a classic R&B formula with Mario’s vocals leading the way. This one could have been a hit in any decade".[22]

In her review of parent albumTurning Point,BBC Music's Denise Boyd wrote: "The stand out track" Let Me Love You "has already tugged at the heart strings of the R&B audience, becoming a club, party and car stereo anthem on both sides of the Atlantic. Its smooth and soulful narrative sets the tone for much of this album."[2]Jon Pareles fromThe New York Timescommented that "Let Me Love You" "looks back to another 1980s blockbuster, lifting its keyboard sound fromTina Turner's 'What's Love Got to Do with It'. "[23]Todaydefined the track a "blockbuster hit" and "a passionate plea to take on an elevated role in his crush's life".[24]

Accolades and nominations

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In 2004, "Let Me Love You" was nominated for aVibe Awardfor Best R&B Song and twoTeen Choice Awards,Choice Love Songand Choice R&B/Rap Track, but it failed to receive any awards. In 2005, it received nominations forBillboardMusic Awards,including "Hot 100 Single of the Year", "Hot 100 Airplay Single of the Year", "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year", "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Single of the Year, winning in both the R&B categories. It was also nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B Single, a Viewer's Choice award at theBET Awards,Best Single at theMOBO Awards,and Best R&B/Soul Song at theSoul Train Music Awards.In 2006, Mario was nominated for aGrammy AwardforBest Male R&B Vocal Performancewith "Let Me Love You". He also received anMTV Australia Awardsnomination for Best R&B music video for "Let Me Love You".[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]

Commercial performance

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"Let Me Love You" debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 the week of October 23, 2004, at number 97. The song went on to hold the number-one position on the U.S.BillboardHot 100chart for nine consecutive weeks from January to February 2005, and, as of 2025, is Mario's biggest single. It also reached number one on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songschart. Internationally, it reached the number-one position on the singles charts in Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and in the continental chart European Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number two on theUK Singles Chart(held off the top spot by "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo"), making it Mario's biggest hit to date in the UK. The single also holds the honor of being one of the highest-selling ringtones with 1.6 million downloads.[33]

Music video

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The music video for "Let Me Love You" featuresgraffitiworks.

The "Let Me Love You" music video was filmed at studios inBrooklyn, New Yorkin September 2004. It was directed byLittle X.The video starts with the singer talking with his friends about his new haircut. The video then transitions into a room with a red and white graffiti of twosamurais,where Mario is by himself doingboxing training.He then sees through the room's window the girl he's attracted to being upset with his boyfriend. The video continues with different scenes of Mario dancing, alone or with backup dancers, on various sets. The clip ends with scenes of the singer dancing passionately with his love interest.

Track listings

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US 7-inch single[34]
A. "Let Me Love You" (radio version) – 4:16
B. "How Could You"(radio version) – 3:59

Credits and personnel

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Credits are lifted from the UK CD1 liner notes.[10]

Studios

Personnel

  • Scott Storch – music and lyrics, production
  • Kameron Houff – music and lyrics, recording
  • Ne-Yo – music and lyrics (as Shaffer Smith), vocal production (as Nio)
  • Mario – vocals
  • Mike Tyler – guitar
  • Conrad Golding – recording
  • Manny Marroquin– mixing
  • Alli – art direction
  • Marc "Poppa" Baptiste – photography

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications and sales for "Let Me Love You"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[93] Platinum 70,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[94] 2× Platinum 180,000
France (SNEP)[95] Silver 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[96] 3× Gold 450,000
Italy (FIMI)[97] Gold 35,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[98] Platinum 10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[99] 3× Platinum 1,800,000
United States (RIAA)[100] Gold 500,000*
Ringtone
United States (RIAA)[101] Platinum 1,000,000*

*Sales figures based on certification alone.
^Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates for "Let Me Love You"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States October 4, 2004 Urban radio J [1]
October 18, 2004 Rhythmic contemporaryradio [102]
November 1, 2004 Contemporary hit radio [103]
Australia February 14, 2005 CD [104]
Denmark March 21, 2005 [105]
United Kingdom [106][107]

Anniversary edition

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"Let Me Love You (Anniversary Edition)"
SinglebyMario
ReleasedFebruary 14, 2020(2020-02-14)
GenreR&B
Length4:11
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Scott Storch

In 2020, Mario announced that he had re-recorded his vocals for the remastered version, celebrating the 15-year anniversary of the song. The anniversary edition was released on February 14, 2020.[108]

Covers

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  • Dutch producer Dastic sampled the song and released his owntropical houseversion featuring vocals from singerCADE.The version charted on theBelgianDance and Ultratip Bubbling Under charts.[109]

Samples

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  • In 2021, American artistsGhostface Killahand Shaun Wiah samples the song in the trackLet Me Touch Ya.[110]

See also

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References

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