Lost Without U

{{For|other|Lost Without You (disambiguation){{!}}Lost Without You}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Lost Without U

| cover = Robin thicke - lost without u.png

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = Robin Thicke

| album = The Evolution of Robin Thicke

| released = 2006

| recorded = 2006

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|Soul|R&B}}

| length = 4.14

| label = {{hlist|Interscope|Star Trak}}

| writer = {{hlist|Robin Thicke|Sean Hurley}}

| producer = {{hlist|Robin Thicke|Pro J}}

| prev_title = Shooter

| prev_year = 2006

| next_title = Can U Believe

| next_year = 2007

}}

"Lost Without U" is a song by American singer Robin Thicke. It was released in 2006 as the second single from his second album, The Evolution of Robin Thicke (2006). People magazine voted the ballad as 2007's Sexiest Song of the Year. It was also named the 10th best song of 2007 by Vibe magazine.{{cite journal|title=The 44 Best Songs of 2007|journal=VIBE|date=January 2008|volume=16|issue=1|page=59|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kSYEAAAAMBAJ&q=Lost+Without+U+robin+thicke&pg=PT35|accessdate=21 October 2015|last1=Group|first1=Vibe Media}}

Writing and inspiration

"Lost Without U" was written after the release of Robin Thicke's first album, while he was on tour and troubled by his lack of commercial success. Thicke said the following to MTV News about the inspiration for the song: "I was going through an insecure period and wanted my lady to tell me how fabulous and how sexy and how wonderful I am."{{cite news|url=https://www.mtv.com/#/news/articles/1552974/20070221/thicke_robin.jhtml | title=Robin Thicke, Pharrell Smiling At Last As Evolution Scales |access-date=2007-02-28 |publisher=MTV News}}

Music video

Thicke appears in the song's music video alongside his then-wife, actress Paula Patton. As his previous releases had underperformed, Thicke was concerned about the song's success. Thinking that its music video could be his last if it failed to chart, he cast his wife as his love interest.{{Cite web |title=From The Vault: Robin Thicke - 'Lost Without U' - That Grape Juice |url=https://thatgrapejuice.net/2016/04/vault-robin-thicke-lost-without/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=thatgrapejuice.net}}

Throughout the video, scenes are intercut of Thicke sitting on a chair playing his acoustic guitar and on a wall with a light flashing on him. The video begins with Thicke entering his apartment; he seems to be angry as he throws his keys to the floor. He is then seen on a bed, caressing his wife and kissing her shoulder. After, he is in a bathroom, where he imagines his wife taking off his clothes, though he is taking them off himself. After, his wife is shown in the shower, and he is shown singing. He is then shown sitting on a couch, and his wife walks up to him and sits on the couch suggestively, but then gets up and leaves. They are then shown in a bedroom, with Thicke's wife dancing and Thicke watching while holding a pair of socks (presumably hers). They are then shown on top of a building, enjoying each other's presence. Thicke is shown back in his apartment angry, when all of a sudden his wife walks in, and she lets her jacket fall off her, exposing a revealing outfit. They begin kissing passionately, and Thicke lifts her up, but is then shown alone, confused (he had dreamed the kissing session).

Chart performance

"Lost Without U" has been known as Thicke's breakthrough single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 14 on the chart and became his biggest hit until 2013's "Blurred Lines". The song is his first single to chart on the Hot 100 from the album The Evolution of Robin Thicke.{{Allmusic |class=album |id=mw0000351394 |tab=awards |label=Robin Thicke – The Evolution of Robin Thicke: Awards – Billboard Singles |accessdate=May 20, 2013 }}

It also remains Thicke's most successful single on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number one the week of February 24, 2007, becoming his first R&B chart topper.{{cite web | title=Artist Chart History - Lost Without U | work=Billboard.com | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=robin thicke|chart=all}} | accessdate=2007-02-27}} He also became the first white male artist to top the R&B table since George Michael and his song "One More Try" in 1988. A week later, on the March 3 issue of Billboard, the single also hit number one on two other charts; Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Adult R&B Airplay, simultaneously topping all three charts that week. The single eventually spent 11 consecutive weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (the biggest hit of the year in that chart) and Adult R&B Airplay charts, and ten consecutive weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The single was also popular in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 11 in the UK Singles Chart in July 2007.

The single has been credited to have caused the significant spike in the sales of The Evolution of Robin Thicke, helping the album to be certified platinum by the RIAA. As of July 12, 2013, the song has sold 954,000 copies in the United States.{{cite web | url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-june-30-2013-songs-macklemore-timely-194709084.html |title=Week Ending June 30, 2013. Songs: Macklemore's Timely Hit |author=Paul Grein |work=Chart Watch | publisher=Yahoo | date=July 3, 2013 | accessdate=July 3, 2013 }} The single was certified Platinum in digital sales by the RIAA on May 9, 2013.{{cite web |url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Thicke%2C+Robin%22 |title=Gold & Platinum: Thicke, Robin |publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |accessdate=January 30, 2014}}

Remix

The official remix of the song features rapper Busta Rhymes.{{cite web|url=http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/robin-thicke-ft-busta-rhymes-lost-without-you-remix/|title=Robin Thicke ft. Busta Rhymes - Lost Without You (Remix)|website=Djbooth.net|accessdate=27 May 2018}}

Covers

In 2008, bassist Marcus Miller recorded a version entitled "Lost Without U (Spoken Words)" with vocals by actress Taraji P. Henson and recording artist Lalah Hathaway for his album Marcus.{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1343517|pure_url=yes}}|title=Marcus overview|work=Allmusic.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/article/412680|title=Marcus Miller: Marcus|work=TheStar.com | location=Toronto | date=April 8, 2008}}

Adam Levine and Chris Jamison performed the song together on the season finale of The Voice (Season 7). Their duet peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.{{cite web|url=http://headlineplanet.com/home/2014/12/25/hot-100-matt-mcandrews-wasted-love-outranks-craig-wayne-boyds-song/|title=Hot 100: Matt McAndrew's "Wasted Love" Outranks Craig Wayne Boyd's Song (Updated)|date=25 December 2014|website=Headlineplanet.com|accessdate=27 May 2018}}

On February, 23, 2024 American singer Ambré recorded her version of the song with the exact same lyrics

Charts

= Weekly charts =

scope="row" {{singlechart\|France\|54\|artist=Robin Thicke\|song=Lost Without U}}
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:left;" style="text-align:center" \|+Weekly chart performance for "Love Without U" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2006–07) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
scope="row" {{singlechart\|New Zealand\|37\|artist=Robin Thicke\|song=Lost Without U}}
scope="row"\|Scotland (Official Charts Company){{cite web \| title=Official Scottish Singles Chart Top 100: 01 July 2007 - 07 July 2007 \| work=The Official Charts Company \| url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20070701/7501/ \| accessdate=June 29, 2016}} \|align="center"\|25
scope="row"\|UK Singles (Official Charts Company){{cite web \| title=Official Singles Chart Top 100: 01 July 2007 - 07 July 2007 \| work=The Official Charts Company \| url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20070701/7501/ \| accessdate=June 29, 2016}} \|align="center"\|11
scope="row"\|UK R&B (Official Charts Company){{cite web \| title=Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40: 01 July 2007 - 07 July 2007 \| work=The Official Charts Company \| url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/r-and-b-singles-chart/20070701/114/ \| accessdate=June 29, 2016}} \|align="center"\|2
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardhot100\|14\|artist=Robin Thicke\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardadultrandbsongs\|1\|artist=Robin Thicke\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardrandbhiphop\|1\|artist=Robin Thicke\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardpopsongs\|27\|artist=Robin Thicke\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardsmoothjazzsongs\|13\|artist=Robin Thicke\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardrhythmic\|15\|artist=Robin Thicke\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:left;" style="text-align:center" \|+Weekly chart performance for Chris Jamison and Adam Levine version ! scope="col"\| Chart (2015) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardcanadianhot100\|84\|artist=Chris Jamison\|artistid=6333075\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboardhot100\|63\|artist=Chris Jamison\|artistid=6333075\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}
scope="row" {{singlechart\|Billboarddigitalsongs\|18\|artist=Chris Jamison\|artistid=6333075\|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:left;" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for Chris Jamison and Adam Levine version

! scope="col"| Chart (2015)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row" {{singlechart|Billboardcanadianhot100|84|artist=Chris Jamison|artistid=6333075|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}

scope="row" {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|63|artist=Chris Jamison|artistid=6333075|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}

scope="row" {{singlechart|Billboarddigitalsongs|18|artist=Chris Jamison|artistid=6333075|accessdate=March 20, 2015}}

= Year-end charts =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" \|+2007 year-end chart performance for "Love Without U" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2007) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|url=http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/top-100-songs-of-the-year/?year=2007\|title=Top 100 Songs of 2007 - Billboard Year End Charts\|website=Bob Borst's Home of Pop Culture\|accessdate=27 May 2018}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|48
scope="row"\|US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite web\|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/hot-r-b-hip-hop-songs\|title=The Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Year End Charts 2007 \|work=Billboard \|publisher=Prometheus Global Media \|accessdate=}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|1

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+2007 year-end chart performance for "Love Without U"

! scope="col"| Chart (2007)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/top-100-songs-of-the-year/?year=2007|title=Top 100 Songs of 2007 - Billboard Year End Charts|website=Bob Borst's Home of Pop Culture|accessdate=27 May 2018}}

| style="text-align:center;"|48

scope="row"|US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/hot-r-b-hip-hop-songs|title=The Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Year End Charts 2007 |work=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |accessdate=}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Lost Without U"}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=New Zealand|artist=Robin Thicke|title=Lost Without You|award=Gold|source=radioscope|access-date=February 5, 2025|relyear=2008|certyear=2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United Kingdom|artist=Robin Thicke|title=Lost Without U|award=Silver|id=19756-3829-1|accessdate=March 2, 2024|relyear=2008|certyear=2024}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Robin Thicke|title=Lost Without You|award=Platinum|digital=true|date=April 8, 2008|accessdate=June 12, 2013|relyear=2007|salesamount=954,000|salesref=|refname=riaa}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Robin Thicke|title=Lost Without You|award=Platinum|digital=true|certyear=2007|date=April 8, 2008|accessdate=June 12, 2013|relyear=2007|note=Mastertone|certref=}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | noshipments=true |streaming=true}}