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"Love Is"
Single by Vanessa Williams & Brian McKnight
from the album Beverly Hills 90210
Released	March 16, 1993
Recorded	1992
Genre	Pop R&B soul
Length	4:45 (album version) 4:01 (radio edit)
Label	Giant
Songwriter(s)	Tonio K Michael Caruso John Keller
Producer(s)	Gerry Brown
Vanessa Williams singles chronology
"Work to Do" (1992) "Love Is" (1993) "The Sweetest Days" (1994)
Brian McKnight singles chronology
"I Can't Go for That" (1992) "Love Is" (1993) "One Last Cry" (1993)
Audio video
"Love Is" on YouTube

"Love Is" is the title of a 1993 duet written by Tonio K, Michael Caruso and John Keller, and originally recorded and released by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams and American R&B recording artist Brian McKnight. The single originally appeared on the soundtrack to the television drama series Beverly Hills, 90210; and was also used in the spin-off series Melrose Place. After this exposure, the song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming McKnight's breakthrough hit and another hit for Williams. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, where it spent three weeks at the summit.

There were two different versions released to radio: the more common mix includes energetic electric guitar performing the solo in the bridge; an alternate, lesser-known mix presents melodic solo piano, performed by Philippe Saisse at the bridge. The edit version was that of the guitar mix, which presented a fade out during the second of the two ending chorus refrains. This mix appears on McKnight's greatest hits album, From There to Here: 1989-2002 without the fade, although the piano solo ending is slightly trimmed. The "piano mix" was used in the official video for "Love is" and also appears on Williams's Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years album.

At the Grammy Awards in 1994, the song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Critical reception

A reviewer from Music & Media commented "What is love? Find out through this dramatic ballad on the right side of kitsch." Head of music Karsten Bendix at Radio Roskilde/Denmark enthused, "I love those harmonies. There are so many ballads around, but these two people can really sing." Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "This intense, brooding duet is no award winner, issuing every cliche in the book and then some. But it has a certain insidious quality, and the fact that it is featured on Beverly Hills 90210 may be enough to tip the scales in its favour."

Charts

Cover versions

In 1994, jazz fusion saxophonist Nelson Rangell covered the song for his album Yes, Then Yes.

References

1. Hunt, Dennis (1993-10-12). "'Love' Duet Steams Up Brian McKnight's Career : Pop music: Singing with Vanessa Williams was the 'incredible boost' his career needed. His debut album has just passed the 500,000 sales mark". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
2. Love Is, retrieved 2023-06-14
3. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 20. May 15, 1993. p. 15. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
4. Jones, Alan (April 24, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 8. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
5. "Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight – Love Is". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1780." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
7. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1740." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
8. "Brian McKnight Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
9. "Brian McKnight Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
10. "Brian McKnight Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
11. "Brian McKnight Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
12. "Brian McKnight Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
13. "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVI, no. 34. May 1, 1993. p. 8. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
14. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
15. "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
16. "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
17. "The Year in Music 1993" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-46. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
18. "Yes, Then Yes overview". Allmusic.com.

• The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996

External links

• Discogs

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• 1993 singles
• Vanessa Williams songs
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• Male–female vocal duets
• Giant Records (Warner) singles
• 1992 songs
• Pop ballads
• Rhythm and blues ballads
• 1990s pop song stubs