"The Music's No Good Without You" is a song recorded by American singer Cher for her twenty-fourth studio album, Living Proof. It was released in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2001, by WEA, while in the United States, it was released in 2002. The song reached the top 20 in many countries worldwide, expanding Cher's chart success into five decades. Background and composition After releasing her album Believe in 1998 and achieving significant success with its singles, particularly the lead single "Believe", Cher released her compilation, The Greatest Hits in 1999, and later released Not.com.mercial, in 2000, her first album not sold in stores but exclusively online. Later, in 2001, Cher reunited with the UK-rooted production team of Taylor and Brian Rawlings, who helmed the single "Believe" and much of the ensuing album. Cher also collaborated with Rick Nowels, British musician/producer Chicane, and Norwegian team Stargate. Cher described the album, titled Living Proof, as "a record with a notably positive lyrical tone." She further added, "[...] This had subconsciously become an album filled with love and warmth. It was a pleasant surprise, and it's certainly an appropriate time to put some positive energy out into the world." "The Music's No Good Without You" was released as the album's first British single on November 5, 2001. The single was also released as a double A-side single, along with "A Different Kind of Love Song", on August 13, 2002. "The Music's No Good Without You" was written by Cher, James Thomas, Mark Taylor and Paul Barry, while production was done by Taylor, with co-production by Thomas and Jeff Taylor. The song is drenched in hypnotic synth lines and computer-savvy vocal effects. Critical reception The song received mostly mixed reviews from music critics. Kerry L. Smith of AllMusic gave a negative review, writing that, "the lingering sense of loss and longing echoing through on tracks like 'The Music's No Good Without You' suggest that maybe Cher isn't the only one left still waiting for something truly magical to happen on this record." Tony Peregrin of PopMatters called it one of the album's imperfections, "where Cher’s voice has been manipulated to such an extent she sounds like the embodiment of a haunted extra-terrestrial, whatever that is." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine was more favorable, writing that, "Cher's voice is virtually unrecognizable on the French techno thumper that would have made a brave lead