Hey Lover

Not to be confused with Hey Lover (Freddie Jackson song).

"Hey Lover"
Single by LL Cool J featuring Boyz II Men
from the album Mr. Smith
B-side	"I Shot Ya" (remix)
Released	October 31, 1995 (1995-10-31)
Studio	Stone Creek (Gladwyne, Pennsylvania)
Genre	Hip hop R&B
Length	4:46
Label	Def Jam Island (UK)
Songwriter(s)	James Todd Smith Rod Temperton
Producer(s)	Trackmasters
LL Cool J singles chronology
"Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" (1994) "Hey Lover" (1995) "Doin' It" (1996)
Boyz II Men singles chronology
"Brokenhearted" (1995) "Hey Lover" (1995) "One Sweet Day" (1995)

US and Australian cassette single [6] [7] "Hey Lover" (radio edit) "Hey Lover" (instrumental) US 12-inch single [8] A1. "Hey Lover" (radio edit) A2. "Hey Lover" (instrumental) B1. "Hey Lover" (LP version) B2. "Hey Lover" (a cappella) French CD single [9] "Hey Lover" (radio edit) "I Shot Ya" (remix)

UK and European CD single [10] "Hey Lover" (radio edit) "Hey Lover" (instrumental) "I Shot Ya" (remix) "I Shot Ya" (LP version) Australasian CD single [11] "Hey Lover" (radio edit) "Hey Lover" (instrumental) "I Shot Ya" (remix) "Hey Lover" (LP version)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1995–1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [12] 11 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [13] 50 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [14] 43 Europe (European Hit Radio) [15] 31 France (SNEP) [16] 27 Germany (GfK) [17] 34 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [18] 20 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [19] 12 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [20] 12 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [21] 5 Scotland (OCC) [22] 40 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [23] 6 UK Singles (OCC) [24] 17 UK Airplay ( Music Week ) [25] 34 UK Dance (OCC) [26] 12 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [27] 2 US Billboard Hot 100 [28] 3 US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [29] 3 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [30] 3 US Hot Rap Songs ( Billboard ) [31] 1 US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [32] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Australia (ARIA) [33] 68 Sweden (Topplistan) [34] 98 US Billboard Hot 100 [35] 20 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard) [36] 28 US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard) [37] 10 US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard) [38] 13

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [39]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	October 31, 1995	Rhythmic contemporary contemporary hit radio	Def Jam	[40]
United Kingdom	January 8, 1996	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Def Jam Island	[41]
Japan	January 15, 1996	CD	Def Jam	[42]

See also

• List of Billboard number-one rap singles of the 1980s and 1990s

References

1. "Best-Selling Records of 1995". Billboard . Vol. 108, no. 3. BPI Communications. January 20, 1996. p. 56. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 5, 2015.
2. "Grammy Awards Winners & Nominees for Best Rap Solo Performance". Grammy Awards . Retrieved January 20, 2021.
3. Robertson IV, Gil L. (December 9, 1995). "Urban: Rap Single Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box . p. 13. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
4. "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 49. December 9, 1995. p. 7. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
5. J.R. Reynolds (October 21, 1995). "L.L. Cool J Back As 'Mr. Smith'". Billboard . Retrieved August 25, 2023.
6. Hey Lover (US cassette single sleeve). LL Cool J. Def Jam Recordings. 1995. 314 577 494-4.
7. Hey Lover (Australian cassette single sleeve). LL Cool J. Def Jam Recordings. 1995. 577 494-4.
8. Hey Lover (US 12-inch single sleeve). LL Cool J. Def Jam Recordings. 1995. 314 577 495-1.
9. Hey Lover (French CD single liner notes). LL Cool J. Def Jam Recordings, Island Records. 1996. 5778602.
10. Hey Lover (UK & European CD single liner notes). LL Cool J. Def Jam Recordings, Island Records. 1995. DEFCD 14, 577 861-2.
11. Hey Lover (Australasian CD single liner notes). LL Cool J. Def Jam Recordings. 1995. 577 495-2.
12. "LL Cool J – Hey Lover". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2913." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 13, no. 13. March 30, 1996. p. 21. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
15. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 13, no. 10. 9 March 1996. p. 36. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
16. "LL Cool J – Hey Lover" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
17. "LL Cool J – Hey Lover" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.1. '96 – 26.1. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 20, 1996. p. 38. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 9, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
20. "LL Cool J – Hey Lover" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
21. "LL Cool J – Hey Lover". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
23. "LL Cool J – Hey Lover". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
25. "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week . 27 January 1996. p. 21. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
26. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
27. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
28. "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
29. "LL Cool J Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
30. "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
31. "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
32. "LL Cool J Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
33. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2019– via Imgur.
34. "Årslista Singlar, 1996" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved September 26, 2020.
35. "Billboard Top 100 – 1996". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
36. "The Year in Music: Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-40.
37. "The Year in Music: Hot Rap Singles". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-42.
38. "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover Titles". Airplay Monitor . Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 32.
39. "American single certifications – L.L. Cool J – Hey Lover". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved October 2, 2019.
40. "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records . No. 1118. October 27, 1995. pp. 35, 41. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
41. "LL Cool J Tune Marks a Decade of Def Jam" (PDF). Music Week . January 6, 1996. p. 2. Retrieved 28 June 2021– via Record Mirror.
42. "ヘイ・ラバー | LL クール J" [Hey Lover | LL Cool J] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved September 24, 2023.