JLS recorded the track for inclusion on their second studio album, Outta This World. The band stated that the track was not originally intended to be released as a single, however, after being asked to release 2010's official Children in Need single, they believed that no other tracks from the album would be suitable. The band officially announced the single following rumours that they would themselves be doing some special fundraising for the event. The band have agreed to waive all royalties on the track, with 100% of profits and sales being donated to Children In Need. They describe the song as "a soulful ballad, which involves us demonstrating smooth R&B vocals with tender, heartfelt lyrics".
Music video
The video for "Love You More" was shot months in advance of its release, in August 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Shot entirely in black and white, it shows the band dressed in winter clothes, singing to camera in a deserted bar and on Venice Beach at sunset. Individual teasers of the video were released over a week on the band's YouTube channel in late September 2010, before the full video was premiered on the Friday, coinciding with their announcement that the song would be released for Children In Need on BBC Radio 1's The Chris Moyles Show, where the song received its first ever radio play.
Promotion
JLS performed the song live for the first time on BBC Radio 2, during a special edition of "Weekend Wogan" on 3 October 2010. The band's first televised performance of the song was on 14 November 2010, on the Sunday-night results show of The X Factor. The band appeared on Daybreak on 19 November 2010, and performed the song at the Children in Need telethon on the same day, where Jonathan 'JB' Gill of the group played the piano for the performance of the song. The song was also performed on that year's Christmas Day edition of Top of the Pops, T4 Stars of 2010, BBC Switch Live 2010, Loose Women and This Morning.
Reception
Robert Copsey, of entertainment website Digital Spy, gave the single four out of five stars, and had this to say about the track: "We've always considered JLS a kind of anti-boyband – because not only do they favour releasing mid-to-uptempo singles, but every member can sing, dance and pass the Louis Walsh likability test. Now, after releasing the Marmitiest single of 2010, they're finally having a bash at the old boyband ballad... but could this be the undoing of all their good work? Remember, this is JLS we're talking about. 'Love You More' may be the chalk to 'The Club Is Alive's' cheese – a soulful slowie with no Auto-Tune – but they carry it off with enough swagger and sincerity to avoid slipping into cliché. Backed by a Stargate-style guitar riff, their vocals are heartfelt, the chorus is catchier than a winter bug and there's enough charm here to remind us why they almost won The X Factor back in the day. Speaking of which, this should make for a lovely return performance, don't you reckon?"
Chart performance
On 21 November 2010, "Love You More" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, beating the second week sales of "The Flood" by Take That and "Your Song" by Ellie Goulding, and making for the band's 4th UK number 1 out of 6 releases.
