"If It Makes You Happy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, released as the lead single from her 1996 eponymous album in September 1996.

He added that "seemingly endless touring has given her voice a sharp rasp, which benefits the song's ironic lyrics and holds up strong against the track's crunchy guitars."

"[5] Daina Darzin from Cash Box viewed it as "an appropriately plain, anthemic song with the universally-appealing hook, "if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad", adding, "Fans who usually shop Wal-Mart will be looking for a new record store with this one, so retailers should stock lots and lots.

"[6] The Daily Vault's Sean McCarthy remarked that here, a "dirty guitar riff is established, complimenting Crow's gritty swagger.

She then walks down a city street, rides a subway, is shown on a boardwalk, buys coffee at a mall, and then returns to the apartment.

The second video was shot in color and features Crow in the Endangered Species section of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

[29] Slant Magazine listed it at number 92 in their ranking of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s" in 2011, writing, "After allegations that she was simply a pretty mouthpiece for her Tuesday Night Music Club, Sheryl Crow had a lot to prove with her sophomore effort.

Originally conceived as a country song by co-writer Jeff Trott, the self-produced lead single, 'If It Makes You Happy', was a pointed departure from the gin-soaked roots-pop of Tuesday Night Music Club, starting with its heavy electric guitar riff and plodding drum beat, but not ending there.

Crow's lyrics are a reflection on the massive success of her debut, with her stint at the muddy, mosquito-ridden Woodstock '94 festival serving as a metaphorical narrative for the stinging accusations and acrimony that followed.