The song was released by Republic Records as a single on July 12, 2018 and was intended for inclusion on her then-upcoming fifteenth studio album.

"Only Love" was written by Mary J. Blige along with Charles Hinshaw, David "Lucky Daye" Brown, Warren Felder and Andrew Wansel.

"[2] Vibe editor Lydia Arevalo declared the song a "disco-inspired single that's bound to take leave R&B fans uplifted and reminiscent.

"[3] Salvatore Maicki, writing for The Fader, called the song "a vibrantly disco-tinged number that fits naturally alongside the Kaytranada collaboration from [Blige's] last album, 2017's Strength of a Woman,"[4] while HotNewHipHop found that Blige "huffs disco salt on "Only Love," [...] produced by veteran duo Pop & Oak under the reflective glare of a disco ball, where Mary likely first struck her pose in junior high.

[6] This made her the artist with the most top ten entries on the Adult R&B Songs, breaking a tie Gerald Levert to claim first place.