It was released on 18 September 2001 as the lead single from the band's fourth studio album, Golden State (2001).

The song was initially titled "Speed Kills", which can be found on early promotional copies, but it was changed to "The People That We Love" out of sensitivity for the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States;[2] this title was borrowed from the first line of the chorus.

The song's lyrical theme revolves around global acts of violence and the destruction they cause, although it was also rumored to be inspired by the Clinton/Gore US presidential campaign documentary, The War Room.

"[4] Rossdale stated in 2023 that the song was initially inspired by Magdalene laundries in Ireland,[5] in which "fallen women" were effectively forced into slavery in religious institutions that operated from the 18th century, only ending fully in 1996.

Stylistically, "The People That We Love" saw a return to form after the experimental sounds of Deconstructed and The Science of Things.