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Background
The song's original lyrics were sexually descriptive which was viewed as outré for the group. It was initially titled "F**k Me like You". The lyrics were altered so the track could cater to both a young and adult audience. The group said the original track was "too naughty".

Composition
The song is a change in musical direction for the group, being a throwback prominently inspired by Motown, and 1950s and 1960s girl group releases. The track comprises elements commonly used in conga line, sock hop, and sway dancing. It is composed in thirty-two-bar form. The production contains retro "dolly dress-shaking beats". The track has similarities with The Ronettes' 1963 single "Be My Baby". Pounding percussion provides a modern element.

The song opens with the group harmonising on a series of "Sha-la-lala" lyrics over a sweet-sounding piano progression. Little Mix sing with a youthful innocence to offset the song's sexual suggestiveness. In the chorus, the group sing, ""Last night I lay in bed so blue / Cause' I realized the truth/ They can't love me like you /  I tried to find somebody new / Baby they ain't got a clue / Can't love me like you." Throughout the song, the group sing a call and response comprising the lyrics "sha-la-lala" and "whoah-oah-oh-oh". In the middle eight, they chant "L-O-V-E, love the way you give it to me".

Lyrically, "Love Me like You" details puppy love and the importance of sex in a romantic relationship; "they try to romance me but you've got that nasty and that's what I want". The opening lyric, "he might got the biggest car", is a sexual innuendo for a large penis. Similarly, the lyric, "They can't love me like you", refers to a love interest's ability to make love and not his romanticism. While, "You were pouring out your love", is an innuendo for ejaculation.

Release
"Love Me like You" was made available for pre-order on the iTunes Store on 11 September 2015. The group teased an image about the single on Instagram on 15 September 2015. They posted an 18-secoond snippet from the song on Twitter on 18 September 2015. The single was made available to stream from Spotify on 24 September 2015. "Love Me like You" was digitally released on 25 September 2015, as the second single from Get Weird. The release saw the group's Twitter mentions rise to 257,000 for the week ending 27 September 2015 (a 92% increase), while their Instagram reactions climbed to 1.8 million (a 95% increase).

The release included a Christmas mix with additional church bells and jingle taps. Music critic Peter Robinson said the mix "continues pop's noble, sleigh-jumping tradition of hurling festive sound effects at irrelevant hits", comparing it to the Christmas mix for Las Ketchup's 2002 single "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)". The collection also included a reggae version.

Critical reception
"Love Me like You" received universal acclaim from music critics. Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave it four out of five stars and called it the group's "most sexed up anthem yet", and "frankly amazing". He opined that the track had the "retro charm" of The Ronettes, and echoed "the very best of golden Motown", comparing it to songs by The Supremes. Popjustice praised the song's similarities with "Be My Baby" and regarded it as a worthy successor to the group's previous 2015 single "Black Magic", explaining: "Like 'Black Magic', this is a full-throttle actual pop triumph. Big melodies, big voices, loads of sparky songwriting tricks and flourishes. The production complements the song, rather than vice versa." Bianca Gracie of Idolator viewed the track as "vibrant" and "a shimmering ode to '60s doo-wop", and wrote that the group "channel their inner Supremes with tight harmonies that are laid over a charming melody".

Malorie McCall of Billboard magazine said the group "seem to be taking cues from Meghan Trainor". Erin Strecker and Jason Lipshutz from the same publication found it refreshing that Little Mix, as "a current pop group" were trying something different. Nick Levine of NME felt the song's Motown sound channeled Stooshe, but "without the forced sense of fun". The website placed "Love Me like You" at number 10 on their list of The Top 45 Singles of 2015.

Chart performance
The song's Christmas mix prompted publications to consider it a contender for the UK Singles Chart Christmas number one.

Music video
The accompanying music video for "Love Me like You" was directed by Sarah McColgan. The group teased multiple snippets from the music video through Twitter and Instagram during the five days leading up to its premiere on 2 October 2015. An alternate music video for the single's Christmas mix was released on 18 December 2015.

The video continues the high school theme from the group's previous music video for "Black Magic". However, it has 1960s theme. It features the group at an old-school prom filled with helium balloons. To the group's disappointment, each of their dates ended up taking another girl instead of them. However, the group put on lipstick, and rally and party on together. Thirlwall cuddles up with a greaser who appears as Nelson's love interest as well. Edwards falls off a bicycle. All their dates were the same guy.

Michael Cragg of The Guardian opined that the music video was "an obvious signifier" that group were aiming "to please an American audience", comparing it to cheerleaders singing "The Star-Spangled Banner". Bianca Gracie from Idolator said the video reflected the song's "sugary throwback feel".

Live performances
Little Mix gave their first live performance of "Love Me like You" at the Apple Music Festival on 22 September 2015, singing a brief a capella of its chorus. On 1 November 2015, the group performed a medley of "Love Me like You" and "Black Magic" on the twelfth series of The X Factor (UK). The performance spurred controversy over Little Mix's state of under-dress, with writer Sali Hughes commenting: "I really like Little Mix, but I'd love it if just occasionally, young female popstars didn't have to end up in their pants." The group sang the track a capella for On Air with Ryan Seacrest on 5 November 2015, along with "How Ya Doin'?" and "Black Magic". On 8 November 2015, Little Mix performed the song at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards. The group gave a rendition of "Love Me like You" for the Royal Variety Performance which aired on 8 December 2015.