The late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins once named The Hollies' 1974 ballad "The Air That I Breathe" as one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded, revealing a softer musical taste that contrasted with his thunderous drumming style. The remark, made in a Rolling Stone interview, highlighted Hawkins' broad and eclectic musical influences beyond the hard rock and punk that shaped his youth, and has taken on added poignancy since his death.

The song was written by Albert Hammond, who penned it while lonely and struggling in Los Angeles, inspired by a kind woman who gave him shelter when he had no money or visa. Hammond, working with co-writer Mike Hazlewood, said the woman who inspired the song was chosen for her warmth and generosity rather than her looks. The Hollies' recording, from after Graham Nash's departure, reached number two in the UK charts and number six in the US, and its distinctive chords later led Radiohead to face a plagiarism claim over similarities to "Creep".