"Waiting for Tonight" is a song written by Maria Christensen, Michael Garvin, and Phil Temple. It was originally written and recorded for American girl group 3rd Party's debut studio album, Alive (1997). Two years after the group disbanded, American singer Jennifer Lopez recorded her own version of the song for her debut studio album, On the 6 (1999). Ric Wake and Richie Jones provided production for Lopez's dance-pop version of "Waiting for Tonight", which differs from the German-sounding Europop version that was recorded by 3rd Party. A Spanish version of the song, entitled "Una Noche Más", was adapted by Manny Benito and also recorded for the album. "Waiting for Tonight" was released on November 1, 1999, by the Work Group, as the third single from On the 6.

"Waiting for Tonight" is considered by various publications, such as Entertainment Weekly and the Chicago Tribune, to be the best song of Lopez's career. Contemporary music critics have also credited the song with making her a leading artist in the dance-pop movement. It was used frequently as a celebratory anthem in anticipation for the dawn of the new millennium. The single was a commercial success, reaching the top ten in Australia, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. "Waiting for Tonight" became Lopez's first song to top the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart. The song earned her a nomination for Best Dance Recording at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2000.

The accompanying music video for "Waiting for Tonight" was directed by Francis Lawrence and depicts a Y2K dance party. The video was widely popular, receiving heavy rotation on MTV, and its emphasis on Lopez's body led to increased media attention surrounding the entertainer. It was nominated for numerous awards, including two at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, where it received the MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video. The video has influenced subsequent music videos by Adam Lambert, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, FKA twigs, and Selena Gomez. Lopez has performed "Waiting for Tonight" on various television programs, such as Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, at various award ceremonies, such as the 11th Billboard Music Awards, and in two of her concert tours, with the most recent being the Dance Again World Tour.

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