It was released independently by Blue in collaboration with Audiotree, originally on 8 August 2018 as an extended play, then re-issued on 27 March 2019 with four additional tracks as a full studio album.

[3][1] Do312 defined the album, when it was still in production, as "[m]oving far from her previous work", and "less traditional and more character-driven, painting a portrait of Blue as a fiery pop-songstress from another realm".

[1] J.R. Nelson of the Chicago Reader described the style of the album as a "surprise" considering the genre of the singer's past releases, and praised *69 for its unique sound: "a few listens to Blue's radio-ready solo jams, such as Microscope and Falling in Love make it clear that she can translate her razor-sharp hooks into any musical language".

The album's success with music reviewers was key in Emily Blue winning the Chicago Reader Best Pop Artist Award in 2019.

[5] All tracks are written by Emily Caroline Otnes and Max Perenchio, produced by PerenchioCredits adapted from the liner notes of *69.