Critical reception towards "A-Yo" was positive and the song entered the record charts of multiple countries, including reaching a peak of number 66 on United States' Billboard Hot 100.

It was later added to her set list at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2016, the 2017 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Joanne World Tour (2017–2018).

[4][5] Singer-songwriter Hillary Lindsey, who previously had experiences in writing country songs in Nashville, was identified by Interscope Records as a potential collaborator on Joanne.

[11] She posted a link to the song on her Twitter account, while responding to Alex Pall of The Chainsmokers's dismissal of "Perfect Illusion", writing "maybe u guys'll like this 1 better [sic]".

[18] Michelle Lulic from Bustle felt that the lyrics seem to describe "things getting hot-and-heavy in her car": "I can't wait to rev you up /Faster than you can say "Ferrari" /Tearin' up the gravel, watching you unravel /Now it's a party".

[20] Tricia Gilbride from Mashable called "A-Yo" "ridiculously catchy" and "a futuristic country-rock song egging you on to have a good time over guitar solos and digital beats".

[20] Andy Gill from The Independent complimented Josh Homme's "spiky but fluid breaks" on songs like "A-Yo" and "John Wayne", which were "undoubted album highlights".

[22] Daniel Welsh from The Huffington Post said that "A-Yo" sounded like a cross between "Manicure" from Artpop and "Americano" from Born This Way, but with touches of country.

[23] Stereogum's Chris DeVille wrote, "Despite its funky digital beat, rap-inflected hook, and playfully tweaked guitar twang, it might actually go over pretty well on country radio if enough programmers gave it a chance.

[24] Carey O'Donnell from Paper magazine called it a "foot stomping, hand-clapping rock pop track", but said it sounded better live.

[26] The New York Times's Jon Caramanica felt that "A-Yo" sounded like "a Britney Spears parody or a song drawn from one of those live musicals that have been littering network television" since Glee ended.

[27] Maeve McDermott of USA Today was negative, saying "songs that sound most like Gaga's earlier hits" like "A-Yo" were Joanne's weakest moments.

[33][34] Other European countries where the song debuted includes France, Portugal and Switzerland, and the digital charts of Czech Republic and Slovakia.