The album was reviewed positively by critics, who praised Bonamassa's performances throughout on both the original and cover songs, identifying it as a strong debut release.

[5] After an initial low-key release, A New Day Yesterday "caught the ears of veteran record executives", according to CNN's Simon Umlauf, and was rereleased in September 2001 by Medalist Entertainment.

Despite being released almost two years earlier, A New Day Yesterday debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard Top Blues Albums chart in the week of August 17, 2002.

AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia described the album as "a fine debut by guitar ace Joe Bonamassa", claiming that it proves the guitarist and vocalist to be "much more than a traditional bluesman".

[13] In a review of the album's lead single "Miss You, Hate You", Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine praised Bonamassa as "a bold talent, who rises above narrow radio formatics", outlining that the song "throws in all the ingredients of a classic rock moment, led by a thrush of driving guitars ... and a vocal that sounds like sandpaper against velcro".