Written by Steve Mac, Wayne Hector and Ali Tennant, the single was released in January 2004 by 19, a subsidiary of BMG.

Lyrically, "All This Time" focuses on an individuals dreams and achieving life goals, and is noted for having "a signature 00s pop key change".

[6] In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number one on the UK Singles Charts, selling a total of 118,000 copies in its first week of release.

[14] A Daily Record journalist called it "beautiful" and a "brilliant pop gem which is laced with a luxurious gospel feel".

[15] Ian Hyland in the Sunday Mirror unfavourably compared McManus to previous Pop Idol winner Will Young but nevertheless rated the single 7/10.

[16] Conversely, Fiona Shepherd in The Scotsman described the track as a "tuneless dirge",[17] while an Entertainment.ie critic labelled it "a triumph of hype over substance".

[18] Daily Telegraph critic Lynsey Hanley called the song "utterly forgettable" and "one of the lamest Pop Idol-sponsored efforts" and argued that it achieved the UK number-one position "on the back of the series' success".