The record failed to chart, but sparked an intense bidding war eventually won by Sony Music.

[2] Several live versions of songs originally released on Ben Folds Five reappeared later as b-sides or on compilations.

Ben Folds Five received positive reviews from NME, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Entertainment Weekly.

Michael Gallucci praised the album as "a potent, and extremely fun collection of postmodern rock ditties that comes off as a pleasantly workable combination of Tin Pan Alley showmanship, Todd Rundgren-style power pop, and myriad alt-rock sensibilities.

[12] The Record concluded that the "performances are often mannered, the arrangements busy and tiring, and Folds's Joe Jackson Redux isn't anything close to the Bold New Sound it has been trumpeted as.