It was written and produced by Madonna, Paul Oakenfold and Ian Green, with additional writing from Ciaran Gribbin.

It became Madonna's 55th entry on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it debuted and peaked at number 71, and her 40th number-one song on the dance chart.

The song was used as the closing number of The MDNA Tour (2012), in which Madonna energetically danced in a glittery outfit and, at one point, put on a pair of headphones and pantomimed scratching records with colored cubes falling in the backdrop.

[3] Then Oakenfold, Gribbin and Green developed the chord structure, arranged the backing track and added guitars, keyboards and drums.

[1] A world premiere of the Paul Oakenfold 12" Dub version was played on the Pete Tong BBC Radio 1 show on July 24, 2009.

The bridge is in a speak-sing format, where Madonna's voice, consisting of a little edge, declares that "I [didn't] recognize you with your clothes on.

[11] Todd Martens from the Los Angeles Times stated that "Celebration" works as a throwaway, midsummer dance pop number.

He went on to add that the song "is an effective look back, a gliding, reassuring number that she [Madonna] hasn't forgotten her beginning.

"[8] Michael Slezak from Entertainment Weekly called the song "unapologetically dance-y" but felt "disappointed that lyrically, Madonna seems to be revisiting the 'Party!

"[10] Chris Williams from Billboard said that "Madonna's latest single won't start any new trends, but it does return the singer to her dance-floor roots."

[13] James Montgomery from MTV commented: "[The song is] all pulsing sirens, wobbly bass and four-on-the-floor beat, with an expansive electro chorus that sounds like a truckload of Nintendo Entertainment Systems exploding in unison (only sexier).

[15] Stephen M. Deusner of Pitchfork complimented the song, calling it "personality-driven pop" in which Madonna has never sounded more convincing.

Deusner added that the track sounds like "it's conjuring several of Madonna's younger selves" in its modest goal to just make people move.

[20] While ranking Madonna's singles in honor of her 60th birthday, Jude Rogers from The Guardian placed the track at number 70, writing that "this Paul Oakenfold EDM co-write for her third Best-Of shadows of her old selves, unfortunately more light is required".

[34][35] In Italy, the song debuted at the top of the chart and was certified platinum by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry (FIMI) for shipment of 60,000 copies of the single.

"[44] James Montgomery from MTV complemented Madonna's dance moves in the video, and said: "She is 51, twice divorced, a mother of four and she is (quite rightfully) unashamed by any of this.

"[14] Olivia Smith of the New York Daily News commented that "Madge has her family – her daughter and her lover – at her latest party, in which she's still at the hotblooded center of her life."

The video contains footage filmed in Barcelona, Spain and Milan, Italy and features fans, as well as cameo appearances by Madonna's daughter Lourdes Leon, Paul Oakenfold, and the director himself.

[46] The Benny Benassi remix of "Celebration", interpolated with lyrical and musical elements of "Give It 2 Me" (2008), was performed as the final number of The MDNA Tour (2012).

[47] After Madonna finished performing "Like a Prayer" (1989), the lights went out and the bell sounds used on the beginning of "Girl Gone Wild", which opened every concert, played for a few minutes.

[49] Madonna came out, dressed in a Joan of Arc-inspired look with black tight pants, metallic shirt and Swarovski crystals, and sang the song while her dancers did choreographed moves all over the stage.

Ben Rayner, from the Toronto Star, opined that "the rave-y, ultra-lit 'Celebration' ended the night on a note of something genuine... a celebration.

[54] Jim Harrington from The Oakland Tribune gave the overall concert a negative review but stated that "It wasn't until the last two songs—"Like a Prayer" and "Celebration"—that the whole deal finally clicked".

[56] The performance of the song at the November 19–20, 2012, shows in Miami, at the American Airlines Arena were recorded and released in Madonna's fourth live album, MDNA World Tour.

[47] In June 2022, to promote the release of her third remix album Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones, Madonna performed the song at Pride at the Women of the World Party in New York City.

[59] It found the singer surrounded by dancers dressed like her throughout time, included a tribute to Michael Jackson and photos of "fairly random dead icons, crowing 'Bitch I'm Madonna' over and over".