Primarily a pop and R&B record, upon release it was met with generally favorable reviews and appeared on year-end lists, including Rolling Stone's best 100 albums of 2024.

[10] On March 23, 2024, Normani announced the lead single from the album titled "1:59", featuring American rapper Gunna, which was released on April 26.

[17] Shahzaib Hussain of Clash described the album as "a debut that hits the programmed sweet spot, conversant with contemporary trends and greater R&B and soul traditions.

"[21] Pitchfork's Heven Haile found Dopamine to be a "solid reintroduction to Normani's sultrier side," while also ambivalently comparing it to Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia in that a "mysteriously cool it-girl persona is thrilling in three-minute doses, but after a couple of tracks with big hooks, you come across some filler.

"[22] Nicole Vassell of The Independent wrote that even though "the album will satisfy lovers of understated soul, [...] after so long a wait, you might hope for a bigger dopamine hit than this.

"[19] The Guardian's Michael Cragg said that "Dopamine understandably strives hard for perfection, but it can feel strangely anonymous at times"; however, he also said that "when Normani fully lets loose, [...] there's a real sense of that superstar everyone hoped to see back in 2018 finally taking centre stage on her own damn album.