Music critics were divided on the track, but it became a commercial hit in Europe, peaking at number two on both the UK and Irish singles charts.

Music & Media magazine listed "Every Beat of My Heart" as a "recommended" song from the parent album along with "In My Life".

[3] Robin Smith of Record Mirror also noted the similarities with "Sailing" and wrote that Stewart did not deliver an impressive performance, writing that the song "probably sounds a lot better after 15 pints of McEwans".

[5] Alan Jones, writing for the same publication, stated that he disliked the song but understood its appeal as a "stirringly patriotic anthem" in the vein of "Sailing".

[6] Reviewing the album on AllMusic, Dave Thompson picked "Every Beat of My Heart" as a standout track, noting its "wistful romance" and calling it "remarkable".