[1][2] The album was promoted with the release of two singles: "Breathing" and "You Ain't the Only One," which both topped the Adult R&B Airplay chart.

In 2022, Blige released her fourteenth studio album Good Morning Gorgeous through 300 Entertainment and her Mary Jane Productions imprint.

[16][17] Renowned for Sound editor Gabriel Barnett found that most songs on Gratitude "resonate with her legacy of promoting self-love through vibrant R&B, yet they still feel fresh and emotionally sincere," but noted that it "stumbles slightly in the middle, venturing into unfashionable territory."

If Gratitude does turn out to be Blige's swan song, it's fittingly more of a love letter to New York hip-hop than any album she's made in a long time.

"[20] Riff magazine's Talia M. Wilson felt that Gratitude "continues Blige’s evolution of maturity and independence that Good Morning Gorgeous began.

"[18] Reid Sperisen from The Daily Bruin wrote: "Despite lagging in the middle and ending on an awkward thematic note, Gratitude mostly succeeds because of its consistently melodic production and Blige's presence as a stupendous vocal storyteller.