Inspired to create a cinematic, gritty version of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", the band worked with David Campbell, who conducts the string arrangements.

The production comprises melancholic acoustic guitar strums, a cascading piano, shuffling drums, cinematic strings and elements of 1980s and 1990s adult contemporary rock.

Reviewers praised the production, lyrics and its placement on the album's tracklist, drawing numerous comparisons between the song and Oasis' "Champagne Supernova".

[13] In an interview with Genius, Healy said that unlike most of the 1975's songs–which have "a lot more stylistic bigger kind of [songwriting] process"–he created "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" at his home using an acoustic guitar.

Looking to emulate production elements from the two eras, Healy decided to add a large string arrangement to give the song an uplifting and cinematic quality.

[1] Speaking to Sam Sodomsky of Pitchfork, the singer said he strove to develop "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" as a midway point between the darkness of both the Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (1997) and the music of Oasis, while retaining the lyrics and vocals characteristic of Manchester.

[27] Healy's vocals are delivered in a gentle,[21] whispered tone but shift to a strong falsetto in the chorus–which incorporates backing strings and elements from 1980s and 1990s adult contemporary rock–as the singer repeats the titular phrase.

[27][28][29] Eve Barlow of GQ wrote that "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" is reminiscent of Oasis' "Champagne Supernova" (1996), saying the song embodies the "moment we combust from indulgence, excessive stimuli, even anxiety".

He noted that unlike the 1975's "Give Yourself a Try" (2018), which contains searing guitars and a "choose-life" chorus, "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" indulges the listener's depression while ultimately encouraging them to persevere and "fight [their] way back out".

[30] Will Richards of DIY deemed "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" a cacophonous, widescreen outcry,[31] while Consequence of Sound writer David Sackllah compared the song to Oasis, calling it a "go-for-broke anthem" about suicidal thoughts.

[32] Upon release, "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" was met with generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics and was heavily compared to Oasis' "Champagne Supernova".

He praised the band for exploring a period of gentle sorrow and subtle crisis, noting it would introduce new listeners to 1990s rock music while reflecting "what so many of their fans still feel like on a daily basis".

He praised Healy's honest reflection in the lyrics, and deemed the song a masterpiece and lost classic comparable to Radiohead's The Bends and the Verve's Urban Hymns (1997).

[37] Joe Goggins of Drowned in Sound praised the song's placement on A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships and its handling of mental health issues in the lyrics, saying Healy delivers an "admirably forthright reflection on depression".

[30] Isaac Feldberg of The Boston Globe called "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" a fitting end to the album, praising Healy's "gently devastating vocals".

She commented that it functions as both a natural end-point and a high-concept track made for encores, calling the song a "final Britpop goodbye in the world's dying embers, because we all want to go out to the sound of something familiar".

While she praised it for mostly managing to achieve a balance that the majority of I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It strives for and misses, she criticised the overproduced sound for creating a barrier between the listener and the singer.

[39] Pryor Stroud of Slant Magazine gave "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)" a negative review, calling it the equivalent of a half-finished sketch, "without a memorable melody in sight".