It was released as the third and final vinyl single from the album in 1983, backed with the John Entwistle written song "Dangerous", but failed to chart, although it reached number 39 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.

[4] Steve Grantley and Alan G. Parker comment that the song begins by sounding like the theme is the hardships by those who are not well off, "but it turns out to be a self-pitying, repetitive lament about the protagonist's own bad luck.

"[5] Cash Box called it "standard Who fare," saying that while Daltrey lists the reasons life is hard, Townsend's guitar interlude and harmony vocals "smooth out the rough goings.

"[7] Atkins considers "It's Hard" to be "routine," unoriginal and lacking in inspiration, describing it as "predictable, bland soft rock with weak chord work.

"[8] Grantley and Parker regard it as one of the "highlights" of the It's Hard album, but criticize the riff being taken from Springsteen and that Townshend is now "simply moaning about how tough it is at the top" rather than, as he did previously, voicing the concerns of the "inarticulate young working class.