The track took much longer to develop than "Planet Rock" with Baker using cocaine and the pressure involved with creating a follow-up single.

The group was developed for months in Robie's apartment while Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force were touring.

Producer Arthur Baker recalled that Tommy Boy Records head Tom Silverman decided that "Planet Rock" was successful enough that the group should have a follow-up.

"[5] The pressure of creating a follow-up led to Baker "rediscover[ing] drugs" and was "doing lots of cocaine – it didn’t really help.

"[5] Baker recalled that the song's title arrived to him when developing the track, thinking "Man, we're looking for the perfect beat and we've already found it.'

Considine gave the song a four out of five rating, writing in The Baltimore Sun that "Looking for the Perfect Beat" "doesn't manage the same sense of discovery" as "Planet Rock" but it "manages to be almost as catchy" stating that it "refines the relationship between the vocals and the electronic pulse" noting that " the rapping on the song was "fairly trite, but it makes up for that by always being "on the one.".