Sonically, "Love Me Harder" is a pop, synthwave, synth-pop, R&B ballad with a "throbbing, electro-heavy chorus", a guitar riff and "big vacuum-esque synths".

In an interview with Billboard, Republic Records executive vice president Charlie Walk stated, "The Weeknd is positioned to be best new artist of 2014.

"[3] In June 2014, Walk posted a photo on his Instagram with the caption, "When you talk about artist development and pure talent, the Weeknd comes to mind.

[10] "Love Me Harder" was written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Peter Svensson, Ali Payami, Abel Tesfaye and the rapper Belly.

[11] It is a midtempo synthwave, pop, synth-pop and R&B ballad,[12][13][14][15][16][17] which starts small and mellow, before having "a 'throbbing', electro-heavy chorus",[18] with a guitar riff,[19] while "big vacuum-esque synths zip" are heard throughout the track.

[25] Jason Lipshut of Billboard noted that "the pairing somehow makes sense," praising the Weeknd's "ultra-sincere crooning" and the "driving guitar riff" for being "delicious 80's cheese".

[19] Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times called it a "darker (and more fully realized) R&B jam than anyone probably expected from a 21-year-old singer once known for her endless supply of pastel princess dresses.

"[16] Kitty Empire of The Guardian wrote that the song's "saturated, mid-tempo atmospherics" stand out, noting that Weeknd's "own sleaze quotient is radically toned down here, but this remains sophisticated stuff, where Grande surprisingly holds her own.

"[26] Michelle Geslani of Consequence of Sound labelled it "yearning and infectious," calling the pairing "a match made in vocal heaven — Grande’s feathery vox and The Weeknd’s slick croon complement one another rather perfectly.

"[27] Bradley Stern wrote for Idolator that the track is "an irresistibly smooth synth-pop production,"[28] while Carolyn Menyes of Music Times was very receptive with the duo, writing that "they meld really well together.

Writing for The Official Charts Company, Rob Copsey named it the sexiest song on the album, also calling it a "sultry number.

"[31] Aimee Cliff of Fact picked it as the album's highlight, saying that the song "is actually improved by The Weeknd’s presence, [...] his sleaze is turned down several notches as his clean-cut falsetto battles Ariana’s octave-juggling over an irresistible thump.

"[24] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy praised Grande for "successfully drag[ging] The Weeknd out of his Pitchfork mixtape mindset to sound like an upbeat popstar over subtle grooves and disco claps on [the] captivating serenade [track].

[36] In its fifth week, after the music video's official release, "Love Me Harder" soared to its peak of number seven, becoming Grande's fourth consecutive top-ten single from My Everything, and fifth overall.

[37] As of June 2020, the song had sold 1.3 million copies in the United States and has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Throughout the music video, Ariana and the Weeknd "withstand earth, wind and water, symbolizing what one would do for love," as MTV's Emilee Lindner claimed.

[56] Lindner continued: "Grande writhes around on a sandy floor, the Weeknd walks nonchalantly through an indoor rain storm, and toward the end, we find Ariana in a pool of water with an air of confidence.

"[56] Gabby Bess of Paper called its visuals "a departure from her previous videos and mark a new, sultry era for the mini diva.

"[61] Ariana Bacle of Entertainment Weekly agreed, snorting that "The video’s vibe, sensual and mysterious, is an obvious departure from Grande’s earlier work [...] but fits the song, a stripped-down ballad that’s meant to showcase the two singers’ voices.