AllMusic editor Michael Gallucci rated the album one and a half stars out of five and wrote: "On their flaccid self-titled debut, the fivesome go through the motions directed to them by a squad of industry moneymakers.

"[9] Chicago Tribune critic Allison Stewart found that "O-Town, while not uniquely horrible, is certainly the worst of the recent spate of boy band offerings.

It's enough to make one long for the Backstreet Boys, who, for all their faults, would have considered something like the chowderheaded "Sexiest Woman Alive" beneath their dignity.

"[10] In the United States, O-Town debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200.Just one month after it released, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

It also was a commercial success across Europe and North America, debuting in the top 10 of Canada, Iceland and the United Kingdom.