Own The Night received mixed to positive reviews, with some critics praising its production and Hillary Scott's and Charles Kelley's vocals, calling it an improvement over their previous two albums, while others criticized its lyrical content and lack of personality, calling it a step downward from their previous albums.

Follow up singles were "We Owned the Night", "Dancin' Away with My Heart" and "Wanted You More", which charted moderately in the US Hot Country Songs.

Eric Paslay, who co-wrote the track "Friday Night", released his own version of the song in March 2013.

[5] The New York Times was very positive about Own the Night and wrote this third album "elevates this group's fecklessness to high art.

That cocksure stance helps to make it one of the most convincing albums of the year, a huge leap forward for a group that threatened to become famous without leaving a true mark.

"[14] Giving it a four stars rating out of five, Country Weekly's Jessica Phillips appreciated that "For the most part, Lady Antebellum strikes a nice balance between the two -creating something different while replicating some elements of the previous album, keeping the penchant for bighearted ballads and the vocal chemistry between Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott intact".

"[15] Entertainment Weekly gave the album a "B" grade commenting "With their easy pop-country tempos and ingratiating white-soul harmonies, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood are masters of the soft sell, an approach they employ here with characteristically genteel results.

"[9] Randy Lewis of The Los Angeles Times found that "everything sounds bigger, brighter and shinier than on Lady A's first two albums.

"[6] American Songwriter found Own the Night not "high art" and despised the "clichéd country images" but did appreciate the singing "with the band stacking its harmonies three voices deep at every twist and turn" and that's why the album received a three stars rating.

On October 17, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over one million copies.