Two years later, in 1997, Bob Dylan invited Jewel to tour with him as his opening act, which gave the album widespread public exposure.

[2] Pieces of You was certified 12-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 30, 2006, denoting shipments in excess of 12 million copies in the United States.

[8] The remainder of the album was recorded in Neil Young's studio at Broken Arrow Ranch in Redwood City, California, under the supervision of producer Ben Keith.

"In her 2015 memoir, Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story, Jewel described Pieces of You as "imperfect, full of mistakes and guitar flubs", but also "honest".

David Browne of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a negative review upon its 1997 re-release, noting, "Pieces of You remains a wimpily produced batch of songs – so ineffectual that both 'Who Will Save Your Soul?'

It's best considered as a guided tour through three decades of female folk-pop styles," comparing it negatively to Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush.

"[15] Sara Sytsma of AllMusic gave the album a positive review, calling it "a charming collection of light alternative folk-rock from the teenage singer/songwriter.

Jewel has a rich voice and an innocent, beguiling charm that makes 'Who Will Save Your Soul,' 'I'm Sensitive,' and 'You Were Meant for Me' – songs with slight, simple lyrics and catchy, sweet melodies – quite endearing; they sound like a high-school diary brought to life.