The album received mostly positive reviews, based on an aggregate score of 71/100 from Metacritic, with critics perceiving its sound as "a return to the mid-'90s heyday" of contemporary R&B.

[3] Still during the promotion of the album, the singer acknowledged that she had to follow a more honest approach on her next project: "[The success of The Makings of Me] just made me realize that people want authentic Monica," she stated.

[10] Producers and songwriters having collaborated with Monica on the album include longtime collaborators Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Bryan-Michael Cox, and his co-producer WyldCard, as well as writers and producers that she had not worked with in the past, including Jim Jonsin, Bei Maejor, Andre Lindal, Los Da Mystro, singer Ne-Yo, songwriters Ester Dean and Crystal Johnson, Norwegian production duo Stargte and her elder cousin Polow da Don.

Others songs from established hitmakers such as Dallas Austin,[12] Babyface, Drumma Boy, J Ferrari, Sean Garrett,[12] Jazze Pha,[11] and Soulshock & Karlin did not make the cut.

[9] A well-received anthem about empowerment, starting with "an icy club-busting backbeat and a gothic, low-octave choir,"[20] it features guest vocals by Monica's cousin Ludacris and was initially considered to be released as the album's first single, but J Records rejected to promote the song as Still Standing′s lead.

[21] Second track, Los Da Mystro-crafted "One In a Lifetime", was among a number of songs that leaked a year prior to the album's official release.

"[25] "Everything to Me", the album's fourth track and official first single, reunited Monica with producer Missy Elliott and saw the pair basically reprising the formula of previous successes such as "So Gone" (2003) and "A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)" (2006).

[26] A musical ode to all things good in life,[25] written by singer Jazmine Sullivan, the retro ballad contains a prominent sample of the Deniece Williams' 1981 recording "Silly".

"[24] Seventh track "Here I Am" was penned by Ester Dean and produced by Monica's elder cousin Polow da Don, marking their first collaboration.

Led by a "bluesy guitar riff",[29] the song deals with unrequired love, and has been announced as an official single from the album at numerous occasions, only to be replaced at the last minute each time.

[30] In April 2010, Monica confirmed on Twitter that she had re-recorded the song as a duet with Jamie Foxx, although he was later replaced by fellow R&B singer Trey Songz.

[31] "Superman", another production by Bryan Michael Cox, is an acoustic guitar-dominated ballad with syncopated drum pattern, in which she idolizes her man as a hero, comparing him with the same-titled DC Comics superhero.

[25] The track received a positive response among critics, who called it one of the finest moments on Still Standing: "Monica shows her range [...] and gives it some muscle.

[38] Confirmed as the first single from the album, "Everything to Me" was leaked onto internet in the first week of January 2010 and officially sent to urban and rhythmic radio formats on February 9, 2010.

[23] Entertainment Weekly's Mikael Wood called the album "a low-key delight" and perceived its sound as reminiscent of 1990s-R&B, stating "the appealingly unflashy CD feels like a return to the mid-'90s heyday of acts such as Deborah Cox and Total.

[49] Andrew Rennie of Now wrote that it is "rich with songs about self-validation, love lost and subsequent recovery, and doesn't let up on that thematic gas pedal until the last tune.

"[50] Luke Winkie of Slant Magazine described its music as "unembellished and bland", while calling the album "immediately forgettable, inhabiting the colorless world that has doomed the majority of mainstream R&B over the last decade.

"[20] Despite writing that Monica "puts forth her richest vocal efforts", Boston Herald writer Lauren Carter called the album's songs "uninspiring", describing it as "the middle ground" and "r & b blandness".

[51] Still Standing debuted and peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 184,000 copies; becoming Monica's second highest US chart-debut behind After the Storm (2003).

[53][54] One month after its release, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of 500,000 copies on April 21, 2010.