[11] Cash Box called the song "sensational", highlighting the fact that Diamond's "material and production sound take on a completely different dimension in this love ballad which maintains a warm glow throughout with occasional surges of strength".

[14] The song has proven to be enduringly popular and, as of November 2014, has sold over two million digital downloads in the United States.

In the original mono 45 mix, the orchestra and glockenspiel are more prominent than in the stereo version on the Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show LP.

In 2020, the Panthers played the song to an empty Bank of America Stadium in honor of all front-line workers in the COVID-19 pandemic.

[36] The song has been played at Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, since at least 1997[37] and in the middle of the eighth inning at every game since 2002.

[39] Several days after the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013, Neil Diamond led the crowd at Fenway Park in a rendition of the song.

"[46][47][48] The song started as a rallying anthem played between the third and fourth quarters of Pittsburgh Panthers football games,[49][50] but has been adopted for use during other university sports contests, alumni events, and student ceremonies, including graduation commencement ceremonies,[51][52] and references to the song have appeared on various school merchandise.

[58] Fury had also previously sung "Sweet Caroline" at a press conference ahead of his fight against Francesco Pianeta in 2018.

Fans of the Northern Ireland national football team adopted the song as an anthem after it was played in the post-match stadium celebrations after defeating England in 2005.

The team manager, Gareth Southgate, remarked "So, to be able to send them home feeling as they do tonight, to hear them at the end ...

"[64] During post-match interviews, the team captain, Harry Kane, was visibly moved as he paused to listen to the singing crowd, remarking: "Yeah, it's special.

[67] The song was subsequently adopted by the England women's football team on their run to victory in Euro 2022, being played in the stadiums after each game as England won;[68] Chloe Kelly, who scored the winning goal in the final, was being interviewed pitch side after the win but ran off with the microphone when the song started playing to sing along with the team.

[70] The song was later adopted by supporters of Aston Villa during their Championship game against Stoke City in February 2019, as they battled from an early deficit to obtain a draw.

After the game, Aston Villa had 12-game unbeaten run, which enabled them to reach the 2019 English Football League play-offs.

[73] The song was played in Arthur Ashe Stadium after British tennis player Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open Women's singles final.

[75] In 2019, "Sweet Caroline" was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

[80] In 2022, American actress and singer Sofia Carson recorded a version for the Netflix romantic drama film Purple Hearts.