Upon release, the song was met with widespread acclaim from contemporary music critics, many of whom deemed it a standout from I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It.

Specific praise was given to the production, lyrics and the 1975's embrace of pop music, drawing comparisons to M83, Daft Punk, MGMT, and Passion Pit.

"[3] During the premiere of "The Sound" on Annie Mac's self-titled BBC Radio 1 show, Healy noted it was inspired by "pop music earworms, that kind of ear candy" that he listened to as a child.

"[5] In an interview with NME, Healy revealed that "The Sound" is the oldest track on the album, having developed the bridge and the chorus during the writing sessions for The 1975.

"[36] He refuses to entertain the fear of rejection and displays self-awareness in the couplet: "It's not about reciprocation, it's just all about me / A sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic junkie wannabe.

[26] The singer focuses on his desire for attention, sex, intellectual validation, intimacy and immortality, and is eager to both promote himself and air his insecurities.

[20] Thomas Green of The Arts Desk described "The Sound" as a house song composed in a "Bryan Adams-with-Chicane-style",[8] while Pryor Stroud of PopMatters said the single contains "just one, continuous eruption of pure-pop kinetic energy".

[26] Euphoria Magazine editor Erin Hampton called the track a "party anthem" and said it connects the 1980s-influenced pop of the previous singles from I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It together.

[24] Natalie Harmsen of Atwood Magazine deemed "The Sound" the album's most upbeat and "explosive" song, noting it drastically contrasts the rest of the record.

[36] Chris DeVille of Stereogum noted similarities between "The Sound" and the works of Justice, Daft Punk, MGMT and Passion Pit.

[33] Renowned for Sound editor Jessica Thomas said the single continues to distance the 1975 from their "darker self-titled days",[10] a sentiment shared by Malone, who noted the track takes a "left turn from indie".

Club said the release exemplifies the mix of self-awareness and ambivalence present on the album, noting it "describes a totally self-absorbed guy who is yet alert enough to notice his crush".

In NME's list of the 1975's best songs, "The Sound" was ranked at number two; Tom Smith said it has become "a knowing celebration of a band who stayed true to what they're good at – penning radio belters and having a laugh while doing so", while praising the playful attitude and "shimmering" production.

[39] Calling the track an album highlight, Jamieson Cox of The Verge praised the amount of hooks and labelled it an "irresistible bit of thumping house".

[7] Matt Collar of AllMusic declared "The Sound" an album highlight and flatter the "brightly infectious" hooks, noting it is similar to the work of Prince.

[40] Hampton praised the production of "The Sound" and its embrace of pop music, while calling it "fresh, body moving and beautifully produced".

"[20][41] Thomas lauded the track's "infectious" beat, saying it is "undeniably one darn catchy pop tune crafted with the signature [t]he 1975 flair".

[27] Alex Ross of The Fader called the single a "soaring, danceable anthemic track", commending the lyrical reflection and sense of escapism, while highlighting its blend of 1980s synths, 1970s rock and late 1990s style.

[13] Rolling Stone editors Jon Dolan, Brittany Spanos and Christopher Weingarten lauded the "neon-bright enthusiasm" and "tenderly catchy refrain" of "The Sound", saying the guitar solo and synths reference 1980s new wave without "getting too lost in nostalgia".

[29] Jonathan Wroble of Slant Magazine called "The Sound" an "ultraclean early Prince sendup" and Kika Chatterjee of Alternative Press compared it to Rick Astley "in a way that is, somehow, positive".

[28] Carl Williott of Idolator said the track's release made it "immediately apparent that this British foursome didn't deserve to be lumped in with those other purveyors of optimized pap".

[45] Lucas Fagen of Hyperallergic felt "The Sound" revives the album from a mid-album lull, saying it "would dominate the radio all summer if funk-lite still got airplay".

[75] Althea Legaspi of Rolling Stone praised the video's humour, noting it "finds [the band] taking on their critics in a humorous way".