Some praised it for being "irresistible" and having a fun nature, while others criticized it for its "insipid" lyrics and noted that it sounds like "leftovers" from Duff's previous releases.

"Wake Up" achieved commercial success, becoming a top-ten hit in Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The accompanying music video form "Wake Up" features Duff leaving her house and attending various nightclubs and parties.

[2] The following month, in an interview with MTV News, Duff said that she had been working with brothers Joel and Benji Madden of American rock band Good Charlotte and Jason Epperson (together known under the production name the Dead Executives) to write and produce new songs for the compilation.

[5] Joel, whom Duff had been dating at the time, was aware that she needed new material for a compilation album, and knew that she wanted a "totally different sound".

"[9] Duff has also said that "it's really a catchy song but it talks about being in all my favorite places in the world, which is Tokyo and Paris and London and New York.

"[13] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic described the song as "a sweet-natured, slightly listless spin on Gwen Stefani's 'Cool,'" and according to him, it "sound[s] a bit like leftovers" from Duff's previous releases.

[14] In the United States, "Wake Up" was released to mainstream top 40 radio on July 12, 2005,[15][16] Largely because of high digital download sales, the single entered the U.S.

It was released in the UK in late October and debuted at number seven, Duff's highest position on the singles chart there.

[20] The song's accompanying music video was directed by Marc Webb[9][21] and was shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.