[1] Billy Dukes of Taste of Country called the track Ell's "most commercially friendly radio release to date," adding "the clean structure, guitar lines and verses recall and build off of the Brantley Gilbert collaboration 'What Happens in a Small Town'".

[7] "Want Me Back" reached a peak of #1 on the Billboard Canada Country chart dated December 12, 2020,[8] becoming Ell's second number one.

[13] In March 2021, the song was certified Gold by Music Canada, becoming the first single of Ell's career to achieve this status.

Chris Parton of Sounds Like Nashville said "the glamorous clip sends a powerful message … especially to young girls".

[16] Ell told CMT: "The video captures the whole story line in which my whole persona changes from an unconfident, held-back woman, to then realizing my own self-power and stepping into it".