The song was written and recorded by Filter frontman Richard Patrick, guitarist Jonathan Radke, and producer Bob Marlette in Los Angeles at Blue Room studios.

When Patrick steps up to bellow the first choruses, eyebrows raise...this is actually good, head-nodding rock music, produced to a high standard.

[13] San Francisco Media praised Radke's guitar-work on the track and stated that the song "...just throws a mean right hook and reeks of awesomeness, tipping a nod to the Filter sound of old with something magical going on.

[15] Broken Records Magazine supported the track's choice as a single citing that the chorus sounds like it was "tailor-made to be sung by the audience live.

"[16] Blabbermouth strongly praised the song as well, stating that "the throbbing pulse of "What Do You Say"...deserve[s] FM love" due to being "chocked full of rallying "whoa-oh" calls, cruise-minded pound rhythms and singular guitar shoves", ultimately concluding that it was "of Richard Patrick's most poised vehicles in quite some time".