Production was handled by several record producers, including Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Nickolas Ashford, among others.

The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, as well as producing the US number-one hit single "On My Own".

It was not as successful as the two prior singles, only reaching number thirteen on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

He enjoys the songs "Oh, People" and "Kiss Away the Pain", which he believed needed to chart higher on the Billboard Top 40.

Robert Christgau gave the album a B,[10] praising the duet with Michael McDonald as well as LaBelle's singing abilities.

Christgau did not like the earlier part of the album, claiming she "doesn't start out with such surefire goods".

Kim Farber of Billboard gave the album a mixed review,[11] claiming it to be inconsistent.

[14] On June 27, 1986, Winner in You was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million copies in the US.