Critical reviews of "Cracked Rear View" were mostly positive. The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it four and a half stars out of five. He wrote that it was "the success story of 1994/1995." He also said, "Although Hootie & the Blowfish aren't innovative, they deliver the goods. They turned out an album of solid, rootsy folk-rock songs that have simple, powerful hooks."