Alexis Petridis, a writer of "The Guardian", gave criticism for the song as "excruciating". He said that the lyrics are tedious and uninspiring. "The New Zealand Herald" writer Lydia Jenkin deemed "Rock Me" one of "the most banal songs ever written", but noted that the group "know what teenage girls want to hear." Idolator critic Sam Lansky praised the track as "irresistible" and commended its sonic palette as "explosively punchy". Writing for HitFix, Melinda Newman favoured its "nearly hypnotic anthemic" beat, and noted that "Rock Me" seems perfectly tailored to become a live staple. Ben Rayner of the "Toronto Star" thought the song's Queen-references are "clever", assessing: "to show that One Direction’s puppeteers aren't totally operating on autopilot." Robert Copsey from Digital Spy opined that the song's "simple-yet-genius catchiness" is its strongest attribute. "Billboard" reviewer Chris Payne applauded its rock elements, regarding it as "welcome" deviation from "Take Me Home"'s bubblegum pop sound.