Ever since its release, "Into the Groove" has received critical acclaim. J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of "", said that the song demonstrated Madonna's ability to create infectious dance music. Rikky Rooksby, author of "Madonna: the complete guide to her music", said that "'Into the Groove' will make you feel like you're a winner either way. And that's one of the best things pop music can do for ya. [It's] Madonna's first great single." Clive Barker and Simon Trussler, authors of "New Theatre Quarterly", felt that the song was the first disco-anthem of the 1980s.