"Street Fighting Years" received sharply divided reviews, with initial critical opinion being mostly favourable in the UK but less so in the US, where the album was much less of a commercial success. In his written commentary for the sleeve notes in the band's compilation album "Glittering Prize 81/92", Brian Hogg described "Street Fighting Years" as arguably "the group's most controversial release." Jim Kerr remembered the album thus: "Every song seemed to be about conflict, and it describes this age of chaos, the battle to try and remain intact with all this hurricane around us."