In a retrospective review, AllMusic noted that "The Head on the Door" marked a new musical direction for the Cure, with Smith managing to make the band's trademark "gloom and doom" style both "danceable and popular", while also noting that its inventive arrangements "give the album a musical depth previous efforts lacked". Tom Doyle of "Q" wrote that the album found Smith "bridging the brooding of yore with their recent pop highs". "Pitchfork" said: it is the band's "most focused pop album" and "a tight, terrific package." "PopMatters" included it in their list of the "12 Essential 1980s Alternative Rock Albums" saying, ""The Head on the Door" is an outstanding example of Smith's ability to use pop music as a means to express angst while applying just a hint of the polish".