The single received mixed reviews from the British music press. "New Musical Express" praised the "cleanly recorded" song, as well as the "singer", and quipped that if Queen "look half as good as they sound, they could be huge". The reviewer for "Melody Maker" felt that Queen "[made an impressive debut with a heavily phased guitar intro and energetic vocal attack"; however, he thought the song to be unoriginal, and unlikely to become a hit. On the other hand, "Disc" magazine's critic believed the single "should do well". The review praised "Keep Yourself Alive"'s drum solo, as well as its "attractively stilted, vaguely Hendrix-y lead riff". The "South Yorkshire Times" rated the single as "good"; the newspaper predicted that "this debut sound from Queen is anything to go by, they should make very interesting listening in the future." In his album review of "Queen" for "Rolling Stone Magazine", Gordon Fletcher hailed "Keep Yourself Alive" as "a truly awesome move for the jugular".