"Mysterious Ways" reached the top ten on the singles charts of several countries, including Canada and the band's native Ireland, where it went to number one. In the United States, the song topped the "Billboard" Modern Rock Tracks and Album Rock Tracks charts and peaked at number nine on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It received praise from critics after the release of "Achtung Baby", many of whom called it one of the album's standout tracks and one that best illustrated the band's musical evolution on the album.