Alexis Petridis of "The Guardian" criticized the song as “excruciating” and called the lyrics tedious and uninspiring. "The New Zealand Herald" writer Lydia Jenkin deemed "Rock Me" one of "the most banal songs ever written," but noted that the group "know what teenage girls want to hear." Idolator critic Sam Lansky praised the track as "irresistible" and commended its sonic palette as "explosively punchy." Writing for HitFix, Melinda Newman favored its "nearly hypnotic anthemic" beat, and noted that "Rock Me" seemed perfectly tailored to become a live staple. Ben Rayner of the "Toronto Star" thought the song's Queen references were “clever” and “show[ed] that One Direction’s puppeteers aren't totally operating on autopilot." Robert Copsey from Digital Spy opined that the song's "simple-yet-genius catchiness" was its strongest attribute. "Billboard" reviewer Chris Payne applauded its rock elements, regarding it as a “welcome” deviation from the rest of "Take Me Home"'s bubblegum pop sound.