How Do I Make You 1 on many AOR (Album Oriented Rock) stations. The single also hit big in Australia (number 19) and New Zealand (number 3). AllMusic critic Mike DeGagne assessed "How Do I Make You" as "a far cry from the ballads, the love songs, and the ample amount of cover versions that [Ronstadt] had charted with in the past" saying "[the track's] quick tempo and pulsating pace had Ronstadt showing some new wave spunk mixed with a desire to rock out a little." However, "Rolling Stone" critic Stephen Holden, felt that on "How Do I Make You" Ronstadt "frankly imitates Deborah Harry,"
How Many Licks? "a celebration of autonomous female sexuality" to a "vulgar, demeaning moment of black female objectification". Some critics compared "How Many Licks?" to Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj's 2014 single, "Anaconda". Alex Kristelis of "Bustle" noted that both songs focused on men's appreciation of the singer's body. A "Khaleej Times" writer called "Anaconda" a "blatant copy" of "How Many Licks?", with Minaj's song sharing "the lyrical blue print and theme" of Lil' Kim's. "Westword"'s Cory Lamz wrote that Minaj parodied "How Many Licks?" and its associated visuals in the music video for her 2011 single "Stupid Hoe". According to Michael Arceneaux, "How