“Criticize” was the second single from Alexander O'Neal’s Hearsay album. Coming off of the success of the #1 single “Fake”, “Criticize” held its own reaching #4 on the R&B charts. As with another one of the album’s singles, “The Lovers,” “Criticize” allows sweet-voiced star background vocalist Lisa Keith to take the forefront on its chorus.

In a music video clip for the hit single, Alex appears to perform the song with an all-female band in front of an all-female audience.