According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from six critic scores.[1] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, with critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writing that Hatfield's album is successful for "balancing classic rock radio staples with deep cuts" and continued that by "choosing to transpose strings to guitar and voice helps Hatfield achieve a sense of intimacy while retaining a sense of romantic grandeur, a combination that gives Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO a distinctly warm and comforting feeling without succumbing to the pitfalls of nostalgia".[2]
Writing for American Songwriter, Hal Horowitz scored this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, stating that "Hatfield's less glossy approach displays sincerity and appreciation for Lynne's talents, maintaining his arrangements while keeping the sonics tougher, if far from raw".[3] John Moore of Glide Magazine also praised the track choices for mixing classics with deep cuts and continued that Hatfield can "pay tribute to the bands that helped influence her sound without making a single apology for their massive global appeal".[4] Andre Skinner of Spill Magazine rated this album an 8 out of 10, stating that "production-wise, the backing band lays down perfect tracks, letting Hatfield's vocals shine".[5]