while Rolling Stones Jancee Dunn called the track "curiously lifeless". Stylus Magazines Todd Burns was critical of the song's "bland" lyrics yet appreciated the dancehall elements that emerged at the end of the track. Josh Kun of Spin praised the lyrics for being more confrontational than the works of her contemporary Britney Spears. Jacqueline Hodges writing for BBC Music appreciated Lil's Kim's inclusion on the track for adding "a bit of edge". "Can't Hold Us Down" was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 2004 Grammy Awards, but lost to "Whenever I Say Your Name" by Sting and Mary J. Blige. On reviewing Aguilera's greatest hits album, Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits in 2008, Nick Levine from Digital Spy shared disappointment because the song could not make it to the compilation. The song has been recognized as a feminist anthem. Nicholas Ransbottom from The Charleston Gazette placed the song on his list of the top ten songs of female empowerment in 2013, calling it a "great anthem about women sticking up for themselves in a misogynistic world". Several writers for The A.V. Club included the track on their list of seventeen "well-intended yet misguided feminist anthems" in 2010; they agreed that the song itself was "actually one of her better songs", although they felt that its accompanying music video overshadowed its lyrical "[confrontation of] the double standard of female sexuality" since Aguilera conducted herself in a provocative fashion that conflicted its intended meaning. Yasamin Saeidi from Burton Mail listed "Can't Hold Us Down" on her list of the "top ten empowering lady anthems" in 2013. According to Julianne Shepherd of Portland Mercury "Can't Hold Us Down" is a "valuable and important moment for feminist pop music". Commercial performance "Can't Hold Us Down" peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the Pop Songs chart. The song peaked at number 4 on the Canadian Singles Chart. In Australia, "Can't Hold Us Down" reached a peak position of number 5 on the Australian Singles Chart, and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of 35,000 copies in the country. Additionally, it reached number 2 on the New Zealand Singles Chart. It peaked at number 4 on the Hungarian Singles Chart, number 5 on the Irish Singles Chart, and number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. On May 4,