Drogheda Independent declared it as "unbelievably catchy", while Scottish Dundee Courier described it as "sardonic but delicious disposable pop". A reviewer from Evening Herald called it a "gilt-edged" pop hit. Liverpool Echo felt the song "comes at you concealed as bubble gum pop in the guise of an opening string arrangement even Kylie Minogue wouldn't thank you for—before it throws off the cloak of conformity and gets down to a more resonant rendition of power pop". Pan-European magazine Music & Media described it as "heaven on earth", adding that Pierson's voice is "as prominent as it was" on Iggy Pop's song, "Candy". People Magazine stated that Pierson "added some spark". Mark Frith from Smash Hits remarked that the song is "very summery, optimistic and has some fine vocals" from Pierson. He added, "It's so good that it will make you too want to go around and give the world a great big hug. Summer's here and everything's groovy." Celia Farber from Spin found that it "is the most accessible" song of the album, noting the waltz-time break in the middle of the song as one of "the least R.E.M.-like stuff", that works best on the album. The Sunday Tribune felt that it "waltzes joyfully" with the added vocal attraction of Pierson, and noted the "joyous" and "celebratory" noises, calling it "one of 1991's pure pop highlights". Retrospective response In an 2016 retrospective review, Justin Chadwick from Albumism described the song as "buoyant" and R.E.M.'s "most unabashedly pop-fueled composition of their career". He added further, "Regardless of the song's true inspirations or whether you care for the song or not, I suspect most can agree that the soaring backing vocals supplied by Kate Pierson ... are the unequivocal highlight." In 1998, the Daily Vault's Christopher Thelen said it's the song "that dared to show a new side of R.E.M. - a, well, happy side. Who woulda thunk it? The song is a tad cornball, but is infectiously catchy, nonetheless." Terry Staunton from NME declared it as "bubbly", noting that the song "opens with a lilting waltz before breaking into a sun-drenched pop anthem, a warm and welcome blood relative to the B-52s' own 'Love Shack'." Legacy In its 2006 "Song of the Summer" countdown, CBC Radio's Freestyle named "Shiny Happy People" 1991's "Song of the Summer". By contrast, in 2006, the song received the No. 1 position on AOL Music's list