potential, especially that of smart kids victimised by dumb thug culture." Lisa Verrico of The Times noted the song "tells stories of shattered dreams through a series of fictional characters, has a naggingly catchy chorus and [...] shows Rowland as a strong, smooth, versatile singer." BBC Music editor Joy Dunbar found that the "Sade-influenced "Stole" which is about universal life experiences highlights Kelly's soulful, spine tingling singing voice." The Torchs Frank DeBellis remarked that "Stole" is a "single that truly expresses Rowland’s talent and represents the sounds of the entire album." Less impressed, Houston Chronicle journalist Michael D. Clark felt that "with minimalist vibrato, [...] "Stole" tells the tragic stories of characters who never realize their dreams of stardom. The drama unfolds at the pace of Xanax." Vibe journalist Craig Seymour caleld "Stole" a "dreadfully overwrought first single." Commercial performance The song was initially released in the United States on September 9, 2002, once the popularity of "Dilemma" began to fade. On September 28, 2002, the song debuted at number seventy-six on the US Billboard Hot 100, with former still remaining on number-one. It took another nine weeks until the single reached its peak position at number twenty-seven on November 30, 2002. It would remain Rowland's highest-charting single as a leading solo artist on the US Hot 100 until the release of her 2011 single "Motivation". More successful on Billboard's component charts, "Stole" reached the top twenty on the Top 40 Tracks and the Mainstream Top 40 charts, while its remixes peaked at number twenty-four on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. In Norway, it became Rowland's second top ten entry as a solo artist, debuting at number ten and peaking at number six the next week, and staying on the chart for nine weeks. In Switzerland, the single debuted on February 9, 2003, at number twenty-four and jumped to the twelfth position the next week, reaching a peak position of nine for a single week, and remaining on the chart for fifteen weeks. Scoring its highest-peaking position in Ireland and the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number three and two respectively, the song would remain Rowland's biggest-charting solo success Europe-wide until the release of her equally successful 2008 single "Work", excluding "Dilemma" and "When Love Takes Over". The song became Rowland's fifth best selling solo single in the United Kingdom with 210,000 copies being sold as of November