radio success, Blackground didn't want "Rock the Boat" to be released as a single, instead campaigning for Timbaland-produced songs, including "More Than a Woman". Aaliyah fought with the label and pushed for "Rock the Boat" to become the second single; producer Eric Seats recalled hearing her say: "No, it's this one. I don't care who did what. This one is the next one." Consequently, Blackground and Virgin serviced "Rock the Boat" to rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States as the second single from Aaliyah on August 21, 2001. In Australia, it was released as the third and final single on November 26. The single was released in mainland Europe in April 2002 and the UK in May 2002. In August 2021, it was reported that Aaliyah's recorded work for Blackground (since rebranded as Blackground Records 2.0) would be re-released on physical, digital, and, for the first time ever, streaming services in a deal between the label and Empire Distribution. Aaliyah, including "Rock the Boat", was re-released on September 10. Critical reception Khal from Complex described the accompanying music video for "Rock the Boat" as "a thing of beauty, with tropical visuals properly matching the laid back vibe of the instrumental. Perfect percussive accents dwell around the chilled melodies." James Poletti from dotmusic felt that Aaliyah's "breathy vocals become stutteringly suggestive as the track squelches and pops its way to a rather lovely place." Connie Johnson from the Los Angeles Times described "Rock the Boat" as being "sexily assertive"; she also felt that the song, along with "We Need a Resolution", was a standout song on the album. Michael Hubbard from MusicOMH gave the song a mixed review, although he felt this song wasn't "the best record she's done", he praised her vocals, saying "Aaliyah shows again that one needn't screech a la Miss Mariah Carey in order to achieve pleasing results". John Robinson from NME panned the song calling it "one of the less memorable tracks from her album". He also thought it was "Overproduced to the point where the song skids past you on a trail of its own slickness". Ernest Hardy from Rolling Stone, said "Rock the Boat" was the highlight of the album, and felt that the song showed Aaliyah coming "into her own as a woman". Overall, Hardy declared, "She's at the wheel, steering her sexuality and using it to explore her own fantasies and