"Rocket" was met with positive reviews from music critics. Heather Phares of
AllMusic said that the song's "driving minor-key verses and huge, shimmering choruses tap into the brain's pleasure center as efficiently as possible", dubbing it one of Goldfrapp's "most irresistible songs yet". Barry Nicolson of
NME described it as "a sleek, synth-powered ballistic missile that's high on
Pat Benatar's hairspray and in possession of a chorus so cheesy and ebullient." DJ Ron Slomowicz of
About.com wrote that the track "represents the best of the 80's and Goldfrapp's take on glitzy
power pop. The energy is palpable and so is the vitriol as there is no mistaking Alison's intent, despite the soaring and beautiful melodies."
Pitchfork Marc Hogan commented that "Rocket" "shows
Head First at its best, but it's also a reminder of where some of the other songs fall short." Several critics noted the song's heavy influence from 1980s music and culture, with both
The Independent and
The Times pointing out the similarity between the synths used for "Rocket" and those
Van Halen used for their 1984 song "
Jump".
BBC Music's Ian Wade felt that the song "couldn't be more 80s if it arrived sweaty from a
Jane Fonda workout, dressed in a neon legwarmers and a fashionably ripped Van Halen t-shirt. If it doesn't knock the top ten for six, that'll be a mystery for future generations to mull."
Digital Spy music editor Nick Levine wrote that "'Rocket' finds [the duo] channelling early '80s radio pop—hands up who hears Van Halen?—while an empowered Alison gives her cheating ex the elbow."
Alexis Petridis of
The Guardian stated that the song "carries the influence of
Olivia Newton-John and the
Electric Light Orchestra's '
Xanadu'. The kind of euphoric we've-just-won-the-World-Cup synthesiser fanfares that power both Van Halen's 'Jump' and
PhD's '
I Won't Let You Down' abound, there's the occasional hint of
Tango in the Night-era
Fleetwood Mac, and you're never that far from a conjunction of wobbling electronics and anthemic chorus that recalls
Phil Oakey and
Giorgio Moroder's '
Together in Electric Dreams'." During an interview with music website
Popjustice based on questions made by fans, Alison commented on the comparisons drawn between "Rocket" and "Jump" by saying: "I'm not very familiar with Van Halen as a band, I'm afraid, but I think we were definitely inspired by that sound. It's not exactly the same sound as the sound but it's definitely been inspired by it." ==Commercial performance==