"U Remind Me" earned largely positive reviews form music critics.
Billboard called the song a "return to form" for Usher, further describing it as a "laid-back, catchy summertime head-nodder. Trading his trademark quick-fire rap/sung delivery for some straight-up riffing and singing, this should earn Usher respect at R&B radio and beyond, helping him keep step with the no-frills old school production that." Sal Cinquemani from
Slant called the song a "smash" with an" "instantly recognizable hook and admirable exploration of a conflicted emotional terrain." James Poletti of
Yahoo! Music noted the song as the best track on
8701, dubbing it the 2001 version of
Craig David's "
Fill Me In".
Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine also chose it as a highlight from its parent album.
NME called "U Remind Me" not "the most obvious follow-up to the storming "
Pop Ya Colla," but you've got to give this one time to digest. Not quite a ballad, "U Remind Me" [...] is an intriguing tale about how, despite your obvious gorgeousness, Usher can't roll with you cos he's still suffering from a visit from the ghost of the ex." Other nominees for the award were
Case's "Missing You",
Maxwell's "Lifetime",
Brian McKnight's "Love of My Life" and
Musiq Soulchild's "
Love". In 2010, Boonsri Dickinson of
AOL Radio ranked "U Remind Me" as Usher's ninth-best song. and in 2021,
American Songwriter ranked the song number seven on their list of the 10 greatest Usher songs. ==Music video==