The score received positive reviews from music critics. "Throughout the soundtrack, Giacchino keeps things fresh with his engaging melodies and variations, and
Up succeeds as an old-fashioned score that doesn’t shy away from emotion or catchy tunes.", was the positive review from
iTunes. Christopher Coleman, from tracksounds.com, gave the score 8 out of 10 stars, commenting: "The experience of his [Giacchino's] original score went from mediocre to marvelous with a single viewing of the film". Danny Graydon,
Empire writer, declared "Giacchino's primary theme moves from the jaunty
jazz flourish of the opening titles" ... "The score's emotional content is further fuelled by two similarly flexible (albeit more subtle) themes". Christian Clemmensen of
Filmtracks.com awarded the score a four star rating out of five, but wrote a mixed review: "In general, the vintage jazz and Waltz combination is effective in raising the spirit of adventure specifically from the perspective of an elderly man, but this material could potentially sound geriatric to some listeners seeking only loftier fantasy elements". Regarding
Disney's initial decision to not release the score on
compact disc, Clemmensen went on to say "Unfortunately, with a score as dynamic in instrumental range as
Up, hearing it in compressed MP3 form is simply unacceptable. This format may work for headphones, but the recording sounds dull and flat on any sizable stereo system." ==Track listing==