On 14 September 2014, Payne tweeted the upcoming release of the song.[1] On 28 September, one day before its official release, the song was leaked on the internet.[2] The single became available worldwide on 29 September,[1] except in theUnited Kingdom,[3] where it was released on 12 October with ab-side of Payne's remix of the recording, called the Big Payno and Afterhrs Pool Party Remix.[3] The song's co-writerLouis Tomlinson said the single was a "feel-good song and it’s not too far away from the last album"—Midnight Memories.[4]
The song has a piano part similar to that ofJourney's "Faithfully".[5] One reviewer found the song reminiscent of1980s music, like their previous studio album.[6] The lyrics fret over the potential for rivals to take the group's girlfriends away from them, and why they matter to them.[7] Sheet music for the song "Steal My Girl" was in the key ofB major (performed inB♭ major) with a tempo of 78 beats per minute.[8]
The song received acclaim from music critics. Lucas Villa ofAXS praised One Direction's classic rock sound of "Steal My Girl", noting similarities to Journey's "Faithfully". He wrote that "the guys have been digging in their parents' record collections" and calling the song "a pretty neat and new direction for the band."[9] Samantha Highfill ofEntertainment Weekly suggests that the song is "dad-friendly", emphasizing the classic rock sound.[5]Billboard gave the song four and a half out of five stars, stating it "represents the group's most tremendous Van Halen impression yet."[10] Jim Farber from theDaily News called it a throwback to the 1970s/80s' arena-rock ballad.[11]
Jim Farber wrote in theNew York Daily News that the song "boasts a sumptuous production and a chorus guaranteed to make young girls around the world swoon," adding that it "boasts a melody that sounds like it could have come off a '70s or '80s arena-rock ballad byJourney orForeigner. The warmly synthesized arrangement also echos the style of that particular era of homogenized pop".[12] Christina Lee ofIdolator wrote that "the song is clearly a hit" that "morphs into a soaring stadium pop anthem with hard-hitting drum machine beats, glassy piano chords and that playground chant of a hook".[13] Mikael Wood ofThe Baltimore Sun wrote that "One Direction is going dad rock" and that the song is a "journey to the '80s".[14]
"Steal My Girl" reached number three on theUK Singles Chart,[17] the group's eighth song to reach three or higher. "Steal My Girl" reached number 13 on the USBillboard Hot 100.[18]
In the music video, DeVito meets up with the group in the middle of the desert where a video shoot is being set up, serving as their visionary director. He dubs each of the members of the group a different expression: Harry is love, Niall is light, Liam is power, Louis is danger, and Zayn is mystery. The song starts with Liam smashing a row of silver balls that spell "inhibitions" and Zayn is seen with two sumo wrestlers. Niall is seen dancing with aMaasai tribe from Tanzania, and Liam is seen as a leader of a marching band. Harry is seen surrounded by masked female ballet dancers, and Louis is seen with the chimpanzee, as well as alion, a flock ofsheep andflamingos. DeVito appears with the group throughout the video. In the end, a rain effect is used on the lot, where the group, DeVito, and all other acts appear together in one shot resembling a mix ofCirque du Soleil andCoachella.[24]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 50. týden 2014 in the date selector. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 45. týden 2014 in the date selector. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: insert 201450 into search. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201444 into search. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
