Since being released, "Ultralight Beam" has received universal acclaim from music critics, who complimented its message and performances. Chance the Rapper was singled out with praise for his performance. It charted in the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada in 2016. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for &lt;a href="Grammy%20Award%20for%20Best%20Rap/Sung%20Performance"&gt;Best Rap/Sung Performance&lt;/a&gt; and Best Rap Song at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017. The song appeared on year-end lists for 2016 by multiple publications, including "Complex" and "Consequence of Sound". In 2019, "Pitchfork" and "Rolling Stone" both listed it among the best songs of the 2010s.