Upon its release, "Where Are We Now?" received significant news coverage; it was Bowie's first release of new material since "Reality" (2003). It garnered acclaim from music critics, many of whom praised the song's reflective lyrics and somber quality, and deemed it a welcome return for the artist after a decade-long hiatus. It topped the iTunes charts in numerous countries and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, making it Bowie's biggest hit since "Absolute Beginners" in 1986 and his last top ten hit before his death in January 2016. The success of the song also meant that Bowie has had a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart in five different decades (1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2010s), something which few other artists have managed to achieve.