 David Greenwald of Billboard magazine described "Kill the DJ" as a "profanity-laced and Clash-channeling" track. Zara Golden of VH1 said of the video, "The hit is only a symbolic one, though, and the only real violence to be had here is a slaying guitar riff. Rather, this is an assault against the dubbed-out sound that seems to be dominating today ’ s air waves, Green Day ’ s own and only pretend bloody dubstep demolition." Todd Martens of Los Angeles Times, criticizing the single, said, "It's all played rather straight.' I 'll pick up what's left in the club, 'Armstrong sings suspiciously, and the video released Tuesday doesn't do much to present the song as a statement". Alex Young, writing for Consequence of Sound said the opening clips of the band driving motorbikes were irrelevant. Young said, "There ’ s also a random scene of the band riding dirt bikes through the desert, which doesn 't really make sense in the context of the video but seems like a good way to spend an excess video budget".
