 "Spin"s Mark Hogan compared the song positively to lead single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", calling it "peppy, uber-catchy pop" and "a far cry from traditional country".The reviewer also commented that "yes, 'Trouble' shows some wub...But as dubstep breakdowns have increasingly become just another feature of the ever-changing pop landscape, like Auto-Tune or 2 Chainz guest spots, what emerges here is merely another sharply crafted Swift kiss-off, in post-David Guetta dance-pop clothing."