 "The Heat Is On" is notable for its two radio singles, the album's angry funk opener "Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2)" and the melodic soul ballad "For the Love of You (Part 1 & 2)".One critic cited the former song as the Isley Brothers' "most overtly political tune to date".According to writer Colin Larkin, the album's contrasting sides, with one side comprising uptempo funk and the other comprising a suite of smooth soul, represent "the pinnacle of both genres".