Regarding this compilation, Daniel Hunt said: "We chose an unmixed format as the majority of these songs would be murdered if beat-matched... some of them are completely impossible to do so, best to leave the tracks as nature intended. From around 40 speculative selections, 18 were cleared by the labels/artists concerned for the final release. The cover photo was taken at 3am while the band were staying in a Swedish chateau during the Hultsfred Festival".[3] Featuring band members Mira Aroyo and Helen Marnie, it references the cover art for Roxy Music's 1974 album Country Life.[4]
Softcore Jukebox has received generally positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic rated the album 3 and half stars and mentioned that "while Softcore Jukebox is rather lengthy at 77 minutes, this multi-tasking collection -- which manages to be a mix album, an Invicta Hi-Fi mini-sampler, and a brief history of post-punk, dream pop, and dance -- is consistently entertaining".[1]
In an A− review, Spin mentioned that "this painfully stylish electroclash quartet could have sprung fully formed from a coolhunter's forehead, but the role of DJ-mix tastemaker is one they were born to play".[7] Andrew Unterberger of the Stylus Magazine gave an A rating and wrote "so no, Ladytron themselves might not have composed most of the music here, but they did compile 18 great songs, several of which you've probably never even heard of before, into an impeccable party mix which might be the best single disc of music you'll hear all year. And for that, Ladytron's efforts should be rewarded".[8]
According to Rob Mitchum from Pitchfork, "they've created a fantastic dance-party playlist, but one that could just as easily have been posted on their website as a guide-map through the Soulseek wilderness". The compilation was rated 7.0 out of 10.[5]Softcore Jukebox has been described by Carleton Curtis from XLR8R as "a veritable user's guide to good taste".[9]