The song is a mid-tempo pop ballad about a love lost to distance, or a boy who commits suicide after the death of his lover.The ballad received generally positive reviews from music critics, who noted the song's memorability and complimented its composition.[4] The chorus of the song is essentially built on the hook, "You know I'll be your life, your voice, your reason to be/ My love, my heart is breathing for this moment in time/I'll find the words to say/ Before you leave me today.[14] Erica Futterman for Rolling Stone opined that the track's lyricism is "quintessentially swoonworthy" toward an audience aged approximately 8 to 12 and female.[10] Upon the release of Up All Night, "Moments" debuted on multiple world charts due to strong digital download sales.[21] Herald Sun writer Cameron Adams opined that the performance of "Moments" at Melbourne's Hisense Arena showcased the group's "strong pop voices".[8] Erica Futterman for Rolling Stone assessed that the performance of the track at New York City's Beacon Theatre was the most tender moment of the show.
One Direction performing "Moments" in
Toronto
, February 2012.