The album debuted on the Billboard Best Selling LPs chart in the issue dated February 2, 1959, remaining on the chart for 19 weeks and peaking at number 14.[2] It debuted on the Cashbox albums chart in the issue dated January 10, 1959, and remained on the chart for in a total of 27 weeks, spending a week at number one[3] Five singles were released from the album: "Lonesome Town", "It's Late", "Never Be Anyone Else But You", "Believe What You Say" and "Old Enough To Love". They peaked at No. 9, No. 6, No. 7, No. 4, and No. 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[4], They reached numbers 12, 7, 5, 6, and 86, respectively, on the Cashbox Singles Chart[5], "Never Be Anyone Else But You" and ''It's Late" peaked at number 14 and 3 in the UK[6]
The album was released on compact disc by Capitol Records on June 19, 2001, as tracks 1 through 12 on a pairing of two albums on one disc with tracks 18 through 29 consisting of Nelson's other Imperial album from November 1959, Songs by Ricky.[7]
William Ruhlmann of AllMusic said that the album showed off Nelson's "much more confident vocals" but with more original songs and fewer covers, he "still sounded like a carbon copy of his betters." Ruhlmann concludes that Ricky Sings Again "did not live up to his star status."[1]
Billboard notes "Nelson packs plenty of heart and sales savvy into his rendition of a group of teen-appeal tunes".[9]
Cashbox described the songs from the album as "uptempo and ballad beat Nelson sessions".[10]