The song was written by Amy Lee, Terry Balsamo and Tim McCord and produced by Nick Raskulinecz.
Musically "What You Want" contains a variety of musical elements and it uses drums, guitars, synthesizers and a piano.
Lyrically, the song has a theme of freedom.
"What You Want" received positive reviews from music critics who praised its instrumentation, Lee's vocals and the song's musical hook; several of them listed it as an album highlight.
The song peaked at number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and achieved higher success in its component charts.