Chart Performance
Despite the large success of lead single "Secret", which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, Bedtime Stories got off to a mild start. It debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 145,000 units shifted in its first week, achieving a gold certification after six weeks. Soon after, however, the album began to lose steam and descend the charts. It was not until the release of the second single, "Take a Bow", that the album picked up pace and made a noticeable rebound. The album was eventually certified 3× Platinum in the United States. and was nominated for a Grammy Award. In the UK, the success was moderate; it debuted at number two behind Bon Jovi's Cross Road.
The album enjoyed less popularity than "Erotica" in Europe but was still commercially successful in that region, reaching the top five of almost every European country. "Bedtime Stories" hit number two in France, shifting over 200,000 copies there, and became a number four hit in Germany, moving in excess of 500,000 copies in that market. The album also enjoyed significant success in Spain, where it shipped over 100,000 units. By the end of its chart-run, "Bedtime Stories" was certified double platinum by the IFPI, for shipments of in excess of two million units throughout Europe.
In Australasia, "Bedtime Stories" enjoyed even greater success than Europe, debuting at number one in Australia and within the top five in New Zealand. It went on to be certified triple platinum by ARIA, for shipments of over 210,000 copies.
The album also found success in the Asian market. It entered the Japanese Oricon Weekly Album Chart at number nine, continuing Madonna's uninterrupted streak of top ten hit albums there. It went on to sell over 400,000 units in Japan.
Despite the success of the album and of its singles, "Bedtime Stories" failed to rejuvenate Madonna's career, as it barely outsold "Erotica", shipping around nine million copies worldwide. Madonna would not reach the meteoric sales of her past albums until the release of her comeback runaway hit, "Ray of Light", in 1998.
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