Ray of Light - Chart Performance

Chart Performance

Ray of Light was officially released on March 3, 1998. Eighteen days later, Rolling Stone reported that the album had sold over three million copies worldwide. In the United States, Ray of Light debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart on the issue dated March 21, 1998, selling 371,000 copies in the first week. It was the biggest first-week sales by a female artist in Nielsen SoundScan era, at that time. However, the album was not able to top the soundtrack album of the motion picture Titanic, becoming Madonna's fifth album to peak at the runner-up position. On March 16, 2000, the album was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of four million units of the album. In Canada, the album debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart and was certified seven times platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) for shipment of 700,000 copies. The album also debuted at number one in Australia, becoming Madonna's seventh album to reach the top spot. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it three times platinum denoting shipment of 210,000 copies.

In the United Kingdom, Ray of Light debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, remaining in the top spot for two weeks. It was certified six times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 1.8 million copies. In France, the album entered the official albums chart at number two, staying there for seven weeks before descending down the chart. It was certified three times platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique for shipments of 900,000 copies of the album. In Germany, the album reached number one on the Media Control Charts and remained there for seven weeks. It was certified three times platinum for shipment of 1.5 million copies. The album also reached the top of European Top 100 Albums chart and was certified seven times platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for sales of seven million copies. Ray of Light achieved similar success in the rest of world, topping the official charts of Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. It has sold over 16 million copies, becoming one of the most commercially successful albums of the 1990s.