Editing Like a Virgin (album) (section)

== Commercial performance ==
In the United States, ''Like a Virgin'' debuted at number 70 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] on December 1, 1984.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=''Billboard'' 200: Week of December 1, 1984 |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1984-12-01 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=April 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503001925/http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1984-12-01 |archive-date=May 3, 2015 |date=December 1, 1984}}</ref> The following week, it climbed to number ten.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Grein |first1=Paul |title=Chart Beat |magazine=Billboard |date=December 8, 1984 |volume=98 |issue=50 |page=6 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1984/BB-1984-12-08.pdf#page=6 |access-date=April 11, 2024 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> The album reached the chart's first spot on February 9, 1985, where it spent three weeks.<ref name="BB200" /> Madonna became the third female artist in the 1980s decade ―after [[Barbra Streisand]] and [[Kim Carnes]]― to score both a number one album and single, as the title track had reached the Hot 100's top spot two weeks prior.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Grein |first1=Paul |title=Chart Beat |magazine=Billboard |date=February 9, 1985 |volume=97 |issue=6 |page=6 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1985/BB-1985-02-09.pdf#page=6 |access-date=April 11, 2024 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> Fourteen weeks after its release, ''Like a Virgin'' had sold over 3.5 million copies.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schwed |first1=Mark |title=Everyone a star at high-tech bar |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1985-06-07-8501230002-story.html |work=[[Sun Sentinel]] |access-date=April 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119031836/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1985-06-07-8501230002-story.html |archive-date=November 19, 2018 |date=June 7, 1985}}</ref> By July 1985, it had become the first album by a female to sell over five million copies in the United States.<ref name="WhatCulture" /><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Grein |first1=Paul |title=Hot Madonna!! July fills her coffers with RIAA metal |magazine=Billboard |date=August 10, 1985 |volume=97 |issue=32 |page=2 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1985/BB-1985-08-10.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2024 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> The record came in at the third spot on the ''Billboard'' 200 year-end chart for 1985.<ref name="BBYearEnd1985" /> It was eventually certified [[RIAA certification|ten times platinum]] (diamond) by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA), for shipment of ten million copies.<ref name="riaa" /> After the advent of the [[Nielsen SoundScan]] era in 1991, the album sold a further 574,000 copies as of August 2010.<ref name="Nielsen">{{cite web |last1=Grein |first1=Paul |title=Week Ending Aug. 8, 2008: Taylor Swift Returns |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/61449/week-ending-aug-8-2008-taylor-swift-returns/ |publisher=[[Yahoo! Music]] |access-date=April 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816052924/http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/61449/week-ending-aug-8-2008-taylor-swift-returns/ |archive-date=August 16, 2010 |date=August 11, 2010}}</ref> Another 882,000 units were sold at the BMG Music Club, which are not counted by the Nielsen SoundScan.<ref name="BMG">{{cite web |last1=Barry |first1=David |title=Shania, Backstreet, Britney, Eminem and Janet top all time sellers |url=http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=47877 |work=Music Industry News Network |access-date=April 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030703090845/http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=47877 |archive-date=July 3, 2003 |date=February 18, 2002}}</ref> Along with ''[[True Blue (Madonna album)|True Blue]]'' (1986) and ''[[The Immaculate Collection]]'' (1990), ''Like a Virgin'' is one of Madonna's best-selling albums in the United States.<ref name="riaa" />

In Canada, ''Like a Virgin'' debuted on the 78th spot of the [[RPM (magazine)|''RPM'' Albums Chart]] on November 10, 1984;<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Albums/CDs - Volume 41, No. 10, November 10 1984 |url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.9532&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=cdl81qledvtb2smbvtgimo9du2 |work=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]] |publisher=[[Library and Archives Canada]] |access-date=April 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906080028/https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.9532&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=cdl81qledvtb2smbvtgimo9du2 |archive-date=September 6, 2011 |date=November 10, 1984}}</ref> it climbed up the chart and eventually reached the third spot on February 16, 1985.<ref name="RPM" /> The album was present for a total of 74 weeks on the chart, and was certified [[List of diamond-certified albums in Canada|diamond]] by the [[Canadian Recording Industry Association]] (CRIA), for shipment of one million copies.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Albums/CDs - Volume 44, No. 5, April 26 1986 |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0663&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=cdl81qledvtb2smbvtgimo9du2 |work=RPM |publisher=Library and Archives Canada |access-date=April 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015181354/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0663&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=cdl81qledvtb2smbvtgimo9du2 |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |date=April 26, 1986}}</ref><ref name="cria" /> ''Like a Virgin'' reached the fifth position of ''RPM''{{'}}s 1985 year-end chart.<ref name="RPMYearEnd85"/> 750,000 copies were sold in Latin America as of June 1986.<ref name="LATAM" />

In the United Kingdom, ''Like a Virgin'' debuted at number 74 on the [[UK Albums Chart]], on November 24, 1984. However, it fluctuated on the chart for the next eight months and it wasn't until September that it finally reached the chart's top.<ref name="UK" /> The album was certified three times [[List of music recording certifications|platinum]] by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] (BPI) and has sold over a million copies there.<ref name="bpi" /><ref name="UKSellers" /> In France, the album debuted and peaked at number five on the [[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|French Albums Chart]] on October 6, 1985, staying there for eight weeks.<ref name="fra"/> ''Like a Virgin'' was certified two times platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) for shipment of 600,000 copies.<ref name="snep" /> ''Like a Virgin'' reached number the first place on European countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy.<ref name="germany" /><ref name="netherlands" /><ref name="spain" /><ref name="Italy" /> ''Like a Virgin'' became Madonna's first number one album on the [[European Top 100 Albums]], reaching the summit on November 18, 1985, and remaining there for two weeks.<ref name="EuropeanTop100" /> Over 2 million copies were sold across Europe by the end of 1985.<ref name="Europesales" />

In Australia, the album debuted and peaked at the second position of the [[Kent Music Report]] albums chart, and was certified seven times platinum by the [[Australian Recording Industry Association]] (ARIA) for shipment of 490,000 copies.<ref name="Australia" /><ref name="aria" />  ''Like a Virgin'' remained at the top of the New Zealand Albums Chart for three consecutive weeks, and was certified five times platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand]] (RIANZ) for the shipping of 75,000 copies.<ref name=NZ /><ref name="rianz" /> With over 21 million copies sold worldwide, ''Like a Virgin'' is one of the [[List of best-selling albums|best-selling albums]] of all time.<ref name="LAVWoldWide" />