Another feature that distinguishes this reissue from the original version is that the generic Sire typeface is used on the label, whereas the previous versions used the custom "madonna" typeface used.

Like a Virgin had completed recording by April 1984, but the release of the album was held up, much to Madonna's frustration, by the continuing sales of her debut album, which had exceeded onemillion sales in the United States. [14] Like a Virgin debuted at number 70 on the Billboard 200 issued for December 1, 1984. [86] The album reached the top ten of the Billboard 200 on December 8, 1984, [87] and after one month reached the top of the chart on February 9, 1985, where it stayed for three weeks. [88] It also reached a peak of ten on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [89] After 14 weeks, the album sold 3.5million copies. [90] By July 1985, Like a Virgin became the first album by a female artist to be certified for sales of five million units in the United States. [91] It was eventually certified ten times platinum (diamond) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipment of ten million copies of the album. [92] It placed at three on the year-end chart for 1985, with Madonna becoming the top pop artist for the year. [93] After the advent of the Nielsen SoundScan era in 1991, the album sold a further 574,000copies. [94] It sold additional 882,000 units at the BMG Music Club, which are not counted by the Nielsen SoundScan. [95] In Canada, the album debuted at number 78 on the RPM Albums Chart, on November 10, 1984. [96] It reached a peak of number three, on February 16, 1985. [97] The album was present for a total of 74 weeks on the chart, and was certified diamond by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), for shipment of one million copies of the album. [98] [99] Like a Virgin ranked sixth on the RPM Top 100 Albums for 1985. [100] As of June 1986, the album sold more than 750,000 units in Latin America. [101] UK Albums Chart – Week of January 12, 1985". Official Charts Company. January 12, 1985. Archived from the original on February 17, 2018 . Retrieved June 23, 2010. Andersen, Unn Conradi (March 27, 1998). "Madonna mot ny rekord". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on March 12, 2021 . Retrieved March 12, 2021. Sullivan, Caroline (June 11, 2011). "Madonna releases Like a Virgin". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013 . Retrieved March 16, 2012. Top Singles – Volume 41, No. 19, January 19, 1985". RPM. RPM Music Publications Ltd. January 19, 1985. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014 . Retrieved January 8, 2010.

The Billboard Hot 100: Week Ending December 22, 1984". Billboard. December 22, 1984. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013 . Retrieved January 8, 2010. Sherman, Heidi (July 7, 2001). "Madonna 'The Virgin Tour' 1985". Spin. Spin Media LLC. 17 (7). ISSN 0886-3032 . Retrieved May 12, 2010. Matrix / Runout (Runout A-side, variant 19): R/S Alsdorf 9̶2̶5̶1̶5̶7̶-̶1̶ ̶A̶ 925181-1Axx 1-1 SLM △ 7438 GER 21 1-25157-A-RE 1-A-INTL SET1 MASTERDISK RL Record year for global hits" (PDF). Music Week. January 25, 1986. p.27. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 10, 2022 . Retrieved May 10, 2022. Grein, Paul (August 10, 1985). "Hot Madonna: July Fills Her Coffers With RIAA Metal". Billboard. Vol.97, no.32. New York. p.7. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on November 21, 2017 . Retrieved September 27, 2016.

Power, Tony (December 2003). "Madonna: Like a Virgin". Blender. Vol.2, no.10. New York. Archived from the original on August 18, 2004 . Retrieved March 10, 2017. Top Selling Albums of 1985". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016 . Retrieved February 25, 2016. Matrix / Runout (Side B, variant 3): R/S Alsdorf 929210-7 Bxx SLM Δ 7427 1-2 GER 7⋅29210⋅ CNy⋅3341⋅S ⋅SHI MASTERDISK BK [Allied 'ɑ' logo] R-13192 Madonna – Material Girl (song)". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012 . Retrieved January 28, 2010.In 2023, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." a b c d Cinquemani, Sal (September 9, 2001). "Review: Madonna, Like a Virgin". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022 . Retrieved June 21, 2010. Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1985". Hitparade.ch. December 21, 1985. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015 . Retrieved May 17, 2017. Rosen, Craig (1996), The Billboard Book of Number One Albums, Billboard books, ISBN 978-0-8230-7586-7