The album peaked at number one on the US
Billboard 200 chart, as well as producing the US number-one hit single "
On My Own". It was LaBelle's only album to chart outside of the United States, charting in the
Netherlands,
New Zealand,
Sweden, and the
United Kingdom. To date, the album is estimated to have sold over eight million copies worldwide,[1][2] becoming her best-selling album ever. Upon its release, Winner in You received moderate reviews from music critics. The album has been certified
platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). LaBelle embarked on the Winner in You Tour from 1986 to 1987, touring
Europe to promote her album.[3]
The second single to be released was "
Oh, People". It peaked at number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100[4] and number seven on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[4] It was the second single to chart internationally, peaking at thirty-one on the
Dutch Singles Chart, and number thirty-six on the
New Zealand Singles Chart. The third single to be released was "
Kiss Away the Pain". It was not as successful as the two prior singles, only reaching number thirteen on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[4] The final single to be released was "Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight)," reaching number fifty on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles.[4] It is played twice in Sweet Liberty and over the opening credits of Outrageous Fortune.
Winner in You received average reviews from critics. Ron Wynn on
AllMusic gave the album three out of five stars.[9] Wynn claims this is the album that made LaBelle's solo career. He enjoys the songs "Oh, People" and "Kiss Away the Pain", which he believed needed to chart higher on the Billboard Top 40. Robert Christgau gave the album a B,[10] praising the duet with
Michael McDonald as well as LaBelle's singing abilities. Christgau also compliments her and her family's songwriting abilities. He believes this is how LaBelle became a multi-platinum solo artist. Christgau did not like the earlier part of the album, claiming she "doesn't start out with such surefire goods". Overall, he says the "beats and tunes kick in till you could care less what organ she's singing through." Kim Farber of Billboard gave the album a mixed review,[11] claiming it to be inconsistent. He believes album was not a "hands-down winner so many anticipated," saying how none of the fast tracks have a "jump." Ferber, although, praises her singing ability and says that is the only thing that saved the album. He said the
ballads were well written, and enjoyed "On My Own", saying the song is "something real" and likes the song "Oh, People" even more.
Commercial performance
The album peaked at number one on the US
Billboard 200[12] and on BillboardR&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[13] It spent 30 weeks on the Billboard 200 and spent 33 weeks on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[14] On June 27, 1986, Winner in You was certified
Platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million copies in the US.[15]Winner in You attained respectable international charting. In the Netherlands, it entered at number twenty-eight on the
Mega Album Top 100.[16] In New Zealand, it entered at number ten on the
Top 40 Albums.[17] In Sweden, it entered at number seventeen on the
Albums Top 60.[18] In the United Kingdom, it entered at number thirty-four and peaked at number 30 on the
UK Albums Chart.[19]