Upon its release, "Masterpiece Theatre" received mixed reviews from critics, who acclaimed the group for their vocal performances on the songs but were divided by the overall sound of the album. A commercial disappointment, it reached number 33 on "Billboard"s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 67 on the "Billboard" 200, becoming En Vogue's first album not to enter the top ten on either chart in the United States. "Masterpiece Theatre" saw similar success in international territories, where it reached the top thirty in Germany and Switzerland only, resulting in the release of no further singles next to "Riddle" and their departure from Elektra Records.