"When Doves Cry" was Prince's first "Billboard" Hot 100 No. 1 single, staying there for five weeks, and was also a worldwide hit. According to "Billboard", it was the top-selling single of 1984. It is certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was the last single released by a solo artist to receive a Platinum certification before the certification requirements were lowered in 1989. "When Doves Cry" was ranked number one on the "Billboard" Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1984. Following Prince's death, the song re-charted on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart at number eight, its first appearance in the top 10 since the week ending September 1, 1984.