"Summer Rain" achieved moderate commercial success in North America, where it was released as the second single from "Runaway Horses" (1989). In January 1990, the song entered the "Billboard" Hot 100, the main US chart, at number 86. Within seven weeks of its release, it peaked at number 30 and stayed at that position for two weeks. The single spent 13 weeks on the "Billboard" Hot 100, six of which were in the top 50. The single was Carlisle's second to last song to chart on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It also peaked at number 29 on the US "Billboard" Adult Contemporary chart, where it spent eight weeks on the chart.