Critical reception
AllMusic editor Leo Stanley found that The Day "confirms his skill for subtle, inventive songwriting and accessible, polished yet soulful production [...] He is still compelling – his voice is as smooth as silk, and nearly as seductive – but it doesn't quite have the force of personality as his greatest productions. Nevertheless, The Day qualifies as state-of-the-art mid-'90s soul, featuring a handful of terrific songs, and a lot of extremely pleasurable filler." [7] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly wrote that on the album, Babyface "immerses himself in the same hot-tub soul he's applied to everyone from Toni Braxton to Eric Clapton. All the Babyface trademarks — the crisp, unobtrusive percussion, the silky guitars, the harmonies that blanket the melodies like a quilt — are laid out like a three-piece suit. But more so than any previous album he’s made, The Day is chockful of luscious, gently persuasive songs, from doe-eyed testimonials to his devotion to misty childhood reminiscences. [8]
Connoe Johnson from The Los Angeles Times wrote: "This ballad-intensive album is long on the soothing, roses-and-candlelight romanticism that sets him apart from most of his hip-hop-oriented compatriots [...] There is a certain niche in R&B that he fills quite nicely. In a genre where many expressions of love and commitment require a parental-guidance sticker, spiritually stated songs such as "The Day (That You Gave Me a Son)" are rare." [9] The New York Times editor Jon Pareles noted that with the album, "Babyface continues his sensitive-guy testimonials" and "certified [his] status as a superstar among pop peers." He also felt though, thtat "Babyface may have handed off too many of his best songs. About halfway through the album, the quality of the writing starts to dip, and despite the plush understatement of Babyface's arrangements, The Day ends up seeming skimpy." [13]
The Day debuted and peaked at number six on the US Billboard 200 and number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [14] It marked Babyface's highest-charting release on the Billboard 200 yet. [15] A steady seller, the album was certified both Gold and Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 8, 1997 and reached 2× Platinum status on July 23, 1997. [2] By August 2005, it had sold 1.5 million units domestically. [14] Internationally, The Day would mark Babyface's breakthrough as a performer, reaching the top ten in the Netherlands and the top 20 in Australia, Japan and New Zealand. [16] It was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), [17] and Platinum by Music Canada, [18] and became a Gold-seller in Australia and Japan. [19] [20]
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