On December 27 2003, Nothing Fails peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart.
Unfortunately this chart position owed more to the disappearing physical singles market in the U.S. at the time than it did to the song’s overall popularity. Despite the remixes being relatively well-received (the maxi-single included club mixes of Nobody Knows Me), with no accompanying music video and a complete lack of radio support Nothing Fails failed to crack the Hot 100 singles chart. This marked the first time in Billboard’s history that a single topped the Singles Sales chart in the U.S. without making an appearance on the Hot 100.
In more reassuring chart news, Billboard announced in the same issue that Madonna was being crowned Top Dance Singles Sales Artist for 2003. Madonna had previously achieved this honour in 1985 and 1987, and held the runner-up position in 2000 and 2001.
Today In Madonna History 
“Hollywood” and “Nothing Fails” were both such great songs. I wonder if in some alternate universe, “Hollywood” was the kick-off song and “Nothing Fails” was the follow-up, and both were well-received by radio and charted in the Top 10 of the HOT 100, like they deserved.
Nothing Fails was such a lost opportunity. Such a beautiful song. The cd maxi-single in Oz had too long a run time to be eligible for the ARIA chart so didn’t make the Top 100. Such a shame. Warner Oz could’ve done a CD1 and CD2 here to have it chart. I wish I knew their thinking behind not doing that. Maybe they didn’t want to have another Hollywood experience where it only charted for 2 weeks in the Top 50.
American Life-Madonna’s low point!
American Life, like Erotica are two of her her best albums. So many gems from AL including Die Another Day, Hollywood, Nothing Fails, Nobody Knows Me, Mother and Father, American Life and Love Profusion. Me Against the Music was probably the single that didn’t fit. M should’ve made a video for Nothing Fails as it would’ve failed much better. She was so ahead of her time on this great release.