"[You Can Dance] is an attractive package for dance fans—particularly with the inclusion of a new cut, 'Spotlight'". He went on to add that the "lyrics of 'Spotlight' aren't great, but they're still more interesting than the others. Still, the words, like those of most dance songs, are just window dressing that's secondary to the beat. The big attraction of 'Spotlight' is a long, hard-driving, closing passage that's guaranteed to turn dancers on." Jan DeKnock, while writing for Orlando Sentinel, noted that the song was already receiving airplay from radio stations. Billboards Joe Lynch called it a "lyrically simplistic affair that’s elevated by a pounding opener, sparkling keys and a charmingly earnest vocal that makes even the silliest sentiment sound like a viable philosophy for conquering the world". Chart performance "Spotlight" was not officially released as a single in the United States; therefore it was not eligible at the time to appear on Billboards Hot 100. Even so, it managed to garner enough airplay to appear on the publication's Hot 100 Airplay survey in early 1988. It debuted on the Airplay chart at 37 on the issue dated January 16, 1988. After three weeks, "Spotlight" reached a peak of 32, but fell to 40 the next week before exiting the chart. It had also reached the Hot Crossover 30 chart beginning on the issue dated December 12, 1987, peaking at 15 for two consecutive weeks beginning January 9, 1988 and spending eight total weeks on the chart. The song was released commercially in Japan on April 25, 1988. "Spotlight" peaked at number 68 on the Oricon weekly singles chart, remaining on the chart for five weeks. It also charted on the Oricon international singles chart, reaching a peak of three on May 19, 1988, staying on the chart for ten weeks. Media appearance "Spotlight" was featured in the last of a series of Japanese TV commercials Madonna filmed for electronics company Mitsubishi. The commercial promoted their VCR model F-5.3. In the commercial, Madonna was featured as coming out of a car and sitting down on a sofa, while watching a film on the VCR, as "Spotlight" is played in the background. The song was also used as cross-promotion for the Japanese leg of her 1987 Who's That Girl World Tour under the campaign name of "Dreams Come True". Track listings and formats JAP / PHI 7" single, JAP 3" CD