Even before its release in the United Kingdom, the compilation had broken a record as the album with most shipments before release, with 750,000 copies shipped, overtaking the previous pre-release high of 650,000 copies achieved by Simply Red's compilation album, Greatest Hits (1996). GHV2 debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart with 88,500 copies, after competing for the top spot with Westlife's third studio album, World of Our Own, with the latter outselling Madonna by two to one in the midweek chart. The album was present for a total of 33 weeks inside the chart, and was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). As of June 2019, the compilation has sold 868,500 copies according to the Official Charts Company. GHV2 also debuted at number two, behind Westlife's album in Ireland and Scotland. Across Europe, the compilation reached the top of the chart in Austria, and reaching the top-ten in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. On the combined European Top 100 Albums, GHV2 peaked at number three.GHV2 debuted at number three on the Australia ARIA Charts, and was present for a total of 13 weeks within the top 50. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it double platinum for shipment of 140,000 copies. It had moderate performance in New Zealand where it debuted at number eight on the Recorded Music NZ's album chart, and received a gold certification for shipment of 7,500 copies. The album was successful in Japan, where it received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over 200,000 copies. GHV2 was the 14th best-selling album of 2001, selling 4.9 million copies worldwide in that year according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). In total GHV2'' has sold over seven million copies as of October 2007.
Even before its release in the United Kingdom, the compilation had broken a record as the album with most shipments before release, with 750,000 copies shipped, overtaking the previous pre-release high of 650,000 copies achieved by Simply Red's compilation album, Greatest Hits (1996). GHV2 debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart with 88,500 copies, after competing for the top spot with Westlife's third studio album, World of Our Own, with the latter outselling Madonna by two to one in the midweek chart. The album was present for a total of 33 weeks inside the chart, and was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). As of June 2019, the compilation has sold 868,500 copies according to the Official Charts Company. GHV2 also !debuted at number two, behind Westlife's album in Ireland and Scotland. Across Europe, the compilation reached the top of the chart in Austria, and reaching the top-ten in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. On the combined European Top 100 Albums, GHV2 peaked at number three.GHV2 debuted at number three on the Australia ARIA Charts, and was present for a total of 13 weeks within the top 50. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it double platinum for shipment of 140,000 copies. It had moderate performance in New Zealand where it debuted at number eight on the Recorded Music NZ's album chart, and received a gold certification for shipment of 7,500 copies. The album was successful in Japan where it received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over 200,000 copies. GHV2 was the 14th best-selling album of 2001, selling 4.9 million copies worldwide in that year according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). In total GHV2'' has sold over seven million. copies as of October 2007.