"Hero" became Carey's eighth chart topper on the US Billboard Hot 100. It reached the number one position in its tenth week and spent four weeks at the top, from December 25, 1993, to January 15, 1994. It replaced "Again" by Janet Jackson, and was replaced by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting's "All for Love". In total, the song remained in the top 40 for 25 weeks, with 16 of those spent in the top ten. On the Billboard year-end Charts for 1994, "Hero" finished at number five, number 53 on the decade-end chart and number three on the year-end Airplay Chart. "Hero" has been certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over two million units throughout the country. Prior to the song's recital at Carey's concert at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 1993, during her Music Box Tour, she announced that the proceeds from the stateside sales of the single were to be donated to the families of the victims of the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting. The song was dedicated to the three men who subdued the shooter on stage that night, three days after the tragedy. Carey was a frequent rider on the LIRR rush hour service out of Penn Station when she lived on Long Island. In Canada, the song debuted at number 64 on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart during the week of November 6, 1993. During the week of December 4, 1993, "Hero" reached its peak position of number three, staying there for three consecutive weeks, and a total of 21 weeks within the top 100. "Hero" finished at numbers 48 and 22 on the Canadian year-end charts for 1993 and 1994.
