"The Nightfly" was well-received, both critically and commercially. It was certified platinum in both the US and UK, and generated two popular singles with the top 40 hit "I.G.Y." and the MTV favorite "New Frontier". Among critics, "The Nightfly" gained widespread acclaim, and received seven nominations at the 1983 Grammy Awards. The relatively low-key but long-lived popularity of "The Nightfly" led Robert J. Toth of "The Wall Street Journal" in 2008 to dub the album "one of pop music's sneakiest masterpieces."