Commercial performance and reception Sherlock (EP)

shinee performing sherlock @ mbc korean music wave in bangkok on march 16, 2013.

on march 22, 2012 group started official promotions , performed title song first on m! countdown. followed appearances on other south korean music programs such inkigayo , music bank. furthermore, album sold on 135,000 copies , ranked number 1 on gaon album chart making sold album in march 2012. title song sherlock (clue + note) topped gaon digital chart , ranked @ number 10 on gaon download chart month march on 740,000 downloads. song named 1 of 50 greatest boy band songs of time rolling stone, stating song proves how innovative , experimental k-pop can get. 7 songs ep debuted on south korean gaon digital chart: sherlock (number one), note (number 18), alarm clock (number 23), clue (number 24), honesty (number 26), stranger (number 27) , reason (number 31).

it became fifth sold album of year in south korean on 180,000 copies sold. album placed on number 5 on billboard world album chart @ number 10 on billboard heatseekers chart. in april group won first place 2 consecutive weeks on music bank , 3 times on inkigayo. shinee performed final music stage via kbs s music bank on april 20 , mbs s music core on april 21, 2012.

hwang sunup of izm magazine gave album 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising experimental attempt create title track sherlock mixing clue , note lyrics each song disappointed remaining songs on album, stating these feel more ordinary compared impact of first 3 tracks.