Ray of Light
From WikiMusicGuide, the free music guide. Your music wiki.
Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American pop-dance singer Madonna, released by Maverick Records in 1998. The album won three Grammy Awards in 1999.
Contents |
About
Ray of Light, released on March 3, 1998, in the United States, was Madonna's first album to be released after the birth of her first child, Lourdes, in 1996. In May 1997, the new mom began working on her seventh studio album when she met with Babyface, with whom she had previously collaborated for her previous album, 1994's Bedtime Stories. Madonna quickly realized that the album was not moving in the direction that she wanted, however, and abandoned the pair's work. She then turned to musician Rick Nowels and previous collaborator Patrick Leonard, with whom she had produced such notable songs as "Live to Tell", "Who's That Girl", "Like a Prayer", and "I'll Remember", but still found that the two men's production ideas did not meet her ultimate vision. Madonna then took the songs written with Nowels and Leonard to British electronica musician William Orbit, who provided her with the "trancy, ambient quality" she had been looking for.
Upon its release, critics generally heralded Ray of Light, often describing it as "the Like a Prayer of the '90s". Her most personal album since Like a Prayer, Ray of Light lyrically addresses Madonna's feelings towards motherhood ("Little Star"), fame ("Drowned World/Substitute for Love"), and spirituality ("Shanti/Ashtangi"), as well as her loneliness and need to be loved intimately ("Skin", "To Have and Not to Hold", "The Power of Good-Bye").
Tracks
| Track | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" | 5:08 |
| 2 | "Swim" | 5:00 |
| 3 | "Ray of Light" | 5:21 |
| 4 | "Candy Perfume Girl" | 4:34 |
| 5 | "Skin" | 6:22 |
| 6 | "Nothing Really Matters" | 4:27 |
| 7 | "Sky Fits Heaven" | 4:48 |
| 8 | "Shanti/Ashtangi" | 4:29 |
| 9 | "Frozen" | 6:12 |
| 10 | "The Power of Good-Bye" | 4:10 |
| 11 | "To Have and Not to Hold" | 5:23 |
| 12 | "Little Star" | 5:18 |
| 13 | "Mer Girl" | 5:32 |
| 14 | "Has to Be"1 | 5:16 |
1"Has to Be" is a bonus track on the Japanese release of the album
Awards & Certifications
- In 1999, Ray of Light won three Grammy awards for Best Dance Recording, Best Pop Album, and Best Recording Package, and had been nominated for Album of the Year. The record's title track also won the award for Best Short Form Music Video.
- In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked Ray of Light #363 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Chart Toppers
| Year | Song | US | UK | EUR | CAN | JAP | AUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Frozen" | #2 | #1 | #2 | #2 | #1 | #5 |
| 1998 | "Ray of Light" | #5 | #2 | #9 | #7 | #5 | #6 |
| 1998 | "Drowned World (Substitute for Love)"1 | - | #10 | #22 | #18 | - | #16 |
| 1998 | "The Power of Good-Bye" | #11 | #6 | #2 | #6 | - | #33 |
| 1999 | "Nothing Really Matters" | #93 | #7 | #16 | #6 | #25 | #15 |
1 "Drowned World (Substitute for Love)" was only released in Europe and Asia
Credits
Personnel
- Madonna — lead and backing vocals
- Craig Armstrong — string arrangements
- Pablo Cook — flute
- Donna DeLory — backing vocals
- Marius De Vries — keyboards
- Fergus Gerrand — drums, percussion
- Niki Haris — backing vocals
- Patrick Leonard — string arrangements
- Marc Moreau — guitar
- William Orbit — sound effects
- Steve Sidelnyk — drum programming
Production
- Producers — Madonna, Marius De Vries, Patrick Leonard, William Orbit
- Conductor — Suzie Katayama
- Engineers — Mark Endert, Jon Ingoldsby, Patrick McCarthy, Dave Reitzas, Matt Silva
- Mastering — Ted Jensen
- Programmers — Mike Bradford, Marius De Vries
Design
- Art design — Kerosene Halo, Kevin Reagan
- Art direction — Kevin Reagan
- Photography — Mario Testino
Trivia
Add trivia information particular to this album.
Shop
For major label artists, use
- Find this CD on Amazon
For independent artists, use
- Find this CD on CD Baby
Reviews
Please add user reviews for this album.
