Ray of Light
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- techno-pop
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- William Orbit
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Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released in early 1998 by Maverick Records. A major stylistic and aesthetic departure from her previous work, Bedtime Stories, Ray of Light is an electronica and techno-pop record which incorporates multiple genres, including ambient, trip hop, psychedelic music and Middle Eastern music. Mystical themes are strongly present in the music and lyrics as a result of Madonna embracing Kabbalah, her study of Hinduism and Buddhism, and her daily practice of Ashtanga yoga.
After giving birth to her first child, Madonna started working on the album with producers Babyface and Patrick Leonard. Following failed sessions with them, Madonna pursued a new musical direction with English producer William Orbit, which resulted in a much more experimental sound. The recording process was the longest of Madonna's career, and she experienced problems with Orbit's hardware arrangement, which would break down and cause delays until it could be repaired.
Ray of Light was met with universal acclaim upon its release and is often considered Madonna's magnum opus. Critics praised the singer's new musical direction, contemplative songwriting, and mature vocals, alongside Orbit's complex, innovative production. The album has also been credited with introducing electronica into mainstream pop culture and affirming the 39-year-old Madonna's relevance during a period of major teen-marketed artists. Retrospectively, the album has continued to receive acclaim and is considered one of the greatest pop albums of all time.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Madonna has referred to it as her quintessential album. Ray of Light won four Grammy Awards from a total of six nominations at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards.
The album entered the US Billboard 200 at number two, with the biggest first-week sales by a female artist at the time. It also peaked at number one in 17 countries,<ref name="countries">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and on the United Kingdom Albums Chart, and charted within the top-five in most musical markets. Worldwide, Ray of Light has sold over 16 million copies and is one of the best-selling albums by women. Five singles were released from the album, including the international top five hits "Frozen" and "Ray of Light". The album's promotion was later supported by the Drowned World Tour in 2001.
BackgroundEdit
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Following the release of her compilation album Something to Remember (1995), Madonna started taking vocal lessons in preparation for her role as Eva Perón in Evita (1996). She would also give birth to her daughter, Lourdes Leon, later in 1996. These events inspired a period of introspection. "That was a big catalyst for me. It took me on a search for answers to questions I'd never asked myself before", she said to Q magazine, in 2002.<ref name="qmag" /> During the same period, she embraced Kabbalah and started studying Hinduism and yoga, all of which helped her "step outside [myself] and see the world from a different perspective".<ref name="qmag" /> Madonna felt that there was a "whole piece" of her voice left unused, which she decided to utilize for the album.<ref name="qmag">Template:Cite magazine</ref> By May 1997, Madonna had started writing songs for the album. She began collaborating with Babyface, who had first worked with her on her previous album Bedtime Stories (1994). The two wrote a couple of songs together before Madonna decided the collaborations were not going in the musical direction she wanted for the album. According to Babyface, the songs "had a 'Take a Bow-ish' kind of vibe, and Madonna didn't want, or need, to repeat herself".<ref name="spin">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
After abandoning the songs she had written with Babyface, Madonna turned to musician Rick Nowels, who had previously co-written songs with Stevie Nicks and Celine Dion. The collaboration produced seven songs in nine days, but those songs also did not display the album's future electronic musical direction.<ref name="spin" /> Three of the songs, "The Power of Good-Bye", "To Have and Not to Hold" and "Little Star", appear on the album.<ref name="spin" /> Madonna then began writing songs with Patrick Leonard, who had produced many songs for Madonna in the late 1980s. Unlike her previous albums, Leonard's songwriting collaborations were accompanied by very little studio input. Madonna believed that Leonard's production "would have lent the songs more of a Peter Gabriel vibe", a sound that she did not want for the album.<ref name="spin" /> Guy Oseary, chairman of Maverick Records, then phoned British electronic musician William Orbit, and suggested that he send some songs to Madonna.<ref name="qmag" /> Orbit sent a 13-track digital audio tape to Madonna. "I was a huge fan of William's earlier records, Strange Cargo 1 and 2 and all that. I also loved all the remixes he did for me and I was interested in fusing a kind of futuristic sound but also using lots of Indian and Moroccan influences and things like that, and I wanted it to sound old and new at the same time," Madonna said.<ref name="qmag" />
RecordingEdit
Template:Quote box In June 1997, William Orbit met Madonna at her house in New York, and she played him the music she had already worked on with other producers, which he felt sounded "slick".<ref name="qmag" /><ref name="spin" /> Sessions with Orbit began soon afterwards at the Hit Factory, where Orbit then gave Madonna a tape of musical snippets he was working on, which were usually eight or sixteen-bar phrases and stripped-down versions of tracks that would later be heard on the album.<ref name="keyboard" /><ref name="spin" /> Madonna listened to the samples, over and over again, until she was inspired to write lyrics. Once she had an idea about the lyrical direction of the song, she would take her ideas back to Orbit, and they would expand on the original music ideas.<ref name="spin" /> As most of the instrumental demos pre-existed, Madonna worked on the lyrics and melodies while at home or while travelling.<ref name="qmag" />
Recording sessions commenced at Larrabee North Studio in North Hollywood in the summer of 1997, where the album was predominantly recorded. For most of the recording process, only three other people were in the studio with Madonna: William Orbit, engineer Pat McCarthy, and his assistant engineer, Matt Silva.<ref name="spin" /> Sessions were initially plagued with machinery problems, as Orbit preferred to work with samples and synth sounds, and not with live musicians. The computers would break down, and recording would have to be delayed until they could be repaired.<ref name="spin" /><ref name="keyboard" /> Orbit recorded the bulk of the album's instrumentation over a four-month period. Orbit recalls playing the guitar until his fingers bled during the long hours he spent in the studio. Orbit also recalled during an interview with Q magazine that Madonna recorded "Swim" the day her friend and fashion designer Gianni Versace was killed in Miami, Florida. He also commented that this is probably why the track has an emotional impact.<ref name="qmag" /><ref name="spin" />
After some errors in her pronunciation of Sanskrit shloka "Yoga Taravali" during the song "Shanti/Ashtangi", the BBC arranged for Madonna to take telephonic lessons to learn the basic correct pronunciation of Sanskrit words from eminent scholar Vagish Shastri. She then made the necessary pronunciation corrections on the album.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a 1997 interview with Kurt Loder for MTV, Madonna discussed the impact of giving birth to her daughter Lourdes prior to the album, stating "I think probably having her's set me off on a new way of thinking and... just gone down a different road, period". Regarding the album's creative direction, she stated "It's been really fun, I've never had so much fun really working on... never felt so free to experiment."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Title and artworkEdit
According to spokesperson Liz Rosenberg, Madonna considered titling the album Mantra, which she thought was a "really cool title", and she also considered calling it Veronica Electronica;<ref>Template:Citation</ref> however, she discarded both of those ideas and called it Ray of Light, as her studio albums up to that point were always titled after one of the songs from each album's tracklist.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The artwork was taken from a November 28, 1997, photoshoot with Peruvian photographer Mario Testino. In terms of styling, Madonna and stylist Lori Goldstein opted for textures evocative of the elements water and air, which are recurrent themes on the album. For the album cover, Madonna wears a turquoise Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 1998 vinyl raincoat. Other pictures from the same shoot serve as the artworks for the "Ray of Light" and "Frozen" singles, where Madonna models items from Prada's Spring/Summer 1998 collection.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Madonna and Testino had previously collaborated for a Versace brand collection two years earlier. Madonna was impressed with the natural look Testino had captured, so she booked him again for the album's photoshoot. He recalled, "At 2pm she said, 'OK, I'm tired. We're done'. And I said, 'But I don't have the pictures yet'. She said, 'You're working for me and I say we're done'. I said, 'No, we carry on'. The picture she used on the cover came after that".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
CompositionEdit
Template:Quote box Ray of Light was a notable departure from Madonna's previous work, and has been described as her most "adventurous" record.<ref name="allmusic" /> An electronica,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> trip hop,<ref name=theguardianmadamex>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> techno-pop,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and new-age album;<ref name="Pitchfork Staff 2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> it also contains elements of several different types of music, including house, ambient, drum and bass, rock, new wave, eastern and classical music.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Vocally, the album was also a marked change from Madonna's previous work; as the singer underwent vocal training lessons for her 1996 film Evita, her vocals exhibited greater breadth and range, as well as a fuller timbre. In many songs, she also abandoned the vibrato which was present in her previous work. Critically, the album is said to have Madonna's most full-bodied vocals.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
The opening track and third single, "Drowned World/Substitute For Love", is a downtempo ballad drawing influences from jungle, drum and bass and trip hop music.<ref name="slant" /> The title is inspired by J. G. Ballard's post-apocalyptic science fiction novel The Drowned World (1962).<ref name="slant" /> "Swim", the second song, has a spiritual tone. She sings: "Swim to the ocean floor/So that we can begin again/Wash away all our sins/Crash to the other shore".<ref name="vibe">Template:Cite magazine</ref> "Ray of Light", the third track and second single, is an uptempo electronic dance-pop song with strong techno and trance influences. A "sonically progressive" track,<ref name="allmusic" /> it also incorporates elements of rock, with a prominent electric guitar riff. Its sound effects include whistles and bleeps.<ref name="allmusic" /> "Candy Perfume Girl" has a grunge intro and continues to pair post-modern beeps and beats with old-fashioned electric guitar flare ups.<ref name=michigan>Template:Cite news</ref> In the next song, "Skin", Madonna sings "Do I know you from somewhere?" in a yearning voice over the beats of an electronic orchestra.<ref name="michigan" />
The sixth track, "Nothing Really Matters", is an up-tempo dance track which contains influences of techno.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> "Sky Fits Heaven" focuses on Madonna's spiritual studies and her daughter Lourdes. Some lyrics include: "Sky fits heaven so fly it, that's what the prophet said to me/Child fits mother so hold your baby tight, that's what my future can see".<ref name="michigan" /> Elements of the lyric are taken from the poem What Fits? by poet Max Blagg, the poem used for a 1993 advertisement for Gap Inc.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Shanti/Ashtangi" is a Hindu prayer and up-tempo techno song sung by Madonna in Sanskrit, over a driving dance rhythm.<ref name="vibe" /> The techno dance track features Madonna singing the adapted version of Shankaracharya entirely in Sanskrit with lines such as "Vunde gurunam caranaravinde/Sandarsita svatma sukhavabodhe".<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
"Frozen", the ninth track and album's first single, is a mid-tempo electronic ballad which has a layered sound enhanced by synthesizers and strings.<ref name="fouzz">Template:Harvnb</ref> The song additionally contains ambient qualities, a moderate dance rhythm during the chorus and techno-influenced beats towards the end. Madonna's vocals throughout the song lack vibrato, and have drawn comparisons to medieval music. Lyrically, the song is about a cold and emotionless man; nevertheless, subtexts have been noticed.<ref name="fouzz" /> According to Jarman-Ivens, lyrics such as "You're frozen, when your heart's not open" reflected an artistic palette, "encompassing diverse musical, textual and visual styles in its lyrics."<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> "The Power of Good-Bye" is an emotional ballad which lyrically meditates on loss and longing. It was released as the album's fourth single. "To Have and Not to Hold" is about a distant lover and "Little Star" is about her daughter, Lourdes. Both are superficially vibrant but with underlying subtlety and restrained arrangements prevailing.<ref name="michigan" /> "Mer Girl", the album's final track, is a surreal meditation on mortality and the death of Madonna's mother Madonna Fortin Ciccone, in which she sings, "And I smelled her burning flesh/Her rotting bones, her decay/I ran and I ran/I'm still running away."<ref name="slant" /> "She stepped out of the vocal booth," Orbit recalled of its recording, "and everybody was rooted to the spot. It was just one of those moments. Really spooky."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Release and promotionEdit
Ray of Light was released in Japan on February 22, 1998, with an additional Japan-only bonus track "Has to Be".<ref name="oricon" /> The album was later released in the United States on March 3, 1998. In New Zealand, a box set of Ray of Light and the 1990 compilation The Immaculate Collection was released to accompany the album. It reached number 12 on the albums chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) for shipment of 7,500 copies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A promotional instore VHS compilation titled Rays of Light was released in the United Kingdom in 1999, compiling all the music videos to all five singles from the album. All five videos were later included on the compilation The Video Collection 93:99 (1999).<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> "Sky Fits Heaven" was released as a promotional single in the United States. It peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
To promote the album, Madonna made a number of televised appearances and live performances of the album's songs. On February 14, 1998, she debuted "Sky Fits Heaven", "Shanti/Ashtangi" and "Ray of Light" at Roxy NYC nightclub.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Frozen" was performed on The National Lottery Show in the UK (February 21),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1998 Sanremo Music Festival in Italy (February 24),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Wetten, dass..? in Germany (February 28)<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> and The Rosie O'Donnell Show in the United States (March 13).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On April 27, Madonna made an unannounced appearance at the Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City to sing "Frozen". She also joined the other stars of the concert, including Sting, Elton John, and Billy Joel to perform "With a Little Help From My Friends" and "Twist and Shout" with them.<ref name="beatles">Template:Cite news</ref> On May 29, Madonna appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and sang "Little Star" and "Ray of Light" there.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On September 10, she opened 1998 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City with the performance of "Shanti/Ashtangi" and "Ray of Light" featuring Lenny Kravitz on guitar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "The Power of Good-Bye" was sung at the 1998 MTV Europe Music Awards in Italy (November 12)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Top of the Pops in the UK (November 19).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On February 24, 1999, Madonna performed "Nothing Really Matters" at the 41st Grammy Awards ceremony at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Madonna performed "Drowned World/Substitute For Love", "Ray of Light", "Candy Perfume Girl", "Sky Fits Heaven", "Frozen" and "Mer Girl" on the Drowned World Tour, her fifth concert tour, which promoted Ray of Light and its successor album. It started in June 2001 and was Madonna's first tour in eight years. The tour was to be started before the new millennium,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but she had become pregnant with her son Rocco Ritchie, released the album Music that year, and married British filmmaker Guy Ritchie in December 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> The show was divided into five sections, Cyber-Punk, Geisha, Cowgirl, Spanish and Ghetto.<ref name="mtvrev">Template:Cite news</ref> The Drowned World Tour received positive reviews.<ref name="inder">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> The tour was a commercial success, grossing a total of US$75 million, and it was the top concert tour of a solo artist in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The concert was broadcast live on HBO from The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan, on August 26, 2001.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Drowned World Tour 2001 DVD was released in all regions on November 13, 2001. Like the original airing of the show, the DVD received very good reviews. The photographs used on the DVD packaging were taken by Madonna's friend Rosie O'Donnell.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
SinglesEdit
{{#invoke:Listen|main}} "Frozen" was released as the lead single from the album on February 23, 1998. It peaked inside the top five in most musical markets worldwide, while topping the singles chart in Finland, Italy, Spain and on the United Kingdom Singles Chart, where it became Madonna's first single to debut at number one.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="uksingles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It became her sixth single to peak at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a record for Madonna as the artist with most number-two hits in the chart history.<ref name="hot100">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The song received critical acclaim, and was labelled a masterpiece whose sound was described as "cinematic".<ref name="slant" /> However, the Belgian court in 2005 ruled that the opening four-bar theme to the song was plagiarized from the song "Ma vie fout le camp", composed by Salvatore Acquaviva. The ruling forbade the sale of the single and the entire Ray of Light album, as well as other compilations that included the track in Belgium.<ref>Songwriter wins case against Madonna Template:Webarchive. Associated Press via USA Today. November 18, 2005. Retrieved May 22, 2006.</ref> In February 2014, a Belgian court ruled that Madonna did not plagiarize Acquaviva's work for "Frozen". The court spoke of a "new capital offense" in the file: composer Edouard Scotto Di Suoccio and societies Tabata Atoll Music and Music in Paris had also filed a complaint for plagiarism. According to them, both "Ma vie fout le camp" and "Frozen" originated in the song "Blood Night" which they composed in 1983.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After all three tracks in the case were compared, the final ruling was that the songs were "not sufficiently 'original' to claim" that any plagiarism had taken place.<ref name="DigitalSpy">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This ruling ended the eight-year ban of the song that was in place in Belgium since 2005.<ref name="DigitalSpy" />
The album's second single, "Ray of Light", was released on April 27, 1998. It peaked at number one in Spain and attained the top five position in Canada, Finland, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref name="uksingles" /><ref name="spain" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It entered the Hot 100 at number five, becoming Madonna's highest debut on the chart ever.<ref name="hot100" /> The song was also a hit on Hot Dance Club Play chart, remaining at number one for four weeks, and became the "Top Hot Dance Club Play Single" of 1998.<ref name="Allmusic – Billboard Albums, Billboard Singles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Critically, it also received positive reviews, being praised for its club-perfect, yet "sonically progressive" sound, as well as her powerful vocals.<ref name="allmusic" />
"Drowned World/Substitute for Love" was released on August 24, 1998, as the third single outside the United States. It reached number one in Spain and the top ten in Italy and the United Kingdom.<ref name="uksingles" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The music video, directed by Walter Stern, caused controversy due to scenes that featured Madonna being chased by paparazzi on motor-bikes, a scenario similar to Princess Diana's death in 1997.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The fourth single, "The Power of Good-Bye", was released on September 22, 1998. It reached the top-ten peaks in Austria, Canada, Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom.<ref name="uksingles" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United States, the song peaked at number eleven on the Hot 100.<ref name="hot100" /> Its music video was directed by Matthew Rolston. "Little Star" was released as a double A-side single with "The Power of Good-Bye" in the United Kingdom on November 23, 1998.<ref name=wrhlittlestar/> "The Power of Good-Bye" also charted at number 91 as a standalone single.Template:Citation needed
"Nothing Really Matters" was released as the album's sixth and final single on March 2, 1999. It became a top-ten hit in Canada, Finland, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.<ref name="uksingles" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United States, it became Madonna's lowest-charting single on the Hot 100, peaking at number 93, but was a number-one hit on its dance chart.<ref name="hot100" /> Its music video, directed by Johan Renck, was inspired by Arthur Golden's book Memoirs of a Geisha, and featured Madonna dressed as a geisha.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Critical receptionEdit
Template:Music ratings Template:Music ratings Ray of Light received universal acclaim from critics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called it Madonna's "most adventurous record" and "most mature and restrained album".<ref name="allmusic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Paul Verna of Billboard commented: "Easily her most mature and personal work to date, Ray of Light finds Madonna weaving lyrics with the painstaking intimacy of diary entries and wrapping them in hymn-like melodies and instrumentation swathed in lush, melancholy ambience—with forays into classic house, trance, and even guitar pop. Of course, she balances the set's serious tone with chewy pop nuggets that allow her to flex her immeasurably widened vocal range to fine effect." He finished the review by calling the album "a deliciously adventurous, ultimately victorious effort from one of pop music's most compelling performers."<ref name="bbreview">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine described the album as "one of the great pop masterpieces of the '90s" and stated that: "Its lyrics are uncomplicated but its statement is grand" and "Madonna hasn't been this emotionally candid since Like a Prayer".<ref name="slant">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Rob Sheffield's review for Rolling Stone called the album "brilliant", but was critical of Orbit's production, saying that he doesn't know enough tricks to produce a whole album, and so becomes repetitive.<ref name="rolling">Template:Cite magazine</ref> "Until Simply Red enlist John Zorn, or Mariah Carey works with Tortoise," Stuart Maconie wrote in Q, "she remains the only pop aristocrat who's keeping her ears open."<ref name="q">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
David Browne of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "For all her grapplings with self-enlightenment, Madonna seems more relaxed and less contrived than she's been in years, from her new Italian earth-mother makeover to, especially, her music. Ray of Light is truly like a prayer, and you know she'll take you there."<ref name="ew">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Roni Sarig, in City Pages, was most impressed by Madonna's vocal range, depth, and clarity and called Ray of Light "her richest, most accomplished record yet".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "One reason why her new Ray of Light is the most satisfying album of her career is that it reflects the soul-searching of a woman who is at a point in her life where she can look at herself with surprising candor and perspective."<ref name="latimes">Template:Cite news</ref> In Melody Maker, Mark Roland drew comparisons with St Etienne and Björk's Homogenic album, highlighting Ray of LightTemplate:'s lack of cynicism as its most positive aspect: "It's not an album turned on the lathe of cynical pop manipulation, rather it's been squished out of a lump of clay on a foot-powered wheel. Lovingly teased into life, Ray of Light is like the ugly mug that doesn't match but is all the more special because of it."<ref name="Melody Maker Review">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Joan Anderman from The Boston Globe said Ray of Light is a remarkable album. He described it as a deeply spiritual dance record, ecstatically textured, a serious cycle of songs that goes a long way toward liberating Madonna from a career built on scavenged images and cultivated identities.<ref name="auto">Anderman, Joan (March 1, 1998) "Madonna Captures the Moment and Sees the Spiritual Light". Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved June 12, 2010.</ref> Robert Christgau was less impressed in Playboy, deeming it a "great-sounding" but average record because enlightenment themes always yield awkward results for pop entertainers. However, he praised sensual songs such as "Skin" and "Candy Perfume Girl".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Commercial performanceEdit
Upon its release, Ray of Light topped the official charts of 17 countries.<ref name="countries" /> It broke the record as Warner Music Group's album with most shipments before its release at 2.5 million units worldwide, excluding the U.S.<ref name="companyrecord">Template:Cite news</ref> The album managed to sell 3 million copies in five days.<ref name="ROL5days">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> With over 16 million copies,<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="RayofLightsales">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ray of Light is one of the best-selling albums by women.
In the United States, Ray of Light debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart on the issue dated March 21, 1998.<ref name="bb1998">Template:Cite magazine</ref> It set the record for biggest first-week sales by a female artist in Nielsen SoundScan era at that time with 371,000 copies sold.<ref name="bb1998" /> However, the album was not able to top the soundtrack album of the motion picture Titanic, becoming Madonna's fifth album to peak at the runner-up position.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the second week, the album sold 225,000 copies and was still kept off the top spot by the soundtrack.<ref name="ruletheworld">Template:Cite news</ref> On March 16, 2000, the album was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of four million units of the album.<ref name="riaa" /> Madonna became the first female artist to have seven multi-platinum studio albums by RIAA.<ref name="platinumrecord">Template:Cite magazine</ref> According to Nielsen SoundScan, Ray of Light had sold 3,900,000 copies in the United States as of February 2023.<ref name="ussales">Template:Cite magazine</ref> This figure does not include units sold through clubs like the BMG Music, where the album sold over 459,000 copies.<ref name="BMG">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Canada, the album debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart with first-week sales of 59,900 copies.<ref name="canadadebut">Template:Cite news</ref> It was later certified seven-times platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) for shipment of 700,000 copies.<ref name="cria" />
Ray of Light achieved commercial success in Latin America, being certified 3× platinum in Argentina for 180,000 copies recognized by Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (CAPIF) and platinum in Brazil for shipments of over 250,000 units certified by Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos (ABPD).<ref name="Argcert" /><ref name="ABPD" /> In Mexico, initial shipments of the album were 30,000 units.<ref name="MEXICO1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="MEXICO">Template:Cite news</ref> The album also achieved commercial success in Oceania, debuting at number one on the albums chart in Australia and New Zealand. It was certified triple platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and platinum by Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) for shipments of 210,000 and 15,000 copies respectively.<ref name="aria" /><ref name="rianz" /> Ray of Light became the best-selling album from Warner Music in the Asia-Pacific region during 1998,<ref name="asia">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and sold over one million copies in Asia as of June 1999.<ref name="Asia1999">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Ray of Light achieved its biggest commercial reception in European countries, where it topped the European Top 100 Albums chart<ref name="hitsoftheworld" /> and was certified seven times platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for sales of seven million copies, becoming the ninth best-selling album in Europe for the 1998–2007 period.<ref name="euro ifpi" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United Kingdom, Ray of Light debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with opening sales of nearly 139,000 copies and remained at the top spot for two weeks.<ref name="uk" /><ref name="Musicweek">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was certified six times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 1.8 million copies.<ref name="bpi" /> As of 2018, the album sold 1,730,000 units in the UK according to Official Charts Company.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In France, Ray of Light entered the albums chart at number two, staying there for seven weeks before descending the chart.<ref name="hungmedien" /> It was certified three times platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) for shipments of 900,000 copies.<ref name="infodisc">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Germany, the album reached number one on the Media Control Charts and remained there for seven weeks.<ref name="germany" /> It remains Madonna's best-selling album in Germany with three times platinum certification from Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) for shipment of 1.5 million copies.<ref name="german ifpi" /> In the rest of Europe, Ray of Light topped the official charts of Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Spain and Switzerland.<ref name="spain" /><ref name="hungmedien" />
AccoladesEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}
At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, Ray of Light received four awards out of six nominations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The album won Best Pop Album and Best Recording Package, and was nominated for Album of the Year, while the title track won Best Dance Recording and Best Short Form Music Video, and was nominated for Record of the Year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album gave Madonna her first musical Grammy of her career, as previously she had only won in the video category. Madonna also became the biggest winner of the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, winning six awards from nine nominations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Frozen" won Best Special Effects; "Ray of Light" won Best Choreography, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Female Video and Video of the Year, and was also nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Dance Video and Breakthrough Video. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) honored Madonna two awards of Most Performed Song for "Frozen" and "Ray of Light" at the 1999 ASCAP Pop Music Awards,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> as well as Top Dance Song for "Ray of Light" at the 1999 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Ray of Light also gave Madonna several trophies from various international award shows—including two Danish Grammy Awards for Best International Album and Best International Female Vocalist from IFPI Denmark,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> a Fryderyk award for Best Foreign Album from Związek Producentów Audio Video (ZPAV) in Poland,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a Golden Giraffe Award for International Pop Album of the Year from Mahasz in Hungary,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> two Porin awards for Best International Album and Best International Video ("Frozen") in Croatia,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and two Rockbjörnen awards for Best International Album and Best International Artist in Sweden.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In Canada, Madonna won Best International Video for "Ray of Light" at the 1999 MuchMusic Video Awards and was nominated for Best Selling Album (Foreign or Domestic) at the 1999 Juno Awards.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also received Best Female and Best Album trophies at the 1998 MTV Europe Music Awards.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> At the 14th annual International Dance Music Awards, Madonna won Best Dance Solo Artist and Best Dance Video for "Ray of Light".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
LegacyEdit
Ray of Light has been credited for bringing electronica music into global pop culture. The Los Angeles Times noted that "aside from occasional breakthroughs such as Fatboy Slim, electronica wasn't totally mainstream fare when Madonna released Ray of Light."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Until the album brought the genre to the top of music charts, according to author J. Randy Taraborrelli, "techno and electronica had, for years, been the music played at so-called raves, hugely popular, illegal underground parties taking place in abandoned warehouse and deserted areas on the outskirts of town all around the world."<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> AllMusic editor Liana Jonas stated that the album's title track has "brought mainstream attention to electronica music, which ascended from its underground status to wild popularity in the early 21st century."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The ObserverTemplate:'s writer Daryl Deino called Ray of Light "a risk-taking album that helped define mainstream electronic dance music."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Elliott H. Powell in an American Studies study for New York University observed that Ray of Light made South Asian culture accessible to the American public in the 1990s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Rhonda Hammer and Douglas Kellner in their book Media/Cultural Studies: Critical Approaches recalled that "the phenomenon of South Asian-inspired femininity as a Western media trend can be traced to February 1998, when pop icon Madonna released her video 'Frozen'." They explained that "although Madonna did not initiate the fashion for Indian beauty accessories [...] she did propel it into the public eye by attracting the attention of the worldwide media."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
According to Taraborrelli, the album has been hailed as bold and refreshing in music of the late 1990s, which was dominated by boybands and teenage artists such as the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Larry Flick from Billboard said that the album "not only provided the chameleon-like artist with her first universally applauded critical success, it has also proved that she remains a vital figure amongst woefully fickle young audiences."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Journalists have discussed how the album affected Madonna's career and public perception. According to Billboard's Kristen S. Hé, Ray of Light remains the singer's most critically acclaimed album, as of 2020.<ref name=":0" /> Music critic Lucy O'Brien commented: "1998's Ray of Light certainly rehabilitated Madonna's image. Up to that point she had still been written off as an average pop glamour girl who got lucky, but with this record she reached a whole new audience, proving that she was a good songwriter with an intensely productive talent."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Mary von Aue from Stereogum stated that "Ray of Light reestablished Madonna as a groundbreaking artist",<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Nick Levine of Dazed said the Ray of Light era "won Madonna the kind of critical acclaim she’d never enjoyed in the past".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> For PopMatters, Peter Piatkowski observed that the album effectively divided Madonna's career into two distinct eras: "those who followed her career from the beginning in 1982 ... would find themselves choosing one camp over the other: the music before Ray of Light was arguably more accessible and radio-friendly", whereas her subsequent works would contain at least some elements of the experimental electronic dance music she had embraced on Ray of Light.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Ray of Light has been featured on numerous critics' lists of greatest albums of all time. Rolling Stone magazine placed the album at number 367 on the list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In September 2020, an updated edition of the Rolling Stone list was published, showing the album rising 145 spots, at number 222.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2001, a quarter of a million music fans on VH1 voted Ray of Light as the 10th of "100 Best Albums of All Time".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2003, Ray of Light was allocated at number 17 on Q magazine readers' list of "100 Greatest Albums Ever".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album is also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mojo magazine also listed Ray of Light at number 29 on "100 Modern Classics: The Greatest Albums of Our Lifetime".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2013, the album was also included at number 241 on NME magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Pitchfork ranked Ray of Light as the 55th best album of the 1990s, "Madonna's trying, with all her might, to evoke the blackest depths and most euphoric joys of the human heart. The album's title track sounds like it was forged inside a meteor; the surreal, pitch-black poem 'Mer Girl' is as still as death itself."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Ray of Light has also been influential on other artists' work. Canadian singer Nelly Furtado stated that she used it as a template for her album Loose (2006).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Moreover, English singer Adele named the record as "one of the chief inspirations" for her third studio album, 25 (2015).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Madonna herself has considered Ray of Light the most fulfilling evolution of her career, with her referencing it as the "quintessential Madonna album" in a 2013 Reddit AMA.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Track listingEdit
Template:Track listing Template:Track listing
Additional notes<ref name="liner">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>
- "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" contains a sample of "Why I Follow the Tigers", as performed by the San Sebastian Strings.
- "Shanti/Ashtangi" adapted from text by Shankaracharya, taken from the Yoga Taravali. Additional text: Traditional, Translation by Vyass Houston and Eddie Stern.
- "Mer Girl" contains an interpolation and elements from "Space" performed by Gábor Szabó.
PersonnelEdit
Unless otherwise indicated, Information is adapted from the album's liner notes.<ref name="liner" /> Template:Div col
- Madonna – vocals Template:Small, producer
- Craig Armstrong – string arrangements Template:Small
- Mike Bradford – programming
- Pablo Cook – flute Template:Small
- Mark Endert – engineer
- Fergus Gerrand – drums Template:Small, percussion Template:Small
- Kerosene Halo – design
- Niki Haris – background vocals Template:Small
- Vyass Houston – translation
- Jon Ingoldsby – engineer
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Suzie Katayama – conductor
- Patrick Leonard – additional music arranger Template:Small, producer
- Donna De Lory – background vocals Template:Small
- Patrick McCarthy – engineer
- Marc Moreau – guitar Template:Small
- William Orbit – producer, guitar, programming, sound effects
- Kevin Reagan – art direction, design
- Dave Reitzas – engineer
- Steve Sidelnyk – additional drum machine Template:Small
- Matt Silva – engineer
- Eddie Stern – translation
- Mario Testino – photography
- Marius de Vries – keyboard Template:Small, music programming Template:Small, producer
ChartsEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Weekly chartsEdit
Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart| Chart (1998–1999) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Brazilian Albums (Nopem/ABPD)<ref name="Brazil">Template:Cite journal</ref> | 6 | |
| Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 2 | |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 2 | |
| Estonian Albums (Eesti Top 10)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1 |
| European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)<ref name="hitsoftheworld">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 1 | |
| Greek Albums (IFPI Greece)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 1 | |
| Icelandic Albums (Tónlist)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
4 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)<ref name="hitsoftheworld" /> | 2 | |
| Israeli Albums (IFPI)<ref name="ruletheworld" /> | 1 | |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref name="hits0321" /> | 1 | |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref name="oricon">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
7 |
| Malaysian Albums (RIM)<ref name="hitsoftheworld" /> | 4 | |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)<ref name="hits0321">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 6 | |
| Singaporean Albums (SPVA)<ref name="Singa">Template:Cite news</ref> | 1 | |
| Spanish Albums (AFYVE)<ref name="spain">Template:Cite book</ref> | 1 | |
| Taiwanese International Albums (IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | 4 |
| Chart (2000–2018) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Croatian International Albums (HDU)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1 |
Year-end chartsEdit
| Chart (1998) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
10 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
7 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
5 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
11 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
10 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
5 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
4 |
| European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
3 |
| French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
10 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref name="Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
4 |
| Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 9 | |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
94 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
16 |
| Norway Russetid Period (VG-lista)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
2 |
| Norway Winter Period (VG-lista)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
17 |
| Spanish Albums (AFYVE)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
26 |
| Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
2 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
4 |
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
7 |
| US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 18 |
| Chart (1999) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
61 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
21 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
55 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
72 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
42 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
19 |
| French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
58 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref name="Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" /> | 14 | |
| Norway Winter Period (VG-lista)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
16 |
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref name="officialcharts.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
29 |
| US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 98 |
| Chart (2000) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
89 |
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
115 |
| Chart (2001) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
191 |
All-time chartsEdit
| Chart | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Irish Women Albums (IRMA)<ref name="Irish">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
50 |
| UK Female Albums (OCC)<ref name="OCCFemale">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
30 |
Certifications and salesEdit
Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Summary Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Bottom
Release historyEdit
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Edition(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
February 22, 1998 | CD, LP | Standard |
| United Kingdom<ref name="uk1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref name="uk2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
March 2, 1998 | CD, LP, cassette, mini-album | Standard, limited edition |
| Germany<ref name="uk1" /><ref name="uk2" /> | |||||
| United States<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
March 3, 1998 | CD | Standard, limited edition |
| Canada<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||||
| Japan<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
September 8, 1998 | CD | Double edition |
NotesEdit
See alsoEdit
- List of albums which have spent the most weeks on the UK Albums Chart
- List of best-selling albums by women
- List of best-selling albums in Europe
- List of best-selling albums in Austria
- List of best-selling albums in Germany
- List of number-one albums of 1998 (Australia)
- List of number-one albums of 1998 (Canada)
- List of number-one hits of 1998 (Europe)
- List of number-one hits of 1998 (Germany)
- List of number-one hits of 1999 (Germany)
- List of number-one albums of 1998 (Spain)
- List of number-one albums of the 1990s (UK)
ReferencesEdit
BibliographyEdit
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