Editing Ray of Light (section)

== Critical reception ==

{{Music ratings
| title = Contemporaneous reviews
| rev1 = ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Kot|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Kot|date=March 1, 1998|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/03/01/new-material-girl/|title=New-Material Girl|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=September 22, 2015|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110827/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-03-01/news/9803010300_1_shep-pettibone-pop-stars-william-orbit|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev2Score = A−<ref name="ew" />
| rev3 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="The Guardian Review">{{cite news|last=Sullivan|first=Caroline|title=Madonna: Ray of Light (WEA)|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=February 27, 1998|page=18|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev4Score = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000248reviews.html|title=Madonna – Ray of Light|last=Moody|first=Paul|magazine=[[NME]]|page=43|date=February 28, 1998|access-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817192218/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000248reviews.html|archive-date=August 17, 2000|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="rolling" />
| rev6 = ''[[USA Today]]''
| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/26894142.html?dids=26894142:26894142&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+03%2C+1998&author=Edna+Gundersen&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=Her+%27Ray+of+Light%27+shines+earnestly+in+new+direction&pqatl=google|title=Her 'Ray of Light' shines earnestly in new direction|last=Gundersen|first=Edna|author-link=Edna Gundersen|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=March 3, 1998|access-date=November 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317033332/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/26894142.html?dids=26894142:26894142&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+03%2C+1998&author=Edna+Gundersen&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=Her+%27Ray+of+Light%27+shines+earnestly+in+new+direction&pqatl=google|archive-date=March 17, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Music ratings
| title = Retrospective reviews and music guides
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="allmusic" />
| rev2 = ''[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|chapter=Madonna|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|publisher=[[Muze]]|edition=4th|year=2006|isbn=0-19-531373-9|page=427}}</ref>
| rev3      = ''[[MusicHound Rock]]''
| rev3Score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Graff|editor1-first=Gary|editor2-last=Durchholz|editor2-first=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|section=Madonna|isbn=1-57859-061-2|pages=704–706}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev4Score = 8.1/10<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/madonna-ray-of-light/|title=Madonna: Ray of Light|last=Frank|first=Alex|date=August 16, 2017|work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=July 5, 2020|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926031135/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/madonna-ray-of-light/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Madonna: Album Guide |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/madonna/albumguide |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=February 16, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705190231/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/madonna/albumguide |archive-date=July 5, 2011}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Slant Magazine]]''
| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="slant" />
| rev7 = ''[[Tom Hull (critic)|Tom Hull – on the Web]]''
| rev7Score = {{Rating-Christgau|B+}}<ref name="hull">{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=2022|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=Madonna|title=Grade List: Madonna|publisher=Official Tom Hull website|access-date=February 16, 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829164550/http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=Madonna|archive-date=August 29, 2022}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music]]''
| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Collin">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/virginencycloped0000unse_w9d5/page/246/mode/2up?q=You+Can+Dance|page=246|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|first=Colin|last=Larkin|author-link=Colin Larkin|access-date=February 16, 2025|date=2000|isbn=9780753504277 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
}}
''Ray of Light'' received universal acclaim from critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,615437,00.html|title=Lauryn: Grammy Whammy|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=April 19, 1999|access-date=November 5, 2012|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223437/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,615437,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Hé |first=Kristen S. |date=March 24, 2020 |title=Madonna in 2000: Reinventing Pop 'Music' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-in-2000-reinventing-pop-music-9341347/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304162638/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-in-2000-reinventing-pop-music-9341347/ |archive-date=March 4, 2025 |access-date=March 4, 2025 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] from [[AllMusic]] called it Madonna's "most adventurous record" and "most mature and restrained album".<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ray-of-light-mw0000033767|title=Ray of Light – Madonna|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|access-date=July 23, 2009|archive-date=June 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602180113/http://www.allmusic.com/album/ray-of-light-mw0000033767|url-status=live}}</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 [[Pop rock|guitar pop]]. Of course, she balances the set's serious tone with chewy [[Pop music|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">{{cite magazine|title=Reviews & Previews – Spotlight: Madonna, Ray of Light|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6w4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20|first=Paul|last=Verna|date=March 14, 1998|access-date=November 4, 2011|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|volume=110|issue=11|page=20|archive-date=March 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305223055/https://books.google.com/books?id=6w4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20|url-status=live}}</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 (album)|Like a Prayer]]''".<ref name="slant">{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/madonna-ray-of-light|title=Madonna – Ray Of Light – Music Review|date=March 9, 2003|access-date=July 17, 2009|last=Cinquemani|first=Sal|work=[[Slant Magazine]]|archive-date=June 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602003946/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/madonna-ray-of-light|url-status=live}}</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">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/madonna/albums/album/111072/review/18725830/ray_of_light|title=Madonna: Ray of Light|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|date=April 2, 1998|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=December 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503115214/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/madonna/albums/album/111072/review/18725830/ray_of_light|archive-date=May 3, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> "Until [[Simply Red]] enlist [[John Zorn]], or [[Mariah Carey]] works with [[Tortoise (band)|Tortoise]]," [[Stuart Maconie]] wrote in ''Q'', "she remains the only pop aristocrat who's keeping her ears open."<ref name="q">{{cite magazine|first=Stuart|last=Maconie|author-link=Stuart Maconie|title=Expressing herself|magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|issue=139|date=April 1998|page=105}}</ref>

[[David Browne (journalist)|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 (song)|like a prayer]], and you know she'll take you there."<ref name="ew">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,282100,00.html|title=Ethereal Girl|last=Browne|first=David|author-link=David Browne (journalist)|date=March 6, 1998|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=July 23, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111032231/https://ew.com/article/1998/03/06/ray-light-2/|archive-date=January 11, 2017|url-status=dead}}</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>{{cite news|url=http://www.citypages.com/1998-03-25/music/madonna-ray-of-light/ |title=Madonna – Ray of Light |first=Roni |last=Sarig |work=[[City Pages]]  |date=March 25, 1998 |access-date=November 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930183811/http://www.citypages.com/1998-03-25/music/madonna-ray-of-light/ |archive-date=September 30, 2010}}</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">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-mar-01-ca-24100-story.html|title=Madonna, Only More So|last=Hilburn|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Hilburn|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=March 1, 1998|access-date=November 22, 2010|archive-date=January 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127104220/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/mar/01/entertainment/ca-24100|url-status=live}}</ref> In ''[[Melody Maker]]'', Mark Roland drew comparisons with [[Saint Etienne (band)|St Etienne]] and [[Björk]]'s ''[[Homogenic]]'' album, highlighting ''Ray of Light''{{'}}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">{{cite magazine |first=Mark |last=Roland |title=Review: Madonna – Ray Of Light, Maverick |magazine=[[Melody Maker]] |date=February 28, 1998 |page=42 |issn=0025-9012}}</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>{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=March 1998|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/play/1998-03.php|title=Madonna, Buster Poindexter, Billy Swan, Percy Sledge|magazine=[[Playboy]]|access-date=September 22, 2015|archive-date=September 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912213848/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/play/1998-03.php|url-status=live}}</ref>