Editing Ray of Light (section)

== Commercial performance ==
[[File:OliverMadonnaFrozen.jpg|thumb|Madonna performing the album's lead single "[[Frozen (Madonna song)|Frozen]]" on the [[Re-Invention World Tour]] in 2004.]]

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">{{cite news|url=http://www.timewarner.com/newsroom/press-releases/2000/09/26/madonna-s-music-sets-new-wmi-shipment-record|title=Madonna's MUSIC Sets New WMI Shipment Record|date=September 26, 2000|publisher=[[Time Warner]]|access-date=March 31, 2017|archive-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808011138/http://www.timewarner.com/newsroom/press-releases/2000/09/26/madonna-s-music-sets-new-wmi-shipment-record|url-status=dead}}</ref> The album managed to sell 3 million copies in five days.<ref name="ROL5days">{{cite web|url=https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/ilustrad/fq07089823.htm|title=40 anos de Michael, Prince e Madonna|work=[[Folha de S.Paulo]]|first=Pedro Alexandre|last=Sanches|date=August 7, 1998|access-date=April 11, 2022|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220411234421/https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/ilustrad/fq07089823.htm|archive-date=April 11, 2022|language=pt|url-access=subscription}}</ref> With over 16 million copies,<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=303}}</ref><ref name="RayofLightsales">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jul/05/william-orbit-tennyson-poem-verb|title=Orbit switches from Madonna to Tennyson with live Radio 3 epic|work=[[The Guardian]]|first=Vanessa|last=Thorpe|date=July 5, 2009|access-date=January 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002143713/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jul/05/william-orbit-tennyson-poem-verb|archive-date=October 2, 2013}}</ref> ''Ray of Light'' is one of the [[List of best-selling albums by women|best-selling albums by women]].

In the United States, ''Ray of Light'' debuted at number two on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] albums chart on the issue dated March 21, 1998.<ref name="bb1998">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HwoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA100|title=Between the Bullets|date=November 14, 1998|access-date=July 11, 2010|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|volume=110|issue=46|page=100|archive-date=March 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306005549/https://books.google.com/books?id=HwoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA100|url-status=live}}</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 [[Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture|soundtrack album]] of the motion picture ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'', becoming Madonna's fifth album to peak at the runner-up position.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045695/first-day-sales-put-madonna-on-track-for-7th-no-1 | title=First day sales put Madonna on track for 7th No. 1 | magazine=Billboard | first=Keith | last=Caulfield | date=April 30, 2008 | access-date=May 7, 2008 | archive-date=May 29, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529025444/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045695/first-day-sales-put-madonna-on-track-for-7th-no-1 | url-status=live }}</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">{{cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-once-again-rules-the-world-19980321|title=Madonna Once Again Rules The World|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=March 21, 1998|access-date=August 19, 2011|archive-date=June 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627173658/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-once-again-rules-the-world-19980321|url-status=live}}</ref> On March 16, 2000, the album was certified [[RIAA certification|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">{{cite magazine|title=Titanic Hits 10 Million Mark In April RIAA certifications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QQ0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Madonna+Gold+and+Platinum+Billboard&pg=PA10|first=Carrie|last=Bell|date=May 16, 1998|access-date=March 22, 2017|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|volume=110|issue=20|page=10|archive-date=May 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502183026/https://books.google.com/books?id=QQ0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Madonna+Gold+and+Platinum+Billboard&pg=PA10|url-status=live}}</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">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/madonna-ray-of-light-album-songs-ranked/|title=Madonna's 'Ray of Light' Turns 25: Songs Ranked From Worst to Best|last=O'Brien|first=Jon|date=February 22, 2023|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</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">{{cite web|author=Barry David |title=Shania, Backstreet, Britney, Eminem and Janet Top All-Time Sellers |publisher=Music Industry News Network |date=February 18, 2003 |url=http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=47877 |access-date=September 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817152522/http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=47877 |archive-date=August 17, 2009}}</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">{{cite news|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/M/Madonna/2005/11/23/1319566-ca.html|title=Madonna dances to No. 1 in Canada|work=[[Jam!]]|date=November 23, 2005|last=Williams|first=John|access-date=August 5, 2009|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209143528/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/M/Madonna/2005/11/23/1319566-ca.html|archive-date=December 9, 2012}}</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">{{cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/311602202|title=Son 30 mil 'rayos de luz' para Mexico|date=March 3, 1998|access-date=December 29, 2021|work=[[Reforma (newspaper)|Reforma]]|id={{ProQuest|311602202}}|language=es|url-access=subscription|via=ProQuest|archive-date=September 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923071326/https://www.proquest.com/docview/311602202|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MEXICO">{{cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/316275324|title=Caeran hoy 30 mil 'rayos de luz'|date=March 3, 1998|access-date=December 29, 2021|work=[[El Norte (Monterrey)|El Norte]]|language=es|first=Carlos|last=Vega|id={{ProQuest|316275324}}|url-access=subscription|via=ProQuest|archive-date=September 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923071327/https://www.proquest.com/docview/316275324|url-status=live}}</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">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-10-24.pdf|title=HONG KONG OPTIMISTS|date=October 24, 1998|access-date=February 5, 2021|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|page=APQ-4|archive-date=January 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127021805/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-10-24.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and sold over one million copies in Asia as of June 1999.<ref name="Asia1999">{{cite web|url=https://labusinessjournal.com/news/1999/jun/21/oped/|title=Oped|work=[[Los Angeles Business Journal]]|first=Sara|last=Fisher|date=June 21, 1999|access-date=February 6, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210206002240/https://labusinessjournal.com/news/1999/jun/21/oped/|archive-date=February 6, 2021|url-status=live}}</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 [[List of best-selling albums in Europe|ninth best-selling album in Europe]] for the 1998–2007 period.<ref name="euro ifpi" /><ref>{{cite web|title=IFPI Platinum Europe Awards: Best-selling albums in Europe over the past decade (1998–2007)|publisher=IFPI|url=http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/platinum-europe-awards-2007.pdf|access-date=August 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725051454/http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/platinum-europe-awards-2007.pdf|archive-date=July 25, 2013|url-status=dead}}</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">{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1998/Music-Week-1998-09-26-S-OCR.pdf#page=22|title=CHART COMMENTARY|work=[[Music Week]]|first=Alan|last=Jones|date=September 26, 1998|access-date=January 24, 2021|page=22|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309083942/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1998/Music-Week-1998-09-26-S-OCR.pdf#page=22|url-status=live}}</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>{{cite news|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/william-orbit-reflects-on-madonna-s-ray-of-light-it-broke-all-the-rules-__8622/|title=William Orbit reflects on Madonna's Ray Of Light: 'It broke all the rules'|last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=February 22, 2018|access-date=February 22, 2018|publisher=Official Charts Company|archive-date=December 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231033504/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/william-orbit-reflects-on-madonna-s-ray-of-light-it-broke-all-the-rules-__8622/|url-status=live}}</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">{{cite web|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/CDCertif_P3.php?debut=50 |title=Les Albums Triple Platine |publisher=[[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique]] |access-date=November 30, 2010 |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223203021/http://www.infodisc.fr/CDCertif_P3.php?debut=50 |archive-date=December 23, 2011}}</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" />