Like the 1980s, the 1990s have been quite a eventful and controversial period in the career of Madonna. But before the decade came to an end, she would one of her greatest works
In March 1998, Madonna released her seventh studio album Ray of Light. It was total reinvention of the singer’s music, as it featured huge elements of electronic music, mixed in with elements of eastern religions (including Kabbalah and Buddhism), as well as the practices of yoga and meditation. Furthermore, it helped gave electronic music a warm sense of emotions, which is usually not found in the genre.
Madonna was at the helm of this album in its entirety alongside British producer William Orbit, who would be responsible for bringing in the album’s futuristic sound, heard in tracks including “Frozen”, “Nothing Really Matters”, and the title track. It also featured longtime producer Patrick Leonard, who co-wrote three tracks and co-produced four.
Ray of Light made a big splash worldwide upon its release, especially in America where it sold over 370,000 copies in the first week. However, it wasn’t enough to knock the Titanic Soundtrack from the top of the Billboard charts, and the album would debut and peak at number two. But the album did top the charts in fourteen countries (including the UK), sold over sixteen million copies worldwide, and won four Grammys. More importantly, it also went on to be Madonna’s most critically praised album since 1989’s Like a Prayer, as it was cited as a fresh and bold album that successfully rivaled against the domination of teen pop, further proving Madonna as a vital force in music.
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