Ray of Light

Ray of Light
Studio album by Madonna
Released March 3, 1998 (1998-03-03)
Recorded May–September 1997
Genre Pop, electronic, dance
Length 66:52
Label Maverick, Warner Bros.
Producer Madonna, William Orbit, Patrick Leonard, Marius De Vries
Madonna chronology
Evita
(1996)		 Ray of Light
(1998)		 Music
(2000)
Singles from Ray of Light
  1. "Frozen"
    Released: February 23, 1998
  2. "Ray of Light"
    Released: May 11, 1998
  3. "Drowned World (Substitute for Love)"
    Released: August 24, 1998
  4. "The Power of Good-Bye"
    Released: November 19, 1998
  5. "Nothing Really Matters"
    Released: March 5, 1999

Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 3, 1998 by Maverick Records. After giving birth to her daughter Lourdes, Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard and William Orbit in developing the album. After failed sessions with other producers, Madonna pursued a new musical direction with Orbit and incorporated his extensive usage of trance and electronic music in her songs. The recording took place over four months, but experienced problems with the Pro Tools arrangement by Orbit as well as the absence of live bands.

However, upon release, the album was lauded by contemporary critics as a music masterpiece of the decade. Reviewers complimented the album for its mature, restrained nature as well as commending Madonna's musical direction, calling it her "most adventurous" record. Commercially, the album was a success on the world charts, peaking at number one in numerous countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and mainland Europe. On the US Billboard 200, the album debuted and peaked at number two. In 1999, Ray of Light won four Grammy Award from a total of six nominations. Rolling Stone magazine listed the album as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. With the global sales of 20 million copies, Ray of Light became one of the most commercially successful albums of the 1990s.

Five singles were released from the album. The first single "Frozen" was an international success, as was the second one, "Ray of Light", which won a number of awards for its music video. Madonna has performed songs from the album on all of her world tours since its release. The supporting tour for the album, Drowned World Tour, was supposed to start in 1999, but was delayed until 2001.

Contents

Background

Madonna performing "Ray of Light" from the album on the Confessions Tour

The working title for this album was The Drowned World, inspired by the novel by J. G. Ballard. It was primarily produced by Madonna, William Orbit, and Patrick Leonard. The album featured a new musical direction for Madonna, as well as personal lyrics about motherhood, fame, and spirituality. Madonna's vocal range spanned through higher notes, because of the choral training she underwent during Evita.[1] Madonna began writing songs with Leonard in 1997, the first time the two had worked together since "I'll Remember", three years earlier. Unlike her previous albums, Leonard's song writing 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.[2]

Madonna began working on Ray of Light in May 1997, meeting with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, whom she had previously worked with on her 1994 album Bedtime Stories. 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 Edmonds, the songs "had a 'Take a Bow-ish' kind of vibe, and Madonna didn't want, or need, to repeat herself."[2] After abandoning the songs she had written with Edmonds, Madonna turned to musician Rick Nowels, who had previously co-written songs with Stevie Nicks and Celine Dion. The collaboration produced seven songs in three days, but did not display the album's future electronic musical direction.[3] Instead, Madonna took her collaborations with Nowels and Leonard to British electronic music musician William Orbit. Madonna had been a fan of Orbit's work, and loved the "sort of trancy, ambient quality" he gave to the songs he worked on.[4] She began working with Orbit after he had sent her tapes 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. Madonna would listen to the samples over and over again until she would be 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. The album's title track "Ray of Light" was the only song on the album that Madonna did not have anything to do with creatively, and the last track, "Mer Girl", was the only other song where Madonna did not compose the music along with her collaborators, writing only the lyrics.[2]

Recording

Madonna performing "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" from the album on the Confessions Tour

The album was recorded over four and a half months in Los Angeles, California in 1997, the longest Madonna had ever worked on an album. 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.[2] The recording process was initially plagued with machinery problems, as Orbit preferred to work with samples, synth sounds, and Pro Tools, and not with live musicians. The computers would break down, and recording would have to be delayed until they could be repaired. Orbit recorded the bulk of the album's instrumentation over the four-month period. Orbit recalls playing the guitar and having his fingers bleed during the long hours he spent in the studio.[2] After some errors in her pronunciation of Sanskrit shlokas on Ray of Light, the BBC, London, arranged for her to take telephonic lessons to learn the basic correct pronunciation of Sanskrit words from eminent scholar Dr B P T Vagish Shastri. She then made the necessary pronunciation corrections on the album.

Critical reception

 Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[5]
Blender 4/5 stars[6]
Entertainment Weekly (A-)[7]
Los Angeles Times (Positive)[8]
Melody Maker (Positive)[9]
Q magazine (Positive)[8]
Rolling Stone 4/5 stars[10]
Slant Magazine 4.5/5 stars[11]
Spin (Positive)[8]
The Guardian 4/5 stars[12]

Upon release, the album received positive responses from international music critics. 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 hadn't been this emotionally candid since Like A Prayer".[11] Roni Sarig, in an editorial review for Amazon.com, stated that Ray of Light "is her richest, most accomplished record yet."[13] He was most impressed by Madonna's vocal range, depth, and clarity which had become stronger since her voice lessons for the film Evita (1996). Spin magazine declared Madonna's new album to be her "most radical, mask-free work."[8] Rob Sheffield's review for Rolling Stone was mostly positive, but he did point out the weak aspects of the album. Sheffield called the album "brilliant", but was critical of Orbit's production, stating that he "doesn't know enough tricks to fill a whole CD, so he repeats himself something fierce."[10] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic called Ray of Light Madonna's "most adventurous record" and her "most mature and restrained album." In his review he gave the album four out of five stars.[5] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A- stating "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."[7] Writing for Melody Maker in February 1998, Mark Roland drew comparisons with the music of 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."[9] 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 candour and prespective."[8] Joan Anderman from The Boston Globe said that Ray of Light is a remarkable album. He stated, "It's a deeply spiritual dance record, ecstatically textured, a sumptuous, serious cycle of songs that goes a long way toward liberating Madonna from a career built on scavenged images and cultivated identities.[14]

In 1999, Ray of Light received a total of six Grammy Award nominations and won four of them. The album won "Best Pop Vocal Album" and "Best Recording Package", and was nominated for "Album of the Year."[15] In addition, the album's title track won "Best Dance Recording" and "Best Short Form Music Video," and was nominated for "Record of the Year."[15] At the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna also won six awards from a total of nine nominations. She also won "Best Album" and "Best Female Artist" at the MTV Europe Music Awards 1998. In 2002, VH1 viewers in the United Kingdom voted Ray of Light as the tenth greatest album of all time. That year Rolling Stone readers also voted the album as the twenty-ninth best recording ever. Later, the magazine listed Ray of Light at number 363 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time."[16]

Chart performance

Madonna performing "Frozen" on the Re-Invention World Tour.

In the United States, Ray of Light debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart on the issue dated March 21, 1998, selling 371,000 copies in the first week.[17] It was the biggest first-week sales by a female artist in Nielsen SoundScan era, at that time.[17] However, the album was not able to top the soundtrack album of the motion picture Titanic, becoming Madonna's fifth album to peaked at the runner-up position.[18] 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.[19] In Canada, the album debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart and was certified seven times platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) for shipment of 700,000 copies.[20][21] The album also debuted at number one in Australia, becoming Madonna's seventh album to reach the top spot.[22] The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it three times platinum denoting shipment of 210,000 copies.[23]

In the United Kingdom, Ray of Light debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, remaining in the top spot for two weeks.[24] It was certified six times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 1.8 million copies.[25] In France, the album entered the official albums chart at number two, staying there for seven weeks before descending down the chart.[22] It was certified three times platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique for shipments of 900,000 copies of the album.[26] In Germany, the album reached number one on the Media Control Charts and remained there for seven weeks.[27] It was certified three times platinum for shipment of 1.5 million copies.[28] The album also reached the top of European Top 100 Albums chart[29] and was certified seven times platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for shipment of seven million units.[30] Ray of Light achieved similar success in the rest of world, topping the official charts of Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Spain and Switzerland.[22][31] It has sold over 20 million copies, becoming one of the most commercially successful albums of the 1990s.[32]

Singles

"Frozen", the lead single from the album, became Madonna's eighth number one single on the UK Singles Chart, and reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.[33] Co-written by Patrick Leonard, the song featured Madonna's vocals over layers of string arrangements and synthesizers. In 2005, a Belgian court 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.[34]

The second single, "Ray of Light", based on the track "Sepheryn", written by Clive Maldoon & Dave Curtiss (Curtiss Maldoon) in the 70s, was 20 years later reworked by Maldoon's cousin Christine Ann Leach and William Orbit and featured a combination of high-energy techno sounds and electric guitar riffs. It debuted at No. 2 in the UK[35] and was certified Silver.[25] It reached the top 5 in the US,[20] where it received a Gold award.[19] The song was also a dance hit in the US, remaining at number one for four weeks, and became the top Hot Dance Club Play single of 1998.[20] The song was nominated for "Record of the Year" at the 1999 Grammy Awards, but lost to Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On."[15]

"Drowned World/Substitute for Love" became the third release outside of North America, and was a top-ten hit in the UK.[35] 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.[36]

The fourth single, "The Power of Good-Bye", a ballad reflecting on a painful breakup, became a modest chart success, peaking at number six in the UK, and number eleven in the US[20] It was released in the UK with "Little Star", a song about Madonna's daughter, as an AA side. Its music video, directed by Matthew Rolston, caused controversy due to its ending that featured Madonna possibly committing suicide in the water and coming back into life.

"Nothing Really Matters", the fifth and final single release, became a top-ten hit in the UK, reaching number seven.[35] In the US, however, the song became Madonna's lowest-charting single on the Hot 100, although it reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.[20] 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.[37]

"Sky Fits Heaven" was also made a promotional single in 1998. Remixes commisioned by Sasha and Victor Calderone lead the song to become a success on the US dance charts, and these remixes were also included as b-sides to "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" in Europe.

Promotion

Madonna performing "Frozen" on the Drowned World Tour

To promote Ray of Light, Madonna made a number of televised appearances and live performances of the album's songs. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1998 and performed "Ray of Light" and "Little Star." Madonna also opened the 41st Grammy Awards in 1999 with the performance of "Nothing Really Matters". At the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, she performed "Ray of Light" with Lenny Kravitz. Madonna then did promotional shows across Europe and also sang "The Power of Good-Bye" at the MTV Europe Music Awards. In New Zealand, the box set Ray of Light/The Immaculate Collection was released to accompany the album. The release reached number 29 on the country's official albums chart and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand for shipment of 7,500 copies.[38] In the United States, "Sky Fit Heaven" was released as a promotional single. It received moderate success on the clubs, peaking at number 41 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.[39] The supporting tour for the album, Drowned World Tour, was supposed to start in 1999, but was delayed until 2001.

Rays of Light

In 1999, the music video compilation album Rays of Light was released, compiling videos from Ray of Light.

  1. "Frozen"
  2. "Ray of Light"
  3. "Drowned World/Substitute for Love"
  4. "The Power of Good-Bye"
  5. "Nothing Really Matters"

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Drowned World/Substitute for Love"   Madonna, William Orbit, Rod McKuen, Anita Kerr, David Collins Madonna, William Orbit 5:09
2. "Swim"   Madonna, W. Orbit Madonna, William Orbit 5:00
3. "Ray of Light"   Madonna, W. Orbit, Clive Maldoon, Dave Curtiss, Christine Ann Leach Madonna, William Orbit 5:21
4. "Candy Perfume Girl"   Madonna, W. Orbit, Susannah Melvoin Madonna, William Orbit 4:34
5. "Skin"   Madonna, Patrick Leonard Madonna, William Orbit, Marius DeVries 6:22
6. "Nothing Really Matters"   Madonna, P. Leonard Madonna, William Orbit, Marius DeVries 4:27
7. "Sky Fits Heaven"   Madonna, P. Leonard Madonna, William Orbit, Patrick Leonard 4:48
8. "Shanti/Ashtangi"   Madonna, W. Orbit Madonna, William Orbit 4:29
9. "Frozen"   Madonna, P. Leonard Madonna, William Orbit, Patrick Leonard 6:12
10. "The Power of Good-Bye"   Madonna, Rick Nowels Madonna, William Orbit, Patrick Leonard 4:10
11. "To Have and Not to Hold"   Madonna, R. Nowels Madonna, William Orbit, Patrick Leonard 5:23
12. "Little Star"   Madonna, R. Nowels Madonna, Marius DeVries 5:18
13. "Mer Girl"   Madonna, W. Orbit Madonna, William Orbit 5:32

Japanese bonus track

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
14. "Has to Be"   Madonna, W. Orbit, P. Leonard Madonna, William Orbit 5:17

Additional notes

Charts, certifications and procession

Charts

Charts (1998) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[22] 1
Austrian Albums Chart[22] 2
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[22] 1
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[22] 2
Canadian Albums Chart[20] 1
Danish Albums Chart[22] 1
Dutch Albums Chart[22] 23
European Top 100 Albums[29] 1
Finnish Albums Chart[22] 1
French Albums Chart[22] 2
German Albums Chart[27] 1
Hungarian Albums Chart[40] 1
Italian Albums Chart[41] 1
Japanese Albums Chart[42] 7
New Zealand Albums Chart[22] 1
Norwegian Albums Chart[22] 1
Spanish Albums Chart[31] 1
Swedish Albums Chart[22] 2
Swiss Albums Chart[22] 1
UK Albums Chart[24] 1
U.S. Billboard 200[20] 2

Certifications

Country Certification
(sales thresholds)
Argentina Platinum[43]
Australia 3× Platinum[23]
Austria 2× Platinum[44]
Brazil Platinum[45]
Canada 7× Platinum[21]
Denmark 5× Platinum[46]
Europe 7× Platinum[30]
Finland Platinum[47]
France 3× Platinum[26]
Germany 3× Platinum[28]
Netherlands 3× Platinum[48]
New Zealand Platinum[49]
Norway 2× Platinum[50]
Poland 2× Platinum[51]
Russia 7× Platinum[52]
Spain 3× Platinum[31]
Switzerland 3× Platinum[53]
United Kingdom 6× Platinum[25]
United States 4× Platinum[19]

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by
Titanic by Various Artists		 UK Albums Chart number-one album
March 14, 1998 – March 27, 1998		 Succeeded by
Let's Talk About Love by Celine Dion
Preceded by
Yield by Pearl Jam		 Australian Albums Chart number-one album
March 15, 1998 – March 21, 1998		 Succeeded by
Mezzanine by Massive Attack
Preceded by
Titanic by Various Artists		 Canadian Albums Chart number-one album
March 16, 1998 – March 23, 1998		 Succeeded by
Titanic by Various Artists
European Top 100 Albums number-one album
March 28, 1998 – April 4, 1998

Release details

All editions released by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records.
Release format Country Release date
Regular album United Kingdom/Germany March 2, 1998
Limited edition album United Kingdom/Germany March 1998
Double-vinyl album United Kingdom/Germany March 2, 1998
Cassette album[54] United Kingdom/Germany March 2, 1998
Mini-disc album[55] United Kingdom/Germany March 2, 1998
Regular album[56] North America March 3, 1998
Limited edition album[57] North America March 1998
Japanese album[58] Japan February 22, 1998
Japanese double album1[59] Japan September 8, 1999
Japanese vinyl album [60] Japan February 1998

Credits and personnel

  • Lead and backing vocals — Madonna
  • Backing vocals — Donna DeLory, Niki Haris
  • Guitar — Marc Moreau
  • Keyboards — Marius De Vries
  • Drums — Fergus Gerrand
  • Drum programming — Steve Sidelnyk
  • Percussion — Fergus Gerrand
  • Flute — Pablo Cook
  • Synthesizers, Guitars — William Orbit
  • String arrangements — Craig Armstrong, Patrick Leonard
  • Conductor — Suzie Katayama
  • Programming — Mike Bradford, Marius De Vries
  • Engineer — Mark Endert, Jon Ingoldsby, Patrick McCarthy, Dave Reitzas, Matt Silva
  • Mastered by Ted Jensen
  • Photography by Mario Testino
  • Art direction by Kevin Reagan
  • Art design by Kerosene Halo, Kevin Reagan

See also

References

  1. ↑ Amazon.com: Ray of Light: Madonna: Music
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Walter, Barry. Spin. "Most Daring In Years", April 1998.
  3. ↑ Madonna-Online.ch. Discography — Ray of Light. Retrieved May 23, 2006.
  4. ↑ Anderson, Gina. Madonna Village Reproducing Juice Magazine "Mystic Eyes", 1998. Retrieved May 23, 2006.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (March 6, 1998). "allmusic ((( Ray of Light > Overview )))". Allmusic]. Macrovision Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:nmkpu3tjan6k. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  6. ↑ Power, Tony (March 1998). "Ray of Light - Blender". http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/52735/ray-light.html. Retrieved 26 April 2010. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Browne, David (March 6, 1998). "Ethereal Girl". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,282100,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 http://books.google.com/books?id=SWK8xbJMvPYC&pg=PA124&dq=%22ray+of+light%22+Q+magazine&lr=&hl=id&cd=7#v=onepage&q=%22ray%20of%20light%22%20Q%20magazine&f=false
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Roland, Mark. "Review: Madonna - Ray Of Light, Maverick". Melody Maker (IPC Media) (February 28, 1998): 42. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Sheffield, Rob (April 2, 1998). "Madonna: Ray of Light review". Rolling Stone. Jann S. Wener. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/madonna/albums/album/111072/review/18725830/ray_of_light. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cinquemani, Sal (March 9, 2003). "Madonna - Ray Of Light - Music Review". Slant Magazine. http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=398. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
  12. ↑ Sullivan, Caroline. "Review: Madonna - Ray Of Light (WEA)". Friday Review (Guardian Media Group) (February 27, 1998): 18. 
  13. ↑ Sarig, Roni. "Ray of Light reviews". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000002NJS. Retrieved 2007-08-01. 
  14. ↑ Anderman, Joan (1998-03-01) "Madonna Captures the Moment and Sees the Spiritual Light". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Grammy Awards Grammy Award Winners. Retrieved April 23, 2006.
  16. ↑ Rolling Stone The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Retrieved April 23, 2006.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Between the Bullets". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc) 110 (46): 100. 1998-11-14. ISSN 0006-2510. http://books.google.co.id/books?id=HwoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2010-07-11. 
  18. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2008-04-30). "First day sales put Madonna on track for 7th No. 1". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.). http://www.billboard.com/#/news/first-day-sales-put-madonna-on-track-1003796943.story. Retrieved 2008-05-07. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Gold & Platinum Database –Madonna". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=3&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=madonna&format=ALBUM&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2010-07-02. .
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 Billboard magazine Madonna — charts and awards. Retrieved on August 3, 2007.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA): Search". Canadian Recording Industry Association. 1999-12-21. http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  22. ↑ 22.00 22.01 22.02 22.03 22.04 22.05 22.06 22.07 22.08 22.09 22.10 22.11 22.12 22.13 22.14 "Madonna – Ray of Light (album)". Ultratop 50. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/en/showitem.asp?interpret=Madonna&titel=Ray+Of+Light&cat=a. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-1999.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "UK Albums Chart – Week of March 14, 1998". The Official Charts Company. 1998-03-14. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/3/1998-03-14/. Retrieved 2010-08-17. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 "BPI - Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-02. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "InfoDisc : Les Certifications (Albums) du SNEP (Bilan par Artiste)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. http://www.infodisc.fr/Certif_Album.php. Retrieved 2010-08-17. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "German Album Chart: Search for Madonna" (in German). Media Control Charts. http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Gold/Platin-Datenbank Musikindustrie". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=1&strSuche=Ray+of+Light. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "Hits of the World: Eurochart". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc) 110 (13): 39. 1998-03-28. ISSN 0006-2510. http://books.google.co.id/books?id=yQ4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2010-07-11. 
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "IFPI Platinum Certifications Europe 2002". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/plat2002.html. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 8480486392. 
  32. ↑ "Madonna: mad for fame at 40". BBC (BBC Online). 2008-08-15. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/150058.stm. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
  33. ↑ Singles Charts position in USA, UK, Japan, Canada and Australia.. Retrieved August 1, 2007.
  34. ↑ USA Today. Songwriter wins case against Madonna. November 18, 2005. Retrieved May 22, 2006.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 The Official UK Charts Company Madonna — UK charts. Retrieved on August 3, 2007
  36. ↑ "BBC News Entertainment". Madonna: Mad for Success at 40. August 15, 1998. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/150058.stm. Retrieved August 4, 2007. 
  37. ↑ "Madonna - Nothing Really Matters video". MTV. MTV Networks. http://www.mtv.com/videos/madonna/31821/nothing-really-matters.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  38. ↑ "RIANZ (select "'Chart #1179 - Sunday 3 October 1999' and 'Top 50 Albums Chart' from drop-down lists)". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  39. ↑ Trust, Gary (2009-09-15). "'Celebration': Madonna's 40 Most Impressive Instants". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc). http://www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat/celebration-madonna-s-40-most-impressive-1004012156.story. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
  40. ↑ "Hungarian Albums Chart". Mahasz.hu. http://mahasz.hu/m/?menu=slagerlistak&menu2=archivum&lista=top40&ev=1998&het=12&submit_=Keresés. Retrieved 2009-12-03. 
  41. ↑ "Madonna: Discografia Italiana". Federation of the Italian Music Industry. HitParadeItalia. http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/mono/madonna_disco.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-31. 
  42. ↑ "レイ・オブ・ライト" (in Japanese). Oricon. 1998-02-22. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/162927/products/music/307357/1/. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
  43. ↑ "Discos de Oro y Platino". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=madonna&album=&LanDesde_MM=0&LanDesde_AA=0&LanHasta_MM=0&LanHasta_AA=0&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP. Retrieved 2010-04-23. 
  44. ↑ "IFPI Austria – Certification database". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 1999-12-16. http://www.ifpi.at/?section=goldplatin. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  45. ↑ "Certificados - Estou Buscando Por Quro". Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos. http://www.abpd.org.br/certificados.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  46. ↑ "Danish certification - week 35, 2006". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. http://www.hitlisterne.dk/. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  47. ↑ "Tilastot – Madonna – Kultalevy". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/artistit/madonna. Retrieved 2010-08-17. 
  48. ↑ "Dutch certifications database – search: Ray of Light". Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. http://www.nvpi.nl/nvpi/pagina.asp?pagkey=60461. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  49. ↑ "RIANZ (select 'Chart #1165 - Sunday 27 June 1999' and 'Top 50 Albums Chart' from drop-down lists)". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  50. ↑ "Norwegian certifications database – search: Ray of Light". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. http://www.ifpi.no/sok/index_trofe.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  51. ↑ "Polish certification - Ray of Light". ZPAV. http://www.zpav.pl/plyty.asp?page=platynowe&lang=en. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  52. ↑ "Russian certification". 2m-online.ru. http://2m-online.ru/gold_n_platinum/detail.php?COUNTRY=4028. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  53. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. http://swisscharts.com/awards.asp?year=2000. Retrieved 2009-08-27. 
  54. ↑ Madonna - Ray Of Light #9362 46847 4 Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  55. ↑ Madonna - Ray Of Light #9362 46847 8 Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  56. ↑ Madonna - Ray Of Light #9 46847-2, 9 46847-2Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  57. ↑ Madonna - Ray Of Light #9 46884-2 Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  58. ↑ Madonna - Ray Of Light #WPCR-2000 Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  59. ↑ Madonna - Ray Of Light / Words + Music #WPCR-10556/7 Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  60. ↑ Madonna - Ray Of Light #WPJR-2003/4 Discogs. Retrieved July 23, 2009.

External links

Madonna
Albums · Singles · Videos · Unreleased songs · Tours · Films · Books · Awards and nominations
Studio albums
Madonna · Like a Virgin · True Blue · Like a Prayer · Erotica · Bedtime Stories · Ray of Light · Music · American Life · Confessions on a Dance Floor · Hard Candy
Compilations
You Can Dance · The Immaculate Collection · Something to Remember · GHV2 · Remixed & Revisited · Celebration
Soundtracks
Who's That Girl · I'm Breathless · Evita
Extended plays
Remixed Prayers · Madonna 1983–1989 · The Holiday Collection
Video compilations
Madonna · The Immaculate Collection · The Video Collection 93:99 · The Madonna Collection · Celebration: The Video Collection
Video singles
"Justify My Love" · "Ray of Light" · "Music" · "What It Feels Like for a Girl"
Live releases
Live – The Virgin Tour · Ciao, Italia! – Live from Italy · Live! – Blond Ambition World Tour 90 · Truth or Dare · The Girlie Show – Live Down Under · Drowned World Tour 2001 · I'm Going to Tell You a Secret · The Confessions Tour · Sticky & Sweet Tour
Concert tours
The Virgin Tour · Who's That Girl World Tour · Blond Ambition World Tour · The Girlie Show World Tour · Drowned World Tour · Re-Invention World Tour · Confessions Tour · Sticky & Sweet Tour
Motion pictures
A Certain Sacrifice · Vision Quest · Desperately Seeking Susan · Shanghai Surprise · Who's That Girl · Bloodhounds of Broadway · Dick Tracy · Shadows and Fog · A League of Their Own · Body of Evidence · Dangerous Game · Four Rooms · Girl 6 · Evita · The Next Best Thing · Swept Away · Die Another Day · Arthur and the Invisibles · Filth and Wisdom · W.E.
Documentaries
Truth or Dare · I'm Going to Tell You a Secret  · I Am Because We Are
Books
Sex · The English Roses
Related companies
Live Nation · Warner Bros. Records · Maverick · Maverick Records · Maverick Films · Semtex Films · Sire Records · Warner Music Group
Related articles
Madonna as gay icon · Madonna wannabe · Madonna Studies · Madonna on Late Show with David Letterman · Madonna: An Intimate Biography · "Dolls and Dolls" · "The Power of Madonna" (EP) · Raising Malawi · X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS · Breakfast Club · Sean Penn · Guy Ritchie · Christopher Ciccone · Ashcombe House, Wiltshire · 15 Films About Madonna · Pre-Madonna
Wikipedia book Book · Category Category · Portal Portal · WikiProject WikiProject