Reviews (page 4 of 8)
= the Beatles
Not my cup of tea although I appreciate lots of her other work
I don't want to spend too much time on this one. William Orbit gets a four; Madonna gets a two. Remember when Madonna was cool? At first, she had kind of a pop-dance-punk thing going on. Then she leaned into the dark (for a pop star), erotic mode. She recorded "Like a Prayer" and appeared on SNL's Wayne's World. By the time this album was released, she felt like a try-hard. I know it's standard practice for artists to try to stay relevant by reinventing themselves. But whereas artists like The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, and Michael Jackson led movements through their changes, it feels like Madonna followed. If she was following, at least she was wise to hire William Orbit as her collaborator here. His production is more than solid, if perhaps a little safe. The music sounds great, but there is little challenge in the listening, so, for me, little challenge often translates to little interest. It's Madonna that I really don't like here. I've always thought her voice was pleasant enough if a bit limited. She's a performer first. There's nothing wrong with that necessarily, but I don't enjoy her readings of the songs here. It's far too simplistic and sing-songy, kind of like adult nursery rhymes set to deep house. The lyrics aren't great either. Madonna's name might be on the cover, but I often wanted her to shut up so that I could hear the music. I listened to the album, and I checked the box, but I won't be coming back for more. Three stars.
This is a pretty good electropop album though nowhere near the fantastic joy of her 80s records. “Frozen” is a jam though.
This at least thawed my heart out a little as it went on. I think it took a while to adjust to the mellow mood, but once I did I enjoyed a number of songs on this album. Some of the tunes have good pop melodies that I like about early Madonna, set to somber electronic music. Not too shabby.
A surprisingly good electronic-ish album by Madonna. Then again, it is Madonna. It did drag a bit, but I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.
So so. Some good some pretty self satisfied average.
This was my first Madonna album, I had only really listened to her hits beforehand. What an enjoyable album. Each song had a different, entertaining beat. It may be a little too long overall, but it was a fun ride and I can see why she was so popular in the 80s.
Big 90s energy. I don't quite get the Madonna hype. A few big hits on here don't quite hit for me. Best song Ray of Light. 3
A couple of iconic later Madonna songs, but mediocre supporting tracks.
I didn’t love a lot here. Some decent songs like Frozen and Candy Perfume Girl. But overall, just kind of boring for me. Songs were long and dragged.
Of all of the albums released in 1998 this one sounds the most like 1998.
I remember when this album was released and, at the time, thought it was a fantastic continuation of her already established legacy. I wish I still felt that way and had an appreciation for the genre she explored in this era.. but I don't.
5/10 Fav: -
Her voice is good but I just don't like tis style of music. 3 stars or C.
it’s ok I guess
Lidt langt album.. Nåede første del 3 gange inden jeg endelig fik nosset mig sammen til at få den afsluttet. Der sker ret meget sjovt med stemninger og genre på albummet.
Der er nogle overraskende gode trip hoppede numre på albummet. På disse tracks er der en kølig sound og et mellow feel. Desværre går der for meget disco bangers eller ligegyldig pop i den på for mange af skæringerne.
I'm very tempted to give it a 2 for being overlong, but it feels like it deserves better even though it's not my jam. 2.6
Album #40 Madonna: Ray of Light Despite never listening to her full albums, I have been known to enjoy a Madonna hit, particularly Like a Prayer and Material Girl, which are absolute bangers. From what I have gathered, however, this is no average Madonna album. Acclaimed as being the album which took mainstream pop into the next level, at least experimentally speaking. Though not as experimental as some pop of the time, such as Bjork, this album is extremely out there for a record with the level of success that it had. I’m not much of a pop historian, but I can definitely see some influences that have come from this album. One of my favourite modern albums is Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood, which also mixes pop structure with atmospheric and trance-like elements; though not a like-for-like, it is clear that an album like that can flourish due to the popularity of this Madonna album. But legacy aside, the music is also pretty damn good. I wouldn’t say that I fully love this album, but I certainly really liked it. It does go on pretty long, but it never really loses you in the process. The spiritual natures of the lyrics fit well with the lush instrumentals, and result in an experience that has the capacity to elevate one into ascension, though I never quite reached that myself. I wasn’t able to fully embrace myself in the world it was creating, instead feeling more like an observer from a distant planet. So though I am aware that this album didn’t provide the same experience for me as it did many others, I can still say that the experience I had was quite good. Best Tracks: Sky Fits Heaven, Ray of Light, Drowned World/ Substitute for Love Worst Track: Shanti/ Ashtangi Score out of 10: 7.5
Like the soundtrack to a 90s queer film. Not what I expected from Madonna but enjoyed its energy.
Never been a fan of the material girl and this is overlong and overly introspective. But that said, full marks for effort, it does sound half decent, and so in a burst of generosity I have decided to award it a 3. Please don't test me again.
I was geared to hate this and I had to assess why once I listened. Because I had legitimate reasons to think her pop was mid? Because she was already daring to be an Elder Pop Woman when I encountered her as a teen? On any case, I didn't hate this as much as I anticipated. Well done Madonna. Some of the opening tracks were good fun and Ray of Light itself is a banger. Fell down a bit later on but I'd already deemed it a 3. Turns out you can't get that kinda generational staying power in an industry stacked against you unless you have at least a few songs that go off.
Ok, so this isn't the Madonna that typically comes to my mind. I have a later, messier view, and an earlier 'Like A Virgin' view, but not this. This, musically, lyrically, tempo, is all way more up my street and seems to have a good consistent vibe to it. One of the better surprises here. Almost gave it a 4.
Over produced 90s pop. Ok, not unlistenable, but not the Madonna album I would expect to be on the list. Maybe it has to do with the ‘club’/ techno vibes on some of the tracks and that being somewhat ground breaking for a commercial artist at the time. Either way, kinda boring but not anger inducing.
It also feels like quintessential 90's pop. I get some Cher vibes from Madonna on this album too, but that's just me. I found a lot of tracks to be a little boring, but there are some good tracks on this album that are saving itself from a 2 rating. Top tracks: Ray of Light, Swim, Frozen
Madonna chameleons into Bjork for this one to good results. Felt like Y2K screensaver music (positive). We're slowly starting to excavate this sound again. Favorite Tracks: Drowned World, Perfume Candy Girl, Skin, Frozen, Mer Girl
i listened to this twice because i felt like maybe i'd missed something the first time round. i mean - it's Madonna, it's the 90s, it's trip hop, it's a lot of things that i love honestly.... and yet it didn't quite hit for me and i don't know why! having said that there are some all-time bangers on here as well. i can't give this higher than a 3.5 buuuuuut it was generally good. thanks Madonna!!!!!
The album grew on me as it went.. Sounded quite experimental from what little other stuff I have heard from Madonna.
Good album but it tends to drag towards the end
Anne-Marie, une ex copine, l’avait en CD. J’en suis toujours à me demander si ça a bien vieilli.
J'ai le feeling que Madonna voulait s'essayer au trip hop pendant que c'était all the rage. Un genre de caprice de pop star. Les bouts plus electro/house sont pour moi insupportables. Les tounes plus méditatives trip hop dont celle avec un nom indien sont plutôt plaisantes en background. J'aime la voix de Madonna en général. J'ai aussi appris hier qu'elle était de descendance canadienne française, cool stuff.
this did not feel correct. did Natasha Bedingfield write this?
Hienostihan vetää ja on aina vetänyt. Vähän vanhempia ja omaan korvaan parempia levyjä odotellessa. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ei parhaimmistoa mutta hyvä lätty silti.
Sounds like an album by an aging pop star desperate to stay relevant. (Checks notes. It is) Any of the albums by Aromaba would be a suitable replacement.
Mad Donna is pretty chill on this one. Started very disco before becoming more mellow. A strong three stars.
A little too pop/synth for my tastes, it tries too hard. Still a fairly enjoyable listen.
Not bad, not great. I never wanted to turn it off, but I probably won't listen again, either.
Not something I’d choose to listen to, but well crafted grown up pop. Lots of very much of the time influences obvious, but the songs are strong and her voice has real character
Nice but not relevant over the long term
I was surprised by how much I didn’t mind this.
Heard it before. Strong late 90s sound, Madonna was really up to date with the trends. In terms of pop music I'd probably prefer to listen to some more straightforwad pop bangers but this is definitely a vibe too. And how nice to end the year with an album released the year I was born 3/5
Interesting to hear Madonna chuck middle eastern, Indian, and dance beats in a bag and shake them up. Some decent tracks. Particularly Frozen stands out as an interracial departure and a well-crafted tune for a batman soundtrack. Probably won't listen to the whole thing again but that one song was nice.
I mean it’s fine i like the instrumental but it feels dated
I wasn't familiar with this phase of Madonna. I liked it more than i expected. Great dance songs. Probably 4-5 star quality. I give it 3 because it's just not something I will put on
I didn't really vibe with this one 1️⃣! Which is unfortunate cuz it was my birthday 🎂.
There critics go again trying to make this more complicated than it needs to be. I am a Madonna fan, and her best works are unquestionably MADONNA, LIKE A VIRGIN, and TRUE BLUE. The rest of her work never sounded as urgent and earnest. Maybe LIKE A PRAYER, but definitely nothing past that. Far too long of an album. Most of the songs don't feel like they have truly great hooks and the only songs with any real sense of cohesion are the dual hits of "Ray of Light" and "Frozen", and maybe the organic bossa nova vibe of "To Have and Not to Hold" They also happen to be the only songs that Madonna sounds like she was having any fun recording. As someone who generally enjoys dance albums, this one feels incredibly....beige. Probably bold for an audience unfamiliar with the genres she is playing with, but tedious for those already in the know. Full disclosure, I have never enjoyed William Orbit's mixes of U2 and Depeche Mode singles either. So maybe it is just a me and William Orbit thing.
Madonna... difficult for me. My dear wife may call me a hater (maybe not, she always assumes positive intent), but my distaste for Madonna has evolved from just a knee-jerk "seriously?" to something more thoughtful. It really boils down to her art. I never much cared for her voice and felt the music itself was always way short of masterful. This album sounds good, fuller and more realized than the work I'm more familiar with. But the emphasis on her singing doesn't exactly help — for me anyway — so this was more of an endurance test than a pleasant experience. But, compared to the assault that was the Mariah Carey album a couple of listens ago, I'd reach for this every time if they were the only two records on Earth. See? I am evolving as a music listener.
Una Madona que quiere ser muy eterea y dar mensajes de paz y amor y bautizando su epoca discotequera, de la que podemos ver como empieza a surgir, un poco experimental tambien, no conocia ninguna cancion pero ha estado guay el disco. No tengo gran cosa mala que decir, simplemente se me queda un poco corto, le falta algo. PD: NO ME ACORDABA DE FROZEN, ALTO TEMA, lo que necesitaba para ponerle el 7
Buen álbum de Madonna.
Ray of light is fantastic but the rest of the songs fell flat and were rather unremarkable
Beautiful voice for sure, but not a great album
Good enough. Some nice songs but a lot of the same vibe.
I am too tired to put much into this, but it was better than expected…I have never been much of a fan. It was too long, though. Three stars.
We all thought Madonna was ancient when this came out, but she was younger than I am now. I liked this album in 1998. It was a cool departure from her earlier work and I enjoyed the nods to trip hop and other electronic genres that I hadn't been too familiar with. This was my first listen since around that time and I found the record to be really interesting musically, even though Madonna's vocals seem a little distant and disaffected. The album has a lot of strong songs, but could use a little bit of editing. I'd give 3.5 if they'd let me, but closer to a 3.
very good
Fine album.
The third song is a meme song and that threw me off. Peak late 90-s dance themes. It's fine.
Would have rated higher if instrumentals were better. Great vocals.
(69/100)
Good
Highlights: Nothing Really Matter, Ray of Light, Skin, Sky Fits Heaven. In a nutshell: rave music, without the drugs. This was Madonna's most ambitious album to date. Mystical, layered, complex technopop. Easy to digest new age vibes. If three quarters of the songs were trimmed to under 4:30 then we'd have a tidier record here. Overall: 5/10
3.5
A few really good songs, the rest ismiddle of the road. 3.5 stara
Very similar to the other Madonna album we just had. Why the fuck does Madonna get two albums that sound the same released two years apart but we can’t have both homework and discovery? Dude who made this list is actually geeked
Madonna’s Ray of Light has a reputation as The Great Reinvention, a forward-looking electronic pivot that supposedly reset her artistic compass in the late 90s. Listening now, it’s easier to hear the ambition than the impact. The production is sleek, global-club-ready, and unmistakably tied to its era; you can practically feel the glow sticks and hear the lingering echoes of big-room trance. It’s polished, confident, and perfectly engineered for the kind of nightlife where you shout-sing your feelings at 1 a.m. on a sticky dance floor. But stacked against her earlier work, the emotional core is thinner. It doesn’t have the melodic punch of her prime, nor the raw pop instincts that made her a generational force. The record aims for transcendence but often lands closer to “pleasant vibe,” which is fine—just not the kind of thing that defines a career. Still, there are flashes of something deeper: moments where the electronics, the vocals, and the shift in attitude click. It’s a thoughtful and well-executed reinvention, even if it doesn’t reach the highs of the records that made Madonna Madonna. A solid listen, and a respectable artistic turn—but not peak-era material.
Giving generic rating. I just can't.
Very repetitive techno music.
It's the Madonna version of Massive Attack. Frozen has been stuck in my head for days. "mmm mmm mmm If I could melt your heart..."
Liked this more than I thought I would...
3/5
Ja die Madonna. Eher nicht meins aber diese Platte gehört zu den besseren.
Meh, it was ok. Ray of Light had some nostalgia. The rest was fine in the background, but nothing I want to seek out in the future.
Did not expect that at all from a Madonna album. I expected Taylor Swift-esque stuff but instead got Bjork-esque. Not my usual cup of tea, but not bad overall.
Much alike the last one, which was a similar era of her career, its for sure carried by the production but damn it is great production. I love the elements of trip hop and jungle with the sampled drum breaks. and the glitchy synths are also great. I definitely think the slightly more abstract ones are better, rather than the more straightforward dance ones, like the ray of light song. I feel like she was inspired by a bunch of people, I'm pretty sure I once read that she tried to work with Aphex Twin, maybe that was on this. Parts also feel heavily Bjork-inspired, which I feel like are the best bits. I feel like the lyrics are quite dire though, alike the last one I don't think she really has anything to say at all. I think if the production wasn't so good, it would be totally dreadful. This is probably just as good if not a bit better than the last one but its too long. Favourite songs: drowned world/substitute for love, swim, candy perfume girl, skin, probably some more I missed. Overall around 6/10
I am by no means a Madonna fan but this was a surprisingly pleasant listen. The well-known songs are better than I remember and the others fit well.
this was good! knew a couple of songs on it. a breath of fresh air really as i hadn't really listened to her in the past. i liked her!
Dance beat with a trance like beat perfect dance club rhythm
I managed to make it 915 albums into this project before I got my first Madonna album, and so far, her work has been a mixed bag to me. I gave Music 2 stars, but Like a Prayer was an absolute banger, and I gave it five stars. I think I only know the title track off of this, so I’m not really sure what the rest of the album is going to sound like. As long as it’s far off from what Music was like, I think I might wind up liking this. Ray of Light wasn’t in the same ballpark as Like A Prayer, but thankfully it was still better than Music. I’m definitely more partial to Madonna’s pop hits from the eighties and early nineties, but it was still cool to listen to this, just to hear what else she’s capable of doing. I thought Ray of Light was well produced, and I liked that each song brought something different to the table in terms of sound. For someone who’s not an electronica artist, I think it shows Madonna’s talent that she was able to create an album with so much variation. When it comes to the lyrics though, I just don’t care about Madonna’s ‘spiritual journey’ with Kabbalah. What a terrible time that was in the late nineties, when every celebrity was dabbling with Kabbalah. As much as I like Madonna as an artist, I think she’s a bit of a narcist, so this album’s lyrics feel like a late career rebrand disguised as a spiritual awakening. P.T. Barnum would be proud though. While this album does have a few excellent songs on it, most of it is just fine, and only “Shanti/Ashtangi” was truly putrid. “Drowned World/Substitute For Love” was a great opening track, and it did a great job of establishing where this album was going to go musically. The guitar, bass, percussion, and vocals all sounded really good, and I wasn’t expecting something so gentle. “Ray of Light” is excellent as well. I love how it maintains the overall gentle sound of the album, but it still has a truly dance-worthy sound to it. The beats are never overpowering, but they do a great job of driving the sound of the song. I really liked that piano melody on “Sky Fits Heaven” as well. This song didn’t have the same dance music sound as the title track, but it was still really beautiful. “Frozen” was excellent as well, and possibly my favorite song on the album. It’s a beautiful song, and every musical element comes together really well. The softer sound was really haunting, and even with a pretty long run time, every second of it was worth listening to. I loved the atmosphere that “Frozen” created, and “The Power of Good-Bye” was an excellent follow-up to it, keeping that same sense of atmosphere. From there though, the album mostly limped along to the finish line. I think I would have enjoyed this album a bit more had it shaved off three songs or so. I wasn’t wowed by this, but it made for a pretty enjoyable listen.
Didn't know any outside of the (awesome) title track and Frozen (which is also amazing). The rest is OK, I don't think I'll listen to this one again specifically, but I'm still glad I did.
I'm not even sure I would consider this Madonna's best album, so it's hard for me to say it's a great album. I'm starting to see patterns in how the original author decided which albums to put on the list and which not to put, and I feel (pun intended) that this was added in an effort to recognize how electro music made its way into more mainstream popular albums. Sure, I'll take it, but this is the late 90's, so it doesn't feel as important to note. Overall, not bad, but not amazing either. Pretty mid.
Over under 1 kilo of coke used to make this album
- Ist ein sehr spezieller Sound - Der Gesang ist irgendwie recht ruhig, aber im Hintergrund und mit der Melodie geht sehr viel ab 😂 Topsong: Ray of Light
Like all the Madonna projects we’ve had on here so far, this one is very respectable and falls just short of something I’d call fantastic. Even if the production on this one is right in my wheelhouse. “Swim” has one of many great vocal refrains, with the ‘we can’t carry the sins on our back’ line. “Ray Of Light” has an even better hook thats made this song worth its popularity. “Sky Fits Heaven”, more like This Song Fits Me with that late 90’s 4 on the floor kick turning this into a soft trance anthem. “Shanti / Ashtangi” gave me some questions I need answered. Is this respectful and chill in eastern culture? So many artists use the Indian word for peace and do their ommmm Shantiiii’s. I really liked how Zedd did it in his most recent album. But is this all good? I genuinely don’t know. This original version of “Frozen” is absolutely wonderful with its breakbeats and mellow yet dramatic atmosphere. It unfortunately escapes me, but somewhere there’s a really good remix or lift of this vocal thats more club-oriented. Lastly, “Little Star” is a sweet song clearly meant for her child, and the album probably shoulda stopped here. I felt like “Mer Girl” was exactly when I started to tune out. For my tastes personally this is a 4/5, William Orbit did a killer job on the production, Madonna’s voice is as good as ever. But maybe there’s a bit of meandering here and there. It’s a project that feels a bit stuck between needing to make sure it holds onto its pop essence while experimenting with these other sounds of trip-hop, trance, and eastern music. It isn’t a perfect marriage of the two in totality, but it’s solid over all. 3/5? 4/5? Tough call.
I was previously familiar with Madonna but not this particular album. This album surprised me. I wasn't sure what to expect, but this is quite a departure from her more pop-oriented material I knew previously. There are a lot of ambient and electronic elements that I found pretty enjoyable. While the album did seem awfully long, I would listen to it again.
I think Madonna is a much better entertainer than musician. I'm no fanboy, and I don't think any of her music is great. But this album was very influential and definitely deserves to be on a list of albums to listen to. Credit goes more to William Orbit (the producer) than to Madonna, but regardless, the result was important. I see where another reviewer wrote, “These songs sound like a hundred other songs that came out around this time—there’s nothing really innovative or different about it.” This couldn’t be much further from the truth. I’ll grant that the sound had been explored by others, but it was mostly underground. According to Wikipedia: Ray of Light has been credited with bringing electronica 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.” Until the album brought the genre to the top of the charts, “techno and electronica had, for years, been the music played at so-called raves, hugely popular, illegal underground parties taking place in abandoned warehouses and deserted areas on the outskirts of towns all around the world.” AllMusic editor Liana Jonas stated that the album’s title track “brought mainstream attention to electronica, which ascended from its underground status to wild popularity in the early 21st century.” The Observer’s Daryl Deino called Ray of Light “a risk-taking album that helped define mainstream electronic dance music.” In terms of influence, this album was significant. Most of that credit goes to William Orbit, but Madonna still had to choose to work with him. Musically, I’d still only give this three stars, but to suggest that “these songs sound like a hundred other [hit] songs that came out around this time” is just wrong.
it's nice!
Why is *this* the Madonna album that belongs on this list?
2.5/5 - Listening to this was mostly a surprise to me, since I was unfamiliar except for the title track. There were a couple tracks I skipped after a minute or two because I think I got the point, but I definitely liked some of the others. This isn't quite a 3 based on my own enjoyment, but it feels like something you oughta hear once, so I'll round up.
I was actually dreading this album a little bit. Madonna is fine and a worthy pop entry here, but her late work? Seems like a waste of space on the list. So how did I actually end up feeling about this after listening to it? Well, I have a lot of thoughts but let me get this out of the way: it's a solid album. It's not going to blow you away, but it's not trash either. I scratch my head at the very polarized reviews on this site because this album seems perfectly...fine. What I will say is that I think this album succeeds in spite of Madonna or rather this album could exist as a pretty good electronica album without Madonna's vocals. Her vocals are fine, there's nothing wrong with them but she doesn't let loose and give us true the Madonna vocal prowess we're used to. This album feels like it could have had any generic singer with decent talent and it would sound roughly the same. And, Im not sure if Madonna wrote the lyrics or not, but that's probably my biggest complaint here. The pseudo spirituality punctuated by cheese (like what even is a candy perfume girl?) just doesn't work for me. And the electronic vibe is very chill and cool (possibly understated), but it follows a trend I've noticed a lot in pop music. They take what's popular in EDM a few years prior, recycle it by making it fit a pop mold with verses and catchy choruses, and attach it to a big name (Bieber's stuff in the 2000s nearly perfected this model). It's fine but, to me, it's not the most impressive stuff happening in music and not really something I'd say is worthy of making a list of the top 1001 albums of all time. So all in all, I was probably right in my original assessment that this is a bit of wasted space, but my dread was mostly unfounded as this was a perfectly fine mid-tier album to listen to. I definitely recognized a few of the singles from back in the MTV days, and they were mostly the best songs on the album but "Ray of Light" definitely stands above the rest. That song is a straight bop.
Some great songs and William Orbit's production shines through, but there are some filler tracks on here that are very forgettable. I remembered this album being better!
Favorite Track: Little Star
This was a little bop man, I didn’t hate it. My first Madonna album and I’m not sure what kind of music she makes yet but this was cool.
Not that bad actually, but 1 hour was too much.
I mostly enjoyed this even if it wasn't something I would have normally picked. I usually find layered beats and electronica soulless, but Madonna breathes nice life into it. It's a vibe and I caught it on a complimenting rainy day. Not my favorite but not a dud.
101/1001 Madonna - Ray of Light Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ I get what this was going for by infusing elements of the dance scene with a glossier poppy sound and it works. However, it does end up sounding a bit samey, especially at over an hour and 15.
As far as post 80s Madonna goes this one is alright. 3/5
It's fine, but Madonna does other styles better, and others do this style better than Madonna.
Better than I expected!
My first Madonna album. Certainly not one of her mot well regarded albums, but one I was decently familiar with from growing up. I enjoyed it- it has a unique sound and a couple of good hits. Sometimes bordering on cheesy, but the vibes are solid. Overall- good album. 3.5/5
Highlights: Frozen
While I can get behind the inclusion of an album like this (It's Madonna and she's doing something different than usual) it's not a groundbreaking sound or anything. It's certainly a vibe, but no song really stands out. Pretty mediocre.
Not her best
I think I slow danced to Power Of Goodbye in middle school. Gets an extra star because of the title track but overall not sure why this mid-career Madonna album is on the list.
Музыка: 7/10 Разнообразие: 7/10 Тематика и вайб: 7/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 5/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 6/10 Итог: 6.4
It was Madonna and it was just okay for me
There are a few good songs on here but as a while the album is slow, boring, and too long.
Better than I expected. Apparently this Madonna lady can sing a bit
This was everywhere back then. There are many hits, they are good, they are catchy, but the rest is forgettable and generally, it’s not a genre for me
Generally, a nice experience. Some memorable hits that still work, the rest is not far off, just a filler here and there.
Pretty fun to listen to with some weird moments to make it interesting. Catchy songs.
I remember enjoying this much more when it came out in 1998. The dance beats and soundscapes definitely date the album to the late 1990s club craze. There’s about 20-ish minutes that are worth listening to, including revisiting “Frozen,” which I haven’t heard in 20 years and the reason why I probably purchased the album in the first place. The remaining 47 minutes sound pretty much the same.
This is the epitome of 90's pop electronica
This better than I was expecting. Trip-hop and techno vibe rather than just straight pop. That said, I kind of lost interest by the time it got to Shanti / Ashtangi. So that means I can handle about 7 songs before I check out. Felt forced to listen to the back half - Frozen was really overplayed when this came out, so no real desire to revisit it - it's not a bad song, just a little underwhelming compared to its popularity.
maybe madge’s last decent album 3.72
I prefer her earlier works. ★★★
Pretty alright, dance music with Madonna's singing. A 3 star overall for me.
It’s fine. I felt nothing in a positive way. 2.5/5
I remember loving Ray of Light by Madonna when it first came out—I thought it was a brilliant album, and I was excited to revisit it today. On re-listen, it still holds up in parts, but the record is let down by its length. From Frozen onwards, the quality dips noticeably, with tracks 10–13 adding very little. They’re slow, overly drawn out, and, frankly, dull. That said, the album does contain some real highlights—Drowned World / Substitute for Love, Swim, Ray of Light, and of course the hauntingly brilliant Frozen. Overall, a good but uneven record that starts strong and then fades badly. For me, it’s a 3/5. Favourite track: Frozen—a powerful, haunting classic. Least favourite track: Everything after Frozen, especially Shanti / Ashtangi, which really doesn’t work. Album artwork: An iconic Madonna cover.
Surprisingly interesting
...
Very nice playlist, I've heard the song "Frozen" many times and had no idea it was from Madonna!! She obviously has an amazing voice but nothing in the playlist I'd listen to regular :)
ok sound - nothing memorable
Decent listen but not sure why I would need to listen to the entire album before I die.
It’s interesting. Pop takes on electronic music and it’s not terrible. Album definitely has some spots that are a little redundant, but this wasn’t the worst thing I’ve heard on this list. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again
ehhhhhh. Not my style at all
honestly, a pretty good album.
I honestly expected to like this more, but ended up with the urge to listen to Tori Amos instead
Pretty quintessential 90s sounds, not my favorite era but pretty easy listening. Some interesting linguistics for better or worse, low 3
If ever an album highlighted the reason why the singles were chosen for release, it’s this one. “Frozen”, especially, is the standout and still sounds amazing, but I’ve always enjoyed “The Power of Good-Bye”, as well. Whilst the rest of the album is cohesive, with William Orbit’s fingerprints all over it, the album tracks just sound like filler compared to the singles.
I have a tendency to open the day's album on Amazon Music and immediately check the length. Even for an artist I've heard of and like, I'll see an running time of over an hour and my heart will sink a little bit. This is 1 hour 6 minutes long and that's a lot of mystical Madonna. That being said, I actually enjoyed this in more of a background music kinda way. I knew far more of it than I expected (given I never owned the album) but I guess releasing 6 singles from a 13 track album will have that effect. I would definitely pick 80s Madonna over this, but that's my inherent uncool rather than any slight on the record. 3/5
Ray of Light and Frozen are the only half decent songs on this album. The rest is filled with songs that are too long for how mediocre they are.
Ooh this was cool and unexpected. Think I need to give it another go round to do my due diligence but yeah enjoyed more than I thought I would
I like her mellow songs
This is the album where Madonna stopped screaming for attention and started whispering cool things in your ear instead. There’s some serious chill energy in here. It doesn’t punch you in the face with hits, but it does flow in a way her earlier albums never quite managed. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Nothing Really Matters - Frozen - The Power of Good-Bye
Relax and yoga
Unlike “Music”, Madonna feels like herself here; she’s not chasing trends. The whole thing feels very of it’s time, and, like many of its era, the length is a problem.
For me, this is peak Madge. I know that's probably not true for the vast majority, but I was too young (and bluntly can't buy into the camp fun of it) her early singles, but I will always remember her coming back with the swift one two of Frozen and Ray of Light. The former especially is a real totem of the late 90s for me. It's beautifully sung, which isn't always what you associate with Madonna, but she really gets superb light and shade into it.
I don't know, everything that I listened to from Madonna sounds so regular... 3 stars is enough.
The last time I heard Madonna and thought “not bad” was this. It’s a bit like Kaye Bush lite in spots, which is to say…not bad.
It is decently catchy, but it lacks the bangers I was hoping for from her
It's a good listen but it doesn't evoke much emotion.
Madonna at her best. A stinking pop album. Try not to tap your feet...
Yep
Not bad for late period madonna but not really my style.
Als je rond 1980 geboren bent, kon je niet om deze dame heen. Het was één van de grootste artiesten. Maar na 3 albums mag ik toch wel concluderen dat dat niet door haar zangkunsten kwam. De hits zijn groot geweest, dus ik snap de notering in de lijst wel (in elk geval beter dan het album Music). Maar verder is er toch weinig onderscheidend aan deze schijf? Het is vooral niet vervelend om naar te luisteren.
Is het vernieuwend? Nee Is het de beste elektronische plaat? Nee Is het de beste triphop? Nee Kan Madonna zingen? Nee Is dit het beste uit de 90s? Nee Is het beter dan Madonna eerder heeft gemaakt? Nee Voegt het iets toe aan de snoblijst? Nee En toch is het prima om te luisteren. Het is beter dan al haar albums die hierna kwamen (voor zover ik dat weet, want ik heb die niet allemaal geluisterd. En nee, ik ga dat project niet voltooien. Ook al ben ik al een aardig eind op weg, nadat ik die 80s albums bij een vorig album vergeleken heb). Er zitten nog wel een paar aardige hitjes tussen. Het ademt ook onmiskenbaar de 90s, met de elektronische invloeden en de triphop, maar ook wat industrial gitaren. En hoewel dit allemaal al eerder en beter is gedaan, zit het wel degelijk in elkaar. Niet alles is even goed, er zitten ook een paar gedrochten bij. En sommige geluidseffectjes storen me soms. Maar over het algemeen, is er niks mis met dit album. Ik luister dit liever dan veel andere albums uit deze lijst, dus verdient het minimaal een 3. Een 4 zou veel te gedurfd zijn, want het duurt natuurlijk wel iets te lang met ruim een uur.
It was fine, not my thing though.
This was a genuine surprise. It’s definitely background music - Very period specific to the late 90s in the techno/rave style and not what I expected from Madonna. The lyrics were garbage but the production really carried the record.
**This** is Madonna's magnum opus? Which, with a question like that, I gotta make clear: I don't think this album is bad at all. Just, I don't know, in a world where her 80's material still exists, I'm not sure if I'd be saying this is the best thing she's ever done, ever. Like, I'll admit my bias with Madonna: I'm primarily someone who understands her music through THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION. "Lucky Star", "Holiday", "Crazy For You", "Like A Prayer", "Like A Virgin", "Like A Papa Don't Preach"... **That's** the Madonna I know and love — y'know, the "Material Girl" material. It's bright, poppy, cheekily provocative... All'a that. I have a great time with it. And I realize, that couldn't have been her forever. Madonna is one of those artists who's famous for reinvention, and this album came out 14 years after LIKE A VIRGIN. She was much older, with kids and a fascination for Kabbalah... It only makes sense her music would mature with her. But just 'coz I understand it, y'know... I mean, to me, "maturity" is going from eating Fruit Loops to eating Raisin Bran — and I would never dare eat Raisin Bran. And this being an electronica album, too, produced by William Orbit and everything. I think I've realized something about how I feel about electronica in relation to pop music. Like, when you take electronica on its own, like on Orbit's STRANGE CARGO III album, I'm all for it. I like the ambience, the atmosphere, the chill vibes... It's good wallpaper music, and I mean that as a big positive. But then you take Orbit's brand of electronica and try to make pop music out of it... It's just that I have different expectations for pop music, and these downtempo, trip hop beats are far from what I expect. Again: they're not **bad**. But outside of the title track and, like, "Frozen", while I can jive with these songs to an extent, I don't find myself particularly excited by them — y'know? Like, at least the title track pumps up the energy and is the most outwardly danceable thing here. Meanwhile, "Frozen" and, sure, "The Power Of Good-Bye" have melodic elements I really gel with... And actually, I wanna throw in "Mer Girl" for being a hell of a closer. Woof, it ends the exact way I wanted Don McLean's AMERICAN PIE too, and I was right: it's a hell of a whopper. (Funny to bring up Madonna and "American Pie" so close together...) Everything else kinda just blended together a bit to me. Like, it absolutely does not help that this is a late 90's album and the thing is an hour long with songs averaging, like, five minutes each or whatever. You can't tell me none of this could've been trimmed, right? As well, I'm left thinking about the music Madonna would make after this album — or the very little I'm aware of, anyway, which basically amounts to AMERICAN LIFE... And, like, let's be 100, AMERICAN LIFE is a bad album. It has Madonna rapping out soy lattes with double shot-ays. The only hit on it is the damn Bond theme, and it's the worst one any of those movies ever had. But I can't lie, I do think I find a bit more appeal in these songs over the ones here? Just because they're leaning more folktronica dance pop than new age trip hop like the songs here are... I mean, maybe my problem is just that I'm actually not that fond of trip hop after all, but either way. So, pffm, I'unno. Maybe I'm dumb for preferring big, stupid pop hits over these subtler songs. 'Coz, y'know, this might be the most serious album Madonna's ever made — again, there's no rapping. It's aiming for a level of serious artistry I don't think any of her other albums have ever tried for, and clearly it worked. It was a commercial hit, and, again, it's referred to as her magnum opus. I can totally hear where that's coming from. But, my tastes, at the end of the day, are my tastes. Maybe I could have been in a better headspace for this, but honestly, I don't know if that would've helped too much. It's far from bad, but it's also a bit out of my reach. Like, come on, THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION's right there.
Yeah, this takes me back to late high school.
It wasn't great.
3.5
Definitely not her best work.
Not my favorite Madonna album, but I still liked it. She has a beautiful voice. I didn’t recognize any of the songs on it.
Seriously? Nothing against this album, just surprised of it's inclusion here. For all intents and purposes, this is a pretty middle of the road album that doesn't really do much to stand out from everything else the late 90s adult pop rock genre. To set the scene, this was a year after the debuts of Meredith Brooks and Natalie Imbruglia, the same year Jewel and Alanis Morissette dropped their second albums, Sheryl Crow's 3rd album, Cher's "Believe", Goo Goo Dolls dropped their mega successful "Dizzy Up The Girl", and Sheryl Crow released her 3rd album. Not that any of those albums belong on this list either, but the whole year in pop rock was just about as copy/paste as it gets. For the most part, this album is pretty dated and same-samey with the exception of the title track. None of it is bad, it just gets tiresome after awhile. To steal a line from the write up from the book from which this site was born, "At 67 minutes, it could have used some judicious editing"
I wasnt expecting this to be a alternative pop record i thought it was a fun pop record but first listen i give it a 3 but i do think its good i think it just needs to rub off on me towards the end the feel of the album was rubbing off on me so i will be spinnning this i might be higher than a 3
90s to the extreme. Just okay.
Another it's okay, I wouldn't skip it but also wouldn't seek it out album.
Just a fine Record by Madonna.
Nice listen. I grew up with the old school Madonna and this is a nice addition to her catalog. 3.5
Madonna in her hippie dippie "I'm not religious, just spiritual" era. Probably the best of the 3 albums I've gotten from her doing this challenge.
Hey, I remember a few of these. Genuinely fun electronic-pop.
drowned world- she sounds like the grandma from encanto. 4 swim- what. 4 ray of light- 4 candy perfume girl- 4 skin- 3 nothing really matters- 4 sky fits heaven- 3 or 4 shanti- 3 frozen- 3 the power of goodbye- 4 to have and not to hold- 3 little star- 3 mer girl- 3 this is a really nothing album. it sounds like she had to drop this because rent was due
MEGET bedre end den anden Madonna vi havde og lød ikke som jeg forventede. Troede det var cringe 90er elektronisk men det er jo ret fed 90er elektronisk. Lang men egentlig også ret divers
This sounded very 90's.
Не дослушала. Не в моем вкусе
Fine
Pre-Napster, you had to pay $18 for this turd of a record, which might have two songs you care about.
It's interesting, but the entire album sounds like a remix album. Like some house DJ made a bunch of songs, and then remixed them with Madonna's vocals. It's not off-putting, but it doesn't sound natural, if that makes sense. I don't really like Madonna, but I do tend to like - or at least appreciate - things that are weird or unique - and this album is certainly weird/unique. I also tend to like dance music, so I don't hate this. Ultimately, I think this was a fun one time listen, and I think I understand why it's included. I'm going to give it 3 stars because it's definitely fine, and I wouldn't be mad if I heard the occasional song in the background, but I'd never actually search it out for another listen.
I was surprised by my fondness for this album. Not in my usual wheelhouse, but I was taken by it at times. The effervescence of the pre-millenium distilled and evaporating into shiny floating desktop background clouds.
Why do I feel like Maddona fits in the category of "the name of the artist is bigger than the music itself?" (Probably because I am 24...) Anyways, Experimental Madonna. Way better than "Music" Madonna. It'll do.
A bit long, but enjoyed it overall. Standout songs: Drowned world/substitute for love Frozen The power of goodbye
Wanted to like this one so bad but I think I just can't match its energy. Madonna does so so many cool things on this album but it far overstayed its welcome both in album length AND frequently song length.
Unexpected sound for Madonna, but an enjoyable one! It did start blending together about halfway through, and didn't need to be an hour and change long, but still pleasant.
This is such great stuff from Madonna that gets bogged down by a lot of filler. When it's good, it's great, but it never really becomes fantastic and it does have a bit of a samey feeling overall.
In Substitute For Love, Frozen, Power of Goodbye and (especially) Ray of Light this has some of the best ever Madonna songs (rarefied air) But there’s a lot here that feels a bit directionless. Trim 2 or 3 tracks off and shorten a few others and this would be so much better
Really wish half stars existed instead of full stars. Would be higher, but I'm not going to round up.
Madonna яка мені справді сильно подобається це звісно ж альбом Like a Prayer (1989). Після нього я лише чув від неї різне сміття, яке вона наробила у нульові, коли прагнули наздогнати свою минулу славу. Щодо цього альбому 90-х - він пройшов повз мене, хоча пісню Ray Of Light я звісно що чув безліч раз. Сказати що після детального прослуховування цього альбому я отримав якесь велике «відкриття»? Та ні. Не дивлячись на те, що він часто подається як «відродження» та найбільш виважений та «зрілий», він мені здався просто «нормальним». На ньому, «загартована» материнством Мадонна, спокійно та без «галасу» виконує пісні із вайбом, популярного на той час, трип-хопу у стилі Massive Attack. Також, не без впливу продюсера Вільяма Орбіта тут доволі відчутний вплив техно музики. В цілому, це все за що можна похвалити альбом. Можливо для творчості Madonna він і став якимось особистим проривом, але для світу популярної музики в цілому, він не сказав нічого. Мало того, враховуючи які шикарні трип-хопові речі вже подарувала на той час Бристольська сцена - цей реліз є нічим іншим як кон'юнктурою, що намагається мімікрувати під «трип-хоповий арт поп». Єдиним дивним треком тут може здатися Shanti/Ashtangi, але якщо ви чули до цього сольні роботи Орбіта - ви зрозумієте звідки в нього ростуть ноги. З усім тим, «лаяти» альбом також особливо немає за що. В рамках мейнстримної попмузики, що не претендує на якісь відкриття - це доволі гарний альбом під який можна із задоволенням розслабитись теплого літнього вечора.
A fun listen
Lyrically this album was ass, but the production is really good and makes it listenable.
Actually quite enjoyed most of the songs, well written and produced. Liquid bass and pop is however not really my cup of tea, hence the 3 star rating.
This is kind of a funny album. Parts of it sound like the soundtrack to a Disney movie, and then the instrumentals on some songs, like Skin and Nothing Really Matters, sound like the soundtrack to a 90s cyberpunk video game. And while most of the lyrics seemed very bland and nondescript, we have the very metal "And I smelled her burning flesh / Her rotting bones / Her decay" on Mer Girl.
I was expecting more of a younger album for Madonna. I do remember when this was released. So far a little mellow for me. third track it starts picking up. a little more dance/pop as I suspected to be. I remember track 3.
Anyone want to talk about how the song Ray of Light is basically a rip off of Sepheryn by Curtiss & Maldoon?
High school memories. Crazy to hear Frozen and Power of Goodbye again. Madonna's voice is great with this style of music. However- would the album have gotten much attention if if hadn't been Madonna?
Although I dislike electronica in general, this album is pretty good. My 2nd favorite Madonna album on the list. Nice rhythms and the vocals kept me listening. She has a great voice.
jostain syystä lisää tätä ilmeisesti, ollut konsistentti kolmonen jahas. mitä madonna poppistara tekee seuraavaksi? mitä vittua tämä lutka sekoilee.. ekspertti sanoo: jotain hullunkurista varmaan. lue lisää iltalehdessä, seuraavaksi: voiko konflikti palestiinassa tulla päätökseen ennen kesää? ekspertti sanoo: ei.. ei voi.. perkele kyllä tkeee mieli korottaa, annetaaanko palkankorotus, oisko kolmosesta neloseen.. tähtiä saa palkaksi niillä ei ruokaa osteta mutta rikas penikka kuitenki nii ei vrmaa tarvikkaahs. vittu tääkki on kolme ei ruveta valehteleen.. sky fits heaven
Brought back memories.
Pretty good. Very nostalgic. Also fairly boring at times
Better than I expected, probably (more electronica, downtempo, and ethereal), but still kind of a boring and overlong album; one I’m not likely to revisit. Favorite: Frozen
I guess it makes for decent background music, constant drum beat that's quite ambient actually.
Day468 - ray of light is a good fun song. the rest of the album is kinda weak
This is definitely very ethereal and a trippy listen. I like the song Shani/Ashtangi. One of my yoga instructors, Frank, always says "Shanti Shanti Shanti" at the end of our classes.
7/10. Actually not bad, I think some tracks of this did get a bit samey or boring but the highs for me were quite high. This album definitely offered more interest than I expected and some tracks, for example, 'Sky Fits Heaven's were kinda up my street. Didn't have quite enough energy in it for me to carry it on to a 4 star score but definitely enjoyed this.
This was okay, but also mostly forgettable. Wouldn't turn it off if it came on, but not an album I'd ever seek out again. 2.75/5
I was not excited for this after Madonna - Music (2000). However, it's quite a bit better than that. I still don't love it, but it's listenable. 2.5/5
This album wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Not really my thing, but not terrible.
Not my cup of tea
Just plain boring.
A looong album. Not my fave but also didn’t hate it. I like how it was experimental and some of the pop elements were fun. I think Madonna has better albums though.
Not exactly my jam. But I can see why Lady Gaga wants to be her.
It didn’t annoy me, and the dance beats changed throughout; actually, it was mostly interesting, although simplistic lyrically, and deserves a 3.5, but I won’t round up.
Like so many albums on this list: she's talented, but it's just not my thing.
I am not a fan of Madonna. She was an '80s staple in high school, and I saw her in concert in '84 on the Virgin tour. She was a good performer, but the highlight was that the Beastie Boys were her opening act. All that said, this album took me by surprise, and I thought it was very well done. It is a bit poppy for me, and some of the songs sound very similar, but overall, I liked it.
★★★½
Ray of light, skin both bangers
It was fine.
Heh, it's funny. I got this album on a Saturday and I don't rate stuff on the weekends. I've heard this album many times, so when it came up, I thought to myself, "This was sort of Madonna's Sgt. Pepper's album." Sure enough, the next day I got The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's. Kind of funny how that worked out. This is one of Madonna's better albums after her insane 80's pop releases. I say insane, because she was cranking out album after album and while a lot of them were good and had great songs on them, none of them were what I consider a complete album. Erotica started the process of changing who Madonna was, Bedtime Stories was a weird divergent and was better than I thought the reviews gave it and then finally this album finished her evolution, and could be her best out of her entire discography. (The Immaculate Collection can't be considered, since it's a greatest hits album). Can't miss tracks: Swim Ray of Light Frozen The Power of Good-bye 3/5
Title track is an ATB. album goes on a little long and doesn't always keep the energy up.
All the electronica styles from the 90s in this album. Pretty cool textures and production even though I’m usually not a Madonna fan.
Never knew Madonna was one of the first artists to incorporate more electronic music in pop. This sounds way before it's time, rave/dance version of Madonna. Also, the album was kind of a surprise for me, since I related Madonna to a different kind of sound and vibe. Never listened to her that much, but I have heard the popular songs. Turns out once I read the album summary that this was a departure from her previous work, and a one for the better it seems. One of the highlights of the album is definitely the production. Everything is crystal clear, the beats come of nice and round, the mix is quite loud and there is a lot of stuff going on most of the time, but the sound is still balanced. Madonna's vocals take a bit of a step back in this kind of genre as opposed to being the absolute center in her previous work, but this is handled without issues. She blends in with the grooves really well, singing in a lower register than usual I think. The album also gets dark at times, with oriental and eastern melodies, hard grooves, and straight to the point lyrics. Having said that, the songs do sound similar and the album gets a bit monotonous. All in all, a pleasant surprise, a well produced album, .
low key banger
Ray of Light was crafted well, flowing well in this beautiful, ethereal way. But this isn't the eighties Madonna that she's so famous for--yet she pulled off this sound well. She incorporated other genres, like trip hop, to create a totally new, mature sound. I recognize that electronic and ambient influence from Brian Eno, and the mythical influence on Goldfrapp (a la Seventh Tree). The lyrics had more of an internal focus, so the album felt way more personal. An interesting listen on the history of Madonna.
So, here's the thing. I had never listened to this album from front to back, but some of my favorite individual Madonna songs come from this album. Her tone, mood, and composition on those songs is unparalleled, both by Madonna herself and others. The very forward new age and eastern sounds intertwined with pop music really makes for a noteworthy listening experience. That said, while the overall album still preserved this mood, I did feel like parts of the album lulled a bit; not all songs on the album were created equally or stand with the same level of presence. While not every song on this album may be a winner, it's an overall noteworthy presentation from the woman who broke so many pop molds in the 80s and was being looked at to see what she would do next. Nobody assumed that what she would do next would be bringing Eastern music, new age music, and electronica clashing together into the mainstream. It somehow felt right as far as the progression of Madonna's style into the mid-90s. That influence is still prevalent in mainstream music today.
Enjoyable to listen to, good vocals, not my style really but good album 2.75/5
Enjoyed this, not sure how often I'll listen to it again but it's decent
It's not as cute as True Blue or Like a Virgin, but it's the last time I listened to a Madonna album and thought "hey, this is pretty good"
Nice
The first four songs honestly had me floored - I couldn't believe I was enjoying a Madonna album that much! It unfortunately fell off hard for me after that, but perhaps there will be some revisiting value here. 2.5/5
Madonna's not usually my jam but I enjoyed this one. Great electronica-tinged production, solid vocals, and a handful of certified bangers.
idk man this was overall a madonna flop for me
Meh
Ray Of Light (the track) was a banger! I knew it but I had no clue it was Madonna. The rest of the album was listenable but I'm not the hugest fan of Madonna-ish pop so I'll take it or leave it.
She heard Shirley Manson from Garbage and thought, “I could do that.” Turns out, she could not. This has the attempt of a song, but it’s just not quite there. Her singing is great, it’s the producer that did wrong.
Gear: Moondrop Variations Artwork: 👱♀️🟦🤷♀️ Production: 🎤🌟🤩 Music: 🌈🌌🌟 Rating: 🌞🌞🌞/5
Very of its time, a bit new age-y, and too long but better than the other Madge album (Music) which came up a few weeks ago.
Not really my taste. Got repetitive
Very pew pew
A fair mix of slappers and clunkers.
only slightly better than the previous Madonna album. It might be bias because I do remember some songs of this one. Still not my thing.
I have a memory of liking this album a LOT more in the 90s. Still i love it went artists reinvent themselves. This is no exception.
The list is a perfect mechanism for me to encounter an album like this one. I’m hater, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I intentionally put on some of Madonna’s music. My reaction is mixed. While the music was solid for the genre, I was surprised at the lack of breakout single(s), and by the end of the album the writing was weak and aimless… which was odd because of the length of the album. I would have cut a few tracks.
Lubię Madonnę. Ale nie na tej płycie. Ta płyta jest zbyt elektroniczna, ciągnąca się, pozbawiona magii. Nikt nie śpiewa tych piosenek na karaoke, nikt nie wymienia ich wśród ulubionych, nikt nie śpiewa ich w kościelnym chórze. Jest kilka dobrych kawałków, całość jest spójna, ale nie zasługuje na więcej niż 6/10
Album 678 of 1001 Madonna - Ray Of Light (1998) Rating : 2.5 / 5 While Madonna isn't someone I usually reach for, this wasn't half bad. It was only about half great, though. Some nice, introspective tracks. One of her better releases.
Jotkut instrumentaalit aika teknovaikutteisia. Muuten aika keskinkertaista poppia. Onkohan Frozenista otettu tää yks Tiktok sample? Parhaat: Sky Fits Heaven, The Power Of Good-Bye, Little Star
Not hurting anyone
Ray of Light (the song) is a banger. I remember listening to many of the others, but they don’t hold up as well to me.
This is my favourite side of Madonna. Some great songs like the title track, Frozen and The Power Of Good-Bye. I quite like Sky Fits Heaven as well. Some songs kinda feel like filler though.
забавно молодую мадонну послушать
A pastiche of 90s pop trends with the sort of slick production one might expect from Madonna. Drags a bit near the end, but pretty good all said.
I was never a big fan of Madonna but that was a pleasant listen
I really like trip hop and I had no idea Madonna made this type of music, so that was a surprise. I really liked the first song, but then ever other song just felt like lesser versions of that song. Nothing was bad, and the production was great throughout, but few songs stood out. High 3.
I thought the album was fine. But honestly True Blue is a far better album.
It’s ok 3.2
Her best album but far from perfect. Swim and Frozen are the best songs It does have a Massive Attack vibe which I like. But it's too long and it has lull spots. Still, decent.
It sounds like Madonna chasing trends. It's not bad, but it doesn't stand out at all from the generic pop landscape of the late 90's.
Okay. If you gave this a 4 I wouldn't fight you over it. Her voice sounds really nice on this. The techno kinda vibe works really well for this album, sounded really good. The album is pretty lengthy though and with each song being around 5 minutes it's just a lot. Not a ton of variety in length which kinda drags it down. Nice variety in feel and style though especially in the first half, liked that.
Some of these songs go a little bit, actually, especially the title track but it felt very derivative/bandwagony at the time and it's not something I'd ever listen to of my own volition.
Ray of Light is a great single and the album has its moments. However, it is a little pedestrian and based on reviews, massively overrated. She was still in the midst of a very strong run, but this may be her weakest non-soundtrack entry until American Life. If you want to listen to modern dance electronica Aladdin’s listen to Music or Confessions on the Dance Floor.
not my cup of tea but it was fine.
It was okay, nothing earthbreaking.
A few solid pop songs but most came up short.
this was an interesting one! not at all a sound i associate with madonna, so that was a fun. i've only really known her as a performer versus a singer, but she has some really delicate, beautiful vocals here. it's not totally my favorite kind of sound, but it was an interesting listen. ray of light is a platinum 5/5 to me. it's just so wonderfully late 90s/early aughts.
well, this certainly wasn't what i expected it to be, as it was practically an electronica dance record. unfortunately all the songs were three minutes too long and sounded pretty similar, so it all evens out. this was a 3, maybe 3.5 star album, but there's just nothing really substantial to sink your teeth into here. favorites: ray of light, nothing really matters, frozen
A good album, I liked Ray of Light and To Have And Not To Hold.
It's good! Definitely exceeded my expectations. The production is tight and she sounds great. I wish this was trimmed down to, say, the 45 minutes; I think it'd be stronger for it. Most of these songs are a minute (or even two) too long. Highlights: Ray of Light, Skin, Sky Fits Heaven
I probably haven't heard this album since it first came out and have forgotten how good it is. Madonna can sometimes be a mimic as she was with her 'Music' album but here on 'Ray of Light' she works with some of the best producers in a genre that has moved away from her original style and she keeps up. 3.5/5
Refreshingly eclectic and surprisingly good!
Not a massive fan of Madonna but this album has some good songs, I enjoyed it but I won't search to listen to it.
I remember really loving this when it came out but there are several meh songs. I like well enough. It’s no Bedtime Stories.
The unique and expansive production definitely elevates this album. Unfortunately, we’ve gotten to a point where the sound is pretty dated, and Madonna’s voice has never really been my cup of tea. Still some good stuff here despite those factors. Best song: Little Star
The best of the \"reprieve\" albums that I've listened to thus far. This definitely only made the list because of Madonna's immense popularity, though I can't deny an album this pleasing. Downtempo trip-hoppy pop music from the 90s is one of the more sugary sweet guilty pleasures that I have.
Always changing Madonna this was a good listen
Her last decent album.
Lovely album, I have a thing for this sort of 90s electronica and this is a fine example, but I will use this as a soapbox to question if a notorious popstar should get as much praise as they do for treading on the same ground as less mainstream artists in a not particularly transformative way? This is a good album, but Bjork, Everything but the Girl and Tori Amos had already done this before, Ray of Light only has the reputation it has because historically tacky Madonna was responsible for it (and her bs Hollywood spirituality is still woefully tacky I'll say). Good album by any measure, but I would've given its spot to Post, Homogenic or Walking Wounded in a heartbeat over it.
Some good, some bad. Overall, better than I expected. Definitely can tell William Orbit had involvement.
Lovely album; very nice listening.
3.5
As per Wikipedia: "Ray of Light is an electronica and techno-pop record which incorporates multiple genres, including ambient, trip hop, psychedelic music and Middle Eastern music." Nonetheless, it was surprisingly not annoying.
This sounds like what people thought the future was going to sound like 25 years ago, but now it feels like a strange relic of a future never played out. Certainly not a bad album, and definitely not what you expect from a pop star. I think there is a lot of cool stuff going on, but it gets old kinda quick and starts to drone in the second half.
Spherical sounds, 2 recognized songs one being Frozen (banger), overall ok.
Before today, I had actually never listened to this album. Sure, I was familiar with the title track, but everything else was new to me. Sitting here in 2024, I can see the importance of this album, insofar as Madonna using her brand to bring electronica into the mainstream, but this confirms what I assumed when I heard the title track back in 1998: she was headed in a direction I was unwilling to follow. In fact, knowing what I know now, I'd say this "ray of darkness" is the very harbinger of the overproduced garbage that has been the Top 40 ever since the turn of the century. In that "light", Madonna is responsible for the destruction of modern music. I jest, of course, but this album DOES kick off what I dislike most about today's music. At any rate, there were a few nice moments on here (i.e. the ones without the clubby drum machines), but I, personally, didn't care much for it. Still, I'll give her credit for being the trailblazing queen she is.
Jodå, hon kan hon.
bizarre and cool, though it wont stick in my mind like other madonna hits
I am not a fan of Madonna but I certainly get why this albums is on the list, it’s iconic, good production, her voice “fits” the overall tone of the album. If I were to complain about something it’s probably the length, 1h6m feels too much
I always think of Ray of Light from this album, but there were two other singles that I hadn't even thought of since the '90s.
It was fine I guess
This was the second time I’ve ever listened to this album. It sounds nice but it’s just so boring
better than i expected but i’m not sure how much of that is due to madonna
I quite liked this, it's actually really solid pop. Madonna has a beautiful voice, and that + good pop composition is just kind of tough to screw up. She occasionally tries. The worst moments are when the CD strays from that formula. "Shanti.." for example is a blunder. But when they're on, with fast thumping beats and Madonna pushing her register, it just clicks. I especially liked "Sky Fits Heaven", which might be the most poppy song on there, and I was surprised it did not have the playcount of some of the hits. There's a bit of a 60s feel on here too, it's kind of tough to put a finger on though. There's some drone-like sequences that sound a bit like raga. Moody synth plus slapping backbeat always sounds vaguely psychedelic. And the guitar tone, where it's used (e.g. on the title track) is always kind of jangly, Rickenbacker-esque.
I like the vibe, but a little of it went a long way.
Dang, this album is SO 90's. I really enjoy a lot of the musical arrangements and backing tracks. Most of the songs are not really standouts for me though, except for Ray of Light and I actually found Mer Girl really intriguing as well. Don't know if it's one I'll come back to though.
A fine album but Ray of Light is the only song that really stands out to me. In general I consider Madonna and most dance artists as singles artists more than album artists. The modern digital format actually benefits them because most of their fans only want the one or two radio/club hits anyway. I’ve noticed she has leaned hard into the singles and remix strategy for the past 20 years and that seems like a good strategy.
Sounds exactly like the time it was released, which I guess is what I expect from Madonna (the cynic in me suspects she was a serial bandwagon-jumper, but maybe that’s unfair - presumably some of the time she helped set the trend, too?) Despite sounding dated, I don’t think it’s aged badly. There are few standout moments but equally nothing offended me, and it’s certainly got a cohesive sound. I’m more likely to revisit this album than Like A Prayer so I’ll give it a slightly higher score: 3 / 3.5
My second Madonna album on this list. The first I can understand, not only was it a smash hit, it helped define a generation. This one however is just not on that tier. I appreciate that this was a radically different sound for Madonna, and that her vocal range is a lot better than earlier albums, so I guess it's on the list for those reasons. Ultimately though, this just isn't an album for me.
Pretty good. Easy pop listening. Not the irritating gay-icon Madonna that is my default (uncharitable) impression of her. If I'd heard this album as a kid, I definitely could imagine it would inspire nostalgic vibes. "Swim" especially. I also like what she does with lyrics in "Candy Perfume Girl."
Got progressively weirder as it went
It’s okay - just okay - early career was so much better
Got some decent songs but overall not a patch on her first 3/4 albums
Got to give Madonna her due - she always knew how to jump on a trend. This is her late 90’s electro pop period and probably the last decent album she made.
Meh
The 90s was the decade of grunge, britpop, acid house, girl power and a whole other bunch, but this sound is what I consider to the the defining style, where pop producers got a bit more involved, so ultimately this was pretty good.
It's alright I guess. Not my favorite Madonna album, but it's a chill listen.
Started off better than it finished for sure.
Not terrible
this album flows from pretty damn cool, to good bad, to lowkey bad bad in such a seamless way that you can’t help but respect it. i want to give it a low 4 but there were more bad bad songs than cool ones so we’ll go high 3
Rating: 6/10 I respect the artistic change for this album: a lot more ambient and soothing production than her other albums. The problem is that it is way too long and there are not many memorable choruses.
Really? Greatest 1001 ever. Yes, on the one hand you have an absolute pop legend combining with one of the greatest producers of the era. Ray of Light itself is an absolute STORMER of a track that means this gets a minimum 3 stars. The other single I remember "Frozen" is pretty special too. But the rest, the rest........................ I just don't see why you would include this when you could have picked, say, Mezzanine by Massive Attach, Elliot Smith's XO or, presumably, any number of other albums from around the world. 3 stars for "pop legend produces career reinvigorating absolute banger"