Madonna - Ray of Light
Critic Score
Based on 9 reviews
1998 Ratings: #18 / 113
User Score
1998 Ratings: #14
Liked by 188 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

91
Entertainment Weekly

Throbbing yet meditative, Ray of Light is an adult’s version of dance music, with the dark timbres of Madonna’s nearing-40 voice its resolute center.

90
AllMusic

Her most mature and restrained album, which is an easy achievement to admire, yet not necessarily an easy one to love.

81
Pitchfork
Channeling acid electronica, Kabbalah, and motherhood, Madonna’s 1998 reinvention stripped away the controversy of her past and became one of her most unexpectedly successful albums.
80
Rolling Stone

Ray of Light sums up the best we can expect from Madonna at this late date: overly arty, occasionally catchy, confused, secondhand, infuriating and great fun in spite of herself.

80
Slant Magazine
Orbit's cycles of analog synths and electric guitar licks perfectly supplement the elasticity of Madonna's then-newly-trained vocal chords.
80
NME
This is quite clearly a record with something to prove.
80
Q Magazine

One absolute duffer aside - the faux ethnic Shanti/Ashtangi - it's a daring gambit, proving she's very much alive from the neck up as well as maintaining her concerns with the baser parts of the anatomy.

luvmelancolie
98

Real ARTPOP

boyofmilkyway
100

It's actually very common for artists to reinvent themselves after a long time in the business, you're not going to be up to the same things forever, but some of them may or may not succeed this task. It's 1998 and nothing could stop Madonna from being iconic, not even witchcraft allegations coming towards her lead-single music video, and just some weeks after those hearsay... *boom* a masterpiece is brought up to us: Madonna's seventh studio album, 'Ray of Light'. And it came as one of the ... read more

EduFurlan
100

Madonna em seu magnum opus.

Depois de uma carreira forrada de polêmicas nos anos 80 e começo dos anos 90 seja pelo forte cunho feminista de libertação sexual ou por falar sobre a epidemia de AIDS enquanto a comunidade estadunidense e cristã tentavam esconder a problemática, Madonna volta com seu melhor trabalho de estúdio até o momento, o grandioso Ray of Light.

Carregando o experimentalismo presente em faixas como 'Sanctuary' e 'Bedtime ... read more

100

Unpopular Opinion: This album is so good and it’s better than “Confessions On a Dance Floor”

imMira
90

This album is very soothing, with trippy production that supports the vocals pretty well. Probably my favourite art pop album so far, aside from Bjork's works.

Favourite Track(s): Drowned World / Substitute for Love, Swim, The Power of Good-bye
Least Favourite Track(s): Frozen, Sky Fits Heaven

Coiltrain
93

Это больше чем альбом Мадонны, это один из лучших поп альбомов в истории музыки, спасибо композиторам, музыкантам и аранжировщикам, сказка а не альбом. Этот альбом прям сборник крутых песен, через одну шедевр, причём все разные и сколько тут стилистической вкусноты. И звук ... read more

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Year End Lists

#19/Pitchfork
#21/Paste
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Added on: July 7, 2013