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1 46847-2 01 W2306 *M3 S6 Ray of Light is the seventh studio album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on February 22, 1998, by Maverick Records. A major stylistic and aesthetic departure from her previous works, Ray of Light reflected the singer's embrace of Kabbalah, study of Hinduism and Buddhism, and daily practice of Ashtanga yoga. Madonna began developing Ray of Light with producers Babyface and Patrick Leonard following the birth of her first child, Lourdes Leon. After those sessions failed to produce the direction she wanted, Madonna adopted a new musical approach with English producer William Orbit. Its recording process was the longest of Madonna's career and was frequently delayed by problems with Orbit's hardware setup, which repeatedly broke down and required repairs. Ray of Light's electronica, trip hop, techno-pop, and new-age production features instrumentation such as dense analog synthesizers and electric guitars. Its introspective themes include fame, spirituality, motherhood, and enlightenment. Six singles supported the album, with "Frozen" topping the charts of nine countries worldwide, "Ray of Light" becoming Madonna's highest-debuting song on the US Billboard Hot 100, and "The Power of Good-Bye" achieving top-ten chart success throughout Europe. Ray of Light topped the charts in 17 countries and received multi-platinum certifications across the Americas, Europe, and the Asia–Pacific region. Debuting at number two on the US Billboard 200, it yielded the highest first-week sales for a woman at the time. It was further promoted with the Drowned World Tour, her first tour in eight years and the highest-grossing solo tour of 2001. Ray of Light has sold over 16 million copies worldwide. On release, Ray of Light received universal acclaim from music critics, who praised Madonna's musical reinvention, introspective songwriting, and mature vocal performances, as well as Orbit's innovative and cohesive production. The album won four of its six nominations at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Album. Retrospectively, the album has been recognized for popularizing electronica in popular music and reaffirming Madonna's relevance at 39 years old, at a time when the industry was largely dominated by major teen-focused artists. Regarded as a pop music classic, Ray of Light is often called Madonna's magnum opus and is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.