Ray of Light - Madonna's peak?

[@martijnstrik2651]

The late 90s really did have some great music, commercially and artisticly, Janet's Velvet Rope, Mariah's Butterfly and Madonna's Ray of light.

[@jonnyharvey]

So true - and those albums were released within a six month period. A golden age for music 😀

[@martijnstrik2651]

@@jonnyharvey yeah and almost forgot about Lauryn Hill's album also from 98

[@PinoyPotterhead]

My album trifecta. 👍🏽

[@goku9791]

the holy trinity

[@CustardCream22]

So many iconic albums came from that era. I still listen to them all today

[@chathamcrescent]

Ray of Light never gets old-it is brilliant, and is one of my most worn-out albums (always will be!) Also, her next release “Music” was fantastic, especially “Don’t tell me”, the dance mix of “What it feels like for a girl”, and “Nobody’s Perfect”. “Confessions on a dance floor” is also amazing CLASSIC dance record that is probably my favorite or second favorite of all Madonna’s albums.

[@jonnyharvey]

ROL is my favourite too. Never got into Music though

[@kirbygo3569]

This era is truly one of the best for Madonna, both critical and commercial high, im hoping the queen could have another come back ❤

[@jonnyharvey]

yes me too 🤞🤞🤞

[@beachstreet101]

Yeah I’ve always felt Madonna’s greatest era was the Ray of Light through Confessions on a Dance Floor. She was great before of course, but she was iconic by the time she was older and doing the classier stuff.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yeah I think I’d agree - she really came into her own during those years

[@5928N]

Me too!

[@jovrien]

Now that I’m older (34!) I just realized how incredibly talented Madonna is. I grew up in the 90s and 2000s thinking she was a bit overrated as she seemed peerless (I was a hardcore Brit stan back then who also loved Xtina’s Stripped) but now, oh wow. I could not even begin to describe how much I adore her as an artist. Material Girl? A pop culture obelisk. Rain music video? From a long time ago yet still feels far into the future. Ray of Light era? An album I would like the extraterrestrials to hear. Confessions era? As beautiful as the album cover. Celebration song and music video and What it feels like remix are two of her songs that take me high lol. Idk. I wish her and Cher to live up to 100 years or more 😆

[@jonnyharvey]

I know there is so many great songs, video, performance to delve into. She’s created such a great body of work.

[@AmosAmerica]

"pop culture obelisk"??? Love that! Right on @Jovrien Jon!

[@jovrien]

@@AmosAmerica 🥂🩵

[@c.rambaldi6788]

True Blue. I was 15 and lucky enough to live trough that period. She was just everywhere. You couldn’t escape from her charisma. I remember her image in so many magazines especially in the months of July/August/ September before her 1987 concert in Turin where I lived. That day was amazing. I waited 12 hours outside that stadium. I ended about 10 meters from the stage. I will never forget the feeling. ❤️

[@michaelconnolly7681]

Ray of Light was a phenomenal record. I did prefer Confessions on a dancefloor but Ray of Light was amazing, especially at the time it came out and she was always surprising us all. It was also very impressive that she called Chris Cunningham to direct Frozen after seeing Come to Daddy. Ray of Light is one of Madonna's most important records and thank you for your video all about the record. Its a great thorough video.

[@jonnyharvey]

Thanks for your kind words. Madonna videos are the hardest to do cause she’s covered so much ground & worked with so many ppl, so that’s nice to hear 😀

[@zafnatpaneaj4992]

Ray of Light is the best Madonna's era so far. Just perfection in every way from beggining to end...! Greetings from Buenos Aires...!

[@jonnyharvey]

Agreed 👍

[@janisbackhaus1829]

I was born in 05 and I slightly knew the song Ray of Light and Frozen. I started to get into her discography and I am shocked. It’s so good. I can’t decide which one is my favorite, since I also love Music and American Life

[@jonnyharvey]

You’re so lucky 😀😀 All that great music to discover & explore. Happy listening

[@moonyeah4560]

Great vidéo !! I wish there was a mention about shanti / ashtangi because NO ANY POPSTAR HAS DONE such tracks, let’s face it it’s unique and never seen before. She’s a genius that we like it or not. The song is a prayer / mantra that opens the ashtanga yoga lessons ! And she did the closing one with cyberraga for the music album ! William told me on Instagram one day that Madonna wanted something hot for the production of that track ! She even took sanskrit lessons to perform it ! she was also doing lounge music before it became wildly popular with the hôtel costes serie for exemple ! She even got a remix of her track « what It feels like for a girl » by Stephane pompougnac ! She was hanging out in the costes at that time. She’s fascinating to me people don’t realize how important she is. People should really praise her she opened the way for so much things and artists that they enjoy these days. She’s above the pioneer level same as MJ !

[@jonnyharvey]

Thanks for telling me that about William Orbit and Shanti/Ashtangi - I didn't know that 😀

[@BlueSix100]

I think she has had many great eras - something not many artists can ever achieve in their careers. She was on peak form during the True Blue and Like a Prayer eras however there was something distinctly special about Ray of Light. When she released Ray of Light is was sonically so different to anything anyone was releasing at the time - it was the perfect sonic fusion of trip hop, ambient, trance, dance and pop. I will always remember the day I first bought the CD before the day of release and how I excitedly got home and played it in my bedroom in the dark - I was truly awe struck and mesmerised unlike anything I’d ever heard before due to the textures and intricacy of the production and her improved vocal skills. It made me appreciate music in a completely new way thanks to Orbit’s mad genius approach to production. It sounded so fresh and innovative - here she was at the cutting edge of music where she belonged! It was a true comeback for her as the masses embraced her once again as the rightful Queen of Pop. Every single track on that album is superb from start to finish with zero fillers unlike previous efforts and the video singles were astonishingly good so as to visually compliment the beauty of the music. Ray of Light is one of those moments where Madonna’s innate gift for creating iconic and beautiful imagery was the perfect companion to the quality and substance of the music. It’s here that she truly cemented her place in pop culture as not only the Queen of Pop but the Queen of Reinvention.

[@jonnyharvey]

Thanks for this. Yes I remember buying ROL too - I’d never heard anything like it before. But at it’s core it was still a pop record but sonically so innovative.

[@tfatphvt]

Great mini doc on the Queen!!!

[@shepardwilde4701]

The music era was so good too …1987 too of course … her career is so rich and so exciting since 1982 …no one else has this career ..

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes she's covered so much ground - such a rich and diverse career.

[@DiscografiaBR]

Erotica and Justify my Love are the most original/genius Madonnas's videos. Love them!

[@jonnyharvey]

I think I read that ‘JML’ is Madonna’s favourite video of her own 😀

[@DiscografiaBR]

@@jonnyharvey Also, What It Feels Like for a Girl, Frozen and The Power of Love. Awesome!

[@DiscografiaBR]

@@jonnyharvey Also, what It Feels Like for a Girl, Frozen and The Power of Good-Bye. Awesome!

[@RogueWJL]

Erotica album is a masterpiece

[@irina1296]

I'm so happy this album exists! Honestly, it's not even in my Top 5 Favorite Madonna Albums but it's the most important album in her career. I love Frozen but The Power of Goodbye is by far my favorite song here. Sky Fits Heaven should have been a single too

[@ardikapradnya7040]

This album was released when i was in 3rd grade. I was immediately obsessed with it!!! As a child i asked my mom to buy me this album and i was listening to it from beginning to end, not even understanding the lyrics as i didn't speak any English yet. I remember even my school friends couldn't relate with me because i was in only in 3rd grade of elementary school, listening to Madonna. My mom had the Something to Remember album so she liked Madonna too.

[@jonnyharvey]

Wow - great musical tastes for sb so young. STR is probably my favourite second Madonna album, although it is a hit collection 😀

[@ddjr6673]

Fantastic video thank you - William Orbit is a great guy met him many years ago when clubbing in London. Loved his Madonna stories - he always spoke respectfully of her and her musical intelligence, work ethic and sense of humour

[@jonnyharvey]

Cheers - thank you 🙏 I’m so jealous you met William Orbit

[@thomasblocker7362]

I'd also like to add that she had something to say which is the most important part of being an artist. Her daughter brought new life experience. I hope she can tune back into that frequency again.

[@melisagalvalizi6982]

she has lost herself with all the wacky behaviour and plastic surgery

[@Nabhan82]

Definitely the best era, great music, great visuals (All 5 videos are fantastic) and commercially it did incredibly well for her.

[@jonnyharvey]

Couldn't agree more!

[@Bernhard2024]

Her best era ever was TRUE BLUE era 1986/87. That was her Golden Age. The album hit #1 in 28 countries, it went ton to become the best selling album of 1986 and it also was the best selling female album of the 1980s. All her 5 singles from that album went on to hit Top 5 in US and UK with in both markets 3 singles went to hit #1. All 5 singles hit #1 at the United World chart. The Album remained at #1 for 32 weeks in a row at the European Album Chart. She sold over 25 million records. She never was that successful with an album in her entire career. I don`t know if you were born at that time, but Madonna absolutley nailed the 80s.

[@markomarko4746]

I would not put it better than you did. Just one more thing, in 1987. she did a stadium tour in US, Japan and Europe that not one female singer had before and would not have in decades after that. P.S. Tina Turner did stadiums in Europe only.

[@jonnyharvey]

Thanks for all those stats. I was alive in the 80s but too young to remember unfortunately

[@SonnyRussell00]

It’s her most commercially successful era. Ray of Light is her most critically successful era. Confessions is a mix of both commercial and critical success but doesn’t match either era.

[@markomarko4746]

@@SonnyRussell00 with True Blue she was really at the top of the world. Who gives a damn about critics?!

[@SonnyRussell00]

@@markomarko4746 Madonna did at that stage in her career. Ray of Light was her first major comeback

[@MyLifeChronicles.]

Yes, this and for me the best ever was Confessions, the album and the tour, absolutely mesmerising

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes a lot of fans say that

[@telfarbebe6737]

Fav era has to be ray of light to music! Such an intelligent, aesthetic and self aware era. Ray of light is musical perfection and is an album many artists wish they could have made, for a comeback non the less

[@jonnyharvey]

Agreed. My favourite Madonna album ever also

[@fluffmcpuffles2686]

I remember getting a hitclip player as a child in the very early 2000s. ray of light was one of the songs i got for it. i never truly appreciated that little snippet of the song until now at 23. ive listened to this whole album so many countless times now and its such a magnificent piece of art. it makes my soul happy to hear her sing along with the mesmerizing sounds. there are not enough words to describe how amazing and special every single track is. ill never not be praising this masterpiece.

[@jonnyharvey]

It really is a masterpiece - the perfect pop record. I still listen to it all the time.

[@Jazlow]

I was really surprised back then that neither Frozen or the Ray of Light single hit number one on the billboard Hot 100 chart. Simply two of her greatest singles of all time. I would say that ROL was artistically Madonna's greatest era but, for me, Confessions on a Dancefloor is her greatest album. If you want to see one of Madonna's greatest vocal performances of all time, check out her appearance on the Oprah show (yes the Oprah show) when she performed Ray of Light flawlessly. (Quick clip at the 17:45 mark). It's must see Madonna TV!

[@jonnyharvey]

I remember that interview well - I think she came across brilliantly. I will have to go back & look at that performance. Frozen probably didn't get to no.1 in the US cause there is so much airplay politics involved and it couldn't be played on loads of different (r'n'b etc) stations & slower songs don't tend to be as radio friendly(I think, maybe I'm wrong)?

[@pbohearn]

Thank you for such a insightful and articulate review of “Ray of light,” I agree. It was an incredible album with so many highlights. I really liked, “what it feels like for a girl,” and would vote it as her best album. I also really like “music”and “rebel heart.”

[@jonnyharvey]

Thanks! You mean ‘Music’ was your favourite Madonna album?

[@tyson3577]

This is an incredibly well written and produced piece. So well put! Thank you :)

[@jonnyharvey]

cheers, thank you 😀 It was one of the first videos I made so hopefully I've improved since then.

[@Gen_X_Rosey]

When I first heard this song and saw the video, I was 22 and pregnant. When I saw "Madonna" at the end of the video, I was like, "NOOOOOO!!!" It was such a departure from her usual look and sound, and she was the prettiest I had ever seen her up to that point. I didn't recognize her! And her voice had evolved more because of the training she had gotten for the movie Evita, so, there was that too. It was just so different!

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes it quite a transformation visually & vocally

[@never152]

This video is great. Love the detail and the letter between her and Patrick Leonard is fascinating. I still think Like a Prayer is her best album. That is her and Patrick Leonard's statement. I think the songs themselves stand up better than those on ray of light - especially like a prayer song which is probably one of the best pop songs of all time (album version!!)

[@jonnyharvey]

Thank you😀🙏

[@meropale]

Yes, Like a Prayer is likely her best album which is saying a lot as she has so many great ones. Before that she was a pop star but here is where I felt she proved her artistry.

[@markstar6056]

Its a wonderful album and i still listen to it regularly

[@jonnyharvey]

Same 😀

[@svveetalina]

Found your channel in a russian fan account. Wow, the videos are really great! Thank you💜

[@jonnyharvey]

Glad you like them! 😀🙏

[@AmosAmerica]

Fantastic Post! You have a new subscriber. Also, kudo to Orlando for her Ray of Light hairstyles!

[@jonnyharvey]

thank you 😀 Was Orlando her hairstylist at the time?

[@AmosAmerica]

@@jonnyharvey Yes. And for several years afterward. I am not sure if he is still with her, but I can ask.

[@AmosAmerica]

@Jonny Harvey - Update/Correction. Orlando worked with her for years, but his last work with her was for this album cover session.

[@deitramadison]

Ray of Light captivated my whole entire life at age 19. When I started college, I began anew just like her. And I lived my life in New York City just like her.

[@jonnyharvey]

And I think that’s the age Madonna moved to NYC 😀

[@AriesPrince-os7ks]

You nailed it again dude

[@jonnyharvey]

Thank you 😀

[@2high83]

Liked this video within the first 6 seconds.

[@jonnyharvey]

😀🙏

[@veryeyeofnight]

We need the 10 minute version of Ray of Light released ❗

[@greenbjorkkk]

One of my favorites 💙💙💙

[@jonnyharvey]

absolute quality 😀

[@rebelblue]

I absolutely adore Madonna, Ray of Light is one of my favorite albums of all times and my fave album by Madonna next to Erotica❤

[@leonquiet4768]

Best Madonna's era for me as fun, joy, and light is The virgin tour, True blue, You can dance, best artistic era, Blond ambition, Like a prayer album, Evita, Ray of light. When she was at her best shape and more beautiful, Confessions tour . Greatest tours, The Conffessions tour, Blond ambition.

[@luigicraveiro]

i just discovered your channel and it's absolutely amazing, i'm gonna have some days binge watching them, please make more deep dives into albuns and eras like the erotica and this one, would love a Music(the album) one, keep going!!

[@jonnyharvey]

thank you so much Luigi 😀😀😀

[@highland_persuasion]

90s Madonna was the best. Her best, boldest, most mature, and diverse work was released during that era, and her image shifts and videos were also most impressive and stunning then. They didn't sell as much as she did in the previous decade, but her artistic statements were most heard during the 90s.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes her output was more interesting and there were more alternative influences, whilst still remaining pop. The perfect combination IMHO

[@Kevin-1969]

Ray of Light was one of her best Albums for sure. For me her best era was 1982 up to and including Live to Tell. Her look for me was a big part of me wanting yo buy her music which was awesome in this era. Madonna was stunning in at the Live Aid concert. I was disappointed with True Blue, the bleached cut short hair.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes 82-86 was an incredible era 🙌🙌

[@Kevin-1969]

@@jonnyharvey yep, I agree Johnny, I found her intoxicating then, I was mesmerised when I watched her aged 16 on TV at Live Aid with the auburn hair. I was buying her music at every turn, Borderline, Like A Virgin, Into The Groove, Gambler, Dress You Up, then a few months later Live To Tell. Then the shock of Pappa Dont Preach I went right of her, for me and it’s only my opinion, her best music and images are here.

[@lft3636]

That album is one of the best album that I bought, next to Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrissette. And I still have it in cassette form.

[@smithnatalie4803]

Ray of Light is her come back album 🎉

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes and what a comeback it was 😀

[@sheisveryfamous]

I love these videos

[@jonnyharvey]

Thank you so much 🙏😀

[@walkerpantera]

im really enjoying your M vids. ive loved her since i was a teen in the 80s but admittedly as ive aged, shes worn off. im gonna have to give this album another listen. i bought it back then but only really played the Ray of Light track. At that time, if M wasnt being raunchy sexy i wasnt interested. So of course when Music hit the scene my M enthusiasm went thru the roof, GREAT album, i LOVE that whole album. now that im 50+ im gonna go back and listen to Ray of Light in full and will probably enjoy it much more with older ears and way more insight, thanks to your vids. 😊

[@jonnyharvey]

Oh thank you. My Ray of light video looks kinda rough now - I did it at the beginning of the channel, so I think I’ve improved a lot 😀

[@adam17ification]

I found Madonna in this album..since then I always big fans collect everything about her so yeah this album have big impact in her career ..

[@jonnyharvey]

Yeah this is the album that made me a fan

[@RVS-fq4wh]

Her best era for me: 1. Vogue/ The Blonde Ambition. This is the time where she became the world's Queen of Pop, challenged Michael Jackson for creativity and innovation and kicked out her rivals in the USA: Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson. 2. True Blue. This is the era where the public considered her as a serious artist, kicked out her rivals Cyndi Lauper, proved to the public that the critics are wrong about her to not last long. Her album became #1 in the European charts for 34 weeks!!! 3. Ray of Light. As explained in your video 4. Confessions on a Dancefloor. This is the era where she solidified her queenly status to the world, as in everyone in the world.....except USA (who are still crazy about Mariah's silly and shallow artistry). Her album became #1 in 40 countries, her lead single Hung Up was #1 in 41 countries, and her tour became the best selling tour by a solo artist (during that time)....all of which are in the Guinness Book of Records. 5. Hard Candy/ Sticky & Sweet Tour. Now this is the era that Madonna became the best selling solo artist of all time in the whole world, beating out her own Confessions tour.

[@Ernie1978]

I prefer her "True Blue" era. It was flawless in every possible way!

[@leightonbate7516]

In a word yes,it's her creative peak,she worked with the right people at just the right time,Frozen is to me an absolute masterpiece,since this album i've found her albums bar Confessions lacking that one song that grips you.

[@jonnyharvey]

I love Frozen. I listen to it all the time

[@dkwak101]

I worked on a movie set with a bunch of tough union guys. During transpo we would listen to Ray of LIght. "dude. this is the first time I bought an album by Madonna" said the driver. You shouldve seen this guy. tough dude.

[@jonnyharvey]

thanks for sharing that - yes Ray of light really crossed over. Even the hard-nosed critics loved that record. It appealed to people who weren't really into dance-pop Madonna.

[@andiolaim]

I had no idea that Ray of Light (the song) was basically a cover song. Both great songs/versions though!

[@jonnyharvey]

Yeah I didn’t know that either until I started researching the video

[@cesarcamacho2643]

In my opinion her best era was the first one. From Holiday to Dress You Up.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes the first two albums were pretty epic 🙌🙌

[@blushslice]

I cannot even explain how much I love this album and era ❤

[@RogueWJL]

The best era was from Like A Prayer to Erotica. Absolutely incredible and untouchable

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes those were the imperial years

[@israelalvarez4884]

I wasn't alive at that time, but for waht i've seen the most dominant era for her was, 1983 to 1991

[@grzegorz8966]

Ray of Light - Best all songs, Best all videos, Best outtakes & demos, Best pictures. I still ❤️ )|(

[@atlantidaunderground]

Hard to say... I seem to prefer her 80s stuff more and think her peak was in the early 90s around the time she did the Blonde Ambition tour, her 90s albums sound more mature, mellow, sad and somewhat classy... Ray of Light is a great record and era as well but also think that the Music and Confessions eras were iconic and more fun again... I struggle to keep up with her newer records and eras though.

[@jonnyharvey]

yes a lot of fans say that.

[@analogworld7]

Great I’ve discovered your channel…. madonna ❤🔥

[@jonnyharvey]

😀🙏

[@elanasmusic]

Incredible album!

[@ms.carriage6867]

Ray of Light and Confessions showed what Madonna can do when she's not so obsessed with chasing youth and trying too hard to be sexy and provocative. I wish she'd have followed this more mature fun side in her music instead of regressing to type. She's now more a bad Madonna impersonator than Madonna 😵‍💫 😵‍💫

[@melissamissingchriscornell2513]

Not sure about era (Blonde Ambition era she was on top of the world) but definitely, in my opinion, her best & most beautiful album (Ray of Light), vocally & musically

[@petewinslowofficial]

She brought her Kabbalah and Eastern religious philosophy to the mainstream and did it tastefully, there’s just no album like it

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes Madge always stayed ahead of the trends

[@HoangLe-tr2rn]

9:51 i kidda want a rays of light 10 minutes version tho ngl

[@jonnyharvey]

Omg yes that would be incredible 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌There must be some mixes which are 10 minutes.

[@senorgato70]

Ray of LIght was certainly a great time period for Madonna. I feel she finally was getting the critical acclaim that she was "robbed" of early in her career. But she didn't achieve any #1 songs during this era and while the album sold well, it didn't reach the heights of LAV or TB. With that said, I think Madonna's truly best era was the one-two punch of True Blue and Like A Prayer. Her sales and chart performances were at their peak. Papa Don't Preach, Live To Tell, and Like A Prayer are three of the most legendary pop songs ever, not to mention Open Your Heart and Express Yourself. But she never got the critical recognition she deserved. Both albums should have been nominated for every award. LTT and LAP should have been nominated for every Song and Record of the Year.

[@jonnyharvey]

Really agree on that last point. LAP has to be one of the greatest pop songs ever written. TB was her commercial peak & ROL was her creative/critical acclaim peak

[@nadarmusaaussie]

Best era..every months yhere is artist with hits...

[@jdax21]

I love Ray of Light, but I also think the album Music and its videos were fantastic, too.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes Music is a classic 😀

[@omarsocias1330]

Erotica, Bedtime Stories, Ray of light, American Life and Confessions on the Dance floor are masterpieces. For me, Madonna died after 2007. And someone left a decadent alter ego who's aging in despair for relevance and is sad.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes I love all those albums

[@veryeyeofnight]

Like a Prayer is not "controversial". It was her most acclaimed record at the time, consciously eschewing bubblegum synth pop for a more classic and adult sound and image; her grandest artistic statement to my mind (just call the grandiose music video to mind, an intersection of the political, religious ecstasy and childhood). Ray of Light has actually quite a similar approach of the personal and the spiritual. It's much more cryptic lyrically, and informed by the electronica soundscape of 90s European trip hop.

[@jonnyharvey]

I meant the 'Like A prayer' video- that was controversial. And that video and single launched the album. The album itself, wasn't controversial no.

[@impopquiz]

She has many best eras but ROL was the most transformative.

[@bsquared4604]

Erotica had a top 10 (Deeper and Deeper) and a top 20 single (Rain) and sold 6 Millions copies worldwide. At the time she seemed to be as ubiquitous as she ever was and didn't really lose much traction in her career.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yeah commercially things were going okay but there was so much bad publicity around her at the time

[@miguel-h]

At that time, the world was not prepared to handle Madonna. It was all very scandalous!

[@pbohearn]

I love “rain” especially in the music video. Her teeth on “fever” also was on the erotica album.

[@January_baby123]

Can you do one about her album Music from 2000

[@jonnyharvey]

I will do it at some point

[@Jettypilelegs]

Can we have a vid about her Music album?

[@jonnyharvey]

I’d love to do one - what angle should I take?

[@Jettypilelegs]

@@jonnyharvey it rode the momentum into respect for her musicianship, and commercial success, created by Ray of Light, and carried forward the softer, more accessible image. It also took itself less seriously than ROL which I think was a genuine reflection of where she was in her personal life, and people warmed to the funnier, seemingly more self aware and tongue in cheek Madonna. She started displaying that more humorous persona with the Beautiful Stranger video and it was camped up to 11 in the Music video with Ali G. I’d be interested to hear your take on all that and how it solidified her comeback, and where she was in her own life, happily married and having a baby. It seemed weird that she destroyed that success with her next album American Life, but actually if we take into account that she was at that time pretending to be an English lady of the manor and all the pretentiousness that came with it it’s not so surprising. She just slipped back into the thing that puts a lot of people off about her-that she’s out of touch. But that’s another video altogether! 😄 Guy Ritchie said of the relationship souring that she stopped being fun, she took the Kabbalah too seriously and “felt she was on some mission to save the world”. But I’m a cat person for exactly the same reasons I’m a Madonna person, no fucks are given for our opinion and we live in their world. I was lucky to be a teenager when she first hit the scene and have been able to follow the arc of her career from the beginning. I love Madam X, this is what happens when she’s stopped chasing notoriety or relevance and just experiments with whatever the hell music she wants. As a musician myself I appreciate the boldness. But again, that’s another whole video! I’ve only just found your channel but I’m going to keep you in work for some time now. 🤣

[@lolachiconila7650]

i have to subscribe you . U re good :)

[@jonnyharvey]

thank you😀

[@SabaSaliba]

And to think such brilliance pre-internet world.

[@jonnyharvey]

😀

[@lolachiconila7650]

OMG this was my favorite era by far Madonna looked demure and music was just fantastic. Everything start from Oprah's promo "kinder , gentler Diva is back" M rediscovering herself etc. it was just Perfection The only 1 thing i didn't get it "Nothing really matters" 1 of my fav songs didn't chart well IMO Radios already start the thing "too old for my station bs"

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes I love ‘NRM’. Maybe cause it was the 5th single, radio ignored it. I love that Oprah Ray of Light special 😀

[@Keibro]

I only came to appreciate Erotica and Bedtime Stories in my late 30s. Its a shame the barrage of negative attention overshadowed some great music. I was a kid growing up during Madonna's first run. By the time of 1997 I was 15 and became a huge fan of her after Ray of Light. From here on I became aware of Madonna as an artist instead of the 80s popstar who was on the radio when I was a kid.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yeah same. I only got into Bedtime Stories in the last few years & now it’s one of my favourite albums ever. I got into Madonna too in 98. ROL made me a fan.

[@richardjamesrochardt7573]

0:26 Erotica and Bedtime Stories were so underrated, but Ray Of Light followed these up perfectly!

[@jonnyharvey]

yes I love all three of those albums. ROL is my favourite Madonna album ever and Bedtimes Stories is my second.

[@richardjamesrochardt7573]

@Here's Jonny the buzz around ROL was amazing!! Frozen was a total 180 degree turn, direction-wise. Bedtime Stories IMO fits perfectly between the Erotica and ROL albums. The 90's is her apex to me. The trip-hop influence of new songs on Something to Remember still gives me chills. Never really liked her Evita era but even those songs rate highly in the 90's

[@marcobenneti9664]

Absolutamente. Ray of light was her last album. No doubt about it.

[@jonnyharvey]

A classic - my favourite Madonna album

[@francesopintore2073]

She had one last peak: the Confessions era. Artistically yes, maybe it was Ray of Light (alongside with the Like a Prayer era)

[@ayalacar]

Me encanta todo! El informe es excelente! Soy muy muy fanático de @Madonna y mi fanatismo es hacia su arte, este disco es una no de los mejores con Erótica ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jonnyharvey]

Thanks you so much!!! Gracias 🙏 😀

[@Rossion64]

Took me a long time to get to like Ray of Light. I had to listen to it many times before I could like it tbh. I like it now though. For me though, Bedtime Stories was a peak

[@jonnyharvey]

Those are my two favourite Madonna albums

[@meropale]

Like a Prayer was her peak, although she's had several. It's my favorite album of hers.

[@jonnyharvey]

LAP is a classic

[@thomasblocker7362]

Is it the album or the two singles Frozen and Ray of Light that had the most impact though?

[@jonnyharvey]

I think I might the entire project - Ray of Light & the singles from it collectively

[@rootsandpots5841]

I agree 180% ray of light is an amazing album! The best one yet!

[@montecarlostar]

I don't think this was her best era, though it certainly was a highlight. Nothing can top her 80's, which were what turned her into the global icon we know and love. Although there are some great tracks in this album, there are also some pretty slow and boring songs, especially towards the end. I personally prefer Bedtime Stories to this.

[@jonnyharvey]

Bedtime Stories is my second favourite Madonna album - I listen to it all the time

[@nadarmusaaussie]

Frozen is my first video I know Madonna

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes Ray of Light was when I got into Madonna too

[@dylanthuong2600]

For me it’s too hard to choose . All of her are good doesn’t matter what era . It’s her songs that really got me hooked . Her songs have meanings . And I really like songs with meanings.

[@jonnyharvey]

I know she’s had so many great eras

[@rebeccapetty1k390]

Yes that was her greatest Era.. I am not fan of Madonna but anything related to Ray of light I'd support it... She sang beautifully she was vulnerable and sweet.. The outfits she wore.. Well. I think it is because I am into Gothic subculture and that's why my favorite video of hers is frozen... But I am disappointed in her how she turned out very immature in 2022 I hope she does an album like Ray of light

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes ROL is my favourite Madonna era

[@torquettalk]

I even remember that medoner cartoon here on youtube saying the line "I'm still making money from ray of light" lol the best

[@jonnyharvey]

I've never seen that.

[@torquettalk]

@@jonnyharvey it's from the nekci menij show - episode 7

[@Nick-kf3io]

Yes. Yes it is

[@salvatorezapparata3701]

Untill the end SARA SEMBRE NUMERO 1.. MADONNA.💚

[@Blumoon_vii]

Ray of Light had good songs, and I like it

[@jonnyharvey]

It’s my favourite Madonna album ever

[@stephansteinmeyer2748]

Looking back, I would say that her target audience has never been wider than in Ray of Light times. Suddenly she was no longer the idol of teenagers (as with Like a virgin or true blue) or gays, subculture, feminists (as with Justify my love, erotica), but everyone listened to the album: gay and straight, 14 year olds and 40 year olds, pop and electronic fans, young mothers, of course still strongly the gay fans, but it appealed to such a broad audience as never before and after. But I can only speak for Europe. Also the ballads just before and confessions a few years later appealed most strongly to women and gays.

[@jonnyharvey]

thanks for this - that's a good point. I remember a friend saying that to me at the time. She had such broad appeal at the time - that's how she finally won over the critics (and the grammy voters)

[@JB-pl1iu]

Madonna has had way too many iconic eras to choose, but ROL was definitely one of the most triumphant moments in pop music in general.

[@jonnyharvey]

Agreed - it was quality 👌

[@EternalEyeofRa]

I credit Lola for Ray of Light.

[@jonnyharvey]

I think Madonna would too.

[@janetpatterson7915]

Her greatest era was the early 80s! That’s when her career exploded into the main stream. Believe me I know I was there.

[@jonnyharvey]

Yes a lot of fans say that. That’s when she peaked commercially. I will have to do videos on those eras soon.

[@Latino1234latino]

I think her big year was 1985

[@rsswd]

You gotta work on your audio levels Jonny.

[@jonnyharvey]

yes I have - this was one of the first videos I made and I've rectified the situation since then. Also I listened back to this video twice before uploading it and it was fine on my laptop.

[@firouz256]

Sick and tired of people saying: This was Madonnas peak! Bish, how many peaks more do you need to stop saying that? Madonna is a peak in herself. The peak of female pop for her century (and looking at the inferior new pop stars and starlets of today) probably for the next century, too!

[@jonnyharvey]

sorry 😳

[@kitanakahn101]

Madonna )|( ray of light was ahead of its time.

[@AntonioGG2-8420]

Ray of light is Madonna’s magnum opus.