Ray of Light in the context of "Madonna"

Music is the eighth studio album by American singer Madonna, released on September 18, 2000, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records. Following the success of her previous album Ray of Light (1998), Madonna found herself in a music scene increasingly influenced by a younger generation of singers such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. This led her to seek a distinctive sound that would set her apart in the evolving musical landscape. Her collaborations with Mirwais Ahmadzaï and William Orbit resulted in a more experimental direction for the album. Music incorporates many different genres into its overall dance-pop and electronica vibe, taking influences from funk, house, techno, rock, country, folk and R&B. With the album embracing a western motif, Madonna reimagined her image in the role of a cowgirl.

Music received acclaim from music critics, with many comparing its production to Ray of Light. The album earned a total of five Grammy Award nominations, winning one for Best Recording Package at the 43rd ceremony. The record was a commercial success, selling four million copies in its first ten days of release. Music also topped the album charts in Australia, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It additionally became the 19th best-selling album of 2001 with a total of over 11 million copies sold worldwide, and received multi-platinum certifications in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

"Frozen" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna from her seventh studio album, Ray of Light (1998). Maverick and Warner Bros. Records released it as the album's lead single on January 23, 1998. "Frozen" was written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, who both produced it in collaboration with William Orbit. The downtempo electronica and pop ballad, which has a layered sound enhanced by synthesizers and strings, lyrically addresses a cold and emotionless man.

"Frozen" received acclaim from music critics, some of whom deemed it as a highlight from Ray of Light. The song was described as being a masterpiece, and its melodic beat and sound were defined as "cinematic". "Frozen" was also a global commercial success. In the United States, it became Madonna's sixth single to peak at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, "Frozen" became Madonna's first single to debut at number one on the UK Singles Chart, while also reaching number one in Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Scotland and Spain, and the top-five elsewhere.