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''Music'' is the eighth studio album by American singer
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
, released on September 18, 2000, by
Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Bure ...
and Warner Bros. Records. Following the success of her previous album '' Ray of Light'' (1998), she intended to embark on a tour. However, her record company encouraged her to return to the studio and record new music before going on the road. Her collaboration with French producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï resulted in a more experimental direction for the album, with additional production from
William Orbit William Mark Wainwright (born 15 December 1956),"William Orbit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 30. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2000. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 7 May 2017. Available onlinvia ''Encyclopedia.com'' known ...
. ''Music'' incorporates many different genres into its overall
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
and
electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to ...
vibe, with influences from
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mi ...
,
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...
, rock,
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
and folk. The album was mostly recorded at Sarm West and East Studios in London, England. Elaborating a
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
theme for the album, Madonna reinvented her image as a
cowgirl A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the ''vaquero'' ...
. ''Music'' received critical acclaim from most critics, who praised Ahmadzaï's unique production. The album earned five
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nominations, ultimately winning one for
Best Recording Package The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer(s), unless the performer is also the art dire ...
given to art director Kevin Reagan. In 2003, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' ranked it at number 452 on their list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The record was also a commercial success, debuting at number one in over 23 countries across the world and selling four million copies in its first ten days of release. In the United States, ''Music'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 with first week sales of 420,000 copies, making it her first album to top the chart in more than a decade since '' Like a Prayer'' (1989). It was certified triple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA) for three million units shipped in the United States and has sold over 11 million copies worldwide. The album was promoted with her concerts at Brixton Academy and
Roseland Ballroom The Roseland Ballroom was a multipurpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's theater district, on West 52nd Street in Manhattan. The venue, according to its website, accommodat ...
, as well as several television performances such as the
2000 MTV Europe Music Awards The 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards were held on 16 November 2000 at the Ericsson Globe, Stockholm. Performers included Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue. The Spice Girls performance was their last before their separ ...
and the
43rd Grammy Awards The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 2001, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Several artists earned three awards on the night. Steely Dan's haul included Album of the Year for '' Two Against Nature''. U2 took ...
. It was also supported by the Drowned World Tour, which grossed over US$75 million, making it the highest-grossing tour by a solo act of 2001 (the fourth overall). Three singles were released from the album. The lead single, "
Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
", topped the record charts in 25 countries worldwide and became Madonna's 12th and most recent number-one hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was followed with another Hot 100 top-five hit " Don't Tell Me" and " What It Feels Like for a Girl" which attained the top-ten position in several countries worldwide. "
Impressive Instant "Impressive Instant" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 2000 studio album ''Music''. Originally intended to be the fourth single of the album, the release was cancelled due to a disagreement between Madonna and her record ...
" was released as a promotional single in the United States, peaking at number one on the
Hot Dance Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...
chart. “Amazing” was also briefly released as a promotional single in Germany, Spain, Italy and Colombia before being withdrawn shortly afterwards.


Background

After the critical and commercial success of her album '' Ray of Light'' (1998), Madonna intended to embark on a new concert tour in 1999, but due to the delay of her film ''
The Next Best Thing ''The Next Best Thing'' is a 2000 American comedy-drama film directed by John Schlesinger (his final feature film before his death in 2003) about two best friends who have a child together and a custody battle years after. Starring Madonna, Rup ...
'', which she started filming in April 1999, the tour was cancelled. In June 1999, Madonna released a song recorded for the film '' Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'', called "
Beautiful Stranger "Beautiful Stranger" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on May 19, 1999, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records as a single from the soundtrack of the film, '' Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me''. Madonna c ...
". It peaked number nineteen on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and received a
Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
at the
42nd Grammy Awards The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1999. Nominations were announced on January 4, 2000. Santana was the main ...
for " Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media". In March 2000, Madonna released a cover version of
Don McLean Donald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1971 hit song " American Pie", an eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early ...
's " American Pie" (1971) as part of the soundtrack of the film ''The Next Best Thing''. The song received mixed reviews, and was a success in European charts. Although not released commercially in the United States, it reached number 29 on the Hot 100 chart due to strong radio airplay. By 2000, she became pregnant with her son Rocco, from her relationship with director Guy Ritchie. Wanting to distract herself from the media frenzy surrounding this news, Madonna concentrated on the development of her eighth studio album, entitled ''Music''. Buoyed by the commercial success of her previous album, she was keen on getting back to the studio to record new music. Madonna was well disposed towards
William Orbit William Mark Wainwright (born 15 December 1956),"William Orbit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 30. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2000. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 7 May 2017. Available onlinvia ''Encyclopedia.com'' known ...
, producer of ''Ray of Light'', but by 2000, his production and sound had become ubiquitous. Also, the music scene was being dominated by a younger generation of singers like
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage producti ...
and
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
, prompting Madonna to look for a distinctive sound within this market. She was then introduced to French DJ and producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï. Madonna instantly liked his pitch-shifting, pulverizing rhythms and his utilization of acid bass in his songs. Ahmadzaï always preferred taking musical risks and hence he wanted the collaborations with Madonna to get out the best from the singer. Before the album was released, Madonna recorded a statement to her fans, stating about the album and Ahmadzaï:
"Hey Mr. DJ, put a record on... Hi, it's Madonna. You've probably been hearing about my new record, ''Music'', for a while. Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew that the single is gonna drop very soon. I worked on it with a French guy named Mirwais, and he is the shit. The album will be released worldwide on September 19, and I hope you like my music."


Development

By September 1999, Madonna had begun working on a new album and had initially approached DJ Sasha to work with her. Together, they began writing new material with what Sasha described as a "progressive house feel." At the same time, Madonna began collaborating again with
William Orbit William Mark Wainwright (born 15 December 1956),"William Orbit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 30. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2000. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 7 May 2017. Available onlinvia ''Encyclopedia.com'' known ...
, who commented that the material was "quite a little edgier than ''Ray of Light''", elaborating that "It's almost like we started off with a lot of slow ballad songs and she's started to kind of chuck 'em out in favor of more edgy tracks. The album is getting more kind of fast, very European sounding, very English and French sounding, naturally, 'cause everybody working on it apart from her is English or French. Pretty exciting, actually. It's like a follow-up for Ray Of Light without stopping still. It's perfect". But after some recording sessions, she felt she needed a different sound for her project and scrapped most of the material. In October 1999, Madonna began working with French producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï, who was introduced to Madonna by her manager
Guy Oseary Guy Harley Oseary ( he, גיא עוזרי; born October 3, 1972) is an Israeli-American talent manager and writer. His clients include Madonna, U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Biography Guy Oseary was born on October 3, 1972, in Jerus ...
. In an interview with CNN, she stated, "Guy Oseary, my partner at Maverick ecords was given a demo by a French artist called Mirwais. eslipped it to me and said, 'What do you think
f him F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...
as an artist to sign at Maverick?' ..I just said 'Oh my God, this is what I want.' I just flipped over it and said, 'Please find out if he wants to work with me.'" Ahmadzaï spoke little English, and Madonna commented: "The first couple of days we were recording, I wanted to rip my hair out. ..It didn't seem like there was any way for us to communicate. His manager had to come in and translate everything at first." She also commented about working with Ahmadzaï and the other producers of the album: "I love to work with the weirdos that no one knows about—the people who have raw talent and who are making music unlike anyone else out there. ''Music'' is the future of sound." Madonna had later proclaimed Ahmadzaï to be a musical "genius". In an interview with
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's ''
Total Request Live ''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...
'', she said Ahmadzaï was "really influenced by 1970s funk and R&B" and said that the album was "more electronic than her last record, but it is edgier and a bit funkier". Talking about the inspiration behind ''Music'', Madonna said the album was "To join the coldness or the remoteness of living in the machine age in the world of high technology with warmth and compassion and a sense of humor. ..''Music'' is supposed to be a reflection of what's going on in society, and as far as I'm concerned, we've become too complacent." In an interview with ''
The Face The face is a part of the body, the front of the head. Face may also refer to: Film * ''The Magician'' (1958 film) or ''The Face'' * ''The Face'' (1996 film), an American television film * ''Face'' (1997 film), a British crime drama by Antonia ...
'', Madonna was questioned about her mood while developing the album. She commented,
"To tell you the truth, I didn't know what the mood was. I feel like an animal that's, like, ready to be sprung from a cage. I've been living a pretty low-key domestic existence and I miss things. Like, I miss performing, and dancing, and being on the road, that kind of energy. So part of the record is about that. And then the other part is about love. So there's the frivolous side of my life and then there's the –hopefully– non-frivolous side of my life. I usually make a record that's one or the other, and I feel I did both on this one".


Music structure and lyrics

''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...
''s Sal Cinquemani described the album as having a "more experimental direction". With ''
The Face The face is a part of the body, the front of the head. Face may also refer to: Film * ''The Magician'' (1958 film) or ''The Face'' * ''The Face'' (1996 film), an American television film * ''Face'' (1997 film), a British crime drama by Antonia ...
'' magazine, Madonna explained her inspirations behind the songs and the music of ''Music''. She said, "This record, more than any other records, covers all the areas of my life. I left off partying on '' Ray of Light''. But I'd just had a baby, so my mood was complete, like wonderment of life, and I was incredibly thoughtful and retrospective and intrigued by the mystical aspects of life." Madonna also summed it up as "Funky, electronic music blended with futuristic folk. Lots of jangly guitars and moody melancholic lines." "
Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
", the title track is the first featured on the record. Starting with Madonna's androgynous voice saying "Hey Mr. DJ, put a record on, I wanna dance with my baby". Above this lyric, Madonna's voice electronically manipulated asks "Do you like to boogie woogie?". According to Santiago Fouz-Hernández in his book ''Madonna's Drowned Worlds: New Approaches to Her Cultural Transformations'', "Music" is a 'disco anthem, and the beat commands he peopleto get up and dance'. He also said that the song is an expression to her public and it is one of Madonna's catchiest singles of her career. The second track "
Impressive Instant "Impressive Instant" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 2000 studio album ''Music''. Originally intended to be the fourth single of the album, the release was cancelled due to a disagreement between Madonna and her record ...
" is a club-savvy stomper marked by futuristic keyboard lines and vocals that darken from distorted, and robotic passages. Madonna claimed that the song was the hardest to write. Madonna sings, "I like to singy, singy, singy, like a bird on a wingy, wingy, wingy", with childlike abandon amid a vibrant, celebratory swirl of electronic keyboard riffs and thumpy dance beats. The third track, "Runaway Lover", is a trance/house rave track. It is one of Madonna's collaborations with William Orbit for the album. The following track, "I Deserve It", is an acoustic-framed track that is anchored by a hip-hop inflected groove. Madonna said the track "has the strangest juxtaposition of this folky, simple song and this high-tech, ominous synth line." The song lends weight to rich, introspective lyrics, such as the chorus lines: "Many miles, many roads I have traveled, fallen down of the way/Many hearts, many years have unraveled, leading up to today." "Amazing", the fifth track, is a vibrant tempo-shifter that opens with a soft, music-box-like keyboard/string flourish. The song has been compared by Madonna to "
Beautiful Stranger "Beautiful Stranger" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on May 19, 1999, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records as a single from the soundtrack of the film, '' Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me''. Madonna c ...
" (1999), saying the reason she fought with her record company to cancel the release as a single was because of the similarity. The sixth track, "Nobody's Perfect", includes ethereal vocals and a dreamy keyboard. The following track and second single, " Don't Tell Me", was written by
Joe Henry Joseph Lee Henry (born December 2, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums. Early life H ...
, Madonna's brother-in-law. He performed and released the track, originally named "Stop", on his 2001 album ''Scar''. His wife Melanie sent a demo of the track to her sister, who liked it and recorded her version. It is framed by soft acoustic guitars and subtle keyboard lines. The eighth track and third single, " What It Feels Like for a Girl", comments on female role-playing in society. The following track, "Paradise (Not for Me)", has lyrics sung in French, and the lyric "I can't remember, when I was young, I can't explain if it was wrong" reflected an artistic palette, "encompassing diverse musical, textual and visual styles in its lyrics." Musically, it draws influence from
Edith Piaf Edith is a feminine given name derived from the Old English words ēad, meaning 'riches or blessed', and is in common usage in this form in English, German, many Scandinavian languages and Dutch. Its French form is Édith. Contractions and var ...
. The song was also included on Mirwais Ahmadzaï's album ''Production''. The tenth and final track on the album, "Gone", contrasts acoustic guitars with electronic elements. Soulful vocals give depth to such striking, cautionary lyrics as "Turn to stone, lose my faith, and I'll be gone."


Artwork

For the album artwork, Madonna wears a blue
sequin A sequin () is a small, typically shiny, generally disk-shaped ornament. Sequins are also referred to as paillettes, spangles, or ''diamanté'' (also spelled ''diamante''). Although the words sequins, paillettes, lentejuelas, and spangles can ...
shirt, embellished jeans, red high heels and a blue cowboy hat. In it, she faces the camera, while in the background a car and a house are seen. In other pictures from the same shoot, Madonna is photographed lying on a bed of hay and wearing a fringed,
rhinestone A rhinestone, paste or diamante is a diamond simulant originally made from rock crystal but since the 19th century from crystal glass or polymers such as acrylic. Original Originally, rhinestones were rock crystals gathered from the river ...
encrusted cowboy shirt, embellished jeans, gold mules and a pink cowboy hat and tiara. The
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
was a constant theme throughout the design, as the album's title, which was a logo that simulated a buckle, showing the silhouette of a cowboy while riding a horse and a yellow background; the bright colors give a sharp contrast compared to the photograph. Photo sessions were conducted by Jean Baptiste Mondino, who had worked previously with the singer on photoshoots and music videos. According to Fouz-Hernández, the artwork is "a complete celebration to the field" western United States. He also added that it was "distintcly "camp", and notably Madonna's "combination of Western clothing with expensive shoes and bright red high heels". He pointed out that there was "a clear evocation of
Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...
– a major gay icon – in the artwork". The art direction and design for the album were done by Kevin Reagan. The pictures were shot in Los Angeles, California, in April 2000. In an interview with CNN's '' Style with Elsa Klensch'', Mondino said that he was the one who had the idea of the western themes for the album, and also stated: " adonnawasn't sure at first, but I told her that if she didn't like it I won't charge her. But she loved the final result!". Madonna also decided to use her new country style during her public appearances for ''Music''s promotion; including jeans, shirts and cowboy hats. On her next tour in 2001, Madonna included a segment based entirely on this ambient. Meanwhile, Fouz-Hernández explained that "in this appearance Madonna may be parodying and criticizing Country, which symbolizes among other things, the supremacy of the white man, the ambition of the European pioneers and the American Dream. However, we do not realize that while recognizing the importance that the country has in American popular culture, and joins a long list of artists who have done this previously. Despite this, the cowgirl image of Madonna has become one of her most recognized reinventions.


Release

On August 22, 2000, a month before the album's official release, all tracks from ''Music'' were leaked online through
Napster Napster was a peer-to-peer file sharing application. It originally launched on June 1, 1999, with an emphasis on digital audio file distribution. Audio songs shared on the service were typically encoded in the MP3 format. It was founded by Sha ...
. The album was finally released September 18, 2000 in the United Kingdom, by
Maverick Records Maverick was an American entertainment company founded in 1992 by Madonna, Frederick DeMann, and Veronica "Ronnie" Dashev, and formerly owned and operated by Warner Music Group. It included a record label (Maverick Records), a film production ...
. It was released worldwide on September 19, 2000, under Maverick, and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. At the same time, it was released as a limited edition which contained a 24-page booklet about the album, a copper brooch with the album's logo and two stickers, wrapped in a linen cloth available in four different colors. The Japanese edition was published on September 15, 2000, and contained two bonus tracks, "American Pie" and "Cyber-raga". Additionally, the European version contained only "American Pie" as a bonus track. It was not added as a bonus track except in the United States and Canada. Madonna commented that "It was something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing", and said she regretted putting the song on the album. Also, users who downloaded the album using Apple's
QuickTime QuickTime is an extensible multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc., capable of handling various formats of digital video, picture, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity. Created in 1991, the latest Mac version, QuickTime X, is a ...
application had exclusive access to two remixes of "Music". The edition released in Mexico contains as bonus tracks "Lo Que Siente La Mujer", a Spanish version of "What It Feels Like for a Girl" and a remix of the same song by the group Above & Beyond. For the Drowned World Tour, it was released as a special edition with a bonus CD with remixes and the video of "What It Feels Like for a Girl". Madonna chatted with fans through her first live chat on
AOL AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo! Inc. ...
on the day of ''Music''s release. In order to celebrate the album's release, Madonna had a release party at dance emporium Catch One in Los Angeles, California, on September 20, 2000. The £1.4 million party paid by the singer's record company Warner Bros. and '' Us'' magazine was attended by 600 select guests who received special invitations. The party invites were sent out in white leather boxes, lined with black fur. A gold necklace was inside with letters spelling out the album's title, and only those wearing the necklaces would be allowed into the club. More than a dozen strippers were in attendance to keep the party in the same theme as from the music video for "Music". She sported a five-carat diamond ring Ritchie gave her for her birthday, and a black T-shirt that read "'' Snatch'' Coming Soon" promoting Ritchie's film, while Ritchie promoted Madonna's album wearing a T-shirt with the word ''Music'' emblazoned on it. Among those who attended the party were
Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three ...
,
Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderweb ...
, Maverick Records' head
Guy Oseary Guy Harley Oseary ( he, גיא עוזרי; born October 3, 1972) is an Israeli-American talent manager and writer. His clients include Madonna, U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Biography Guy Oseary was born on October 3, 1972, in Jerus ...
, and George Clinton, who arrived with
Macy Gray Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known by her stage name Macy Gray, is an American R&B and soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday. Gray ha ...
in a horse-drawn carriage. Madonna's then-boyfriend Guy Ritchie was initially denied access into the VIP lounge by a security guard. He apparently got into a shoving match with a bodyguard who did not know who he was.


Promotion


Live performances

Following the album's release and motherhood, Madonna appeared on ''
The Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production c ...
'' on November 3, 2000, being the first time since her controversial appearance in 1994, and performed "Don't Tell Me". Madonna made a concert on November 5, 2000, at
Roseland Ballroom The Roseland Ballroom was a multipurpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's theater district, on West 52nd Street in Manhattan. The venue, according to its website, accommodat ...
in New York City. Accompanying musicians performing with Madonna were Mirwais Ahmadzaï on guitar and longtime backing singers Niki Haris and
Donna De Lory Donna De Lory is an American singer, dancer and songwriter. Part of a musical family, De Lory has been performing since a young age. Her voice can be heard on albums by Carly Simon, Ray Parker Jr., Kim Carnes, Santana, Martika, Laura Braniga ...
. The costumes for the show and the set was designed by
Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana (), also known by initials D&G, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1985 in Legnano by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The house specializes in ready-to-wear, handbags, accessories, and cos ...
. Songs performed included "Impressive Instant", "Runaway Lover", " Don't Tell Me", " What It Feels Like for a Girl", and "
Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
". In the performance of New York, she wore a T-shirt with "
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage producti ...
" written on it. She then traveled to Europe to further promote the album. The singer performed "Don't Tell Me" on German game-show '' Wetten, dass..?'' on November 11, 2000. At the
MTV Europe Music Awards 2000 The 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards were held on 16 November 2000 at the Ericsson Globe, Stockholm. Performers included Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue. The Spice Girls performance was their last before their separat ...
, Madonna performed "Music" on November 16, 2000, in Stockholm, Sweden. After being introduced by Ali G as "
Maradona Diego Armando Maradona (; 30 October 196025 November 2020) was an Argentine professional football player and manager. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he was one of the two joint winners of the FI ...
", she performed the song wearing a T-shirt with the name of Australian recording artist
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
printed on it. She later performed "Don't Tell Me" and "Music" on British television program ''
Top of The Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'', in an appearance aired on November 17. On November 24, 2000, Madonna performed the latter songs live on French television program ''Nulle Part Ailleurs''. Madonna then played another concert on November 29, 2000, at Brixton Academy in London. It was shown via the internet to an estimated record-breaking 9 million viewers across the world. The setlist was the same from the Roseland Ballroom's concert, with the song "
Holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or t ...
" being added to the setlist. The singer
Richard Ashcroft Richard Paul Ashcroft (born 11 September 1971) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their original split in 1999. So ...
and the Scottish band Texas opened the concert. Madonna then performed "Don't Tell Me" on ''Carràmba! Che fortuna'' in Italy, on December 2, 2000, hosted by
Raffaella Carrà Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni (18 June 1943 – 5 July 2021), better known as Raffaella Carrà (), was an Italian singer, dancer, television presenter, actress and model. She was well known in Europe and Latin America as a result of her many ...
. On February 21, 2001, she performed "Music" at the
43rd Grammy Awards The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 21, 2001, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Several artists earned three awards on the night. Steely Dan's haul included Album of the Year for '' Two Against Nature''. U2 took ...
. For the performance, the stage had five giant video screens, which showed images from her career. Madonna entered onto the stage in a classic
Cadillac The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed ...
driven by rapper Bow Wow. The singer emerged from the back seat of the car in a full-length fur coat and a hat, quickly removing the clothes to reveal a tight leather jacket and jeans. She removed her jacket to reveal a black tank top with the words "Material Girl" printed on it. Host
Jon Stewart Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz; November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, political commentator, and television host. He hosted '' The Daily Show'', a satirical news program on Comedy Central, from 1999 to 2015 and now hosts '' ...
commented right after, talking about how he was getting older and commenting, "As I was watching Madonna writhing around on the hood of the car, all I could think was — that’s really gonna drive up her insurance premiums".


Tour

To promote ''Music'' and ''Ray of Light'', Madonna embarked on her fifth concert tour, the Drowned World Tour. It started in June 2001 and was Madonna's first tour in eight years since The Girlie Show World Tour (1993). The tour was to be started before the year 2000, but she had become pregnant with her son Rocco Ritchie, released ''Music'' that year, and married Guy Ritchie in December 2000. When Madonna finally decided to go on the tour, time was short and she had to prepare the show within three months. Jamie King was signed up as the creative director and the choreographer of the show. The tour was divided into five segments, namely punk,
geisha {{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha {{nihongo, Geisha, 芸者 ({{IPAc-en, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ʃ, ə; {{IPA-ja, ɡeːɕa, lang), also known as {{nihongo, , 芸子, geiko (in Kyoto and Kanazawa) or {{nihongo, , 芸妓, geigi, are a class of female J ...
,
cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaqu ...
,
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
and
ghetto A ghetto, often called ''the'' ghetto, is a part of a city in which members of a minority group live, especially as a result of political, social, legal, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished ...
. Each segment represented a phase of Madonna's career. Several changes were made to the final shows in Los Angeles after the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
: Madonna wore an American flag kilt during the show's opening segment as a display of
patriotism Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to one's country. This attachment can be a combination of many different feelings, language relating to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political or histor ...
, the closing of "Mer Girl" (part II) was altered to remove the staged shooting of a character; Madonna instead put the gun down, hugged him and they left the stage together. The macabre cannibalism-themed "Funny Song" was removed. The tour received positive reviews. The tour was a commercial success, grossing a total of US$75 million, and it was the highest-grossing concert tour of a solo artist in 2001. The tour received the Major Tour of the Year and Most Creative Stage Production awards nominations at the 2001 Pollstar awards, but lost them to U2. The concert was broadcast live on HBO from
The Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills, commonly referred to as the Palace, was a multi-purpose arena built in 1988 and located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Detroit Shoc ...
in
Auburn Hills, Michigan Auburn Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city in 1983, the area was part of the now-defunct Pontiac Township. It is home to Oakland Universi ...
August 26, 2001. The '' Drowned World Tour 2001'' DVD was released in all regions on November 13, 2001.


Singles

"
Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
" was released as the lead single from the album on August 21, 2000, by Warner Bros. Records. "Music" has been praised by contemporary critics. Some compared it with Madonna's older songs, like "
Into the Groove "Into the Groove" is a song by recorded by American singer Madonna, and featured on the 1985 film ''Desperately Seeking Susan''. Written and produced by both Madonna and Stephen Bray, the main inspiration behind the song was the dance floor; the ...
(1985) and "
Holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or t ...
" (1983). "Music" achieved international success by topping the charts in 25 countries worldwide. It became Madonna's 12th number-one single on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making Madonna the second artist to achieve number one hits in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s on the Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, "Music" peaked at number one on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. " Don't Tell Me" was released on November 21, 2000, as the second single from the album. It reached at number four and spent eight weeks in the top ten of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song topped the music charts in the Canada, Italy and New Zealand and attained top-ten positions on the charts of many other European nations. In 2005, the song was placed at number 285 on ''
Blender A blender (sometimes called a mixer or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary blender consists of a blender container with a rotating me ...
'' magazine's The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born. " What It Feels Like for a Girl" was released as the third and final single from the album, on April 17, 2001. It received positive appreciation from contemporary critics. The song lost the top-twenty on the official chart of the United States, but it was a success on the US dance charts. The music video, directed by Guy Ritchie, portrays Madonna as an angry woman on a crime spree. Reviewers criticized the video for being overly violent and graphic. The video was banned from most North American and European video stations, receiving only early hours play. "
Impressive Instant "Impressive Instant" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 2000 studio album ''Music''. Originally intended to be the fourth single of the album, the release was cancelled due to a disagreement between Madonna and her record ...
" was released as a club promo only single with remixes by Peter Rauhofer on September 18, 2001. It went to number one on the
Hot Dance Club Play Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...
chart where it stayed for two weeks. The song was intended by Madonna to be released as the fourth single off ''Music'' but Madonna's recording company wanted "Amazing" to be the next single, which was also released as a promotional single in late 2001, in a few select countries before being withdrawn. Madonna felt that "Amazing" was too similar to her previous single "
Beautiful Stranger "Beautiful Stranger" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on May 19, 1999, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records as a single from the soundtrack of the film, '' Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me''. Madonna c ...
" (1999), so they were deadlocked. Warner Bros. planned to move forward with the release of "Amazing" without Madonna's help since she was too busy preparing for her next tour, and planned to promote the single with a
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...
cut from the live version of "Amazing" from Madonna's Drowned World Tour, but she scrapped the song from the set list to be sure that Warner Bros. could not promote it, and the fourth single idea was over.


Critical reception

''Music'' received generally critical acclaim from music critics. At
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an
average In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7 ...
score of 80, based on 16 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, oc ...
of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
praised the album's layered music and described Madonna's collaboration with Mirwais as the reason why the album "comes alive with spark and style". Dimitri Ehrlich from ''
Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...
'' called the album "a masterpiece of brilliantly arranged keyboards, futuristic drums, and electronica dressings. With folky acoustic guitars and a vaguely spiritual bent to her lyrics (like those on ''Ray of Light''), it's a weird and fresh-sounding album." Andrew Lynch of Entertainment.ie, who gave the album three out of five stars, claimed that it contains "brilliant futuristic dance music", yet, claimed that the lyrics were "trite".
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
from ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' said the record has "consistency and flow" because all of its songs are good and lowbrow: "From Vocoder to cowgirl suit, she's got her sass back." David Browne was less enthusiastic in ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'', calling it "her most patchwork record since the
Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...
years... In the way it tiptoes around sundry moods and beats, ''Music'' is frustratingly inconsistent, as if Madonna herself weren't sure where to venture next. At times, it feels like a collection of sounds -- clever, intriguing ones, to be sure -- that seek to compensate for ordinary melodies and Madonna's stoic delivery." ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...
'' said that the album "is a much-needed breath of fresh VapoRub." Danny Eccleston, in a review for '' Q'', called it a "brave, radical and punchy (at a refreshing 49 minutes in length) album". A retrospective review in ''
Blender A blender (sometimes called a mixer or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary blender consists of a blender container with a rotating me ...
'' remarked: "Her first 'headphones album'... It's more playful and less pompous than ''Ray of Light''." ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' stated that the album was a rough and improvised version of ''Ray of Light'', but lauded that Madonna had chosen to make a more "instinctive" record than her previous endeavours. ''
Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...
'' magazine said that "''Music'' is fitful and its charms aren't all immediate, but Madonna is still doing what she does best--giving a lick of pop genius to the unlikely genre of experimental dance music." '' NME'' said that ''Music'' is "vocodered, stretched, distorted, warped, deliberately upstaged by beats so showy they belong in a strip joint – quite simply, she's almost managed to make herself disappear. That bluntly explicit title isn't just pointless irony. This record is about the music, not Madonna; about the sounds, not the image." ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...
'' criticised Madonna's collaborations with William Orbit, who had worked with her on ''Ray of Light'', calling them repetitive and uninteresting despite being catchy. In 2015,
Rob Sheffield Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author. He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...
of ''Rolling Stone'' said that ''Music'' is "still adonna'shardest-rocking and most seductive album."


Accolades

The album earned Madonna a total of five
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nominations. In 2001, it won
Best Recording Package The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer(s), unless the performer is also the art dire ...
and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, while the title track was nominated for
Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...
and
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
. In 2002, Madonna received one more nomination for "Don't Tell Me" in the Best Short Form Music Video category. ''Music'' was voted the 16th best record of 2001 in the Pazz & Jop, and was placed at 18th in Dean's List, both annual polls published by ''The Village Voice''. ''
Spin Magazine ''Spin'' (stylized in all caps) is an American music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione, Jr. Now owned by Next Management Partners, the magazine is an online publication since it stopped issuing a print edition in 2012. Histor ...
'' named "Music" the 18th best album of 2000. On ''NME''s list of the 50 best albums of 2000, ''Music'' was ranked at number 47. Three editors of ''Billboard'' also chosen ''Music'' in their top five of best-of albums of 2000. ''Music'' also featured in a number of the best albums of the decade; ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...
'' included the album on their list of "The Best Albums of the Aughts" at number 31, while it was included at
WFPK WFPK is a 24-hour listener-supported, noncommercial radio station in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, broadcasting at 91.9 MHz FM with an adult album alternative format. The station plays national and local alternative music. It is owne ...
's 500 Albums of the 2000's at number 223. In 2003, the album was listed at number 452 on ''Rolling Stone''s The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It is Madonna's fourth album on the list, then the most among female artists. ''Music'' also featured in the book ''
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics ...
''.


Commercial performance

Ten days after the album's release, CNN reported that it had sold over four million copies worldwide. The album set a record in Warner Music Group as the biggest album shipment in the company, with three million copies worldwide in the first-week. ''Music'' debuted at number-one in 23 countries. Overall, ''Music'' was the 19th best-selling album of 2001 worldwide, selling 4.1 million copies. As of 2010, it has sold more than 11 million copies around the world, and is one of the best-selling albums by women. It debuted at the top of the US ''Billboard'' 200 with over 420,000 copies sold and became the first Madonna album to reach the top of the charts in eleven years in the region, since '' Like a Prayer'' (1989). The album was certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on November 21, 2005. As of August 2016, ''Music'' has sold 2,934,000 copies there according to
Nielsen SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
. It sold additional 97,000 units at the BMG Music Club, which are not counted by the Nielsen SoundScan. In Canada, the album debuted at the top of the Canadian ''RPM'' Albums Chart with first week sales of 50,300 copies and was certified platinum by the
Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It ...
(CRIA) for shipments of 300,000 copies. The album experienced success in Latin America, obtaining certifications in Argentina (2× Platinum), Brazil (Gold), Chile (Gold) and Mexico (Gold). Throughout Europe, the album also did well on its charts topping the European Albums Charts and selling two million in the first-ten days, for which she broke records according Paul Sexton from ''Billboard''. It ended as one of the highest certified albums in Europe by the
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...
(IFPI) with five times platinum, equivalent of five million copies. ''Music'' debuted at number one on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
with 152,000 copies. The album was certified five times platinum by the
British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...
. As of January 2020, the album has sold 1,640,000 copies in the UK. On October 1, 2000, ''Music'' debuted at number one on the Austrian Albums Chart, spending a total of forty weeks in the chart. The album achieved relatively good charting in both the Flemish and Wallonian territories in Belgium, peaking at numbers two respectively. ''Music'' was fifth best selling album in Denmark with 66,996 copies sold in 2000. On the
French Albums Chart French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, the album debuted at number one, staying 67 weeks on the chart, before falling out on June 29, 2002. The album was certified twice platinum by the
Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique The National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (french: Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique; SNEP) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym ...
(SNEP). On September 28, 2000, ''Music'' debuted at number one on the
Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan (, lit. "the Sweden top list") is the Swedish national record chart, formerly known as Topplistan (1975–1997) and Hitlistan (1998–2007) and known by its current name since October 2007, based on sales data from the Swedish ...
, before falling out at number 52. Similarly in Switzerland, the album also peaked at number one, and spent 42 weeks fluctuating inside the chart. The album managed to sell 50,000 units in Poland in its first five days and was later certified with a platinum award from
ZPAV The Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry ( pl, Związek Producentów Audio-Video, ZPAV) is the trade organization that represents the interests of the music industry in Poland, and the Polish chapter of the International Federation of t ...
for sales of 100,000 units. ''Music'' ended as the best-selling foreign album of 2000 in Poland. The album enjoyed success in Asia-Pacific countries. In Australia, ''Music'' peaked at number two on the
ARIA Albums Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
failing to reach the top spot due to the success of '' The Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Official Music from the Opening Ceremony''. The album was certified three times platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replac ...
(ARIA), and was highlighted by ARIA as one of the biggest releases in their year-end report of 2000. In New Zealand, ''Music'' debuted and peaked at number two on October 8, 2000, staying on the chart for thirty-three weeks. The album debuted at number seven on the Oricon weekly album chart in Japan. The album was awarded at the Hong Kong Record Sales Award 2001 by the IFPI Hong Kong for becoming one of ten biggest-selling international album of the year.


Legacy

Tom Breihan of ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
'', wrote that ''Music'' anticipated "a lot of things", while Madonna didn't invent any of these things, most of them had been just about "absent from mainstream pop music around the turn of the millennium". In his review, he added examples such as "thudding big-room" electro-house, "aggressive" vocal manipulation, "ecstatic" lyrical meaninglessness, acoustic guitars chopped up and refracted into unrecognizable shapes, joyous hedonism, robot voices and the half-ironic embrace of cowboy kitsch. Writing for the
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
, Zel McCarthy called this Madonna era as "a reminder of a less complicated time and a blueprint for our future", noting that Madonna could be analog and digital, acoustic or electronic. He particularly praised "Impressive Instant", describing it like "nothing anyone had heard before—20 years later, it still does." Joe Lynch from ''Billboard'' in the 20th anniversary of ''Music'', called it "a key piece of 21st century dancefloor canon". The album was conceived in the time that America was divided, by music genres and also presented an ageing Madonna in an era dominated by newer artists focused in teen-pop and urban-style oriented music. Lynch praised the fact that the dance-pop was hardly dominant genre in the United States dawn of the new millennium against teen-pop or hip-hop-flavored R&B styles. McCarthy noticed that Madonna "deftly eschewed the petty cultural battles between genres and generations", and she was seen wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the names of Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue, saying that was her "celebration of other girls in pop music". The author said that "such spontaneous statements of support and admiration are almost boringly common now, but in an era when pop music had been denied entry into the credibility club, the moment held more weight. ''
The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' is an English-language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore and currently owned by SPH Media Trust (previously Singapore Press Holdings). ''The Sunday Times'' is its Sunday edition. The newspaper was establish ...
'' also noted the year dominated by boybands and pop teen artists, while Madonna ushered 1980s-electro as "a new retro-fad". Silvio Pietroluongo of ''Billboard'' called "a move that could be considered either unusual or genius" about the decision of release various formats for its led single "Music" (maxi-CD and vinyl one week, cassette and CD the next). It was described as a "phenomenal week at retail" and that helped push "Music" to the number one at the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, giving Madonna her best one-week sales total of the Nielsen SoundScan era for a single at that time with 62,000 units, as Pietroluongo also said: "I'm finding it quite difficult to think of another maxi-CD that has scanned that many units in a week".


Track listing

All tracks produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï, except where noted. Notes *
David Torn David M. Torn (born May 26, 1953) is an American guitarist, composer, and producer. He is known for combining electronic and acoustic instruments and for his use of looping. Background Torn has contributed to recordings by artists as diverse ...
was not credited on the original liner notes of ''Music''. Madonna added him as a co-writer of "What It Feels Like for a Girl" after she found out Sigsworth had sampled from Torn's 1987 album, ''
Cloud About Mercury ''Cloud About Mercury'' is the second album by guitarist David Torn, supported by Mark Isham, Tony Levin and Bill Bruford. It was recorded in 1986 and released on the ECM label in March 1987.
'', without her knowledge. *"What It Feels Like for a Girl" contained a spoken word sample by actress Charlotte Gainsbourg from the 1993 British film ''
The Cement Garden ''The Cement Garden'' is a 1978 novel by Ian McEwan. It was adapted into a 1993 film of the same name by Andrew Birkin, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Andrew Robertson. ''The Cement Garden'' has had a positive reception since its original p ...
''.


Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.


Musicians

* Madonna – vocals, guitar * Steve Sidelnyk – drums * Guy Sigsworth – guitar, keyboard, programming *
William Orbit William Mark Wainwright (born 15 December 1956),"William Orbit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 30. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2000. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 7 May 2017. Available onlinvia ''Encyclopedia.com'' known ...
– keyboard, guitar, programming, backing vocals * Mirwais Ahmadzaï – guitar, keyboard, programming * Sean Spuehler – programming *
Michel Colombier Michel Colombier (23 May 1939 – 14 November 2004) was a French composer, arranger, and conductor. Career Colombier wrote the scores of several motion pictures and TV productions. He also wrote chamber music and ballets. With composer Pierre H ...
– string arrangement


Technical

* Madonna – production * William Orbit – production * Guy Sigsworth – production * Mirwais Ahmadzaï – production *
Mark "Spike" Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran ...
– production ; mixing * Jake Davies – engineering * Mark Endert – engineering * Geoff Foster – engineering, string engineer * Sean Spuehler – engineering * Tim Lambert – engineering assistance * Chris Ribando – engineering assistance * Dan Vickers – engineering assistance * Tim Young – mastering


Artwork

* Kevin Reagan – art direction, design * Matthew Lindauer – design *
Jean-Baptiste Mondino Jean-Baptiste Mondino (born Aubervilliers, France on 21 July 1949) is a French fashion photographer and music video director. He has directed music videos for Madonna, David Bowie, Sting, Björk, Don Henley, Neneh Cherry, Axel Bauer and Les Rita ...
– photography


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Decade-end charts


All-time charts


Certifications and sales


See also

*
List of best-selling albums by women The following albums, recorded by female solo artists and all-female groups, have sold at least 10 million copies. This list can contain any types of album, including studio albums, extended plays, greatest hits, compilations, soundtracks, an ...
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List of best-selling albums in Europe Since 1996, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, IFPI have awarded International Federation of the Phonographic Industry#Record sales certification, Platinum Europe Awards for albums that have sold at least one million copies ...
* List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2000s * List of number-one albums of 2000 (Canada) * List of number-one hits of 2000 (France) * List of number-one hits of 2000 (Germany) * List of number-one hits of 2000 (Italy) * List of number-one albums of 2000 (Poland) * List of number-one albums of 2000 (U.S.)


Notes


References

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External links

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Library + Archives: ''Music''
at the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
{{Authority control 2000 albums Albums produced by Madonna Albums produced by William Orbit Albums produced by Guy Sigsworth Madonna albums Maverick Records albums Electronica albums by American artists