Ray Of Light (studio album) by Madonna

Ray Of Light by Madonna
Year: 1998
Overall rank: 632nd   Overall chart historyOverall chart history
Average Rating: 
74/100 (from 625 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution   Average rating historyAverage rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 10 albums of 1998 (8th)
Award Top albums of the 1990s (107th)
Award Top 1,000 albums of all time (632nd)

Madonna bestography

Ray Of Light is ranked as the best album by Madonna.

Madonna album bestography « Higher ranked (-) This album (632nd) Lower ranked (828th) »
No album foundRay Of LightLike A Prayer

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Ray Of Light track list

  Track ratingsTrack ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 78 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Track
Rating/Comments
2.
Rating: 79 (116 votes)Comments: 0
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3.
Rating: 84 (173 votes)Comments: 4
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5.
Rating: 76 (109 votes)Comments: 2
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9.
Track pick
Rating: 87 (177 votes)Comments: 1
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12.
Rating: 75 (96 votes)Comments: 0
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13.
Rating: 70 (96 votes)Comments: 0
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Track pick Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Ray Of Light rankings

Ray Of Light collection

Ray Of Light ratings

Average Rating: 
74/100 (from 625 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 625 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
80/100
 Report rating
08/19/2025 16:22 fayevale  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 7085/100
 
70/100
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08/17/2025 22:33 Montpejo  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 64381/100
 
85/100
 Report rating
07/26/2025 22:45 mash  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,33089/100
 
90/100
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07/24/2025 00:12 davidbalo  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 35676/100
 
100/100
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07/08/2025 20:42 Olli  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 5,47169/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 16% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 74.1/100, a mean average of 72.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 74.2/100. The standard deviation for this album is 19.7.

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Ray Of Light comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 45 comments |
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Rating:  
85/100
From 04/25/2025 07:43
Shortlisted for album of the year at the 1999 Grammys. the winner was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/25/2025 19:59
Without doubt her best album. Love it
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 05/26/2023 22:49
Her absolute best. Seeing her evolution from the catchy bubblegum synthpop of her earliest records all the way to Ray of Light is one of the most rewarding artistic evolutions. From Like a Prayer through Bedtimes Stories in particular, Madonna is searching for new sounds and exploring new ideas. They all lead to fascinating places, but none of it is whole. Even when she's leaving it all on the dance floor, there's still something missing.

But not on Ray of Light. The infectious songwriting, the sprawling possibilities, the cheekiness and melodrama that never quite meshed as well as you might want all finally coalesce into the most effortless and triumphant albums you'll ever hear. This is Madonna at the peak of her powers and she doesn't waste a second.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 08/04/2021 06:35
Listen ROL is always a good idea
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
60/100
From 12/10/2020 02:23
This is on the low end of the Madonna spectrum for me.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (0 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
Rating:  
60/100
From 11/25/2020 15:30
Her finest hour. Overall, 60/100.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (0 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
From 08/20/2020 02:22
love this
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 11/11/2019 16:42
Her best album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 10/23/2019 19:14
An unexpected album that once again proved Madonna as the queen of reinvention.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 07/21/2019 01:20
love this album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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Best Albums of 1998
1. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
2. Mezzanine by Massive Attack
3. Moon Safari by Air
4. The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill
5. Aquemini by OutKast
6. Music Has The Right To Children by Boards Of Canada
7. XO by Elliott Smith
8. Ray Of Light by Madonna
9. Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev
10. Electro-Shock Blues by Eels
11. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams
12. Without You I'm Nothing by Placebo
13. Adore by The Smashing Pumpkins
14. This Is Hardcore by Pulp
15. The Shape Of Punk To Come (A Chimerical Bombination In 12 Bursts) by Refused
16. The Boy With The Arab Strap by Belle And Sebastian
17. System Of A Down by System Of A Down
18. TNT by Tortoise
19. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star by Black Star
20. Stratosphere by Duster
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