Music (2000)

Music is the eighth studio album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was 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 and topping the album charts in twenty-three countries. In the United States, it topped the Billboard 200 with over 420,000 copies sold first week—her highest to date. It additionally received multi-platinum certifications across the Americas, Europe, and the Asia–Pacific region. As of 2008, Music has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide.

To promote Music, Madonna embarked on a small promotional tour, consisting of televised performances at occasions such as the 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards and the 43rd Grammy Awards, and with two free concerts at Roseland Ballroom and Brixton Academy limited to contest winners. It was also supported by the Drowned World Tour in the following year, her first concert tour after eight years; the tour visited North America and Europe, grossing over US$75 million and making it the highest-grossing tour by a solo act of the year and fourth overall.

Three official singles were released from the album. The title track was the lead single, topping the charts in 25 countries worldwide and becoming Madonna's 12th and, to date, final number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was followed by the top-five single "Don't Tell Me" and "What It Feels Like for a Girl", which reached the top 10 in several countries worldwide. "Impressive Instant" was released as a promotional single in the United States, topping the Dance Club Songs chart. "Amazing" was also briefly released as a promotional single in selected countries before being withdrawn shortly afterward. Retrospectively, Music has been recognized by music journalists for anticipating a number of musical trends, such as electro-house, vocal manipulation, lyrical gibberish, chopped-up acoustics, and the adoption of cowboy kitsch.