Music (Madonna song)
"Music" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna as the title track for her eighth studio album of the same name (2000). It was released as the lead single from the album to radio on August 1, 2000, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records and commercially released on August 21. "Music" was inspired by a Sting concert Madonna attended and was written and produced by her with Mirwais Ahmadzaï. It is a disco, electro-funk and dance-pop song in a static key of G minor. Madonna's vocals are electronically manipulated in the track, with the lyrics having political and social undertones and reiterating the uniting power of music.
"Music"
"Cyber-Raga"
August 1, 2000
3:44
- Madonna
- Mirwais Ahmadzaï
Before its official release, "Music" leaked onto the internet and was put up for listening in websites like Napster, which prompted Madonna's team to issue a statement threatening legal action. "Music" had different release formats with a number of remixes commissioned for the song. Music critics praised the track's production, catchiness and club-friendly nature, and compared it with Madonna's previous releases. It became a commercial success, peaking at number-one on the record charts of 25 countries, including major markets such as Australia, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the latter, "Music" became Madonna's twelfth and most recent number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was also the longest running number-one song on the US Dance Club Songs chart, spending a total of five weeks at the top. "Music" has been included in many critic lists for Madonna's top singles and is often ranked as one of the best songs of the 2000s.
Its accompanying music video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, portrayed Madonna and her friends enjoying themselves, while traveling in a limousine driven by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen as Ali G. Academics noted the use of American imagery in the clip, especially Madonna's cowboy garb and her popularizing of cowboy fashion. In order to promote its parent album, Madonna performed "Music" at the 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards and at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards the following year, where it was nominated in the categories of Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Additionally, the song has been a regular staple in the set list of five of Madonna's concert tours, the last being the Rebel Heart Tour (2015–2016).