When Ray of Light dropped in 1998, Madonna remixed the whole idea of what pop could be. Think synths, Sanskrit, and soul-searching wrapped up in a glittery, transcendental sonic journey. It wasn’t just an album; it was a spiritual rave for your headphones. Here are 5 unknown facts about Ray of Light that might just blow your speaker cones.
1. “Swim” Was Recorded the Day Gianni Versace Was Killed When Madonna stepped into the vocal booth to track “Swim,” the world had just lost fashion icon Gianni Versace. The emotion? Palpable. William Orbit remembers the vibe in the studio as electric but somber—so it’s no wonder that “Swim” carries an almost meditative depth. As synths wash in like tidewater and her vocals stretch out over haunting beats, you can feel the weight of grief turned into art. That’s dance floor therapy, if you ask me.
2. The Sanskrit Track Sparked a Language Lesson “Shanti/Ashtangi” wasn’t just a bold fusion of techno and ancient scripture—it was also a pronunciation challenge. After some early missteps, Madonna reportedly got a crash course in Sanskrit over the phone with Indian scholar Vagish Shastri. Imagine dialing into enlightenment while sipping yerba mate in LA. The result? A thumping, sacred chant that goes harder than most 3 a.m. club closers.
3. “Candy Perfume Girl” Almost Got Left Off the Album Buried in the tracklist like a glitchy treasure, “Candy Perfume Girl” almost didn’t make it. The song, which blends grunge guitars with electronic weirdness, was considered too out-there—even for Ray of Light. But Madonna fought for it, seeing it as a bridge between the analog and the experimental. It’s one of the most daring cuts on the album and proof that even pop queens can get weird (and win).
4. The Album Cover Happened After Madonna Said “No” Photographer Mario Testino remembers Madonna shutting down the shoot after saying she was “done.” But he pushed back, kept shooting, and boom—the iconic Ray of Light cover was born. That image of her in a flowing blue raincoat, hair windswept like an EDM festival goddess ascending into the astral plane? Total accident. Total magic. Total Madonna.
5. The Album Was Nearly Called Veronica Electronica No, really. Before settling on Ray of Light, Madonna considered the name Veronica Electronica, which sounds like a DJ alias who opens for Aphex Twin at Burning Man. Another contender? Mantra. Cool, but not quite cosmic enough. Ultimately, Ray of Light captured the vibe—a spiritual awakening set to synths, bass drops, and neon starlight.
Ray of Light is a metaphysical trip through BPMs and belief systems. Twenty-six years later, it still slaps, glows, and elevates. Whether you’re meditating or moving, just remember: this album didn’t just change Madonna—it changed the game.
The HBO Original two-part documentary BILLY JOEL: AND SO IT GOES, directed by Emmy winners Susan Lacy (HBO’s “Jane Fonda in Five Acts” and “Spielberg”) and Jessica Levin (HBO’s “The Janes” and “Jane Fonda in Five Acts”), will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on Max this summer.
BILLY JOEL: AND SO IT GOES is an expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting. With unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews, the documentary intimately explores the life and work of Joel, whose music has endured across generations.
Susan Lacy, director and producer, says, “For those who think they know Joel’s story, as well as those who are not as familiar, I believe this two-part film is both a revelation and a surprise. I was drawn to his story as someone who knew little at the outset, and was astounded at how autobiographical his songs are and how complex his story is. We are gratified that Bill trusted us with his story, which we have told as honestly as possible, diving into territory which has not been explored before.”
HBO Documentary Films presents a Pentimento Production in association with Hazy Mills Productions and Playtone Productions. Directed and produced by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin; executive producers, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Todd Milliner, Sean Hayes, Steve Cohen; producer, Emma Pildes; edited by Kris Liem, James Pilott, Steven Ross. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez.
Max has announced that season two of the HBO’s Emmy-winning original drama series THE LAST OF US will be available to stream in American Sign Language (ASL) alongside the show’s episodes each week beginning with the season debut on SUNDAY, APRIL 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Season one of the series will be available to stream in ASL starting FRIDAY, MARCH 31, just in time to catch up before the debut of season two.
This marks the first time that HBO’s original programming will be available to stream in ASL on Max, following the ASL versions of Warner Bros. films such as Barbie, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. This expansion in availability of ASL programming continues to build on Max’s commitment to create a premium and accessible streaming experience for all subscribers.
THE LAST OF US with ASL is performed by Daniel Durant (Academy Award®-winning “Coda,” “Green Day’s American Idiot,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Flash Before the Bang“) and Leila Hanaumi (Deaf Austin Theater (DAT) and ZACH’s “Cinderella,” DAT’s “Tiny Beautiful Things,” DAT and Ground Floor Theatre’s “The Laramie Project”), who delivered a highly-acclaimed performance in Barbie with ASL — the first film available on Max with ASL interpretation. Hanaumi also directed the first season of THE LAST OF US with ASL.
“With ASL” titles, including THE LAST OF US, will be displayed on the Max app along with key art featuring the sign language symbol. The Max platform also offers features such as audio descriptions, closed captions, screen reader compatibility, magnification, keyboard navigation, and color contrast to ensure an accessible streaming experience.
“We are thrilled to expand our ASL program and debut our first HBO Original series in ASL with The Last of Us,” said Naomi Waibel, SVP of Global Product Management at WBD. “This debut brings the show to life in an authentic and fully accessible way for Deaf audiences and is another meaningful step towards our goal of offering an inclusive streaming experience.”
THE LAST OF US, based on the acclaimed video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation consoles, is written and executive produced by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and is also executive produced by Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Evan Wells; with writer/co-executive producer Halley Gross. Production companies: PlayStation Productions, Word Games, Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog.
The HBO Original comedy special BRETT GOLDSTEIN: THE SECOND BEST NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE will debut this April on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.
Brett Goldstein, star and executive producer, says “I’m so excited to do my first special, not on TV but on HBf**kingO!”
Nina Rosenstein, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Late Night and Specials, says “We all know Brett as an incredibly gifted writer and actor, but his roots are in stand up. He has a razor sharp, dark sense of humor and is the perfect combination of British gentleman and cheeky troublemaker. We are so, so happy to work with him on his first special.”
Brett Goldstein, a breakthrough British creative force on and offscreen, has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after multi-hyphenates. Goldstein will next star as the lead opposite Imogen Poots in the film “All of You” for which he also produced and co-wrote. Debuting globally on Apple TV+ later this year, the humorous and heart-wrenching romantic drama first had its acclaimed world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival followed by the BFI London Film Festival. Brett is currently in production on his leading role opposite Jennifer Lopez in the irreverent romantic comedy, “Office Romance,” which he also produced and co-wrote with Joe Kelly. He has further wrapped production on the latest drama from acclaimed Hungarian filmmaker Kornél Mundruczó, “At the Sea,” alongside Amy Adams and Murray Bartlett. Goldstein is the creator and executive producer of the Apple TV+ cathartic comedy “Shrinking” alongside Jason Segel and Bill Lawrence; the acclaimed series was recently renewed for a third season. This follows his Emmy award-winning performance as the brash yet lovable Roy Kent in the Apple TV+ record-breaking series “Ted Lasso” for which he is also a co-executive producer and writer on. Goldstein is coming off the heels of headlining his first-ever standup comedy tour, “The Second Best Night of Your Life,” which sold out venues across the US and Canada with multiple night runs. The tour de force also hosts the iHeartRadio award-winning podcast, “Films to Be Buried With,” which finds him in candid conversation with special guests as they discuss the films that have shaped them. He has no time for dinner.
HBO will debut an original film, written, directed, and executive produced by seven-time Emmy® winner and Oscar®-nominated Jesse Armstrong (HBO’s “Succession”), this spring. Production on the film begins this month in Park City, Utah and will be Armstrong’s feature directorial debut, about a group of billionaire friends getting together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis.
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The cast includes Oscar and eleven-time Emmy nominee Steve Carell as Randall, Jason Schwartzman as Hugo Van Yalk (Souper), Cory Michael Smith as Venis, and Emmy nominee Ramy Youssef as Jeff.
Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, says “We’re ecstatic to be back in business with the singular talent Jesse Armstrong coming off our fruitful collaboration on ’Succession.’ Jesse once again raises the bar with a bold examination of modern greed, power and male ambition. That this feature serves as his directorial debut will only elevate what is already thrilling on the page, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this timely film with the world soon.”
Jesse Armstrong, writer, director and executive producer, says “I’m intrigued to discover whether being around so many brilliant actors and directors on ‘Succession’ has in any way rubbed off on me. Let’s hope so. I’m grateful to Casey Bloys, Francesca Orsi and the whole HBO team for backing this film so wholeheartedly and helping me pull together a dream team of cast and crew.”
The HBO Original film is written and directed by Jesse Armstrong; executive produced by Jesse Armstrong, Frank Rich, Lucy Prebble, Jon Brown, Tony Roche, Will Tracy, Mark Mylod, and Jill Footlick.
HBO Documentary Films is currently in production with Sandbox Films and Spinning Nancy on a documentary about Flaco, a male Eurasian eagle-owl who gained worldwide attention after he was mysteriously set free in New York City. Penny Lane (“Music Box: Listening to Kenny G”) is directing the documentary with producer Gabriel Sedgwick.
On February 2, 2023, Flaco — a male Eurasian eagle-owl, the largest species of owl in the world — was discovered missing from his cage at the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. The documentary follows the surprising story of what happened when Flaco, who had lived his entire life in captivity, was released in New York City to the delight, concern, and fascination of millions in the city and beyond.
The filmmakers are enlisting the public’s help in sharing photos, videos, and personal stories about Flaco.
Penny Lane, director, says, “I’ve been deeply invested in Flaco from the instant my friend ran into him on the sidewalk on Fifth Avenue. I lost many nights of sleep worrying about him and made deep connections with a group of dedicated birders who documented his extraordinary adventures. It is amongst the greatest honors of my life to work with Sandbox Films and HBO to share his remarkable story with the world.”
HBO has signed a two-year first-look television deal with BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated actor, writer, and producer Sharon Horgan (“Bad Sisters,” “Catastrophe”) and her multi award-winning production company Merman, which began this month. HBO has also given a straight-to-series order for a new original comedy series, the first project under this deal, from Horgan and produced by Merman, with Horgan serving as writer, star, and executive producer.
This comedy series from Sharon Horgan follows a 50-year-old divorcee’s search for sex and love whilst juggling caring for her ailing parents and parenting her should-be grown up son.
Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO & Max Comedy Programming says, “We’re thrilled to be reunited with Sharon. Her willingness to offer up her own experiences through the characters she creates makes us all feel a little less lonely, that is what sets her comedy apart so brilliantly. She also has such a sharp eye for material and a strong desire to shepherd other people’s stories, we’re looking forward to the new talent she will bring into the fold.”
Sharon Horgan, writer, star and executive producer, says “I’m so happy to once again be working with Casey, Amy, Francesca and the team at HBO, and really excited that Merman get to continue to tell stories for a company that’s been home to some of the most iconic television shows ever created.”
Horgan has created and starred in such series as “Pulling,” “Catastrophe,” “Motherland,” “Amandaland” and BAFTA and Peabody winning series “Bad Sisters,” which recently released its second season. She received Emmy® nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (“Catastrophe”), Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (“Bad Sisters”).
Merman is a globally renowned production and entertainment company working across the UK and US. Founded in 2014, it has a reputation for scripting and producing award winning TV and film and receiving a plethora of accolades, including numerous BAFTAs and multiple Emmy and RTS nominations. Recent TV projects include season two of the critically acclaimed, BAFTA winning series “Bad Sisters,” multi award winning “Motherland” and its highly anticipated spin-off “Amandaland,” which launched in early 2025 to widespread acclaim.
The untitled HBO Original comedy series is produced by Merman. Sharon Horgan will write, star in and executive produce the series.
he critically acclaimed HBO Original comedy series THE REHEARSAL, from Nathan Fielder, returns for its six-episode second season SUNDAY, APRIL 20 on HBO following and the airing of “The Righteous Gemstones.” Episodes will be available on Max Sundays beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Season 2 logline: THE REHEARSAL follows one man’s journey to reduce the uncertainties of everyday life. With a construction crew, a legion of actors, and seemingly unlimited resources, Fielder helps ordinary people prepare for life’s biggest moments by “rehearsing” them in carefully crafted simulations of his own design.
In season two, the urgency of Fielder’s project grows as he decides to put his resources toward an issue that affects us all.
A hit with fans and critics alike, IndieWire praised season one of THE REHEARSAL as “a grand HBO experiment” that achieves “next-level entertainment,” and Vanity Fair called it “as enthralling and bizarre as life itself.”
Credits: Nathan Fielder is the star, writer, director and executive producer. Executive produced by Eric Notarnicola, Dave Paige, and Christie Smith & Dan McManus for Rise Management; co-executive produced by Kris Eber and Carrie Kemper; produced by Adam Locke-Norton. Additional writers include Eric Notarnicola, Carrie Kemper and Adam Locke-Norton.
The HBO Original six-part documentary series EYES ON THE PRIZE III: WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CANNOT REST 1977-2015, executive produced by Dawn Porter (“John Lewis: Good Trouble”), debuts TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25(9:00 p.m-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO with two episodes airing back-to-back. Episodes three and four will debut the following day on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 followed by episodes five and six on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27 at the same time on HBO. All six episodes will be available to stream on Max beginning Tuesday, February 25.
Inspired by Henry Hampton’s legendary documentary series “Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement,” this new installment of the groundbreaking 1987 series illuminates the bold stories of people and communities who continue to work for equity and racial justice in the years since the birth of the American civil rights movement.This new chapter of the iconic series begins in the late 1970s and continues into 2015, with episodes examining the strategies of those who fought for racial equality across multiple decades. As in the original production, diverse teams of acclaimed filmmakers bring each story to life by showcasing the work of citizens in an ever-more multicultural society working to achieve true equity.
Presenting contemporary history in context with archival footage and intimate interviews with those who personally participated in collective movements, the series is a wide-ranging meditation about the ongoing struggle for freedom, racial justice, and equity in the years since the civil rights movement, reflecting untold stories of the people and communities fighting for a better future in a changing America.
Episodes: Episode 1: “America, Don’t Look Away 1977-1988” Debut date: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 (9:00 p.m-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, episode one chronicles community activists in New York’s South Bronx and Philadelphia fighting for fair housing and healthcare at the tail end of the Carter administration and through the rise of Reaganomics and the AIDS crisis.
Featured Participants: Community activists Robert Foster, Carol Waring, Leon Potts, Allen Pierce, and Harry DeRienzo; former Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer; former commissioner of public health Estelle Richman; AIDS activist and Bebashi founder Rashidah Abdul-Khabeer; AIDS activists Tyrone Smith, David Fair, and Michael Hinson; former mayor of Philadelphia W. Wilson Goode.
Episode 2: “Trapped: 1989-1995” Debut date: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25(10:00 p.m-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Directed by Samantha Knowles, episode two documents the criminal justice system profiling public defenders in Washington D.C. and local organizers in South Central Los Angeles who sound the alarm about institutional structures and policies that disproportionately affect the Black community.
Featured Participants: Activists Aqeela Sherrills and Skipp Townsend; congresswoman Maxine Waters; public defenders Kim Taylor-Thompson, James Forman, Jr. and Robert Wilkins; Coalition Against Police Abuse (CAPA) member Mabie Settlage; deputy drug czar Reggie Walton; and assistant U.S. attorney D.C. L. Jackson Thomas.
Episode 3: “Million Man March 1995” Debut date: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 (10:00 p.m-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Directed by Muta’Ali, episode three chronicles the controversy and community inspired by the 1995 Million Man March in Washington, D.C. that came to be a transformative experience for many of the men who traveled in from around the nation to participate.
Feature participants: Former executive director NAACP Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.; activist Reverend Al Sharpton; journalist Michael Cottman; U.C. Santa Cruz professor emerita Angela Davis; youth mentor Jimmy Cunningham; attorney Roderick Terry; march organizer E. Faye Williams; march attendees Bobby Sykes, Ron Thompson, John Davi Ervin, Jr., and Katina Parker; White House speechwriter J. Terry Edwards; congressman Kweisi Mfume; photographer Jason Miccolo Johnson; and public speaker Ayinde Jean-Baptiste.
Episode 4: “Spoil The Vine 1982-2011” Debut date: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26(10:00 p.m-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Directed by Rudy Valdez, episode four explores the growing environmental justice movement as local activists in West Virginia and Florida fight threats to their communities’ health and survival.
Featured participants: United Church of Christ commissioner for racial justice Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr.; activists Sue Ferguson Davis, Kathy Ferguson, and Pam Nixon; environmental justice activist Dr. Robert Bullard; director of environmental justice at United Church of Christ Charles Lee; Citzens Against Toxic Exposure (CATE) activists Francine Ishmael, Frances Dunham, and Eddie Ishmael; former vice president and environmental activist Al Gore.
Episode 5: “We Don’t See Color 1996-2013” Debut date: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27(9:00 p.m-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Directed by Smriti Mundhra, episode five explores the complexities of affirmative action policies and how a changing demographic landscape affected school desegregation in new ways.
Featured participants: UCLA School of Law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw; By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) chairperson Shanta Driver; University of Michigan Law School professor Ted Shaw; Advancement Project executive director Judith Browne Dianis; organizers Yevonne Brannon, Erika Wilson, Rasheda Kilpatrick, Amelia Lumpkin, Adrienne Lumpkin, Samantha Lumpkin, Rev. Nancy Petty, and Mary D. Williams; University of Michigan former president Lee Bollinger; senior research scholar Timothy Tyson; former Wake County superintendent Bill McNeal; former school board members Keith Sutton and John Tedesco; former president of North Carolina NAACP Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.
Episode Six: “What Comes After Hope? 2008-2015” Debut date: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27(10:00 p.m-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Directed by Asako Gladsjo, episode six chronicles the years of America’s first Black president, when, despite hope for significant societal change, police brutality soared and a new movement under the banner #BlackLivesMatter emerged.
Featured participants: Organizers Jonathan Lykes, Nelini Stamp, Charlene A. Carruthers, Asha Ransby-Sporn, and Ahmad Abuznaid; Dream Defenders co-founders Phillip Agnew, Ciara Taylor, and Jonel Edwards; Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) co-founders Damon Williams, Breanna Champion, and Johnaé Strong; Black Lives Matter (BLM) co-founders Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors; former Florida state senator Dwight Bullard; U.C. Santa Cruz professor emerita Angela Davis; BlackOUT Collective co-director Chinyere Tutashinda; Advancement Project executive director Judith Browne Dianis; activist Rev. Al Sharpton; University of Chicago professor Cathy Cohen, PHD.; and Advancement Project lawyer Alana Greer.
Mike Stringer, guitarist of two-time GRAMMY-nominated band Spiritbox, has officially launched his first-ever signature guitar line in partnership with Aristides. Introduced at NAMM 2025, The STX Collection is the culmination of nearly a decade of collaboration between Stringer and Aristides, offering a sleek, ergonomic offset design available in 6, 7, and 8-string configurations, with both standard and multiscale options. The launch comes at the heels of Spiritbox’s latest album, Tsunami Sea, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart.
To showcase The STX Collection in action, Stringer has released a playthrough video of “Perfect Soul,” one of the album’s standout tracks, currently at #15 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
“I first started playing Aristides guitars in 2015, and their instruments have shaped the overall sound of my band, our recordings, and my playing,” shares Stringer. “Today, after 10 years of playing their guitars, I am very proud and honoured to announce the launch of the first ever Aristides artist collaboration line: The STX series. An offset model available in 6, 7, and 8 string configurations, focused on ergonomics, quality and precision. My entire career, I’ve been trying to find the instrument that covers all the ground I need, and we’ve accomplished this with the STX. I cannot wait for guitarists to get their hands on one!”
Pascal Langelaar, CEO of Aristides Instruments adds, “Mike has been a key part of Aristides for over a decade. His ideas and feedback have shaped many of our innovations, and it’s a proud moment for us to launch our very first official artist collaboration line of guitars with someone who’s been such an important part of our journey.”
Designed for versatility, The STX Collection consists of five distinct Aristides models that merge Stringer’s technical demands with Aristides’ innovative craftsmanship. Each guitar is fully compatible with flagship Aristides features, including multiscale EverTune and tremolo bridge options, while introducing new, exclusive design elements unique to the STX line. Engineered for all playing styles, these guitars are built to inspire musicians across genres.
A defining feature of The STX Collection is its ergonomic offset body shape, created for comfort and extended fretboard access in both seated and standing positions. The collection also offers customizable options such as Spiritbox-themed inlays, a pickguard choice, a newly designed in-line headstock for straight scale models, and a custom neck profile on the STX6.
More than just a signature model, The STX Collection is a true collaboration-each guitar is a blank canvas for players to make their own. With over 200 finish options, a wide range of pickup configurations, personalized setups, and Aristides’ premium custom bridges, The STX Collection ensures every guitarist can build their dream instrument.
