Bedtime Stories (Madonna album)
| Bedtime Stories | ||||
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Artwork for standard US release, upturned for most international releases
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| Studio album by Madonna | ||||
| Released | October 25, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | February–August 1994 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 51:50 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| Madonna chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Bedtime Stories | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Billboard | positive |
| The Boston Globe | negative |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+ |
| Los Angeles Times |  |
| The Milwaukee Journal | mixed |
| Robert Christgau |  |
| Rolling Stone | |
| The San Francisco Examiner | positive |
| Slant Magazine | |
Bedtime Stories is the sixth studio album by American singer Madonna. It was released on October 25, 1994, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records. Madonna collaborated with Dallas Austin, Babyface, Dave "Jam" Hall, and Nellee Hooper in order to move into a more mainstream sound. The singer wanted to soften her image following the critical and commercial backlash she faced after releasing sexually explicit projects in the previous two years, notably the Erotica album and the book Sex in 1992. The success of the soundtrack single "I'll Remember" in 1994 marked the beginning of this transformation and Madonna used Bedtime Stories to continue it.
Bedtime Stories is a pop album which was inspired by contemporary R&B. Like its predecessor Erotica, the album explores lyrical themes of love, sorrow, and romance, but with a toned-down, less sexual approach. Critics described the album as "autobiographical", as the song "Human Nature" addresses the controversy surrounding her book Sex. Madonna also worked with Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk on the track "Bedtime Story", as she wanted to explore the British club musical scene, where genres such as dub had been growing in popularity.
Bedtime Stories received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who praised the album's candid lyrics and production, and it was nominated for Best Pop Album at the 38th Grammy Awards. Commercially, the album proved to be successful. Debuting and peaking at number three on the Billboard 200, the album was certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It also became her fifth number-one album in Australia and peaked within the top five in other international territories. Bedtime Stories has sold more than seven million copies worldwide.
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