3 Masterpieces Produced by William Orbit

I am sad to read this morning about the passing of electronic musician and producer William Orbit. His family posted in a statement on his Instagram that “William passed away at home on 23rd July 2026.”

Orbit began his career in 1980 with the electronic trio Torch Song. But in the early 90s, high-profile remixes for Madonna led to a production career that shifted the sound of rock and pop music in the late 1990s.

This list celebrates three masterpieces that Orbit guided into existence.

‘13’ by Blur (1999)

As one of Britpop’s “Big Four,” Blur helped transform 90s pop culture in the U.K. However, the London band found its greatest success after a reinvention. They adopted the rawness of American indie rock, resulting in their 1997 noisy anthem, “Song 2”. Blur returned in 1999 with a patchwork masterpiece called 13. Orbit directed Damon Albarn through a multitude of heartbreaking confessionals documenting the singer’s breakup with Elastica’s Justine Frischmann. The album opens with the Brit-gospel classic “Tender”. Other standout tracks include “Coffee & TV” and the utterly crushing “No Distance Left To Run”.

‘Ray Of Light’ by Madonna (1998)

Like Blur, Madonna was searching for a musical reinvention when she connected with Orbit. She’d become a mother, adopted Jewish mysticism, and dabbled in Eastern philosophies, yoga, and the like. All of it coalesced into a hazy, electronic album that’s equal parts banger and earnest meditation. It remains my favorite Madonna long player. Here, Orbit brings the experiments of the electronic underground to normie listeners. “Drowned World / Substitute For Love” is for the times you feel the tears must flow. “Ray Of Light” still demands critical volume. And finally, Madge and Orbit go grunge on “Candy Perfume Girl”. Crank it.

“Electrical Storm” by U2 (2002)

When U2 released its second greatest hits compilation, the band included two new tracks. The best-of landed between All That You Can’t Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. Of course, U2 were no strangers to connecting rock with dance music. In 1991, they exited Berlin’s Hansa Studios with their Bowie-esque masterpiece, Achtung Baby. But “Electrical Storm” proved the Irish post-punks still had some gas left in the tank. Through Orbit’s lens, the track has echoes of Madonna’s Ray Of Light. But the producer’s glitching layers also help lift the drama to match both U2’s sky-scraping earnestness and global pop ambitions.

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