William Orbit, the production genius behind Madonna’s Ray Of Light, has died, aged 69

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He died at home last month, his family and friends have confirmed in a statement

William Orbit
(Image credit: Eva Pentel)

Acclaimed British musician and producer William Orbit has died at the age of 69, it’s been confirmed.

Perhaps most famous for producing Madonna’s 1998 album Ray Of Light – widely regarded as one of the best of her career – he also did notable work with Blur and British girl band All Saints.

Alongside his production work, Orbit released a consistent stream of solo albums, the last of which – The Painter – came out in 2022.

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News of Orbit’s death was broken in a statement posted by his family and friends on his social media channels, which confirmed that he died at home on 23 July.

“We are deeply saddened by his passing,” it reads. “He will be greatly missed by us and by so many whose lives he touched through his music, friendship and kindness.”

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Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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