William Orbit, Visionary Producer Behind Madonna and Blur, Dies at 69
TL;DR
William Orbit, the Grammy-winning producer behind Madonna’s Ray of Light and Blur’s sound, died at age 69 on July 23, 2026, at his home. Born in London in 1956, Orbit built Guerilla Studios and Guerilla Records, produced for artists including No Doubt and U2, and released solo work like The Painter and WFO. His death was confirmed by his family; a cause of death was not disclosed. Orbit’s innovative production helped redefine late-1990s pop and electronic music and left a lasting legacy in the industry.
- William Orbit, Grammy-Winning Producer for Madonna and Blur, Dies at 69 Variety
- William Orbit, pop producer for Madonna, All Saints and more, dies aged 69 theguardian.com
- William Orbit, Madonna and Blur Producer, Dies at 69 Pitchfork
- Tributes paid after death of legendary electronic producer William Orbit, age 69: “He never followed the obvious path” NME
- William Orbit Dead – Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ Producer Dies at 69 Just Jared
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