The Return of the Space Cowboy is the second studio album by English funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai. The album was released on 17 October 1994 under Sony Soho Square. The album continues the musical direction of their debut, Emergency on Planet Earth (1993), and is characterised by its complex songwriting as a result of Jay Kay's creative block mid-production. Its lyrics addressed street life, hope, loss, Kay's drug use, and social matters regarding Native Americans and youth protests. Critical reviews of the album were generally positive, with some considering it an improvement from Jamiroquai's first album. It ranked at number 2 in the UK and was certified platinum in the country, with 1,300,000 copies sold worldwide. Its singles "Half the Man" and "Stillness in Time" reached number 15 and number 9, respectively, on the UK Singles Chart, while "Space Cowboy" and "Light Years" peaked at number 1 and number 6 on the US Dance Charts, respectively. The album was reissued in 2013 in remastered form with bonus material.
