The Velvet Rope is the sixth studio album by American singer Janet Jackson. It was released on October 7, 1997, through Virgin Records. Prior to its release, Jackson renegotiated her contract with Virgin for US$80 million, marking this as the largest recording contract in history at that time.
Upon experiencing an emotional breakdown, Jackson began facing a long-term case of depression. She developed her new record as a concept album, using introspection as its theme. Its title is a metaphor for emotional boundaries as well as an allusion to an individual's need to feel special. Its lyrics address subject matter such as depression, self-worth, social networking, and domestic violence. It also encompasses themes of sexuality, including BDSM, sexual orientation, and same-sex relationships. Due to its sexually explicit content, the album reinforced Jackson's public image as a sex symbol and as one of the most erotic vocalists of the 1990s. Its incorporation of social issues regarding sexual orientation and combating homophobia also established her reputation as a gay icon, for which she received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music.
The record was co-written and co-produced by Jackson, alongside Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The songs on the album also include British violinist Vanessa-Mae and American rapper Q-Tip as featured artists, along with samples from Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi". Its composition fuses various genres, including R&B, pop, trip hop, folk, jazz, rock, and techno music. Considered to be Jackson's most mature recording, it is regarded as a template for pop artists transitioning to a darker or rebellious sound and as a precursor to the development of alternative R&B.
The Velvet Rope became Jackson's fourth consecutive album to top the US Billboard 200. It also reached the top of the charts in Denmark and the top five in major markets such as Australia, Canada, France, and Germany. The album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold an estimated eight million copies worldwide. Of the six singles released from the project, "Got 'til It's Gone" won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, "Together Again" became an international number-one hit, and "I Get Lonely" became Jackson's 18th consecutive top-ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100, making her the only female artist in history to achieve that feat. The Velvet Rope Tour, in support of the album, drew critical acclaim for its theatricality, as well as controversy for its depictions of domestic violence and bondage.
Background
Jackson's first compilation album, Design of a Decade: 1986–1996, was released in 1995. It peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200. The lead single, "Runaway", became the first song by a female artist to debut within the top ten of the Hot 100, reaching number three. Design of a Decade 1986–1996 was certified double platinum by the RIAA and sold ten million copies worldwide. The release marked the fulfillment of Jackson's contractual obligations to Virgin Records. As a result, she became subject to an industry bidding war between various parties, including Virgin, Bertelsmann, DreamWorks, Sony Music, Time Warner, and The Walt Disney Company, who attempted to sign her jointly with PolyGram. She ultimately renewed her contract with Virgin for $80 million—the largest recording contract in history at that time and a breakthrough she achieved for the second time in her career. The contract surpassed the recording industry's then-unparalleled $60 million contracts earned by Michael Jackson and Madonna.
Writing and development
Billboard commended it as "her most personal and intimate work to date", confronting "domestic abuse, AIDS, and homophobia with her most sexually explicit songs ever." Kyra Phillips of CNN declared it "difficult and very intimate", exploring "Jackson's darker side, her emotional break down and the secret that shocked the world." Regarding its content, Jackson said, "I'm sure it did alienate a lot of people, but that's what I was feeling, and I wanted to write about it, so" I did." Jackson later stated: