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'The Velvet Rope' is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released October 7, 1997 by Virgin Records. It is co-written and produced by her long-term collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, as well as her then-husband René Elizondo, Jr. Prior to its release, Jackson renewed her recording contract with Virgin for an unprecedented $80 million dollars, establishing her as the industry's highest paid act at the time.
Following the conclusion of the Janet World Tour, Jackson struggled with a long-term case of depression. As a result, she frequently took time off or abruptly left the studio during recording sessions. Containing autobiographical themes, The Velvet Rope-a title which refers to boundaries within society and individuals, symbolic of literal velvet ropes at events where only Very Important Persons (VIPs) are allowed entry-became a concept album. Although she introduced sexuality into her music with her previous album janet. (1993), The Velvet Rope takes the concept a step further, encompassing sadomasochism and same-sex relationships as lyrical content. Referred to as a masterpiece, it has been the subject of critical acclaim.
The Velvet Rope debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Jackson's fourth consecutive album to top the chart, selling over ten million copies worldwide. The Recording Industry Association of America has certified The Velvet Rope triple platinum. The Velvet Rope is also ranked at number 256 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
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| No | Title | Writer | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|
| 1 | Interlude: Twisted Elegance | | | 0:41 |
| 2 | Velvet Rope (featuring Vanessa-Mae) | Janet Jackson, James Harris III, Terry Lewis, René Elizondo, Jr., Malcolm McLaren, Trevor Horn, Mike Oldfield | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:55 |
| 3 | You | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo, Harold Brown, Sylvester Allen, Morris Dickerson, Howard Scott, Leroy Jordan, Lee Oskar, Charles Miller | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:42 |
| 4 | Got 'til It's Gone (featuring Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell) | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo, Joni Mitchell, Kamaal Ibn Fareed | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:01 |
| 5 | Interlude: Speaker Phone | | | 0:54 |
| 6 | My Need | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo, Marilyn McLeod, Pam Sawyer, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 3:44 |
| 7 | Interlude: Fasten Your Seatbelts | | | 0:19 |
| 8 | Go Deep | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:42 |
| 9 | Free Xone | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo, James Brown, Billy Buttier, Archie Bell, Michael Hepburn | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:57 |
| 10 | Interlude: Memory | | | 0:04 |
| 11 | Together Again | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 5:01 |
| 12 | Interlude: Online | | | 0:19 |
| 13 | Empty | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:32 |
| 14 | Interlude: Full | | | 0:12 |
| 15 | What About | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:24 |
| 16 | Every Time | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:17 |
| 17 | Tonight's the Night | Rod Stewart | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 5:07 |
| 18 | I Get Lonely | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 5:17 |
| 19 | Rope Burn | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:15 |
| 20 | Anything | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 4:54 |
| 21 | Interlude: Sad | | | 0:10 |
| 22 | Special | Jackson, Harris, Lewis, Elizondo | Jackson, Harris, Lewis | 7:55 |
| Critical : |
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| Organization |
Country |
Accolade |
Year |
Source |
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| GLAAD Media Award |
United States |
Outstanding Album |
1997 |
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| MTV Europe Music Award |
United Kingdom |
Best Female Artist |
1997 |
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| Soul Train Music Award |
United States |
Lena Horne Award - Lady of Soul Recipient |
1997 |
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| BMI Pop Awards |
United States |
Most Played Song: I Get Lonely & Together Again |
1998 |
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| Blockbuster Entertainment Award |
United States |
Favorite R&B Female Artist |
1998 |
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| Danish Music Awards |
Europe |
International Female Solo Artist of the Year, International Album of the Year: The Velvet Rope, International Single of the Year: Got 'til It's Gone |
1998 |
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| VH-1 Fashion Award |
United States |
Most Stylish Music Video ("Got 'til It's Gone") |
1998 |
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| American Music Awards |
United States |
Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist |
1999 |
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| 1998 Grammy Awards |
United States |
Best Music Video, Short Form - Mark Romanek, video director "Got 'til It's Gone" |
1999 |
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| World Music Awards |
Europe |
Legend Award for Outstanding Contribution to Pop & R&B Music |
1999 |
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| Rolling Stone |
United States |
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (Rank 256) |
2003 |
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