The Velvet Rope
Encyclopedia
The Velvet Rope is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson
, released October 7, 1997 by Virgin Records
. Prior to its debut, Jackson had been at the center of a second high-profile bidding war over her recording contract. Following the release of her first greatest hits compilation Design of a Decade 1986/1996
in 1995, her contract with Virgin allotted her the option to leave the label. The Walt Disney Company
attempted to sign her jointly with PolyGram
, while Virgin sought to renegotiate her contract in order to retain her. Virgin was able to succeed in their negotiations, with Jackson receiving a historic $80 million dollar contract, making her the world's highest paid musical act for the second time in her career.
During this time, 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. She developed the record as a concept album
with introspection as its theme. Its title, The Velvet Rope, relates to an individuals need to feel special—symbolic of literal velvet ropes at events where only Very Important Person
s (VIPs) are allowed entry—as well as a metaphor for emotional boundaries. Lyrically, she offers her audience the opportunity to cross her own velvet rope, exploring her feelings of despondency through the course of the 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 relationship
s, in addition to addressing social issues, such as homophobia
and domestic violence
. Musically, the album blends contemporary R&B
, rap
, hip hop
, and electronic music
, with songs ranging from smooth balladry to up-tempo dance rhythms. Collaborating with her record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
and her then-husband René Elizondo, Jr., she co-wrote all vocal arrangements for the album with Jam and Lewis. Similarly, all rhythmic arrangements were written by Jackson, Jam, and Lewis, with additional contributions from Alex Richbourg and James Wright. Referred to as her masterpiece, it has been the subject of critical acclaim. It is listed by Rolling Stone
magazine as one of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
.
The Velvet Rope debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
, becoming her fourth consecutive album to top the chart. Although considered to be a commercial disappointment in comparison to the Janet record, the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) certified
The Velvet Rope triple platinum, with worldwide sales exceeding ten million copies.
wrote: "The 29-year-old entertainer has been the target of a ferocious industry bidding war since her Virgin contract expired last year. Jackson is so hot that sources said Walt Disney Co.
President Michael Ovitz met with Jackson's representatives three weeks ago, hoping to woo her with a huge offer that included film opportunities." Disney's offer was in a joint venture with PolyGram
. Alice Rawsthorn reported: "Disney Chairman Michael Eisner
was anxious to sign Jackson in the hope that a high-profile star would raise Disney's stature in the music market and attract other acts. Under the terms of Disney's agreement with PolyGram, Jackson would have split her recording contract between the two groups. She would have signed to Disney in North America and to A&M, the PolyGram subsidiary that was her original record label, for the rest of the world." She instead renewed her recording contract with Virgin Records for a then-unparalleled $80 million dollars. The four-album record deal marked the second time Jackson had broken the industry's record for an unmatched recording contract; the first in 1991 when she signed her original contract with the label for an estimated $32–50 million. Jackson's renewed deal with Virgin surpassed the recording industry's unprecedented $60 million dollar recording contracts earned by her brother, Michael Jackson
, and Madonna
. Ian Katz of The Guardian
remarked that she had "signed the most lucrative recording contract in history, unceremoniously displacing her troubled sibling as the self-styled monarch of pop."
During the two year period between the end of the Janet. World Tour in 1995 and the release of Jackson's sixth studio album The Velvet Rope in 1997, the entertainer had been battling a long-term case of depression. Jackson revealed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey
"[t]here were times when I cried all day". Writing for the album began in August 1996 and continued into 1997. Janet returned to the studio in January 1997 to begin recording the album over a six month period. Recording finished in July and the album was mixed and mastered into September 1997.
described the album as a "critical self-examination and an audio journal of a woman's road to self-discovery". Though Jackson expressed she always used her personal life as a source of inspiration for her music, she professed The Velvet Rope was her most accomplished album to date. Amidst the album's socially and morally conscientious songs, such as "Together Again", which is an homage to those Jackson has lost to AIDS, "What About", a song about domestic abuse and "Free Xone", which speaks out against homophobia, the album represents Jackson's two-year period of soul-searching.
The concept behind the album's title The Velvet Rope is both a literal depiction of the velvet ropes commonly used to separate crowds of fans, spectators, and media personnel from celebrities, and according to Jackson, the metaphorical velvet rope within every human being which keeps their true feelings separated from those around them.
version, the "Deep Remix" which is a R&B hip hop version and the "Deeper Remix" which is a R&B/soul re-make. The dance version was inspired by Donna Summer
's "Last Dance
". Despite very sexual and explicit lyrics on a majority of the album's tracks, the album was never issued with a Parental Advisory
warning. On iTunes
, the album is tagged as Explicit and has a parental advisory warning, however, no clean version is offered.
Hot 100 Airplay
and at number 3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
.
"Together Again" peaked at number one of the Billboard Hot 100
singles chart and at number eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The single entered the Hot 100 on December 20, 1997, peaking at number one on January 31, 1998 and topped the chart for two weeks. "Together Again" spent a record 46 weeks on the Hot 100 singles chart. On January 9, 1998, "Together Again" received gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Go Deep", like "Got 'til It's Gone" was released as an international single but was not commercially available in the United States. The song received radio airplay and peaked at number 28 on the Hot 100 Airplay and number 11 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.
"I Get Lonely" peaked at number three on the Hot 100 singles chart and at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. On June 30, 1998, the single was certified gold by the RIAA.
"You" was released as the album's fifth single in September 1998. Although the single received a promo release in the United Kingdom, it was ineligible to chart.
The ballad "Every Time" was released as the album's sixth and final single in late 1998. The song was relatively a commercial failure in many countries. It failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.
described Jackson's concert at the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre in Glasgow
June 3, 1998 as "enormous theatrical extravaganza". As with all of her live performances, Jackson was accompanied by a dance troupe, elaborate costumes, pyrotechnics and mobile video screens.
Jackson chose "Together Again" for the finale of her tour's concert line up because of the energy it generated with the audience. Jam stated, "[o]pening night... when she hit the very first notes, the whole crowd started singing and practically drowned her out... Everyone can relate to someone in their life passing away or feeling like they want to be together again with somebody."
, and at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart, selling 202,000 copies in its first week. In its second week, U.S. sales fell by 39%, and the album fell to number 2, being replaced by LeAnn Rimes
' You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
. In its third week of release, the album fell to number 5, and in its fourth week of release, the album fell to number 11. Outside of the United States, the album charted within the top five of many countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and The United Kingdom. In Japan
The Velvet Rope debuted at the number ten with 34,910 copies sold at the first week.
Despite the album's strong debut and critical acclaim, it was Jackson's weakest commercial effort since 1984's Dream Street. The album sold two million copies within its 47 weeks of its chart-life, while Jackson's previous album, janet.
, had excess sales of ten million copies worldwide. The album was first certified gold by the RIAA
on November 11, 1997 denoting 500,000 units shipped within the United States. The same day, the album's certification was raised to platinum, denoting 1,000,000 units shipped. The following year on March 26, 1998, the album was certified double platinum and later triple platinum on January 15, 1999. In Australia, the album was first certified Platinum by the ARIA
in 1997 and later 2x Platinum in 1998, thus becoming her best seller in that country. In Norway, the IFPI certified it Platinum, becoming her highest certified album in that country.
As of March 2009, The Velvet Rope has sold 3,229,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan
. Worldwide, it has sold over 10 million copies.
was in high praise of the album, calling it Jacksons' best album, saying "If Janet Jackson made much ado of janet. being the Let's Get It On
to Rhythm Nation's What's Going On
, then 1997's The Velvet Rope is clearly her I Want You, respectively Jackson's and Gaye's
best and least-heralded albums". He called it "the most "adult" album of her career" and said "The Velvet Rope is a richly dark masterwork that illustrates that, amid the whips and chains, there is nothing sexier than emotional nakedness". Rolling Stone
gave the an album a 3½ stars out of five, saying mainly criticizing the interludes included, saying, "Janet Jackson talks too much. Seven of the 22 tracks on The Velvet Rope are so-called interludes -- spoken-word pieces meant to lend extra dramatic gravity to a record already heavy with moral instruction. It's as if Jackson doesn't trust the thrust of her music" but were favorable of the album overall saying "The Velvet Rope feels like a grand exercise in contrived honesty". Los Angeles Times
pop music critic Elysa Gardner commented, was in high praise of the album, referring it to its predecessor, Janet, saying "The Velvet Rope picks up where janet. left off, in both its themes and its textures; this new collection of songs and "interludes" addresses the social, emotional and sexual politics of relationships, peppering the wistful, spirited pop melodies and sinuous R&B rhythms that are fundamental elements of the Jackson-Jam-Lewis sound with compelling jazz, folk and techno nuances". She commended Jackson's sound on the album, saying "Certainly, as a musician Jackson has never seemed more confident or ambitious than she does here, veering smoothly from the cool, breezy hip-hop of the single "Got 'til It's Gone
", which cannily intertwines a Joni Mitchell sample and a seductive guest rap by Q-Tip, to the slamming funk of "Freexone" to the shimmering electronic pop of "Empty"; Typically, the singer isn't as cerebral or rhetorical in delivering her message as some other artists would be; but with hooks this strong and grooves this delicious, Jackson's authority should be of question to no one".
J.D. Considine of Entertainment Weekly
complimented Jackson's resolve to sing about sex as if "its a fact of life" and asserted "it's a mistake to judge this album on the basis of its lyric sheet". He praised Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the quality of their production, which "clearly articulates the emotional core of Jackson's songs" and ended his review saying "In the end, the most daring thing about The Velvet Rope isn't its sex talk but its honesty. Tempting as it may be to compare the album to similarly sultry stuff like Madonna's Erotica, it's much closer in spirit to the unabashed emotionalism of Joni Mitchell
's Blue
. That's because the most revealing moments here have to do with loneliness and vulnerability, not sexual preference." J.R. Reynolds with Yahoo! Music
commented on it by saying "This set ranks with the pop superstar's finest efforts, but it's a sleeper. Thoughtful and pertinent, the album's somewhat darkish tone makes the expressive songs slower to digest lyrically". Robert Christgau
gave it an "A-" rating saying "Why do I believe that this self-made object's mild kink and coyly matter-of-fact bisexuality are functions of flesh pure and simple? That for her sex really is about pleasure rather than power--or even, except as a side issue, love? Because her sex songs are flavorful where her love songs are all cliche, and because her much-berated fluting little-girl timbre whispers innocence even when she's loosening her new friend's pretty French gown. So in the absence of total personal fulfillment, here's hoping she retains her ability to feign delight, to fool herself as well as everyone else".
Jon Pareles
with The New York Times
called it "her most daring, elaborate and accomplished album" saying "Ms. Jackson has clearly calculated the titillation factor, as Madonna once did. But her Madonna-like message, that self-realization means ending repression, seems heartfelt, underlined by insipid sound bites of psychobabble. More important, Ms. Jackson backs her prescription with ambitious music. Meticulous as the album is, Ms. Jackson clearly has no intention of playing it safe. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
, gave the release 2½ stars, and criticized the album for its "sexually explicit" material and its "offering tales of bondage, body piercing, and bisexuality." He went on to say "Jackson's attempts to broaden her sexual horizons frequently sound forced, whether it's the references to piercing or her recasting of Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night
" as a lesbian anthem. Furthermore, the album is simply too long, which means the best moments sink into the murk". Martin Johnson with SF Weekly
called it a "refreshingly free of psychobabble; The Velvet Rope, is about the inner resources that maintain a healthy level of self-esteem and the risks that such self-confidence can embolden you to take; Instead of gunning for a cheap thrill, Jackson portrays her sexuality and desire as essential parts of her being; in the process she's reshaping the stereotype of the sexually confident black woman".
Craig S. Semon of the Telegram & Gazette remarked, "Jackson shows once again that she can compete against any of the lightweight, mega-selling pop divas and hang them out to dry". He regarded the album's depictions of cyber-sex, lesbian love affairs, and outcry against domestic abuse and homophobia a work of "unbridled passion". According to Semon, the title-track "Velvet Rope" "gives the listener an invitation to [Jackson's] innermost passions". Jackson's struggle with disillusionment on the single "You" is said to be "reminiscent of Diana Ross before unleashing an angry Michael Jackson-like growl and refrain", while the Prince-like "Go Deep" is described as a "funky bump and grind about dressing sexily, dancing sexily and seducing someone to bring home for sex" and the examination of sexual orientation on "Free Xone" is said to "not [be] preachy or political - just passionate and to the point". Semon assessed the album's greatest accomplishment was "What About," with Jackson "[r]oaring over a snarling rock beat and rivaling her brother Michael's angriest vocal belts, [and] shows her strength as she rips into an unflinching attack against her abusive lover and unleashing all the hell he has put her through on this R-rated roarfest". Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph
condemned Jackson's attempt at expressing the pains of depression, as he stated "Janet mistakes platitudes for wisdom, [as] the suffering artist informs us there is nothing more depressing than "having everything and still feeling sad". She should try getting out more. A couple of weeks on a crack-addled Bradford housing estate trying to support eight children on state benefits would doubtless send her scurrying back to the cordon sanitaire of Beverly Hills, where she can take out her woes on an expensive analyst". However, McCormick complimented the album's "solid song construction and arrangements" and described The Velvet Rope as "varied and appealing exercise in R&B pop".
Musicians
Production
!align="left"|End of year chart (1997/1998)
!align="center"|Position
|-
|Australian Albums Chart 1997
|align="center"|42
|-
|Australian Albums Chart 1997
|align="center"|82
|-
|Belgian Flanders Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|43
|-
|Belgian Wallonia Albums Chart 1997
|align="center"|85
|-
|Belgian Wallonia Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|39
|-
|Canadian Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|34
|-
|Dutch Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|20
|-
|French Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|17
|-
|align="left"|Italy
End-Year Chart 50 1998
|align="center"|42
|-
|Swiss Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|43
|-
|U.S. Billboard 200
1997
|align="center"|115
|-
|U.S. Billboard 200 1998
|align="center"|27
|-
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, released October 7, 1997 by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. Prior to its debut, Jackson had been at the center of a second high-profile bidding war over her recording contract. Following the release of her first greatest hits compilation Design of a Decade 1986/1996
Design of a Decade 1986/1996
Most music reviewers had a positive reception to Design of a Decade, mainly because of the amount of chart-topping singles it contained, but many noted the "misleading title" as the content predominantly spanned a five-year period....
in 1995, her contract with Virgin allotted her the option to leave the label. The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
attempted to sign her jointly with PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
, while Virgin sought to renegotiate her contract in order to retain her. Virgin was able to succeed in their negotiations, with Jackson receiving a historic $80 million dollar contract, making her the world's highest paid musical act for the second time in her career.
During this time, 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. She developed the record as a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
with introspection as its theme. Its title, The Velvet Rope, relates to an individuals need to feel special—symbolic of literal velvet ropes at events where only Very Important Person
Very Important Person
A Very Important Person, or VIP is a person who is accorded special privileges due to his or her status or importance.Examples include celebrities, heads of state/heads of government, major employers, high rollers, politicians, high-level corporate officers, wealthy individuals, or any other...
s (VIPs) are allowed entry—as well as a metaphor for emotional boundaries. Lyrically, she offers her audience the opportunity to cross her own velvet rope, exploring her feelings of despondency through the course of the 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 relationship
Same-sex relationship
A same-sex relationship is a relationship between two persons of the same sex and can take many forms, from romantic and sexual, to non-romantic close relationships. The term is mainly associated with gay and lesbian people...
s, in addition to addressing social issues, such as homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
and domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. Musically, the album blends contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
, rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, and electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, with songs ranging from smooth balladry to up-tempo dance rhythms. Collaborating with her record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
and her then-husband René Elizondo, Jr., she co-wrote all vocal arrangements for the album with Jam and Lewis. Similarly, all rhythmic arrangements were written by Jackson, Jam, and Lewis, with additional contributions from Alex Richbourg and James Wright. Referred to as her masterpiece, it has been the subject of critical acclaim. It is listed by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine as one of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
.
The Velvet Rope debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, becoming her fourth consecutive album to top the chart. Although considered to be a commercial disappointment in comparison to the Janet record, the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) certified
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
The Velvet Rope triple platinum, with worldwide sales exceeding ten million copies.
Background
From December, 1995, to January, 1996, Jackson was the subject of a second bidding war over her recording contract. Chuck Philips of the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
wrote: "The 29-year-old entertainer has been the target of a ferocious industry bidding war since her Virgin contract expired last year. Jackson is so hot that sources said Walt Disney Co.
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
President Michael Ovitz met with Jackson's representatives three weeks ago, hoping to woo her with a huge offer that included film opportunities." Disney's offer was in a joint venture with PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
. Alice Rawsthorn reported: "Disney Chairman Michael Eisner
Michael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
was anxious to sign Jackson in the hope that a high-profile star would raise Disney's stature in the music market and attract other acts. Under the terms of Disney's agreement with PolyGram, Jackson would have split her recording contract between the two groups. She would have signed to Disney in North America and to A&M, the PolyGram subsidiary that was her original record label, for the rest of the world." She instead renewed her recording contract with Virgin Records for a then-unparalleled $80 million dollars. The four-album record deal marked the second time Jackson had broken the industry's record for an unmatched recording contract; the first in 1991 when she signed her original contract with the label for an estimated $32–50 million. Jackson's renewed deal with Virgin surpassed the recording industry's unprecedented $60 million dollar recording contracts earned by her brother, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Ian Katz of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
remarked that she had "signed the most lucrative recording contract in history, unceremoniously displacing her troubled sibling as the self-styled monarch of pop."
During the two year period between the end of the Janet. World Tour in 1995 and the release of Jackson's sixth studio album The Velvet Rope in 1997, the entertainer had been battling a long-term case of depression. Jackson revealed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
"[t]here were times when I cried all day". Writing for the album began in August 1996 and continued into 1997. Janet returned to the studio in January 1997 to begin recording the album over a six month period. Recording finished in July and the album was mixed and mastered into September 1997.
Concept
The concept behind The Velvet Rope was an introspective look into Jackson's bout with depression. Michael Saunders of The Boston GlobeThe Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
described the album as a "critical self-examination and an audio journal of a woman's road to self-discovery". Though Jackson expressed she always used her personal life as a source of inspiration for her music, she professed The Velvet Rope was her most accomplished album to date. Amidst the album's socially and morally conscientious songs, such as "Together Again", which is an homage to those Jackson has lost to AIDS, "What About", a song about domestic abuse and "Free Xone", which speaks out against homophobia, the album represents Jackson's two-year period of soul-searching.
The concept behind the album's title The Velvet Rope is both a literal depiction of the velvet ropes commonly used to separate crowds of fans, spectators, and media personnel from celebrities, and according to Jackson, the metaphorical velvet rope within every human being which keeps their true feelings separated from those around them.
Music
"Together Again" is an homage to loved ones Jackson has lost to AIDS as well as AIDS victims and their families worldwide. Jackson was reportedly inspired to write the song from her own personal experience, as well as a piece of fan-mail she received from a young boy in England who had lost his father. According to Jimmy Jam, "it had a deep meaning for her because it was about a friend she lost to AIDS, but as with all her songs, she tries to make them apply in a general sense to anybody. The idea was to make it a joyous song musically". The arrangement of the song was constructed in 30 minutes by Jam, Lewis and Jackson while in the recording studio. Once the melody was in place, Jackson finished writing the lyrics to the song. Jam and Lewis produced two versions of the song; the original danceElectronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
version, the "Deep Remix" which is a R&B hip hop version and the "Deeper Remix" which is a R&B/soul re-make. The dance version was inspired by Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
's "Last Dance
Last Dance (song)
"Last Dance" is a hit 1978 song by singer Donna Summer. The song appeared on the Thank God It's Friday movie soundtrack. It was written by Paul Jabara and was co-produced by Summer's regular collaborator Giorgio Moroder, along with Bob Esty...
". Despite very sexual and explicit lyrics on a majority of the album's tracks, the album was never issued with a Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
warning. On iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, the album is tagged as Explicit and has a parental advisory warning, however, no clean version is offered.
Singles
"Got 'til It's Gone" was released as an international single and received radio airplay in the United States, but was not released as a commercial single within the country. The single peaked at number 36 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 Airplay
Hot 100 Airplay
The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard...
and at number 3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart is the airplay component chart of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. It is not the R&B subset of The Hot 100 Airplay, but rather a separate panel of R&B stations in urban markets used for the R&B/Hip-Hop chart...
.
"Together Again" peaked at number one of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart and at number eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The single entered the Hot 100 on December 20, 1997, peaking at number one on January 31, 1998 and topped the chart for two weeks. "Together Again" spent a record 46 weeks on the Hot 100 singles chart. On January 9, 1998, "Together Again" received gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Go Deep", like "Got 'til It's Gone" was released as an international single but was not commercially available in the United States. The song received radio airplay and peaked at number 28 on the Hot 100 Airplay and number 11 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.
"I Get Lonely" peaked at number three on the Hot 100 singles chart and at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. On June 30, 1998, the single was certified gold by the RIAA.
"You" was released as the album's fifth single in September 1998. Although the single received a promo release in the United Kingdom, it was ineligible to chart.
The ballad "Every Time" was released as the album's sixth and final single in late 1998. The song was relatively a commercial failure in many countries. It failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.
The Velvet Rope Tour
D'Shawn Tyree Elliott of The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
described Jackson's concert at the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
June 3, 1998 as "enormous theatrical extravaganza". As with all of her live performances, Jackson was accompanied by a dance troupe, elaborate costumes, pyrotechnics and mobile video screens.
Jackson chose "Together Again" for the finale of her tour's concert line up because of the energy it generated with the audience. Jam stated, "[o]pening night... when she hit the very first notes, the whole crowd started singing and practically drowned her out... Everyone can relate to someone in their life passing away or feeling like they want to be together again with somebody."
Commercial
The Velvet Rope debuted at number one on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, and at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart, selling 202,000 copies in its first week. In its second week, U.S. sales fell by 39%, and the album fell to number 2, being replaced by LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
' You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
You Light up My Life: Inspirational Songs
You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs is the third album by American country singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States by Curb Records on September 9, 1997, when Rimes was 15 years old. The album was hugely successful but many critics thought that much of the material did not do Rimes'...
. In its third week of release, the album fell to number 5, and in its fourth week of release, the album fell to number 11. Outside of the United States, the album charted within the top five of many countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and The United Kingdom. In Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
The Velvet Rope debuted at the number ten with 34,910 copies sold at the first week.
Despite the album's strong debut and critical acclaim, it was Jackson's weakest commercial effort since 1984's Dream Street. The album sold two million copies within its 47 weeks of its chart-life, while Jackson's previous album, janet.
Janet.
Janet is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released on May 18, 1993 by Virgin Records. Prior to its release, Jackson was at the center of a high-profile bidding war over her recording contract. Her original label A&M sought to renew her contract, while others, such...
, had excess sales of ten million copies worldwide. The album was first certified gold by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on November 11, 1997 denoting 500,000 units shipped within the United States. The same day, the album's certification was raised to platinum, denoting 1,000,000 units shipped. The following year on March 26, 1998, the album was certified double platinum and later triple platinum on January 15, 1999. In Australia, the album was first certified Platinum by the ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
in 1997 and later 2x Platinum in 1998, thus becoming her best seller in that country. In Norway, the IFPI certified it Platinum, becoming her highest certified album in that country.
As of March 2009, The Velvet Rope has sold 3,229,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
. Worldwide, it has sold over 10 million copies.
Critical
The Velvet Rope received generally positive reviews from music critics with many music critics, calling it Jackson's masterpiece. Eric Henderson with Slant MagazineSlant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
was in high praise of the album, calling it Jacksons' best album, saying "If Janet Jackson made much ado of janet. being the Let's Get It On
Let's Get It On
Let's Get It On is the twelfth studio album by American soul musician Marvin Gaye, released August 28, 1973, on Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during June 1970 to July 1973 at Hitsville U.S.A. and Golden World Studio in Detroit, and at Hitsville West in Los Angeles...
to Rhythm Nation's What's Going On
What's Going On
What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released May 21, 1971, on the Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records...
, then 1997's The Velvet Rope is clearly her I Want You, respectively Jackson's and Gaye's
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
best and least-heralded albums". He called it "the most "adult" album of her career" and said "The Velvet Rope is a richly dark masterwork that illustrates that, amid the whips and chains, there is nothing sexier than emotional nakedness". Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the an album a 3½ stars out of five, saying mainly criticizing the interludes included, saying, "Janet Jackson talks too much. Seven of the 22 tracks on The Velvet Rope are so-called interludes -- spoken-word pieces meant to lend extra dramatic gravity to a record already heavy with moral instruction. It's as if Jackson doesn't trust the thrust of her music" but were favorable of the album overall saying "The Velvet Rope feels like a grand exercise in contrived honesty". Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
pop music critic Elysa Gardner commented, was in high praise of the album, referring it to its predecessor, Janet, saying "The Velvet Rope picks up where janet. left off, in both its themes and its textures; this new collection of songs and "interludes" addresses the social, emotional and sexual politics of relationships, peppering the wistful, spirited pop melodies and sinuous R&B rhythms that are fundamental elements of the Jackson-Jam-Lewis sound with compelling jazz, folk and techno nuances". She commended Jackson's sound on the album, saying "Certainly, as a musician Jackson has never seemed more confident or ambitious than she does here, veering smoothly from the cool, breezy hip-hop of the single "Got 'til It's Gone
Got 'Til It's Gone
"Got 'til It's Gone" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson, featuring American rapper Q-Tip and Canadian singer Joni Mitchell. It was released as the lead single from Jackson's sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope .-Song information:...
", which cannily intertwines a Joni Mitchell sample and a seductive guest rap by Q-Tip, to the slamming funk of "Freexone" to the shimmering electronic pop of "Empty"; Typically, the singer isn't as cerebral or rhetorical in delivering her message as some other artists would be; but with hooks this strong and grooves this delicious, Jackson's authority should be of question to no one".
J.D. Considine of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
complimented Jackson's resolve to sing about sex as if "its a fact of life" and asserted "it's a mistake to judge this album on the basis of its lyric sheet". He praised Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the quality of their production, which "clearly articulates the emotional core of Jackson's songs" and ended his review saying "In the end, the most daring thing about The Velvet Rope isn't its sex talk but its honesty. Tempting as it may be to compare the album to similarly sultry stuff like Madonna's Erotica, it's much closer in spirit to the unabashed emotionalism of Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
's Blue
Blue (Joni Mitchell album)
Blue is the fourth album of Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Exploring the various facets of relationships from infatuation on "A Case of You" to insecurity on "This Flight Tonight", the songs feature simple accompaniments on piano, guitar, and Appalachian dulcimer...
. That's because the most revealing moments here have to do with loneliness and vulnerability, not sexual preference." J.R. Reynolds with Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
commented on it by saying "This set ranks with the pop superstar's finest efforts, but it's a sleeper. Thoughtful and pertinent, the album's somewhat darkish tone makes the expressive songs slower to digest lyrically". Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
gave it an "A-" rating saying "Why do I believe that this self-made object's mild kink and coyly matter-of-fact bisexuality are functions of flesh pure and simple? That for her sex really is about pleasure rather than power--or even, except as a side issue, love? Because her sex songs are flavorful where her love songs are all cliche, and because her much-berated fluting little-girl timbre whispers innocence even when she's loosening her new friend's pretty French gown. So in the absence of total personal fulfillment, here's hoping she retains her ability to feign delight, to fool herself as well as everyone else".
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
with The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it "her most daring, elaborate and accomplished album" saying "Ms. Jackson has clearly calculated the titillation factor, as Madonna once did. But her Madonna-like message, that self-realization means ending repression, seems heartfelt, underlined by insipid sound bites of psychobabble. More important, Ms. Jackson backs her prescription with ambitious music. Meticulous as the album is, Ms. Jackson clearly has no intention of playing it safe. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
, gave the release 2½ stars, and criticized the album for its "sexually explicit" material and its "offering tales of bondage, body piercing, and bisexuality." He went on to say "Jackson's attempts to broaden her sexual horizons frequently sound forced, whether it's the references to piercing or her recasting of Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night
Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)
"Tonight's the Night " is a song by Rod Stewart, recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama for his 1976 album A Night on the Town. The song became his second US chart topper, peaked at #5 in UK, #3 in Australia and charted well in other parts of the world as well...
" as a lesbian anthem. Furthermore, the album is simply too long, which means the best moments sink into the murk". Martin Johnson with SF Weekly
SF Weekly
SF Weekly is a free alternative weekly newspaper in San Francisco, California. The newspaper, distributed throughout the San Francisco Bay Area every Wednesday, is published by Village Voice Media, a 16-paper alt weekly newspaper chain that also includes the New York City Village Voice and the Los...
called it a "refreshingly free of psychobabble; The Velvet Rope, is about the inner resources that maintain a healthy level of self-esteem and the risks that such self-confidence can embolden you to take; Instead of gunning for a cheap thrill, Jackson portrays her sexuality and desire as essential parts of her being; in the process she's reshaping the stereotype of the sexually confident black woman".
Craig S. Semon of the Telegram & Gazette remarked, "Jackson shows once again that she can compete against any of the lightweight, mega-selling pop divas and hang them out to dry". He regarded the album's depictions of cyber-sex, lesbian love affairs, and outcry against domestic abuse and homophobia a work of "unbridled passion". According to Semon, the title-track "Velvet Rope" "gives the listener an invitation to [Jackson's] innermost passions". Jackson's struggle with disillusionment on the single "You" is said to be "reminiscent of Diana Ross before unleashing an angry Michael Jackson-like growl and refrain", while the Prince-like "Go Deep" is described as a "funky bump and grind about dressing sexily, dancing sexily and seducing someone to bring home for sex" and the examination of sexual orientation on "Free Xone" is said to "not [be] preachy or political - just passionate and to the point". Semon assessed the album's greatest accomplishment was "What About," with Jackson "[r]oaring over a snarling rock beat and rivaling her brother Michael's angriest vocal belts, [and] shows her strength as she rips into an unflinching attack against her abusive lover and unleashing all the hell he has put her through on this R-rated roarfest". Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
condemned Jackson's attempt at expressing the pains of depression, as he stated "Janet mistakes platitudes for wisdom, [as] the suffering artist informs us there is nothing more depressing than "having everything and still feeling sad". She should try getting out more. A couple of weeks on a crack-addled Bradford housing estate trying to support eight children on state benefits would doubtless send her scurrying back to the cordon sanitaire of Beverly Hills, where she can take out her woes on an expensive analyst". However, McCormick complimented the album's "solid song construction and arrangements" and described The Velvet Rope as "varied and appealing exercise in R&B pop".
Accolades
| Organization | Country | Accolade | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLAAD Media Award | United States | Outstanding Album | 1997 | |
| MTV Europe Music Award | United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
Best Female Artist MTV Europe Music Award for Best Female The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Female is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Europe Music Awards in 1994... |
1997 | |
| Soul Train Music Award 1997 Soul Train Music Awards The 1997 Soul Train Music Awards was held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 7, 1997. The show was co-hosted by Brandy, LL Cool J., and Gladys Knight.-Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist:*112*AZ Yet*Maxwell**Tony Rich... |
United States | Lena Horne Award - Lady of Soul Recipient | 1997 | |
| BMI Pop Awards Broadcast Music Incorporated Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed... |
United States | Most Played Song: I Get Lonely & Together Again | 1998 | |
| Blockbuster Entertainment Award | United States | Favorite R&B Female Artist | 1998 | |
| 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 | |
| VH-1 Fashion Award | United States | Most Stylish Music Video ("Got 'til It's Gone") | 1998 | |
| American Music Awards American Music Awards of 1997 The 24th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 27, 1997.-Pop/Rock Category:-Soul/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Adult Contemporary Category:-Rap/Hip-Hop Category:-Alternative Category:-Heavy Metal Category:-Soundtrack Album:... |
United States | Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist The American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist has been awarded since 1974.Years reflect the year during which the American Music Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year .The all-time winner in this category is a tie between Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey,... |
1999 | |
| 1998 Grammy Awards | United States | Best Music Video, Short Form - Mark Romanek, video director "Got 'til It's Gone Got 'Til It's Gone "Got 'til It's Gone" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson, featuring American rapper Q-Tip and Canadian singer Joni Mitchell. It was released as the lead single from Jackson's sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope .-Song information:... " |
1999 | |
| World Music Awards | Europe | Legend Award for Outstanding Contribution to Pop & R&B Music | 1999 | |
| Rolling Stone Rolling Stone Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J... |
United States | The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:... (Rank 256) |
2003 | |
| Slant Magazine Slant Magazine Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :... |
United States | "Best Albums of the '90s" (ranked 95) | 2011 |
Track listing
Sample credits- "Velvet Rope" samples "Mosquito (Aka Hobo Scratch)" by West Street MobWest Street MobWest Street Mob were a boogie and electro music trio, active between 1981 and 1984, best known for their 1983 song "Break Dance – Electric Boogie". The band comprises Joey Robinson, Jr...
and "Tubular BellsTubular BellsTubular Bells is the debut record album of English musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1973. It was the first album released by Virgin Records and an early cornerstone of the company's success...
" by Mike Oldfield. - "You" samples "The Cisco Kid" by WarWar (band)War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
. - "Got 'til It's Gone" samples "Big Yellow TaxiBig Yellow Taxi"Big Yellow Taxi" is a song written and originally performed by Joni Mitchell in 1970. It was a big hit in her native Canada as well as Australia and the UK...
" by Joni Mitchell. - "My Need" samples "Love HangoverLove Hangover"Love Hangover" was the fourth number one single for Motown singer Diana Ross. It was released in March 1976, and rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Soul Singles and Hot Dance Club Play charts simultaneously....
" by Diana RossDiana RossDiana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
and "You're All I Need to Get ByYou're All I Need to Get By"You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" from Method Man and Mary J...
" by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Tammi TerrellTammi TerrellThomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
. - "Free Xone" samples "Think (About It)Think (About It)"Think " is a funk song recorded by Lyn Collins and released as a single on James Brown's People Records in 1972. The recording was produced by Brown and featured instrumental backing from his band The J.B.'s...
" by Lyn CollinsLyn CollinsLyn Collins was an African American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s. Contrary to some reports, she is not related to Bootsy Collins, nor Catfish Collins....
, "Tighten UpTighten Up (Archie Bell & the Drells song)"Tighten Up" was a 1968 song by Houston, Texas based R&B vocal group Archie Bell & the Drells. It reached #1 on both the Billboard R&B and pop charts in the spring of 1968. It is ranked #265 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is one of the earliest funk hits in music...
" by Archie Bell & the DrellsArchie Bell & the DrellsArchie Bell & the Drells was a R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, and one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records...
, and "Joyous" by Pleasure.
Personnel
Credits for The Velvet Rope adapted from Allmusic.Musicians
- David Barry – guitar
- Lee Blaske – string arrangements
- Jan Chong – violin
- Carolyn Daws – violin
- Hanley Daws – violin
- Glen Donnellen – viola
- Lynne Erickson – trumpet
- Charles Gray – viola
- Alyssa Hanson – vocals
- Rayvaline Harrell – choir director
- Shawnette Heard – vocals
- Camilla Heller – cello
- Joshua Koestenbaum – cello
- Kelly Konno – vocals
- Tina LandonTina LandonTina Landon is an award-winning Mexican-American choreographer based in Los Angeles who has worked with Prince, Anastacia, Mýa, Pink, Jay-Z, Marc Anthony, Kristi Yamaguchi, Aerosmith, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Shakira, Pussycat Dolls, Tina...
– vocals - Brenda Mickens – violin
- Joni MitchellJoni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
– performer - Debbie Morrison – vocals
- Dale Newton – cello
- Willie R. NorwoodWillie NorwoodWilliam Raymond Norwood, Sr. known as Willie Norwood is an American Gospel singer and has been involved in singing since early childhood. His father and mother sang in the church choir...
– choir director - Alice Preves – viola
- Prof. T. – vocals
- Q-TipQ-Tip (rapper)Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
– rap, performer - Myrna Rain – viola
- Nicholas Raths – guitar
- Gary RaynorGary RaynorGary Raynor is a bassist best known for his appearances in the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band in the radio show "A Prairie Home Companion." He has also played with Sammy Davis, Jr.'s backing band, and a host of other jazz artists, including Count Basie. Although he plays a jazz pizzicato double bass, he...
– bass - Alexander Richbourg – vocals, drum programming, rhythm arrangements
- Miko Salone – vocals
- Mike ScottMike Scott (musician)Michael 'Mike' Scott is the founding member, lead singer and chief songwriter of rock band The Waterboys. He has also produced two solo albums, Bring 'em All In and Still Burning...
– guitar - Leslie Shank – violin
- Daryl Skobba – cello
- Liz Sobieski – violin
- Mike Sobieski – violin
- Daria Tedeschi – violin
- United Children's Choir – choir, chorus
- Vanessa-MaeVanessa-MaeVanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson , known professionally as Vanessa-Mae , is an internationally known British violinist. Her music style is self-described as "violin techno-acoustic fusion", as several of her albums prominently feature the techno style...
– violin, performer - James "Big Jim" Wright – organ, keyboards, vocals, rhythm arrangements
Production
- Flavia Cureteu – design
- Steve Durkee – assistant engineer
- Rene Elizondo, Jr. – executive producer
- Brian GardnerBrian GardnerBrian Gardner, also known as Brian "Big Bass" Gardner is a mastering engineer. He has worked on countless recordings since the mid-1960s, including classic rock, funk, disco, alternative rock, R&B, hip hop, pop punk, and dance pop. He is perhaps best known for his work on hip hop albums and in...
– mastering - Steve Gerdes – design
- Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing
- Ken Holmen – clarinet, flute, saxophone
- Janet JacksonJanet JacksonJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
– vocals, background vocals, producer, executive producer, vocal arrangement, rhythm arrangements - Jimmy JamJimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
– producer, vocal arrangement, rhythm arrangements
- Tim Lauber – engineer, assistant engineer
- Terry LewisJimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
– producer, vocal arrangement, rhythm arrangements - Michael McCoy – assistant engineer
- Mike Ozdozzi – mastering assistant
- Len Peltier – art direction
- Xavier Smith – assistant engineer
- Mario TestinoMario Testino-Early Life:Testino grew up in Lima, the eldest son of a businessman. When he was young he wanted to be a priest. Testino recalls being unpopular at school because of his flamboyance. He was good at math and went on to study economics at Universidad del Pacífico, where his insistence on wearing...
– photography - Ellen von UnwerthEllen von UnwerthEllen von Unwerth is a photographer and director, specializing in erotic femininity. She worked as a fashion model for ten years herself before moving behind the camera, and now makes fashion, editorial, and advertising photographs.Ellen von Unwerth found fame when she first photographed Claudia...
– photography - Bradley Yost – assistant engineer
Charts
| Chart (1997/1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
4 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 9 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
11 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Wallonia) |
14 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
2 |
| Danish Albums Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
3 |
| Dutch Albums Chart NVPI The NVPI is the Dutch tradeassociation of the entertainment industry... |
3 |
| European Albums Chart | 4 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 19 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
5 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
5 |
| Hungarian Albums Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
40 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
10 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
8 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
4 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
4 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
5 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Catalog Albums Top Pop Catalog Albums Top Pop Catalog Albums is a fifty-position weekly albums chart produced by Billboard magazine which ranks the best selling catalog titles, regardless of genre. Billboard defines a catalog title as one that is more than eighteen months old and that has fallen below position 100 on the Billboard 200... |
30 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
2× Platinum |
| Belgium Belgian Entertainment Association The Belgian Entertainment Association is the organization that represents the interests of the music, video and video game industries in Belgium... |
Gold |
| Canada Music Canada Music Canada was a Canadian music television miniseries which aired approximately monthly on CBC Television from 1966 to 1967.-Premise:This series featured various special productions of music and dance, from classical to modern styles.-Scheduling:... |
3× Platinum |
| Denmark IFPI Denmark IFPI Denmark is the Danish branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Denmark.-Gold and platinum awards:... |
Gold |
| Europe | Platinum |
| France Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
Platinum |
| Germany Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Gold |
| Japan Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Platinum |
| Netherlands NVPI The NVPI is the Dutch tradeassociation of the entertainment industry... |
Platinum |
| Norway | Platinum |
| Switzerland | Platinum |
| Taiwan | Gold |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Platinum |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
3× Platinum |
End-Year Charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"!align="left"|End of year chart (1997/1998)
!align="center"|Position
|-
|Australian Albums Chart 1997
|align="center"|42
|-
|Australian Albums Chart 1997
|align="center"|82
|-
|Belgian Flanders Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|43
|-
|Belgian Wallonia Albums Chart 1997
|align="center"|85
|-
|Belgian Wallonia Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|39
|-
|Canadian Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|34
|-
|Dutch Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|20
|-
|French Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|17
|-
|align="left"|Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
End-Year Chart 50 1998
|align="center"|42
|-
|Swiss Albums Chart 1998
|align="center"|43
|-
|U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
1997
|align="center"|115
|-
|U.S. Billboard 200 1998
|align="center"|27
|-
External links
- The Velvet Rope Lyrics at MetroLyricsMetroLyricsMetroLyrics is a lyrics-dedicated website, founded in 2002. It is the highest trafficked lyrics website in the world, with 48 million+ unique users per month and 125+ million page views per month, and is the 3rd largest music site in the US and Globally...
- The Velvet Rope Video Page at janetjackson.com