The Velvet Rope

The Velvet Rope is the sixth studio album by American singer Janet Jackson. The album was released on October 7, 1997 through Virgin Records. It was the last album that Jackson would use her full name on the title. The Velvet Rope was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[1][2]

The Velvet Rope
Studio album by Janet Jackson
Released	October 7, 1997
Recorded	January – July 1997
Genre	Dance hip hop soul R&B
Length	75:23
Label	Virgin
Producer	Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Janet Jackson René Elizondo, Jr.
Janet Jackson chronology
Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 (1995) The Velvet Rope (1997) All for You (2001)
Singles from The Velvet Rope
"Got 'til It's Gone" Released: September 22, 1997 "Together Again/ Free Xone" Released: December 2, 1997 "I Get Lonely" Released: February 26, 1998 "Go Deep" Released: June 15, 1998 "You" Released: September 3, 1998 "Every Time" Released: November 17, 1998

Reviews

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Robert Christgau	A–[4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[5]
Entertainment Weekly	A[6]
Los Angeles Times	[7]
Rolling Stone	[8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[9]
Slant Magazine	[10]
USA Today	[11]

The Velvet Rope received mixed to positive reviews.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	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	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:55
3.	"You"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo Harold Brown Sylvester Allen Morris Dickerson Howard Scott Leroy Jordan Lee Oskar Charles Miller	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:42
4.	"Got 'til It's Gone" (featuring Joni Mitchell and Q-Tip)	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo Joni Mitchell Kamaal Ibn Fareed	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:01
5.	"Interlude: Speaker Phone"			0:54
6.	"My Need"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo Marilyn McLeod Pam Sawyer Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	3:44
7.	"Interlude: Fasten Your Seatbelts"			0:19
8.	"Go Deep"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:42
9.	"Free Xone"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo James Brown Billy Buttier Archie Bell Michael Hepburn	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:57
10.	"Interlude: Memory"			0:04
11.	"Together Again"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	5:01
12.	"Interlude: Online"			0:19
13.	"Empty"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:32
14.	"Interlude: Full"		Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	0:12
15.	"What About"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo		4:24
16.	"Every Time"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:17
17.	"Tonight's the Night"	Rod Stewart	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	5:07
18.	"I Get Lonely"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	5:17
19.	"Rope Burn"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:15
20.	"Anything"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:54
21.	"Interlude: Sad"			0:10
22.	"Special" (Hidden track "Can't Be Stopped" starts at 3:42)	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	7:55

Japanese bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
22.	"Special"	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	3:21
23.	"God's Stepchild" (Hidden track "Can't Be Stopped" starts at 3:42)	Jackson Harris Lewis Elizondo	7:55

Australian tour edition bonus CD
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Got 'til It's Gone (Armand Van Helden Bonus Beats)"	Armand Van Helden	5:05
2.	"Together Again (Tony Humphries 12" Edit Mix)"	Tony Humphries	9:57
3.	"I Get Lonely (Janet vs Jason – The Club Remix)"	Jason Nevins	8:10
4.	"Go Deep (Vocal Deep Disco Dub)"	Masters at Work	8:12
5.	"Every Time (Jam & Lewis Disco Remix)"	Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis	4:10

B-sides
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Accept Me"	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:12
2.	"Ask for More"	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	5:49
3.	"Together Again (Deeper Remix)"	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	4:00
4.	"Together Again (DJ Premier 100 In A 50 Remix)"	DJ Premier	5:22
5.	"Together Again (Jimmy Jam Deep Remix)"	Janet Jackson Jam & Lewis	5:46

Samples

• "Velvet Rope" samples "Hobo Scratch" by Malcolm McLaren and The World Famous Supreme Team and "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield.
• "You" samples "The Cisco Kid" by War.
• "Got 'til It's Gone" samples "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell.
• "My Need" samples "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross and "You're All I Need to Get By" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
• "Together Again" samples "Bridge Zone" by Yuzo Koshiro.
• "Free Xone" samples "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins, "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & the Drells, and "Joyous" by Pleasure.

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.^[12]

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 Landon – vocals Brenda Mickens – violin Joni Mitchell – performer Debbie Morrison – vocals Dale Newton – cello

Willie R. Norwood – choir director Alice Preves – viola Prof. T. – vocals Q-Tip – rap, performer Myrna Rain – viola Nicholas Raths – guitar Gary Raynor – bass Alexander Richbourg – vocals, drum programming, rhythm arrangements Miko Salone – vocals Mike Scott – guitar Leslie Shank – violin Daryl Skobba – cello Liz Sobieski – violin Mike Sobieski – violin Daria Tedeschi – violin United Children's Choir – choir, chorus Vanessa-Mae – 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 Gardner – mastering Steve Gerdes – design Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing Ken Holmen – clarinet, flute, saxophone Janet Jackson – vocals, background vocals, producer, executive producer, vocal arrangement, rhythm arrangements Jimmy Jam – producer, vocal arrangement, rhythm arrangements

Tim Lauber – engineer, assistant engineer Terry Lewis – producer, vocal arrangement, rhythm arrangements Michael McCoy – assistant engineer Mike Ozdozzi – mastering assistant Len Peltier – art direction Xavier Smith – assistant engineer Mario Testino – photography Ellen von Unwerth – photography Bradley Yost – assistant engineer

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997–98) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] 4 Austrian Albums (IFPI)[13] 9 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13] 11 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[13] 14 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[14] 2 Danish Albums (Tracklisten)[15] 1 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[13] 3 European Albums (European Top 100)[16] 4 Finland Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 19 French Albums (SNEP)[13] 5 German Albums (Official Top 100)[17] 5 Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[18] 40 Italian Albums (FIMI) 11 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[19] 10 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 8 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[13] 4 South African Albums Chart[20] 1 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[21] 10 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 4 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 5 United Kingdom Albums (OCC)[22] 6 US Billboard 200[14] 1 US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[14] 2 US Billboard Catalog Albums[14] 30

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position Australian Albums Chart[23] 42 Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[24] 85 US Billboard 200 (SoundScan)[25] 115 Chart (1998) Position Australian Albums Chart[26] 82 Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[27] 43 Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[28] 39 Canadian Albums Chart[29] 34 Dutch Albums Chart[30] 20 French Albums Chart[31] 17 Italian Albums Chart[32] 42 Swiss Albums Chart[33] 43 US Billboard 200[34] 27

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35]	2× Platinum	140,000^
Belgium (BEA)[36]	Gold	25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[37]	3× Platinum	300,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38]	Gold	50,000^
France (SNEP)[39]	Platinum	300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[40]	Gold	250,000^
Italy (FIMI)[41]	Platinum	100,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[42]	Platinum	200,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[43]	Platinum	100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44]	Platinum	15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[45]	Platinum	50,000*
Sweden (GLF)[46]	Gold	40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[47]	Platinum	50,000^
Taiwan (RIT)[25]	Gold	25,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[48]	Platinum	300,000^
United States (RIAA)[49]	3× Platinum	3,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[50]	Platinum	1,000,000*
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone