The Velvet Rope (1997)

By Janet Jackson

Depression, self-worth, domestic violence and sexuality run through this 1997 concept album, which folds R&B and pop into trip hop, folk, jazz and techno. Jackson (Rhythm Nation 1814) wrote and produced it with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, sampling Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" on "Got 'til It's Gone," which won a Grammy for Best Music Video. It topped the Billboard 200.

Released
1997
Tracks
27

Track list

  1. Interlude: Twisted Elegance
  2. Velvet Rope
  3. You
  4. Got ’til It’s Gone
  5. Interlude: Speaker Phone
  6. My Need
  7. Interlude: Fasten Your Seatbelts
  8. Go Deep
  9. Free Xone
  10. Interlude: Memory
  11. Together Again
  12. Interlude: Online
  13. Empty
  14. Interlude: Full
  15. What About
  16. Every Time
  17. Tonight’s the Night
  18. I Get Lonely
  19. Rope Burn
  20. Anything
  21. Interlude: Sad
  22. Special
  23. Got 'Til It's Gone (Armand van Helden bonus beats)
  24. Together Again (Tony Humphries 12" edit mix)
  25. I Get Lonely (Janet vs. Jason - The Club remix)
  26. Go Deep (vocal deep disco dub)
  27. Every Time (Jam & Lewis disco remix)