Janet (album)

Its title, read "Janet, period.", is meant to disassociate her public image from her family, dropping her surname. An R&B record, Janet incorporated pop, hip hop, soul, funk, rock, house, jazz, and opera, eliminating the rigid, industrial sound of her previous records. Lyrically, the theme of Janet is sexual intimacy—an abrupt departure from her conservative image. Much of her lyrics emphasize a woman's perspective on sexuality and the demand for practicing safe sex.


In the United States, Janet became the singer's third consecutive album to top the Billboard 200 and her first to debut at number one. Selling 350,000 copies in its first week, it set a record for the highest first week sales for a female artist at that time.^[1] Certified sixfold platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it has sold over seven million copies in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan. Internationally, Janet topped the record charts in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom, and has sold an estimated 14 million copies worldwide.


Janet remains one of only seven albums in history to produce six top-ten hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, including the number-one singles "That's the Way Love Goes" and "Again". The MTV-sponsored Janet World Tour supporting the album received critical acclaim for Jackson's elaborate stage performances, reinforcing her reputation as one of the preeminent artists of the MTV generation. Janet cemented her as an international icon and sex symbol, and is listed by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 200 Definitive Albums of All Time. Academics argued the erotic imagery in her music videos have contributed to a higher degree of sexual freedom among women.

Background[edit]

Rumors of a multimillion-dollar bidding war over Jackson's recording contract began to circulate in spring 1991. Jet magazine reported: "A recording company has offered in excess of $50 million to sign superstar Janet Jackson to a recording contract, making the 24-year-old singer/songwriter/dancer/actress the key player in one of the hottest bidding wars among today's major record companies."^[2] Reports indicated that Capitol, Virgin and Atlantic were all bidding for Jackson's contract, as her ties to A&M would soon expire; by March, she had signed with Virgin. The New York Times declared "Janet Jackson has signed what is believed to be the most lucrative contract in the history of recording. The 24-year-old singer, songwriter and actress signed an exclusive contract with Virgin Records it was announced yesterday."^[3] Her new contract guaranteed a twenty-two percent royalty payment, in addition to her then-historic signing bonus.^[4] Chuck Philips of the Los Angeles Times reported that it had been the largest bidding war in recent memory and that "[o]ne reason the bidding was so heavy, various industry observers have noted, was that Jackson-at just 24-is still a relatively fresh face on the pop scene and that her dance-pop style is ideal for today's pop/video climate."^[5] In addition, her potential as an international superstar proved to be the primary motivation for the label's investment. Jeff Ayeroff, co-managing director of Virgin in the US stated: "Janet is a world-class artist and we expect her growth to be enormous."^[5] Chairman Richard Branson spoke with Jackson privately to seal the deal. He commented: "A Rembrandt rarely becomes available... When it does, there are many people who are determined to get it. I was determined."^[5]


Stephen Holden of The New York Times criticized the contract amount, considering it a gamble for Virgin. He stated that Jackson "is a producer-dependent artist—i.e., someone who relies on others to make her sound interesting and trendy. She also lacks a sharply defined personality, both as an artist and celebrity. Where singers like Ms. Houston and Mariah Carey have commanding vocal power, Ms. Jackson's is a relatively indistinguishable studio voice."^[6] Richard Branson rebutted this argument stating "Ms. Jackson has met with great success working with the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, just as her brother Michael Jackson has experienced his greatest successes with the producer Quincy Jones. It is interesting that Mr. Holden doesn't mention this similar 'liability' when discussing Michael Jackson. To say that Ms. Jackson is 'dependent' on her producer is a shortsighted observation. She is a formidable talent who stands on her own."^[7] Michael Jackson would break his sister's record only days later, when he signed a $60 million contract with Sony Music Entertainment. Both sibling's contracts garnered considerable criticism. Los Angeles Times reported that "A&M Records President Al Cafaro, whose company lost the fierce bidding battle over Janet Jackson to Virgin Records, said record companies may be vesting too much importance in individual performers" as the funds used as advances to the Jacksons could have launched recording careers for numerous unknown talents.^[8] Cliff Burnstein of Q-Prime management commented that recording artists demands for advances upon signing would begin to escalate from that point forward.^[4]


Prior to her first release with Virgin, Jackson was asked by Jam and Lewis to record a song for the soundtrack to the feature film Mo' Money, released in 1992 by their label Perspective Records. Jon Bream of the Star Tribune reported: "For most movie soundtracks, producers negotiate with record companies, managers and lawyers for the services of big-name singers. Like the Hollywood outsiders that they are, Edina-based Jam and Lewis went directly to such stars as Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Bell Biv DeVoe, Color Me Badd and Johnny Gill."^[9] Jackson and Vandross recorded the duet "The Best Things in Life Are Free" featuring Bell Biv DeVoe and Ralph Tresvant, which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot R&B Singles chart.^[a] Shortly afterward, Jackson began filming for her first feature length role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice. Although she was encouraged by a major studio executive to take on a film in which she could portray a singer, she insisted on finding a different role. She explained: "About that same time John Singleton asked me to read his new script. John and I became buddies—I loved Boyz n the Hood—so I thought he was just asking my advice. I was shocked and honored to learn the screenplay had been written with me in mind. 'Would you play Justice?' he wanted to know. Yes! I'd finally found a role—a dramatic nonsinging role—that was right."^[10] Released in July 1993, Poetic Justice debuted at number one at the box office, grossing $11,728,455; it grossed a grand total of $27,515,786.^[11]

Production[edit]

The album was recorded at Flyte Tyme Studios in Edina, Minnesota, from September 1992 to February 1993.^[19][20] Songs on the album, with the exception of "What'll I Do", were written by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and mixed by Steve Hodge and Dave Rideau; "What'll I Do" was written and produced by Jackson and Jellybean Johnson. Jackson took a larger role in songwriting and production than she did on her previous albums. She explained that "[a]ll my records are personal, and janet, is the most personal of them all. That's why this time around it was important for me to write all the lyrics and half of the melodies."^[12] Jam described the record as being "a more mature album musically."^[21] David Ritz noted that Jackson and her producers took risks by experimenting with musical influences that had not appeared in their previous work. He explained: "She asked Kathleen Battle and Public Enemy's Chuck D to contribute—an opera diva and a hardcore rapper, two artists one would not associate with Janet—and somehow pulled if off. Beyond Jam and Lewis, there's now a recognizable Janet Jackson production style that's gutsy and, in some cases, even eccentric."^[12]


"That's The Way Love Goes" contains a sample loop of "Papa Don't Take No Mess" written by James Brown, Fred Wesley, Charles Bobbit, and John Starks.^[22] The song "Again", was originally just an experimental sound the production duo was considering.^[23] While Jackson found its melody compelling, the trio did not give the song serious contemplation until the film producers from Poetic Justice requested a ballad for the film's soundtrack.^[23] Jackson subsequently wrote the lyrics for "Again" and adapted them to Jam's melody.^[23] The song was arranged by Lee Blaskey and accompanied by members of the Minnesota Orchestra and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.^[23]


janet. features eclectic production choices. The record incorporates R&B ("That's the Way Love Goes", "Where Are You Now", "The Body That Loves You", "Any Time, Any Place"), new jack swing ("You Want This", "Because of Love"), rock ("If", "What'll I Do"), opera ("This Time"), house ("Throb"), jazz ("Funky Big Band"), hip hop ("New Agenda"), and pop ("Again", "Whoops Now").^[24] The album expanded Jackson's musical endeavors from the more electronic-based soundscapes of her prior albums.^[25] Like its immediate predecessor, janet. also features a number of interludes between songs that vary from short conversations, instrumentals, and ambient-based tracks.

Commercial performance[edit]

Janet debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It was the first time a female artist debuted at number one since the start of the SoundScan era; with the largest first week sales in history for a female artist at the time with 350,000 units sold in its first week. The album also earned worldwide success, debuting at number one in the United Kingdom,^[80] New Zealand,^[81] and Australia.^[82] It also debuted in the top 10 in Sweden,^[83] the Netherlands,^[84] Canada (with 65,000 copies sold at the first week)^[85][86] and Switzerland.^[87] In Germany the album peaked at number five and charted for 49 total weeks, becoming Jackson's longest charting album.^[88]


Janet was first certified gold by the RIAA on August 8, 1993, denoting 500,000 units shipped within the United States.^[89] The same day, the album's certification was raised to 3× platinum, denoting 3,000,000 units shipped.^[89] On November 17, 1993, Janet received 4× platinum certification and was later awarded 5× platinum on December 17, 1993.^[89] The following year on April 12, 1994, the album was certified 6× platinum.^[89] It was the second best selling album of 1993 in United States with 4.3 million copies sold, behind The Bodyguard soundtrack and was the biggest selling album by a solo artist.^[90] Within seven months of release the album had sold over ten million copies worldwide.^[91] Other certifications include a Double Gold certification in France,^[92] a 2× Platinum certification in the UK And Australia,^[93][94] a Platinum in New Zealand^[95] and a Gold certification in Norway.^[96]


According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold 7,035,000 million copies in the United States since its release,^[97][98] and also sold an additional 860,000 copies through BMG Music Club.^[99] With estimated worldwide sales of over 14 million copies, it is Jackson's best selling album.^{[100][101][102]}