The Velvet Rope

“The Velvet Rope” is the sixth studio album by American Dance-pop artist, Janet Jackson. This album was released on October 7, 1997 on 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.
While struggling with a long-term case of depression, she developed the record as a concept album, with introspection as its theme. Its title, The Velvet Rope, is an allusion to an individual’s need to feel special, 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 1993 studio album Janet, The Velvet Rope takes the concept a step further, encompassing sadomasochism and same-sex relationships, as well as addressing social issues such as homophobia and domestic violence.