Velvet Rope
| The Velvet Rope | ||||
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| Studio album by Janet Jackson | ||||
| Released | October 7, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | January – July 1997 | |||
| Studio | Flyte Tyme Studios (Edina, Minnesota) Hit Factory Studios (New York, New York City) Record Plant Studios (Los Angeles, California) |
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| Label | Virgin | |||
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| Singles from The Velvet Rope | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| BBC Music | Positive |
| Robert Christgau | A– |
| Entertainment Weekly | A |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Slant Magazine | |
| USA Today | |
The Velvet Rope is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson. The album was released on October 7, 1997 through Virgin Records America. Following the release of her first greatest hits compilation Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 (1995), Jackson's recording contract with Virgin was up for renewal, making her the subject of a high-profile bidding war among parties including Sony Music, The Walt Disney Company, and Time Warner.
Upon experiencing an emotional breakdown, Jackson began facing a long-term case of depression, steaming from childhood and adolescent traumas, including body dysmorphia, anorexia and self-harm. She in turn developed her new record as a concept album, using introspection as its theme. Its title is a metaphor for emotional boundaries, as well as an allusion to an individual's need to feel special. Its lyrics address subject matter such as depression, self-worth, social networking, homophobia and domestic violence. It also encompasses themes of sexuality, including BDSM, masturbation, sexual orientation and same-sex relationships. Due to its sexually explicit content, the album reinforced Jackson's public image as a sex symbol and as one of the most erotic vocalists of the 1990s. Its incorporation of social issues regarding sexual orientation and combating homophobia also established her reputation as a gay icon and received a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music.
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