Studio Album · No. 4
The Velvet Rope
Produced by James Harris III, Terry Lewis
Virgin Records
R&BPopTrip Hop
95%
Authorship
Janet Jackson wrote 21 of 22 documented tracks
Authorship Breakdown 21 / 22 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 22 tracks with documented writers, by whether Janet Jackson carries a lyricist or composer credit.
21 trackswritten by Janet Jackson
1 trackoutside writers
Janet Jackson's roles on this album
Share of the 22 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist95%
Composer95%
Producer0%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
22
Tracks
25
Lyricists
2
Producers
1
No.1 Single
8 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1997
Released
Awards & Recognition 1
GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music (1998)
Data Insight
The Velvet Rope is a concept album about emotional intimacy and self-worth, co-written entirely by Janet Jackson with Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and her then-partner René Elizondo Jr. The collaborators drew on jazz, folk, trip hop, and rock to match the album's introspective themes. Jackson's writing remained central, with 'Got 'til It's Gone' adding Joni Mitchell to the credits because it samples her song 'Big Yellow Taxi.'
The Velvet Rope, released in October 1997, is Janet Jackson's most personal and critically acclaimed album: a concept record about depression, sexuality, and self-discovery made at a time when she was in the midst of a serious creative and personal crisis. Jackson co-wrote all major tracks on the album with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, along with Q-Tip on the Joni Mitchell-sampling 'Got 'Til It's Gone.' The album broke ground by addressing same-sex relationships openly on tracks like 'Free Xone,' and its frank exploration of mental health and emotional vulnerability was unusual for a mainstream pop record of its era. Despite its challenging subject matter, The Velvet Rope debuted at number one in the US and produced major hits including 'Together Again,' 'I Get Lonely,' and 'Go Deep.' It remains her most artistically ambitious work and one of the most distinctive concept albums of the 1990s.
Track Listing & Credits 22 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Interlude: Twisted Elegance
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Velvet Rope
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Malcolm McLarenTrevor HornMike Oldfield | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Malcolm McLarenTrevor HornMike Oldfield | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
You
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Harold BrownSylvester AllenMorris DickersonHoward ScottLeroy JordanLee OskarCharles Miller | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Harold BrownSylvester AllenMorris DickersonHoward ScottLeroy JordanLee OskarCharles Miller | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Got 'til It's Gone
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Joni MitchellKamaal Ibn Fareed | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Joni MitchellKamaal Ibn Fareed | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals)Q-Tip (Rap) |
| 5 |
Interlude: Speaker Phone
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
My Need
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Marilyn McLeodPam SawyerNickolas AshfordValerie Simpson | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.Marilyn McLeodPam SawyerNickolas AshfordValerie Simpson | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Interlude: Fasten Your Seatbelts
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Go Deep
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Free Xone
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.James BrownBilly ButtierArchie BellMichael Hepburn | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr.James BrownBilly ButtierArchie BellMichael Hepburn | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Interlude: Memory
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
Together Again
#1
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Interlude: Online
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
Empty
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 14 |
Interlude: Full
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 15 |
What About
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 16 |
Every Time
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 17 |
Tonight's the Night
|
Rod Stewart | Rod Stewart | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 18 |
I Get Lonely
#3
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 19 |
Rope Burn
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 20 |
Anything
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 21 |
Interlude: Sad
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 22 |
Special
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisRené Elizondo Jr. | James Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 26 contributors
JH
James Harris III
Writer · Producer
TL
Terry Lewis
Writer · Producer
JJ
Janet Jackson
Writer · Vocals
RE
René Elizondo Jr.
Writer
AB
Archie Bell
Writer
BB
Billy Buttier
Writer
CM
Charles Miller
Writer
HB
Harold Brown
Writer
HS
Howard Scott
Writer
JB
James Brown
Writer
JM
Joni Mitchell
Writer
KI
Kamaal Ibn Fareed
Writer
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Frequently Asked Questions The Velvet Rope
When did Janet Jackson release The Velvet Rope?
Janet Jackson released The Velvet Rope on October 7, 1997 through Virgin Records. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, her fourth consecutive chart-topping album.
Did Janet Jackson write The Velvet Rope herself?
Yes, Janet Jackson co-wrote every track on The Velvet Rope with Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and René Elizondo Jr. The album's themes of intimacy and identity came directly from her writing.
Who wrote Together Again by Janet Jackson?
'Together Again' was written by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and René Elizondo Jr. The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a then-record 46 weeks on the chart.
Does Got 'til It's Gone by Janet Jackson sample Joni Mitchell?
Yes, 'Got 'til It's Gone' samples Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi,' which gives Mitchell a writing credit. The track also features a guest verse from Q-Tip, credited under his name Kamaal Ibn Fareed.
Who produced The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson?
The Velvet Rope was produced by Janet Jackson with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive concept albums of the 1990s.
How many copies did The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson sell?
The Velvet Rope has sold around 8 million copies worldwide. It is certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA in the United States.