NOTES:
The Velvet Rope is the sixth studio album from Janet Jackson, released on October 7, 1997 by Virgin Records. It is a concept album addressing her personal struggle with depression. The album also continues the sexual themes of her previous studio album, janet., however she takes the concept a step further, encompassing sadomasochism and same-sex relationships as lyrical content. Once again, she produced and co-wrote the album with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. She served as executive producer with her then-husband René Elizondo, Jr., who also for the first time took some songwriting credit on the album, despite having co-written some of the songs on her three prior studio albums without credit. The album is also the first released under a newly renegotiated contract with Virgin Records.

During the two years prior to the album's release, Janet strugged with a long-term case of depression and low self-worth, which she addresses on the album. Because of this, Janet calls it her most personal work to date. The album's title is a metaphor that refers to the literal velvet ropes that are commonly used to separate groups of people from different physical locations, such as ones used to separate a VIP room from the rest of a nightclub. She explains that use of these velvet ropes to separate people into classes is the side-effect of a need people have to feel special. Upon the album's release, she says in several interviews that the content used in album is her removing her metaphorical velvet rope and inviting listeners inside to get a glimpse of who she really is.

Guests on the album include violinist Vanessa Mae ("Velvet Rope") and rapper Q-Tip ("Got 'til It's Gone").

The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It has been certified two-times platinum by the RIAA and has sold over 3.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Janet supported the album with her third concert tour, the Velvet Rope Tour.

The Japanese version of the album contains the bonus song "God's Stepchild." On the versions released in the rest of the world, the hidden track "Can't Be Stopped" appears after a gap of silence at the conclusion of the song "Special," however on the Japanese version, "Can't Be Stopped" appears after a gap of silence at the conclusion of the song "God's Stepchild."

A limited edition 2-CD version of the album was released in Australia to coincide with the arrival in that country of her concert tour. This "Australian Tour Edition" contains the normal version of the album housed in a black cardboard sleeve and also has a five-track bonus disc of remixed songs from the album.

SINGLES RELEASED:
"Got 'til It's Gone," "Together Again," "I Get Lonely," "Go Deep," "You," "Every Time."

ALBUM CREDITS:
Janet Jackson (vocals); Q-Tip (rap vocals); Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis (various instruments); Mike Scott, Dave Barry, O. Nicholas Raths (guitar); Vanessa Mae, Hanley Daws, Brenda Mickens, Michael Sobieski, Elizabeth Sobieski, Carolyn Daws, Leslie Shank, Daria Tedeschi, Jan Chong (violin); Alice Preves, Myrna Rain, Glen Donnellen, Charles Gray (viola); Josh Koestenbaum, Daryl Skobba, Dale Newton, Camilla Heller (cello); Ken Holmen (flute, clarinet, saxophone); Lynne Erickson (trumpet); James "Big Jim" Wright (organ, keyboards, background vocals); Gary Raynor (bass); Alex Richbourg (drum programming, background vocals); Xavier Smith (drum programming); The United Children's Choir (background vocals); Joni Mitchell.

Producers: Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Janet Jackson.