Remembering The Velvet Rope

[Thomas P 18,464]

This seminal piece of 90s music is a touch stone in popular music history, only seeing the fruits of its labour decades after its release.

Janet’s opus touched on themes that were controversial, but it pushed these discussions into the mainstream in very significant ways. 
 

As someone who was born in 2001, I was unfortunately not able to enjoy this album’s impact in real time, so share your memories of this touch stone in modern art. 

 

Edited September 14 by Thomas P

[clownery 3,490]

I love this album, very raw, sexual and depressing at times ❤️

I Get Lonely 

Together Again

Go Deep

Every Time 

Rope Burn

Anything 

full of bops

[RochestrMonstr 2,466]

I turned 10 in November of that year. I didn’t listen to the album until I was older. But, I definitely got excited and made everyone be quiet when Together Again came on the radio! I also remember hearing Go Deep on the radio, and did not know it was her at the time.
 

So the impact of the album is something I didn’t really get to appreciate until more recently. I got much more into Janet’s music within the last decade. But I do have those memories from the time

[Original Diva 4,940]

I only discovered this album this year and I'm so glad I did. What an amazing artist

[River 104,825]

The album expresses the concept of "dance through your pain" much better than Chromatica.

It's one of the best albums of all times for me.

[M i K E Y 7,289]

Masterpiece. Can’t wait to see Ms Jackson next month 

[Putang Ina Mo 2,059]

I'm born on 2000 and Empty is my jam!

[Arcanum 4,855]

Very underrated piece of work compared to her other albums.

The title track's violin segment by Vanessa Mae is heart stopping.

[culturalbaptism 2,312]

This album is soul changing. You are reborn at the end of it. Just like Born This Way, Stripped and some others. Where you truly dig deep into your emotions and heal.

[Thomas P 18,464]

I think Janet’s discography as a whole is extremely underrated for just how influential and genuinely great it is. 

Her albums from Control to Damita Jo range from 8-12 out of 10 records, and the sound of music today wouldn’t be the same without her (and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis).

I don’t like what Justin has done to Britney, but what happened with Janet is where my absolute hatred for him comes from .
 

[Zaskar 3,735]

I thought this thread was made by @PartySick

[Tarl69gp 73]

This is my favorite Janet album. I was 15 when it came out and I had just discovered her older stuff a year earlier. Although I have come to love it, the first single was too urban for me at the time. I more or less just liked her singles really, so I was not expecting the entire album to be so influential in my life. I became an exchange student in 1998 and it was one of the 30 albums I took with me to Australia but it was easily my top 3 I listened to (Ace of Base “Cruel Summer/Flowers” and Alanis Morissette “SFIJ” were my other two). The Velvet Rope made me feel not so alone. Together Again helped me deal with my brother’s death. Tonight’s the Night always made me horny. What About appealed to my rock side. Every Time is probably my favorite ballad of hers to this date. I expected I Get Lonely to be way bigger than it was, it sounded like an instant classic to me. It was so underwhelming, I was shocked Go Deep was such a hit cause I thought the album was over. But every single video from this era was pure iconic. The grunge of Got Til Its Gone, nature and beauty of Together Again, boobiliciousness of I Get Lonely, You showcasing her excellence of executing a live performance, the fun and carefree element of Go Deep and the simple, yet stunning quality of Every Time, not to mention her body! I was there cheering her on every step of the way, her best and most artistic era. I wasn’t ready and that album is still a rollercoaster of emotions and depth!

TArL