Claim: Janet Jackson is an American recording artist.

Janet -LRB- stylized as janet . -RRB- is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson , released on May 18 , 1993 , by Virgin Records America . Prior to its release , Jackson was at the center of a high-profile bidding war over her recording contract . In 1991 , her original label A&M sought to renew her contract , while others , such as Atlantic , Capitol , and Virgin all vied to sign her . After meeting with Virgin owner Richard Branson , she signed with the label for a $ 40 million contract , making her the world 's then-highest paid musical act .   Criticism that her success in the music industry was attributed to being a member of the Jackson family and a producer-dependent artist led her to write all lyrics for the album , in addition to co-producing every song and co-writing each of their arrangements with the songwriting/production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis . Its title , read `` Janet , period . '' , is meant to disassociate her public image from her family , dropping her surname . While pop and R&B had been standard components in her music , she broadened her compositions by incorporating hip hop , opera , house and jazz , eliminating the rigid , industrial sound of her previous records . Although she earned a reputation as an advocate for sexual abstinence with her 1986 single `` Let 's Wait Awhile '' , the theme of Janet is sexual intimacy -- an abrupt departure from her conservative image . Much of the acclaim for the album focused on her lyrics which emphasize a woman 's perspective on sexuality and the demand for practicing safe sex . Academics have argued the erotic imagery in her music videos released to promote the album 's singles have contributed to a higher degree of sexual freedom among women .   The album topped the record charts in the United States , Australia , New Zealand and the UK . In the US , it became the singer 's third consecutive album to top the Billboard 200 and her first to debut at number one . Selling 350,000 copies in its first week , it set a record for the highest first week sales for a female artist at that time . Certified sixfold platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America -LRB- RIAA -RRB- , it has sold over seven million copies in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and an estimated 14 million copies worldwide . It cemented her as an international icon and sex symbol , and is listed by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 200 Definitive Albums of All Time . According to Guinness World Records , it is the best-selling dance album of the 1990s .   Producing six top ten hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart , Janet remains one of only seven albums in the chart 's history to achieve that feat . `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' became Jackson 's most successful single in the US , staying atop the Hot 100 for eight weeks , as well as topping the singles charts in Australia , Canada , and New Zealand . It received two Grammy Award nominations in 1994 , winning Best R&B Song . Her ballad `` Again '' -- written for the 1993 feature film Poetic Justice -- also topped the Hot 100 and garnered nominations for the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song . The MTV-sponsored Janet World Tour supporting the album received critical acclaim for Jackson 's elaborate stage performances , reinforcing her reputation as one of the preeminent artists of the MTV generation .