"Janet" (stylized as "janet.") is the fifth studio album by American singer Janet Jackson, released on May 18, 1993, by Virgin Records America. Prior to the album’s release, Jackson was involved in a high-profile bidding war over her recording contract. Her previous label, A&M Records, sought to renew her contract, while other labels including Atlantic, Capitol, and Virgin competed for her. After meeting with Virgin founder Richard Branson, Jackson signed with Virgin in a deal reportedly worth $40 million, making her the highest-paid musical act at the time. "Janet" is her second eponymous album, following her 1982 debut "Janet Jackson". The album’s title, consisting of her first name followed by a period, reflects a focus on her individual identity separate from the Jackson family. Musically, "Janet" is primarily an R&B record, incorporating elements of pop, hip-hop, soul, funk, rock, house, jazz, and opera, and departing from the industrial sound of her previous albums. The lyrical content centers on sexual intimacy, marking a shift from Jackson’s earlier conservative image. In the United States, "Janet" became her third consecutive album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 and her first to debut at the top of the chart, selling 350,000 copies in its first week—a record for the highest opening week sales by a female artist at the time. It was certified sixfold platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold over seven million copies in t