| All for You | ||||
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| Released | April 16, 2001 (2001-04-16) | |||
| Recorded | 2000–2001 | |||
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| Length | 73:01 | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
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| Janet Jackson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from All for You | ||||
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All for You is the seventh studio album by American singerJanet Jackson. It was first released on April 16, 2001, byVirgin Records. Contrary toThe Velvet Rope, which saw Jackson tackling darker themes such as domestic violence and depression,All for You showcased a mix of upbeatdance-pop and slowR&B sounds, incorporatingrock,disco, andfunk, as well assoft rock andEast Asian music. Its lyrics focus on passion, romance, and intercourse, while also discussing themes of betrayal and deceit. The explicit language and sexual content of several songs sparked controversy, causing the album to be banned in several countries.
All for You received generally positive reviews frommusic critics, who commended on its upbeat nature. It was also considered one of her sexiest albums and among the best of her career. The album received threeGrammy Award nominations, includingBest Pop Vocal Album, winningBest Dance Recording for its title track. It became Jackson's fifth consecutive album to top theBillboard 200 albums chart in the United States.All for You logged the biggest opening week sales of her career, as well as the second highest first-week sales for a female artist inNielsen Soundscan history. It reached the top five of most countries internationally and was the biggest selling international pop album of the year in Japan. Certifieddouble platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it has sold over three million copies in the US according to Nielsen and an estimated seven million copies internationally.All for You was the twelfth best-selling album of the year worldwide, and was one of the best-selling albums of the decade in the United States.
Its lead single "All for You" was one of Jackson's most successful singles and broke multiple airplay records. In the US, it was the biggest hit of the year, topping theBillboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and became a top ten hit on the majority of singles charts worldwide. "Someone to Call My Lover" reached number three on the Hot 100 and the top twenty internationally while "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" peaked within the top forty in most territories. "Come On Get Up" was also released as a promotional single in Japan.
In promotion for the album, Jackson was declaredMTV's inauguralIcon, receiving a televised tribute titledMTV Icon: Janet Jackson. The special honored Jackson's contribution within music andpopular culture, in recognition of "one of the most influential and beloved tastemakers in contemporary pop." During that period, Jackson was presented numerous career accolades, including theAmerican Music Award's Award of Merit, theTMF Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, and theRecording Academy's Governor's Award.
In 2000, Jackson was separated fromRené Elizondo Jr., exposing their secret nine-year marriage to the public as he filed for divorce, leading to intense media scrutiny.[1][2]Amidst the divorce, Jackson began recording her seventh album.MTV News reported Jackson had nearly completed work on the "upbeat, fun and carefree" record, in contrast to the darker tone of her prior release.[3] ProducerJimmy Jam stated, "This record now, even though it may not be the best of times in her personal life, she feels that the future is bright... She's excited about music and about life in general. She's excited about what the next year will hold for her, and that's the tone she's set for herself and [the album]."[3] Jam added, "In the history of Janet, the records that are the happy records, that make people smile, have always traditionally been the more successful records.. going back as far to songs like 'When I Think of You' to 'Doesn't Really Matter.' This continues that tradition, with kind of a nod to the dance music of the '80s."[3]Virgin Records' president Roy Cooper stated, "The new album is very bright, it's very upbeat and dynamic. She wanted to make an album that was rhythmically strong as well as melodically strong. She also wanted as explosive and strong a start as possible, and this certainly qualifies."[4] Explaining its concept, Jackson said:
"I call my latest releaseAll for You. TheYou is my fans who've stayed with me and watched me grow; theYou is the mysterious force of love that's the source of creativity; and theYou is also me.All for You is a suite of songs that helped me move from one emotional level to another. I'm the kind of artist who has no choice but to write what I feel.Velvet Rope took me inside my fears and frustrations.All for You has brought me outside, happy on a natural high, convinced that I really can express joy in the face of pain. My moods are changing. If you listen to the CD, you'll hear what I'm going through. There's anger, hurt, regret, even that familiar vein of severe self-criticism that I can't quite shake. (I still can't stand seeing any of my movies or concert tapes; I still cringe when I watch myself act or dance.) Yet there's also confidence. I hope this doesn't sound egotistical, but this time I stood alone and crafted my art according to my heart. I feel free, and there's nothing more wonderful than freedom."[5]
All for You marked the first time Jackson enlisted additional producers aside fromJam & Lewis since the release of her breakthroughControl (1986), collaborating with hip-hop producerRockwilder. After recording exclusively with the duo, Jackson felt the desire to recruit new talent, explaining "I think it wasThe Velvet Rope that brought all of that to some sort of completion for me... it was very cathartic for me doing that — I felt it was OK to go out and explore other producers." She pursued Rockwilder upon hearingMethod Man andRedman's single "Da Rockwilder", desiring uptempo productions in a similar vein.[6] Jackson also collaborated withThe Neptunes. Several confirmed titles included "Boys," "Ecstasy," "My Big Secret," and "What It Is."[7][8] However, the songs did not make the final album, with "Boys" later recorded byBritney Spears and "What It Is" recorded byKelis. Spears released "Boys" as a single in remix form withPharrell Williams, referencing Jackson's hit "Nasty" during several lines and citing it as her favorite song to perform.[9] Additionally, Spears' single "I'm a Slave 4 U" was originally written and produced for the album.[10] "My Big Secret" was later recorded for Spears'In the Zone album, though was not released.[8]
Upon expressing admiration forBasement Jaxx's debut albumRemedy, Jackson contacted thehouse duo to collaborate.[11] Jackson was offered to record the Jaxx's single "Get Me Off" for the album, though declined.[12][13] She would later record several unreleased songs with them for her following album,Damita Jo.[14] An unreleased collaboration withJay-Z was recorded.[15]Outkast also featured on an unreleased remix of "Someone to Call My Lover".[16] Jackson had planned to record a duet withAaliyah, intended to appear onAll for You in addition to Aaliyah'sself-titled album released several months later, though was unable to proceed due to scheduling conflicts.[17] A collaboration withMissy Elliott titled "Nasty Girl 2000," an updated cover of Jackson's hit "Nasty," was intended to feature Jackson and additional vocals from Aaliyah, but was not recorded.[18] Jackson also desired to collaborate with British singerRobbie Williams.[19] The album intended to feature ahouse andhip-hop direction during its early stages, with other potential collaborators includingDallas Austin,Swizz Beatz,Diddy,Missy Elliott,Teddy Riley,Kandi Burruss, and Darrell "Delite" Allamby.[20][21] However, the collaborations did not come to fruition due to scheduling conflicts while filming and periodic illness throughout recording. An unreleased song titled "New Beginning" appeared in initial press releases but was not included on the album.[3]
"At times we all use our work to get through personal things, and in that regard the albums and the part inNutty Professor II were really successful in giving her the incentive to strengthen herself. And I think through it she managed to find this sort of feeling that 'I'm OK with myself, and I have people who love me.' Because she wasn't thinking all that well of herself then."
During the divorce, Jackson decided to record an uptempo, optimistic album rather than songs about sadness or anger. Producer Jimmy Jam said, "You go through all these emotions and then you come out of it on the other side and say, "I'm going to be okay and I have a lot of things to be thankful for,' and that was the overriding feeling in her life when we were making this album."[23] Its concept focuses largely on the demise of her marriage to René Elizondo, Jr. and subsequent embrace of the single life, experiencing dating for the first time. It also contains themes of sensuality, deceit, and betrayal. Jackson said, "It's a different thing for me. Growing up, I never dated. I'm doing that now, experiencing that whole life."[24] Its upbeat tempo intended to reflect Jackson's self-esteem, described as "a work in progress." Jam commented, "She doesn't see herself the way other people see her. You know...gorgeous and sexy and all that. That isn't the kind of person she is. Although she is closer to feeling like that person now than she was 15 years ago. Or even three of four years ago."[25] Jackson commented, "I look back at pictures of myself from four years ago and I see the unhappiness in my eyes. But I'm in the greatest space now... I believe we have choices and paths, and it's about choosing the right path, the promising path."[26] While recording, Jackson listened to artists such asSt. Germain,Buena Vista Social Club,Thievery Corporation,Basement Jaxx,Outkast andPapa Roach.[11][27]
John Mulvey ofYahoo! Music noted thatAll For You was aconcept album which was rooted in Jackson's "traumatic" separation from former husband and collaborator René Elizondo, Jr. and detailed that with its first tracks, the record starts "tremendously, with a bunch of party tracks illustrating a newly-free woman checking out men on the dancefloor", before moving "to the bedroom, and some explicit shagging tracks, before a virulent suite detailing what a bastard her ex is", and concludes with a "soppy phase heralding a new life and the prospects of new love."[28] According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic, the album is divided into three segments: divorce, industry, and sex.[29] However,MTV News perceivedAll for You as "dominated by two themes: the liberation that comes with ending a bad relationship, and sex," blending elements ofpop,funk,R&B androck.[30]
The album's interludes consist of Jackson's recorded asides, placing clips from her one-sided conversations between the tracks.[25] Its introduction finds Jackson impersonating actressFran Drescher.[20] The opening track, "You Ain't Right", is a scathing attack on a former associate, thought to be directed at her former choreographer,Tina Landon.[31] It uses piston-like rhythms, drum machines and synthesizers; its production likened to "a thicksci-fi stomp that suggests aGary Glitter glam-rock anthem crossed with the soundtrack fromBlade Runner."[20][32] "All for You" is an uptempo dance song utilizing elements ofdisco andfunk.[20][33] In a nightclub setting, Jackson encourages a man to approach her and imagines an erotic fantasy, admiring the man's "package" and desiring to fornicate.[34] "Come On Get Up" follows with a "synth-frenzied splendor," fusingtribal house anddance-pop.[35] "When We Oooo" consists of a mid-tempo arrangement, emphasizing Jackson's layered vocal harmonies as she describes a sexual encounter.[3][34]
"China Love" uses traditional Oriental textures such asgamelan chimes andtablas, as Jackson rhapsodizes about past-life romance andnew age ambiguities.[31] Jackson had written the song about her own prior identity in another time, in which she was told to be the daughter of an emperor in love with a warrior, unable to sustain relations when forced to marry into royalty.[36] "Love Scene (Ooh Baby)" is anambient ballad incorporating flourishes ofelectronica and guitars, performed in a falsetto to "exquisitely carnal effect."[20] "Would You Mind" depicts Janet confessing a graphic list of myriad sexual desires, conducting a heavy-breathing seminar followed by a risqué "performance evaluation" over a "spacey electro thump."[37][38] It was described to feature "more moaning than a hospital emergency room," with Jackson singing, "I'm gonna kiss you/Suck you/Taste you."[37] Throughout the song, Jackson requestssexual intercourse,oral sex, andinternal ejaculation; as she instructs her lover, "Oh, yeah, baby, just like that."[20][33] Its erotic nature was regarded as the album's most controversial track in numerous reviews. Jackson expresses a lack of sexual satisfaction in following interlude "Lame," unable toclimax.
The "avant-garde" aura of "Trust a Try" fuses elements of mock-operetta andhard rock withclassical music,dance, andhip-hop. In the song, Jackson delivers an "angryaria" of betrayal.[39] Its "rock 'n' roll sass" is laced with theatrical vocal arrangements, electric guitars, violins and cinematic strings.[3][31] The following track, "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" features spoken vocals from singer-songwriterCarly Simon and interpolates Simon's hit "You're So Vain." Its composition excoriates an unfaithful lover for attempting to extort money, described as a "mean-spirited duet that rails against enemies."[31][40] Jackson unveils anger and deceit, saying "Thought you'd get the money too / Greedy motherfuckers try to have their cake and eat it too." In response to critics regarding it about her divorce, Jackson explained it was directed towards several people, whileJimmy Jam revealed it to be written in regards to music executives and lawyers.[41] On the ballad "Truth", Jackson discusses a failed romance with her former husband.[40] Jackson revealed that the track was her "talking out loud to myself about the relationship. I felt the need to address it on the album, but just once."[22]
"Someone to Call My Lover" is asoft rock song, described as an "innocent daydream for the perfect man built over the acoustic guitar." Its speaks of the yearnings for "love and togetherness," desiring to find a new companion. It uses a guitar motifsampled fromAmerica's "Ventura Highway."[29] "Feels So Right" is a mid-tempo ballad using a "fluffy"eighties-influenced texture.[31] "Doesn't Really Matter" is an uptempo dance song, incorporating slight flourishes of Oriental music and strings. Jackson speaks of disregarding physical appearance, choosing to love the person inside.[34] Released as the theme for Jackson's second filmThe Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, it features an alternate introduction and instrumental breakdown not included in the single edit. The closing track, "Better Days" is a "sweepingly orchestrated" ballad meldingsoft rock and electronic music, shifting to uptempo during its chorus. It incorporates slight elements ofdrum and bass during its second verse. It ends the album on a note of uplift, featuring a strong vocal with a guitar solo and "striking" strings.[31][33] Regarding the song, Jackson said, "I feel light and almost giddy about untying the knots that were choking me, restraining me, preventing my growth... I'm interested in making strides, taking chances, finding my own way in my own time."[5]
A month prior to the album's release,MTV aired an inaugural special entitledMTV Icon: Janet Jackson, declaring Jackson the network's first musical icon while celebrating her career and influence inpop culture.[42] Jackson was honored "in recognition of her place as one of the most influential and beloved tastemakers in contemporary pop... The show will eloquently demonstrate the impact that Janet has had, not only on her worldwide audience, but also on a generation of performers who will pay tribute by covering her songs."[43] Jackson stated, "When I heard that MTV wanted to honor me with the show "Icon," I was speechless. I really was. It is an awesome thing—I feel young. There's still so much more that I want to do, need to do, for myself in this business. And I was just so surprised. But a wonderful surprise."[44] Numerous artists paid tribute to Jackson and commemorated her success, includingBritney Spears,Jessica Simpson,Jennifer Lopez,Christina Aguilera,Aaliyah,Tommy Lee,Michael Jackson, and producersJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It featured performances byNSYNC,Pink,Buckcherry,Usher,Outkast,Mýa, andDestiny's Child. Jackson performed "All for You" and "You Ain't Right" at the finale.[45] The event was the highest rated television show of the night, ahead of all broadcast and cable programs among the youth demographic.[46] Promotional ads for the special depicted Jackson's music, videos, and sexuality shocking conservative audiences and families, using the tagline "The world wasn't always ready for Janet. We are."[47][48][49]
All for You was released on April 24, 2001. Its artwork features Jackson lying in a suggestive pose, the central portion of her anatomy is covered only by a white sheet.[33] For promotion, Jackson performed on various entertainment shows, includingTop of the Pops,CD:UK,Wetten Dass,Hit Machine,ECHO Awards, and theTMF Awards. She appeared onLarry King Live and theLate Show with David Letterman, attendingThe Rosie O'Donnell Show the following day. She also gave interviews toBBC Radio 1 andNRJ Radio while in Europe. In April, she appeared on MTV'sTRL andMuchMusic before presenting onVH1 Divas. Jackson later presented at the2001 MTV Video Music Awards, also paying tribute to late singerAaliyah. Jackson was awarded numerous career accolades throughout the campaign, including theBillboard Music Award's "Artistic Achievement Award",American Music Award's "Award of Merit", andNickelodeon Kids' Choice Award's "Wannabe Award". Jackson was selected to appear on the cover of the premiere issue ofBlender, launched as an alternative toRolling Stone.[50] A limited-edition reissue of the album was announced on October 21, 2001, viaBillboard, and released on November 20, 2001, including a bonus DVD, titledJanet: The Virgin Years, featuring Jackson's complete videography (excluding releases via other labels and collaborations), interviews and behind the scenes footage, spanning from the promotion ofjanet. (1993) to the making ofAll for You.[51][52] The reissue features an alternate cover artwork and contains the clean edition of the album without "Would You Mind" in addition to theFlyte Tyme single edit andP. Diddy remix of the album's third single "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)";[53] it was also intended to include a twenty-four page photo booklet of Jackson'sAll for You Tour, but it was omitted for unknown reasons.[53] Furthermore,Microsoft Network launched anISP service titled "Janet on MSN", with Jackson also given her own online radio station.[54]
The following year, Jackson was selected to perform at theSuper Bowl XXXVI halftime show, though allowedU2 to perform in order to tribute theevents of September 11 and due to traveling concerns following the tragedy.[55][56]
In support of the album, Jackson embarked on her fourth world tour, theAll for You Tour. The first dates were announced between July and October, in Canada and the United States. The North American leg wrapped in November in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Several dates were scheduled in Japan the following year, although the tour's European leg was required to be canceled immediately following the events ofSeptember 11 attacks, when many dancers were unwilling to travel citing safety concerns. Jackson said, "I have agonized over this decision. Like most people, the events of Sept. 11 have troubled me enormously and I remain concerned about the foreseeable future. If anything happened to anyone on this tour, I could never forgive myself." An appearance at the2001 MTV Europe Music Awards was also canceled due to the tragedy. It was the sixth highest-grossing tour of the year, also ranked the third most successful byPollstar. Its broadcast onHBO received over 12 million viewers, among the network's highest ratings, and increased album sales by fifty percent. It was later released on DVD asJanet: Live in Hawaii. The tour received positive reviews, with Craig Seymour fromBuffalo News writing "herAll for You tour marked another milestone for the veteran artist, who proved to be more comfortable with own ability to command an audience than ever before." It was considered an influence to many of her followers, adding "Jackson remains one of this generation's most exciting performers in concert, easily triumphing over the likes of young upstartsBritney Spears,Christina Aguilera andDestiny's Child. TheLos Angeles Times stated, "Not only is Janet emulated by the type of show she puts on by the current teen-fab (that she made popular years ago), she still does it better than the 19-year-olds."
Thetitle track was sent to radio stations as the album'slead single on March 6, 2001.[57] It broke several airplay records upon its debut, being the first song in history to be added to everypop,urban, andrhythmic radio station within its first week of release, and also had the highest first-week audience impressions in history.[58] Kevin McCabe ofRadio & Records noted that "no other song has conquered all reporting stations in its first week at radio, let alone mastered three formats in one week".[58] It was also the highest debut for a single not commercially available in the United States and France.[59] It became Jackson's most successful single in the US since "That's the Way Love Goes" (1993), staying at number one for seven weeks.[60] Internationally, the song reached the top ten in most countries worldwide.[61] Its music video received fourMTV Video MTV Video Music Awards nominations, includingVideo of the Year andBest Female Video.[60]
"Someone to Call My Lover" was released as the second single on June 12, 2001.[62] It was also a success, peaking at number three on the Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. The song became a top ten and twenty hit internationally.[63] It earned aGrammy Award nomination forBest Female Pop Vocal Performance.[64] The third single, "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)," was remixed to featureMissy Elliott and additional vocals fromCarly Simon. Released on November 6, 2001,[65] it peaked at number twenty-eight on theBillboard Hot 100,[60] and the top fifteen and thirty of many countries internationally, also reaching number thirteen in Europe.[66] Its single version was later included as a bonus track on the album's re-release. "Come On Get Up" was released exclusively in Japan in November 2001.[67] "Trust a Try" was also intended to be released as a single, with Jackson expressing her intention in an interview.[68] However, its release as a single did not come to fruition.[69]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 73/100[70] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [29] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide | B−[71] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[20] |
| Dotmusic | [72] |
| Los Angeles Times | [73] |
| NME | [35] |
| Playlouder | [74] |
| Rolling Stone | [33] |
| Slant Magazine | [31] |
| USA Today | [75] |
All for You received generally positive reviews from music critics.[70][76] AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received anaverage score of 73.[70]Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic favoredAll for You over her last studio album,The Velvet Rope, calling it "alluring, easily enveloping the listener." Erlewine added, "This is her sexiest-sounding record, thanks to Jam and Lewis' silky groove and her breathy delivery, two things that make the record palatable."[29] Tom Sinclair ofEntertainment Weekly gave the album a 'B' rating, saying, "Despite a few missteps,All for You is about as good as modern diva-pop gets, with a higher ratio of worthy-to-mediocre songs than might be expected... it adds up to a lot more than most female singers have done for us lately."[77]
Anthony DeCurtis ofRolling Stone gave the album three-and-a-half out of five stars, declaring it "just as fresh, familiar and appealing as you've come to expect from Jackson, and that's no small achievement."[33] Gene Stout ofThe Seattle Post-Intelligencer calledAll for You "one of the best of her career," while John Mulvey ofYahoo! Music UK referred to it as "her most unnerving and plausible character thus far."[28][78] Mulvey added, "This is a much more satisfying album thanThe Velvet Rope, even if most of the songs are overlong and a few juggle satin sheet-cliches with self-help ones to numbing effect. Nevertheless,All for You stands as a monument to the positive effects of divorce."[28]
Rating it three out of four stars, Steve Jones ofUSA Today commented. "the singer is in a sexy, fun-loving mood […] While she overdoes the between-song interludes here, she never fails to get you to move. When it comes to burning up a dance floor, she is still Ms. Jackson."[75]Jon Pareles ofThe New York Times stated, "Ms. Jackson luxuriates in textures as dizzying as a new infatuation," commended the album as containing "songs so baroquely sumptuous that they're virtually experimental." Pareles added, "Boudoir ballads undulate in torrid slow motion while Ms. Jackson moans like a phone-sex operator, and uptempo tunes hark back to disco, splice mock-operetta to hard rock or, inBetter Days, conjure an easy-listening 1960's-pop apotheosis." Her vocals were also praised, saying "Countless overdubs of Ms. Jackson's voice turn her into an airborne choir; computer rhythms thump and sizzle." He concluded saying the album "isn't as immediately melodic as Ms. Jackson's previous albums, but it compensates for lost catchiness with unabashed strangeness."[79]
Sal Cinquemani ofSlant Magazine called it "generally upbeat and positive", commending her return to making "fun and cheery pop music."[31]The Tech stated, "All for You as a whole makes for fun listening. Bouncing from orgiastic sex music to bubble gum pop music to soulful ballads, the album contains a true range of music... At any rate, bubble gum pop, easy as it comes, gets a twist with Janet, elegantly escorted with acoustic guitars and the whole gamut of computerized yet natural-sounding instrumentals. Perhaps what sells the album, more than the songs, is Janet's voice and her innovative (and frankly, courageous) use of beats and harmonies. Janet's voice is as pristine as ever, and, never outshined... she overpowers every track."[80]
Upon the release ofAll for You, Jackson was awardedBillboard's Artistic Achievement Award. Jackson also received four nominations at theBillboard Music Awards ceremony. She had also been the recipient of theAmerican Music Award's "Award of Merit," awarded to artists who provide "major contributions to the musical entertainment of the American public," and theRecording Academy's "Governor's Award." Jackson received three nominations at the44th Annual Grammy Awards, winningBest Dance Recording for "All for You", and nominated forBest Pop Vocal Album andBest Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Someone to Call My Lover." She received theAmerican Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and was nominated forFavorite Soul/R&B Album.
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | American Music Awards | Award of Merit | Herself | Won |
| Billboard Music Awards | Artistic Achievement Award | Won | ||
| Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Female Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Hot 100 Single of the Year | "All for You" | Nominated | ||
| Top-Selling R&B/Hip-Hop Single | Won | |||
| NAACP Image Awards[81] | Outstanding Female Artist | Herself | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Music Video | "All for You" | Nominated | ||
| Japan Gold Disc Awards[82] | Top Selling Single of the Year for Foreign Music | "Doesn't Really Matter" | Won | |
| Japan Radio Popular Disks Awards | Record of the Year | "All for You" | Won | |
| Best Female Vocalist | Herself | Won | ||
| MTV Video Music Awards | Video of the Year | "All for You" | Nominated | |
| Best Female Video | Nominated | |||
| Best Dance Video | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreography in a Video | Nominated | |||
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Female | Herself | Nominated | |
| Best R&B | Nominated | |||
| MuchMusic Video Awards | Best International Artist | Nominated | ||
| People's Choice Award | Won | |||
| People | Best Albums of the Year | All for You | Won | |
| Rolling Stone | Reader's Choice Award — Favorite Album Cover | Won | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | Best Single | "All for You" | Won | |
| Best Album | All for You | Won | ||
| Best Female | Herself | Nominated | ||
| Teen People Awards | Hottest Song of 2001 | "All for You" | Nominated | |
| TMF Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | Herself | Won | |
| Best International Female Singer | Nominated | |||
| VH1 My Music Awards | My Favorite Female | Won | ||
| Hottest Live Show | Won | |||
| 2002 | American Music Awards[83] | Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Won | |
| Internet Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album | All for You | Nominated | ||
| BMI Pop Awards[84] | Most Played Song | "All for You" | Won | |
| "Doesn't Really Matter" | Won | |||
| "Someone to Call My Lover" | Won | |||
| BMI Urban Awards[85] | Song of the Year | "All for You" | Won | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special | Janet: Live in Hawaii | Nominated | |
| Essence Awards[86][87] | Reader's Choice Award for Entertainer of the Year | Herself | Won | |
| Grammy Awards[64] | Best Dance Recording | "All for You" | Won | |
| Best Pop Vocal Album | All for You | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | "Someone to Call My Lover" | Nominated | ||
| International Dance Music Awards[88] | Best Dance Video | "All for You" | Won | |
| Japan Gold Disc Awards[89] | Top Selling Pop Album of the Year | All for You | Won | |
| MVPA Awards | Best Choreography | "All for You" | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" | Nominated | ||
| Best Make Up | Won | |||
| Best Video | "Someone to Call My Lover" | Won | ||
| Best Hair | Nominated | |||
| NABOB Awards[90] | Entertainer of the Year | Herself | Won | |
| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards[91] | Wannabe Award | Won | ||
| Favorite Female Singer | Nominated | |||
| Recording Academy[92] | Governor's Award | Won | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | Best Female | Nominated |
All for You debuted at number one on the USBillboard 200, selling 605,128 copies in its first week.[93] At the time of its release, it had the second highest opening sales from a female artist inSoundScan history, only behindBritney Spears'sOops!...I Did It Again, and tenth highest overall.[94][95] As of 2014, the album has the fifteenth highest first week sales by a female solo artist. It placed at number two in its second week, with 310,000 copies sold. In its third week, it sold 215,000 copies, placing at number three.[96] It sold 149,000 copies the following week, achieving an estimated total of 1,279,128 copies sold within its first month of release.[97] It also opened at number one in Canada, with first week sales of 37,200 and in South Africa with 44,722 copies sold in its first week.[98][99]
All for You was a commercial success internationally, debuting within the top three of Australia,[100] Belgium,[101][102] France,[103] Germany,[104] Greece,[105] South Korea,[106] Switzerland,[107] and the United Kingdom.[108] It also opened within the top five of Denmark,[109] the Netherlands,[110] Japan,[111] Norway,[112] and Sweden.[113] It debuted within the top ten of Austria,[114] Italy,[115] New Zealand,[116] and Spain,[117] and the top twenty of Ireland and Poland.[118][119] It peaked at number two onEuropean Top 100 Albums.[120] In February 2014, it debuted at number thirty-nine on South Korea'sGaon Chart.[121]
The album was certifieddouble platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on May 18, 2001, denoting two million units shipped.[122] It was certified gold in Australia, Belgium, Denmark,[123] France,[124] Germany, New Zealand,[125] Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.[126] It was certified triple platinum in Canada and Japan, where it became the biggest selling international pop album of the year, and quadruple platinum in South Africa.[127][128] As of September 2009,All for You has sold 3,107,000 copies in the United States, according toNielsen SoundScan.[129] It also sold an additional 100,000 copies throughBMG Music Club.[130]All for You was the 12th best-selling album of 2001, selling 5 million copies worldwide in that year according to theInternational Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).[131] As of 2021, the album has sold more than seven million copies worldwide.[132]
Despite explicit language and sexual content, initial album pressings did not contain aParental Advisory warning.[34] A clean version of the album was released exclusively atWalmart stores,[133] censoring several songs for language, as well as omitting "Would You Mind" completely. The album was re-released in late 2001 with a Parental Advisory label, along with a new bonus track; a remix of "Son of a Gun". A clean version with the added remix was also released (with "Would You Mind" still omitted), and became more widely available than the original clean version.[134] Regarding the content, Jackson stated "I do understand that for the younger audience,All for You is a pretty heavy record. For them I've made an altered version. I've been asked to watch my mouth a little, but hell no! This is me, this is what I want to do, so accept it. I don't want to live my life controlled by other people."[135]
Upon its release,All for You was banned inSingapore after the Publications Appeal Committee decided the album's lyrics, in particular "Would You Mind", were "not acceptable to our society". The country's law officials had previously banned Jackson's prior album,The Velvet Rope, due to three songs containing lyrics abouthomosexuality.[136] Several retail chains, includingWherehouse Music affixed their own "explicit content" labels to the album.RIAA president Hilary Rosen stated, "We don't think retailers should have to do that. That's the label's responsibility, andEMI [Virgin's parent company] has assumed that responsibility."[134] In response to the incident, Jackson said:
"The album has been banned in certain countries... I was told they would be happy to go ahead with it if I were to take the sensual songs off the album. And I thought, 'Wow, that's weird.' Here I am talking about love and expressing myself in a way I feel at least most of us do in the bedroom, and it is something so beautiful, so positive and wonderful, yet they want me to put a blindfold over the public's eyes about this. Yet there is all that violence... I am not going to change the album and who I am because of that. This is another side of me that I am expressing and feeling so comfortable in doing so."[137]
"On Janet Jackson's latest disc,All for You – the follow-up to her 1997 hit disc,The Velvet Rope – the wispy-voiced singer is sailing uncharted waters for female pop, acting flirty, talking dirty and leaving the blond chicks in the dust... And that's the beauty of this album and Jackson as an artist – there is a clear willingness to experiment."
— Dan Aquilante,New York Post[138]
The album achieved several chart records, attaining the second highest first-week sales for a female artist inSoundScan history at the time. Lead single "All for You" became the first song to be added to every pop, urban, and rhythmic radio format within its first week of release, and was the highest debut for a single not commercially available in both the United States and France.[58][59] It had the highest debut and largest opening airplay figure on theRadio Songs chart, debuting at number nine with an audience impression of 70 million.[139] It was also the biggest selling international single of the year in Japan.[127] The album received threeGrammy Award nominations forBest Pop Vocal Album andBest Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Someone to Call My Lover," winningBest Dance Recording for "All for You." The album won Top Pop Album of the Year at theJapan Gold Disc Awards.[89]Billboard rankedAll for You at number 141 on the "Top 200 Albums of the Decade."[140]Sputnikmusic placed it at number 43 on their list of "Best Pop Albums of 2001."[141]
AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated that the album's signature hits "All for You" and "Doesn't Really Matter" uphold "Janet, Jam, and Lewis' reputation as the leading lights of contemporary urban soul."[29] Piers Martin ofNME feltAll for You was an "over-produced album of predictable designer funk."[142]People Magazine ranked it among the year's best albums, stating, "Take that, Britney! Move over, J.Lo! With a new generation of dance-pop divas following in her fancy footsteps, the baby Jackson shows who is still in control with this all-encompassing album that bounces from hip-hop to rock to classical—even during the same song—without missing a funky beat."[143] Dennis Kelly ofThe Morning Call added, "If imitators such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, et al., are quiet the next few months, it's because the Queen of Pop has sent them back to class with new material to study."[144] Charles Taylor ofSalon exclaimed Jackson "has turned into a more interesting figure than Madonna, and a maker of better music."[145] TheForeign Correspondents' Club of Japan announced Jackson to be the highest paid recording artist in history, signing a contract withVirgin Records in the mid of the 90's worth $90 million, and was declared to have surpassed the influence ofMichael Jackson.[146]MTV News also noted the album's first week sales nearly doubled those of Michael'sInvincible, released later that year.[147]
Steve Burgess ofSalon stated, "Janet Jackson may well be the beneficiary of contemporary pop's Lilliputian landscape", surpassing "her less-talented peers". Burgess added, "More often, though, a Janet Jackson song on the radio is a deluxe buffet set up on a compost heap. Pass the sauerkraut."[148] Dan Aquilante ofThe New York Post wrote, "Jackson has written a 14-song manual that explains not only how you can please her, but lists the rewards in store for those who manage the task... While Mothers Against Everything will be appalled by Janet's dirty pillow talk, many adult ears will find it very sexy, wrapped around the listenableLewis/Jam beats."[138] Jackson also received MTV's inauguralIcon tribute.The Sun Sentinel stated, "Before Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, there was Janet Jackson, with her choreographed songs and trendsetting fashion," with the special intended as a "star-studded salute to the singer-songwriter-actress."[149] MTV News added, "Pop Lolitas-of-the-week may come and go, but this Jackson, it seems, is forever."[150]
Entertainment journalist Kelley L. Carter regarded it among "the most influential albums to be released since 2000," declaring it "set the tone for much of what we're hearing on the radio from current female pop stars. Anything Rihanna, Beyoncé and Britney are doing right now, was heard on this album." Its fusion of "old-school pop sounds" with rhythmic influences are thought to be frequently emulated; adding "She sang about female empowerment, even though hers is a voice that is lightweight, and it demanded that you take listen to it."[151]
The "funkier and hipper" style ofBritney Spears' third albumBritney was thought to emulateAll for You with "reasonable success" in multiple songs.[152][153][154] Spears' song "Anticipating" was considered to be directly influenced by the album's title track.[152][155][156] Two singles from the album, "I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Boys," were originally written and produced forAll for You; the latter also recorded by Jackson. Spears also recorded another unreleased Jackson song titled "My Big Secret" for her fourth album,In the Zone, though it did not make the final release.[8]
Rihanna's fifth studio albumLoud and single "Only Girl (In the World)" drew several comparisons toAll for You, with critics noting its sonic transition to an upbeat dance sound from prior releaseRated R in a similar vein to Jackson's contrast from the darker tone ofThe Velvet Rope. Eric Henderson ofSlant Magazine stated, "like Janet's album,Loud is a step away from its über-personal, melodrama-drenched predecessor."[157] Throughout the campaign, Rihanna also evoked Jackson'sVelvet Rope era imagery.[157]Ne-Yo's "Say It" was thought to resemble the album's sensual ballads.[158] Record producerRockwilder revealed Jackson to be his first pop collaboration and an essential part of his career, leading him to work withChristina Aguilera for the singles "Lady Marmalade" and "Dirrty."[159]Rolling Stone likened the production ofAaliyah's self-titledthird album to the record.[160] Sal Cinquemani ofSlant observed several songs onUsher's8701 to recall "bona fide Janet Jackson tracks" similar to the album.[161]Christina Milian'sdebut album was considered to be heavily influenced by the album.[162] The sensual content and interludes ofMissy Elliott'sThis Is Not a Test! also drew comparisons to the album's exploration of similar themes.[163] FollowingAll for You being reissued with aParental Advisory warning and clean edition,Jennifer Lopez's sophomore albumJ.Lo received a similar treatment byEpic Records, thought to be influenced by Jackson's decision after media emphasis was placed on its explicit language and content.[164]
Several album tracks gained notoriety within the entertainment industry, in particular "Would You Mind" due to its racy composition and explicit sexual content.Erotic Revolutionaries author Shayne Lee called the song "a bold and proactive sexual maneuver for even a twenty-first century woman," adding, "she tells her man she's going to kiss, touch, lick, taste, bathe, ride, and feel him deep insider her. She ends the song by requesting that hecome inside of her and let his juices flow deep in her passion."[165] Its shock value was considered "enough to makeDonna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby" sound like Christian rock."[166] Its explicit lyrics caused the album to be banned in several conservative countries such asSingapore.[136] The song was used in films such asstoner comedyHow High.[167] Its "gravity defying and mouth watering" live rendition was regarded among the most controversial performances of her career.[168] In 2012, it was ranked the steamiest song of her discography; an anecdote saying, "This song is so racy people use it as a euphemism when talking about what they did the night before when children are present."[169] "Trust a Try" also received critical focus for its innovation, called a "bold musical move" which "begins with the intricacies of a string quartet before falling intometal attack"; thought to be "within spitting distance of theavant-garde."[166]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 1:00 | ||
| 2. | "You Ain't Right" | 4:32 | ||
| 3. | "All for You" |
|
| 5:29 |
| 4. | "2wayforyou" (Interlude) | 0:19 | ||
| 5. | "Come On Get Up" |
|
| 4:47 |
| 6. | "When We Oooo" |
|
| 4:34 |
| 7. | "China Love" |
|
| 4:36 |
| 8. | "Love Scene (Ooh Baby)" |
|
| 4:16 |
| 9. | "Would You Mind[a]" |
|
| 5:31 |
| 10. | "Lame" (Interlude) | 0:11 | ||
| 11. | "Trust a Try" |
|
| 5:16 |
| 12. | "Clouds" (Interlude) | 0:19 | ||
| 13. | "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" (withCarly Simon) |
|
| 5:56 |
| 14. | "Truth" |
|
| 6:45 |
| 15. | "Theory" (Interlude) | 0:26 | ||
| 16. | "Someone to Call My Lover" |
|
| 4:32 |
| 17. | "Feels So Right" |
|
| 4:42 |
| 18. | "Doesn't Really Matter (fromNutty Professor II: The Klumps)" |
|
| 4:24 |
| 19. | "Better Days" |
|
| 5:05 |
| 20. | "Outro" | 0:09 | ||
| Total length: | 73:01 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21. | "Who" |
|
| 3:45 |
| Total length: | 76:46 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20. | "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" (OriginalFlyte Tyme remix) (with Carly Simon and featuringMissy Elliott) |
| Jam & Lewis | 4:14 |
| 21. | "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" (P. Diddy Remix) (with Carly Simon and featuring Missy Elliott) |
| P. Diddy (remixed by) | 5:07 |
| Total length: | 78:08 | |||
| No. | Title | Director(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "That's the Way Love Goes" | Rene Elizondo Jr. | 3:45 |
| 2. | "If" | Dominic Sena | 5:15 |
| 3. | "Again" | Elizondo Jr. | 4:21 |
| 4. | "Because of Love" | Beth McCarthy | 4:12 |
| 5. | "Any Time, Any Place" | Keir McFarlane | 4:40 |
| 6. | "You Want This" | McFarlane | 5:14 |
| 7. | "janet. – Behind the Scenes" | 15:09 | |
| 8. | "Got 'til It's Gone" | Mark Romanek | 4:11 |
| 9. | "Together Again" | Seb Janiak | 4:20 |
| 10. | "Together Again" (Deeper Remix) | Elizondo Jr. | 4:04 |
| 11. | "I Get Lonely" | Paul Hunter | 4:40 |
| 12. | "Go Deep" | Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris | 4:54 |
| 13. | "You" | David Mallet | 4:13 |
| 14. | "Every Time" | Matthew Rolston | 4:17 |
| 15. | "The Velvet Rope – Behind the Scenes" | 10:12 | |
| 16. | "All for You" | David Meyers | 4:36 |
| 17. | "Someone to Call My Lover" | Francis Lawrence | 4:33 |
| 18. | "All for You – Behind the Scenes" | 7:20 | |
| 19. | "MTV Icon Performance – "All for You"" | 6:30 | |
| Total length: | 106:26 | ||
Sample credits
Notes
Weekly charts[edit]
Monthly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[219] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| Belgium (BRMA)[126] | Gold | 25,000* |
| Canada (Music Canada)[220] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[221] | Gold | 25,000^ |
| France (SNEP)[124] | Gold | 100,000* |
| Germany (BVMI)[222] | Gold | 150,000^ |
| Japan (RIAJ)[223] | 3× Platinum | 600,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[125] | Gold | 7,500^ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[224] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| South Africa (RISA)[128] | 4× Platinum | 200,000* |
| South Korea (RIAK) | — | 28,171[225] |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[226] | Gold | 20,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[228] | Gold | 198,000[227] |
| United States (RIAA)[122] | 2× Platinum | 3,107,000[129] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Edition(s) | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | April 16, 2001 | Standard | EMI Music Japan | [229] | |
| Germany | April 20, 2001 | EMI | [230] | ||
| Australia | April 23, 2001 | EMI Music Australia | [231] | ||
| United Kingdom | April 23, 2001 | Virgin | [232] | ||
| United States | April 24, 2001 | [233] | |||
| July 17, 2001 | Clean(Walmart exclusive) | [234] | |||
| November 20, 2001 |
| [235][236] | |||
| Limited | CD+DVD | [237] | |||
| Japan | December 6, 2001 | EMI | [238] | ||
| Various | July 26, 2019 |
| [239] |
Earning mostly positive reviews
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{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)| Studio albums | |
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| Remix albums | |
| Video releases | |
| Tours | |
| Residencies | |
| Related articles | |
