This month in 2001, Janet Jackson released All For You, her seventh studio album. The album was released April 24, 2001.

A huge multiple layer promotion campaign ensued, including MTV: IKON, which made her the network's first musical icon. The show was the highest rated television show of the night, ahead of all broadcast and cable programs among the youth demographic. Videos for the three singles were also produced, and a fourth single, "Come On Get Up," was only served to radio and served as a Japan-only single. No video was made for the song. A large scale stadium tour followed, with the final performance in Hawaii being aired live on February 17, 2002. It was later released on home video in September 2002. The HBO broadcast drew 12M viewers. The broadcast was nominated for an Emmy for 2001 for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special. The video was certified platinum in the US, Canada, and Australia.

The album highlights a new single bachelorette side of Janet's life, having separated not only from her best friend and long-time choreographer Tina Landon, but also Janet's husband and collaborator Rene Elizondo in 2000. (Janet later talked to Oprah about hiding the fact that Janet knew Tina's then-fiance Rob Vinson - a dancer on The Velvet Rope Tour and campaign - was cheating on Tina, and Janet didn't tell Tina; an act Tina felt was a betrayal.) The album opens with Janet and her friend Kelly Konno talking about dance moves and Janet making a sexual reference, "I wish I had a lot in me right now." The opening segue moves into a song clearly written about Landon, "You Ain't Right."

The album also has songs about Landon, Elizondo, and record company executives, including "Son Of A Gun." Janet wrestles with betrayal and trust issues in songs like the operatic "Trust A Try." She explores her sexuality more as well as companionship with "Someone To Call My Lover," "All For You," "Feels So Right," "Would You Mind," and "China Love."

Artists like Carly Simon and Rockwilder worked on the album, with Simon doing a full re-recording of a freestyle spoken word narrative, based on her own "You're So Vain," for "Son Of A Gun," only part of which was used for the album. Her part references the original lyrics, the apricot scarf, and fan's theories of Mick Jaggar and Nick Delbanco being the subject of Simon's song. Janet's song has remixes featuring Missy Elliott and P. Diddy. Some of Simon's spoken word is also heard in the "Clouds (Interlude)."

The previous year's "Doesn't Really Matter," from The Nutty Professor II: the Klumps soundtrack had already hit #1 for three weeks, and was included on All For You, slightly altered.

"All For You," as a single," was released in March 2001. It broke several airplay records upon its debut, being the first song in history to be added to every pop, urban, and rhythmic radio station within its first week of release, and also had the highest first-week audience impressions in history.

Samples used on the album include:

• "All for You" contains a sample from "The Glow of Love" as performed by Change
• "China Love" contains a sample from "Moonlight City Roa" as performed by Yoko Shimomura from the Legend of Mana soundtrack
• "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" contains a sample from "You're so Vain" as performed by Carly Simon
• "Truth" contains an interpolation of "O-o-h Child" performed by Five Stairsteps
• "Someone to Call My Lover" contain a samples from "Ventura Highway" as performed by America and "Gymnopedié No. 1" as performed by Erik Satie
  
  

The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. It was the second biggest opening week sales behind Britney Spears Ooops!... I Did It Again. (And tenth overall.) By May it was RIAA certified double platinum. (Over a quarter of that was in the first week alone.)

A special edition of the album was released, with "Son Of A Gun" remixes, plus a DVD of Janet videos, and a different (and my favorite) cover.

There is also a Japanese only bonus track, "Who."



Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. You Ain't Right
3. All For You
4. 2wayforyou (interlude)
5. Come On Get Up
6. When We Oooo
7. China Love
8. Love Scene (Ohh Baby)
9. Would You Mind
10. Lame (Interlude)
11. Trust a Try
12. Clouds (Interlude)
13. Son of A Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You) (with Carly Simon)
14. Truth
15. Theory (Interlude)
16. Someone To Call My Lover
17. Feels So Right
18. Doesn't Really Matter
19. Better Days
20. Outro
21. Who (Japanese Edition bonus track)
22. Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" (P. Diddy Remix) (featuring Missy Elliott and P. Diddy) (Reissue edition bonus track)

Limited Edition bonus DVD:

1. That's The Way Love Goes
2. If
3. Again
4. Because of Love
5. Any Time, Any Place
6. You Want This
7. janet. - Behind The Scenes
8. Got 'til It's Gone
9. Together Again
10. Together Again (Deeper Remix)
11. I Get Lonely
12. Go Deep
13. You
14. Every Time
15. The Velvet Rope - Behind The Scenes
16. All For You
17. Someone To Call My Lover
18. All For You - Behind the Scenes
19. MTV Icon Performance - "All For You"

Janet: Live In Hawaii tracklist:

1. Introduction
2. Come On Get Up
3. You Ain't Right
4. All For You
5. Love Will Never Do (Without You)
6. Trust A Try
7. Come Back To Me
8. Let's Wait Awhile
9. Again
10. Runaway/Miss You Much/When I Think Of You/Escapade (Escapade Medley)
11. Son Of A Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" (with Missy Elliott)
12. Got 'Til It's Gone
13. That's The Way Love Goes
14. What Have You Done For Me Lately/Control/Nasty (Nasty medley)
15. Alright
16. Would You mind?
17. If
18. Black Cat
19. Rhythm Nation
20. Doesn't Really Matter
21. Someone To Call My Lover
22. Together Again

Bonus Features:

1. Janet Speaks All For You
2. Photo Gallery
3. Would You Mind (5 different show videos)

[Edited 4/25/21 20:09pm]

VIDEOS:

All For You | Someone To Call My Lover | Son Of A Gun | Come On Get Up (concert footage) | Someone To Call My Lover ...Def Remix) | MTV IKON | Doesn't Really Matter |

All For You-era Janet should've headlined as Janet Jackson featuring That Sexy Waist Line!

alphastreet said:

Love all for you era, was such an exciting time to be a fan

It really felt like a reset for her. So much "Rene and I" or whatever before that. Then it's suddenly single Janet, on the scene, fresh look, fresh attitude. It was the Lovesexy to The Velvet Rope being SOTT or The Black Album. Lighter after the dark.

Rene who? Tina who?

The breakup w/ Tina is what really made me sad, though. It was a tough spot to be in, and really showed that Landon wasn't attracted just to Janet's star. Landon had worked with a zillion A-list folks anyway, and she was willing to let her history back to 1986 with Janet go because she really did feel betrayed. It was a long time before I was able to find out what the break was about.*

Then I watch The Velvet Rope Tour Live DVD now and think "did Janet know then? Did she know when she's talking about how much Tina is her best friend and "known her way too long," and Robert was out there doing his funny dance during the "kids" intro segment... through all that, did she know by that point? Because Tina & Rob were engaged on the tour, I think. (I could be wrong on that, but I feel like it's right.)

Then all this angry talk on the album (which still comes across ligher despite songs like "You Ain't Right," "Son Of A Gun," "Trust A Try") about "her" this and that... Janet was feelin' it. I think it was one thing to break up a friendship. It was another when Tina kinda spilled drips of tea here and there about it without ever really telling the whole story. (Tina confirmed it in 2006 when Janet alluded to the situation on Oprah without naming names, then said she still thought she did the right thing by not speaking up.) Was Janet hurt by Tina saying something in the public, or was she saving face talking about how "she hurt me bad," sorta putting quasi-blame on Tina? Did Janet just expect Tina to understand her position and choice by not saying something? I wonder...

All that drama, and the album still has that lighter spring time tone to it. "Someone To Call My Lover," "Come On Get Up," "All For You," "Doesn't Really Matter," "China Love," "When We Ooooo" give it that levity. Doesn't hurt it was released in April. In a weird contrast, The Velvet Rope was a dark album and was released in October, lending to it's dimmer vibe.

* and if I'm being honest about Tina leaving, Janet's choreo was never the same again. Gil's a great dancer and all but his choreo is not a fan favorite. They're friends, and of course he's gonna likely get the gig, but she really needed to branch out and find some new energy. Not a diss to Gil, but a larger-picture statement there.

I love this era, I wish we would have had Come on Get Up and/or Trust a Try as addition singles. It could have gone 5x platinum. The tour was amazing and I wish she still did concert specials for premium cable.

Hudson said:

Despite it being a fun song, I think maybe "All For You" was a slight misstep as a first single. Yes, I know it broke records, et al., but I think there are stronger songs on the album.

"Come On Get Up" would've been better, then gone to "All For You," "Trust A Try," "Son Of A Gun," then "Someone To Call My Lover." I think with more single promotion, video, and a Virgin overhaul of handling the Glitter fiasco, it could've hit 5M in U.S. sales.

It does stand to note that although it went double platinum right away, it's since sold over 3.1M in the US and 7M worldwide.

It also seems these record companies are dropping the ball on Janet albums. I don't know if Glitter was a good enough excuse, for me. They could've seen the potential in All For You to keep a better momentum within Virgin as a whole. Instead, they let things grind to a halt and A-list stars like Janet suffered because of another's misstep.

She still had two more albums on Virgin. But they were both dogged by Les Moonves' white supremacy blacklisting and an overall attempt at a radio boycott. By 20 Y.O., there were too many mixed reviews and the alleged throwback to Control and celebrating that almost seemed forced. It felt like a rough, disjointed period for her, starting with the minor missteps in All For You's promotion.

However, I do believe All For You certainly stood on its own. The tour paused, then resumed after the events of 9/11 and followed with the successful HBO broadcast and DVD release.

[Edited 4/25/21 20:33pm]

You'll notice in the bottom pic that Janet's pal Gil is on the left, then Janet. Then it's dancer and actress Jenna Dewann (who was formerly married to Channing Tatum). Then Shawnette Heard and Kelly Konno with the hat).

TrivialPursuit said:

alphastreet said:

Love all for you era, was such an exciting time to be a fan

It really felt like a reset for her. So much "Rene and I" or whatever before that. Then it's suddenly single Janet, on the scene, fresh look, fresh attitude. It was the Lovesexy to The Velvet Rope being SOTT or The Black Album. Lighter after the dark.

Rene who? Tina who?

The breakup w/ Tina is what really made me sad, though. It was a tough spot to be in, and really showed that Landon wasn't attracted just to Janet's star. Landon had worked with a zillion A-list folks anyway, and she was willing to let her history back to 1986 with Janet go because she really did feel betrayed. It was a long time before I was able to find out what the break was about.*

Then I watch The Velvet Rope Tour Live DVD now and think "did Janet know then? Did she know when she's talking about how much Tina is her best friend and "known her way too long," and Robert was out there doing his funny dance during the "kids" intro segment... through all that, did she know by that point? Because Tina & Rob were engaged on the tour, I think. (I could be wrong on that, but I feel like it's right.)

Then all this angry talk on the album (which still comes across ligher despite songs like "You Ain't Right," "Son Of A Gun," "Trust A Try") about "her" this and that... Janet was feelin' it. I think it was one thing to break up a friendship. It was another when Tina kinda spilled drips of tea here and there about it without ever really telling the whole story. (Tina confirmed it in 2006 when Janet alluded to the situation on Oprah without naming names, then said she still thought she did the right thing by not speaking up.) Was Janet hurt by Tina saying something in the public, or was she saving face talking about how "she hurt me bad," sorta putting quasi-blame on Tina? Did Janet just expect Tina to understand her position and choice by not saying something? I wonder...

All that drama, and the album still has that lighter spring time tone to it. "Someone To Call My Lover," "Come On Get Up," "All For You," "Doesn't Really Matter," "China Love," "When We Ooooo" give it that levity. Doesn't hurt it was released in April. In a weird contrast, The Velvet Rope was a dark album and was released in October, lending to it's dimmer vibe.

* and if I'm being honest about Tina leaving, Janet's choreo was never the same again. Gil's a great dancer and all but his choreo is not a fan favorite. They're friends, and of course he's gonna likely get the gig, but she really needed to branch out and find some new energy. Not a diss to Gil, but a larger-picture statement there.

.

It was more sad that it took the death of Michael Jackson to get Janet & Tina to call a [temporary?] truce.

TrivialPursuit said:

Despite it being a fun song, I think maybe "All For You" was a slight misstep as a first single. Yes, I know it broke records, et al., but I think there are stronger songs on the album.

"Come On Get Up" would've been better, then gone to "All For You," "Trust A Try," "Son Of A Gun," then "Someone To Call My Lover." I think with more single promotion, video, and a Virgin overhaul of handling the Glitter fiasco, it could've hit 5M in U.S. sales.

It does stand to note that although it went double platinum right away, it's since sold over 3.1M in the US and 7M worldwide.

It also seems these record companies are dropping the ball on Janet albums. I don't know if Glitter was a good enough excuse, for me. They could've seen the potential in All For You to keep a better momentum within Virgin as a whole. Instead, they let things grind to a halt and A-list stars like Janet suffered because of another's misstep.

She still had two more albums on Virgin. But they were both dogged by Les Moonves' white supremacy blacklisting and an overall attempt at a radio boycott. By 20 Y.O., there were too many mixed reviews and the alleged throwback to Control and celebrating that almost seemed forced. It felt like a rough, disjointed period for her, starting with the minor missteps in All For You's promotion.

However, I do believe All For You certainly stood on its own. The tour paused, then resumed after the events of 9/11 and followed with the successful HBO broadcast and DVD release.

[Edited 4/25/21 20:33pm]

.

All For You was not groundbreaking like Control, RN1814, janet., or The Velvet Rope. Granted, it is better than every Janet Jackson album that were released after All Of You [Janet Jackson & Dreamstreet get a pass because both albums were strictly for black folks that were/are fans of bubblegum funk!]. But as the same time, Janet's music career has never been the same after she stop having a different theme for each album.

TonyVanDam said:.

It was more sad that it took the death of Michael Jackson to get Janet & Tina to call a [temporary?] truce.

And I really had a moment when I saw that she was in that studio. I think in a time like that, there is simply no space for quarrels and stuff that's a decade old. Janet confiding to Gil that she really enjoyed having Tina there and it felt good was a a great thing. Seeing them work together on stage again, along with Tyce and all the others, was just ...well, it was heart warming. I guess it felt good for all of us.

I should add that Tina also danced with Janet in 2019 at the Hollywood Bowl, when Janet had just about every past dancer on stage with her for "Rhythm Nation," including the aforementioned Jenna Dewan, Tyce Diorio, Teresa Espinoza, Robert Vinson, Kelly Konno, Tish, Shawnette (I think), Eddie Morales, and so many more, including Tina Landon. Hell, the only one missing, it seemed, as Jennifer Lopez!

[Edited 4/26/21 0:23am]

TonyVanDam said:

.

All For You was not groundbreaking like Control, RN1814, janet., or The Velvet Rope. Granted, it is better than every Janet Jackson album that were released after All Of You [Janet Jackson & Dreamstreet get a pass because both albums were strictly for black folks that were/are fans of bubblegum funk!]. But as the same time, Janet's music career has never been the same after she stop having a different theme for each album.

There's a lot of truth in that. While I feel Damita Jo and 20 Y.O. were very different albums, there was a certain amount of ....meshing together of sound after All For You. The separation of times in her life reflected on record seemed to be very blurred, compared to the social justice on RN, the love on janet., the turmoil on TVR, the rebirth on AFU.

It's also probably why Unbreakable was such a love affair out of the gate. Fans were already salivating over "No Sleeep," but the album was the most un-Janet thing she'd ever done. I compared it to when Beyonce released BEYONCÉ, and it sounded nothing like anything she'd doled out before that. Unbreakable felt like a theme again, like she was purposely making something new and unique, something that pushed her own limits. Yet, there were so many comparisions to The Velvet Rope, with its balance of love, social issues, self-reflection, admission of failures, and party themes.

By the way, Tina has done numerous interview on The Kelly Alexander Show when Kelly had shows about albums turning a certain age or whatever. Shawnette, Kelly, Jimmy Jam, and others have been on her show, too. She's on YT and other places. Some are in-person sit down interviews and they're just great. Tina just tells it like it was back then. And it sounds like a damn blast.

TrivialPursuit said: