Janet Jackson - Damita Jo 2004

 

Damita Jo is the eighth studio album by American singer Janet Jackson. EMI Music Japan released it first in Japan on March 22, 2004, before its release in Europe by EMI a week later. It was released in the United States by Virgin Records on March 30, 2004. Jackson began work on the album in August 2002, after finishing the All for You Tour, and continued until February 2004, with help from a wide range of producers including Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Dallas Austin, Kanye West, and Scott Storch, in addition to Jackson's longtime collaborators, duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Titled after Jackson's middle name, Damita Jo is an R&B, pop and hip hop album that explores themes of love and romance.

Damita Jo debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and was considered a disappointment by the media compared to Jackson's previous efforts. To promote it, three singles were released: "Just a Little While", "I Want You" and "All Nite (Don't Stop)", while "R&B Junkie" was issued as a promotional single. Damita Jo received mixed reviews from music critics, who praised its production but were dismissive of its excessive sexual content and its overlong duration. It was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album, while "I Want You" received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. The album sold three million copies worldwide.

Jackson's performance at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show prior to the album's release, which ended in Jackson's breast being accidentally exposed by surprise guest Justin Timberlake, had a major effect on the album's commercial performance. Conglomerates involved with the broadcast who received massive fines from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), including Viacom and subsidiaries CBS, MTV and Infinity Broadcasting, enforced a blacklist of Jackson's singles and music videos, although Timberlake remained unaffected. The blacklisting drew controversy amongst critics, who declared the album and its singles to likely have been commercially successful had the incident not occurred.