janet. is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released on May 18, 1993 by Virgin Records. Prior to its release, Jackson was at the center of a high-profile bidding war over her recording contract. 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 an unprecedented multi-million dollar contract, making her the world's then-highest paid musical act. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with the largest first week sales in history for a female artist at the time. It became Jackson's third consecutive album to top the chart, as well as reaching the number one position in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Certified sixfold platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it sold over 20 million copies worldwide, and is one of the world's best-selling albums.