| "Call on Me" | ||||
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| Single by Janet Jackson with Nelly | ||||
| from the album 20 Y.O. | ||||
| Released | June 19, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | 2005 | |||
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| Length | 3:30 | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
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| Janet Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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| Nelly singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Call on Me" on YouTube | ||||
"Call on Me" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson with guest vocals from American rapper Nelly from Jackson's ninth studio album 20 Y.O. (2006). It was written by Jermaine Dupri, Johnta Austin, James Phillips, Cornell Haynes Jr., James Harris III and Terry Lewis, and produced by Dupri, Phillips, Jam and Lewis, in addition to Jackson. "Call on Me" was released as the album's lead single on June 19, 2006, by Virgin Records. The song is a mid-tempo ballad which talks about calling on a person when a friend or somebody to listen is needed.
"Call on Me" received mixed reviews from music critics, although some picked it as one of the best tracks on the album, calling it a "lovely and elegant" ballad. The song was a moderate success commercially, becoming her most successful single in some countries since "All for You" (2001). It peaked at number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, making it Jackson's 16th number-one single on the chart. Internationally, the song peaked within the top 20 in Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
The accompanying music video for "Call on Me" was directed by Hype Williams and took ten days to complete. Incorporating Indian, Asian, and African styles, outfits worn in the video included a specially-designed kimono, metal corset, and nine-inch platform heels. "Call on Me" is one of the most expensive music videos of all time, with a production cost of over $1 million. Following its release, it was reported that the video was blacklisted by MTV, following her incident at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004, which was co-produced by the network. To promote 20 Y.O., Jackson performed the song with Nelly on TV show Today, as well as on two of her concert tours.