"That's the Way Love Goes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson from her fifth album, ''Janet (album)|Janet.'' (1993). The song was released on April 26, 1993 by Virgin Records, as the lead single from the ''Janet'' album. Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song's themes of romantic lust saw Jackson transitioning to sensual territory, considered a shocking contrast to her previous releases among critics and the public. The song's slow tempo fused Contemporary R&B|R&B, Pop music|pop, funk and soul music with flourishes of downtempo and hip hop music. It received positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who praised it as "iconic", "hypnotic", and "extravaganza" for its production and vocals.