"I Get Lonely" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album The Velvet Rope. It was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Jackson's then-husband, René Elizondo, Jr. It was released on February 26, 1998 by Virgin Records as the album's third single. The track is a departure from Jackson's signature brand of dance-pop into a more R&B vibe. Lyrically, it expresses loneliness and the desire for an estranged lover.

"I Get Lonely" was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics, who praised it as "bold" and "raw." "I Get Lonely" became Jackson's eighteenth consecutive top ten hit on the Hot 100, setting a record as the only female artist to achieve that feat, surpassed only by Elvis Presley and The Beatles. The song received a BMI Pop Award for "Most Played Song" and a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and was later included on Janet's second hits compilation Number Ones. Its music video, directed by Paul Hunter, received positive reception for its abounding sex appeal.

"'I Get Lonely' takes me to a place of loss — having lost a lover, wanting the lover back, and dreaming of the time when the dream is fulfilled. The vibe is bittersweet."

"I Get Lonely" is a departure from Janet's usual style of dance-pop, as the song is more R&B-oriented. It was released as the third single from Jackson's sixth album The Velvet Rope, which chronicled Jackson's struggle with depression and intimacy. In an interview for MTV, she discussed how the depression was causing her to experience deep sadness, forcing her to take breaks from her music career. During the writing and recording of The Velvet Rope she began to spontaneously cancel recording sessions and appeared constantly troubled. The themes of loneliness and abandonment that are explored in "I Get Lonely" are a direct reflection of the emotional state that Jackson was in during the production of the album. Jackson described the album as her most personal work, developed throughout her entire lifetime. She explained, "I never looked deeply at the pain from my past, never tried to understand that pain and work it through. It was a journey I had avoided. But one I now had to face."

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