Jennifer Lopez faced a wave of criticism from fans after posting a Christmas selfie that left many social media users roasting her online.
The 55-year-old entertainer, also known as J.Lo, has been no stranger to online scrutiny in recent months. The Christmas photo incident added to a challenging period for the pop star, who has seen her career face unexpected hurdles despite decades of success in the entertainment industry.
Lopez’s recent professional setbacks include the disappointing commercial performance of her album “This Is Me Now,” which debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 on Feb. 28, 2024. The album’s chart position marked a dramatic contrast to her earlier commercial success, particularly when compared to her 2001 album “J.Lo,” which debuted at No. 1 and sold 272,300 copies in its opening week.
Despite the poor showing on the main Billboard 200 chart, “This Is Me Now” did achieve the top spot on the Top Album Sales chart. However, the numbers told a sobering story about the current state of physical music sales, with the album moving only 6,000 CDs, 5,000 vinyl records and 3,000 digital downloads.
The album represented a significant personal investment for Lopez, who poured $20 million of her own money into both the album and an accompanying film. The project was deeply personal, serving as a sequel to her 2002 album “This Is Me Then,” which had featured hits including “Jenny From the Block” and “All I Have.”
A documentary titled “The Greatest Love Story Never Told” premiered on Prime Video, providing fans with an inside look at the creative process behind the album and film. The documentary’s title came from a meaningful gift Lopez received from her ex-husband, Ben Affleck.
Affleck gave Lopez a book titled “The Greatest Love Story Never Told” on the first Christmas after they got back together in 2021, 18 years after their breakup in 2003. The book contained letters and emails from 20 years ago, serving as a touchstone for the album’s creative direction.
“It’s not like anybody was clamoring for the next J.Lo record, you know what I mean?” Lopez said in the documentary, acknowledging the challenges of releasing new music after a decade away from studio albums.
Her last studio album before “This Is Me Now” was “A.K.A.,” released in 2014. The gap between albums came during a period when Lopez remained highly visible in popular culture, co-headlining the Super Bowl halftime show with Shakira in 2020 and singing at the presidential inauguration in 2021. She also served as musical guest on Saturday Night Live.
The entertainer’s career trajectory has been remarkable since her 2001 breakthrough. Her debut album “J.Lo” established her as a major force in pop music, opening at the top of the charts with substantial first-week sales that were typical of the pre-streaming era.
Lopez has faced increased scrutiny on social media in recent years, with fans and critics alike closely examining her posts and public appearances. The phenomenon of online criticism has affected numerous celebrities, with some choosing to engage directly with their critics while others maintain distance from social media commentary.
The modest sales figures for “This Is Me Now” highlighted the dramatic changes in the music industry over the past two decades. Where physical sales and digital downloads once dominated, streaming has become the primary metric for chart success. The album’s No. 38 debut stood in stark contrast to earlier successes.
The documentary revealed intimate details about Lopez’s creative process and her willingness to draw from personal experiences for artistic material. She shared the book from Affleck with her creative team as they worked on incorporating the correspondence into the album’s themes.
The album’s chart performance proved especially notable given Lopez’s continued prominence in entertainment. Her visibility through high-profile performances and appearances had kept her in the public eye, making the commercial disappointment of “This Is Me Now” all the more striking.
“I didn’t even have to make the record,” Lopez reflected in the documentary, addressing the question of her relevance in today’s pop landscape.
The Christmas selfie incident that sparked fan reactions came amid this period of professional challenges. Social media users expressed criticism over the photo, adding another layer to Lopez’s complex relationship with her online audience.
