Released as the lead single from Discipline on December 12, 2007, by Island Records, "Feedback" received acclaim from music critics, who praised its dance sound and contrast from Jackson's previous album 20 Y.O.

It reached number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked atop the Dance Club Songs chart, becoming her highest-peaking single since "Someone to Call My Lover" (2001).

The song's accompanying music video, directed by Saam Farahmand, portrays Jackson jumping from various planets before dancing among an unidentified white liquid.

The song uses a "digitized" robotic effect on Jackson's vocals to heighten its futuristic aura and sensual tone, likened to a sex gynoid by Rolling Stone.

"[3] The line within the song, "My swag is serious, something heavy like a first day period," in which Jackson compares her dominant presence to the initial side effects of a woman's menstrual cycle, drew media attention.

Digital Spy remarked the song deserved heightened notoriety due to the lyrical boast, praising her return to "brilliantly filthy form".

[6] In 2013, Thought Catalog declared Jackson among "23 Essential Role Models" for young women, saying despite the line, "somehow the song is still sexy and hot and amazing.[...]

Taylor noted the song "features a gracious dance groove, but more so, supplies a sing along hook and distinctive melody," likening it to "a funked-up 'All for You'".

[11] Glenn Gamboa of Newsweek called it "enjoyable fluff," with a "robo-dance" sound highlighting "Jackson's playful phrasing and ability to mine the electro-groove.

"[12] Blender called it "her most distinctive track in years," and MTV News cited Jackson as "bringing back the dance sound" to the mainstream.

[13] Nick Levine of Digital Spy deemed it a "libidinous strut" that contains "everything you want from a Jackson single", including "hard-edged beats, plenty of hooks and enough attitude to compensate for her flimsy-as-cling-film voice.

"[14] Keith Harris of Rolling Stone called the song a "high-voltage money shot," likening Jackson's vocals to a "sex droid," complete with "crass" beats and "heavy breathing."

"[2] Entertainment Weekly's Tim Stack analyzed it as "breathy with a propulsive beat" and "exactly how I like my Jsquared," calling Jackson "the comeback story of 2008.

Club considered it "a slight digital jam" which masks Jackson among "uncertain vocal tones and incongruous lines about guitars.

"[16] IGN called Jackson's vocals a "metallic mess" but goes on to say that the song is saved by a "mediocre hook" and a "fuzzy dance beat.

"[20] Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine said the track "shows Janet the 4/4 we assumed she lost, though the beat whomps so relentlessly here it's hard to know how she could've ever misplaced it."

"[21] Slant Magazine ranked it the eighth best single of 2008 and 59th best song of the decade, declaring it "infectiously bizarre" and commending its advanced production and lyrical content.

"[24] The Los Angeles Times noted its "top-notch" and "glossed-over" production, praising the "tech-savvy groove" while adding "It'll sound great in a club.

"[28][29] Bob Burke of FMQB described the song as "a whole new groove for Jackson" that "fits like a glove," adding "the early 'feedback' indicates another multi-format hit in the making.

Jackson is then shown sitting on top of a planet in outer space, wearing a bodysuit adorned with jewelry, long ponytail, and mask.

Jackson jumps to another setting, shown in slow motion as the audio is filtered, landing on a white liquid surface with a crimson atmosphere.

"[24] Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine thought it was "a minor revelation" in comparison to the song itself, though credited Jackson for "juggling CGI in a skin-tight red jumpsuit during what appeared to be the middle ground of her yo-yo weight swings" and "whipping up cosmic dust with that ponytail (how's that for an entrance?!).