Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreography became a catalyst in the growth of

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

, enabling her to rise to prominence while breaking

gender Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and masculinity and differentiating between them. Depending on the context, this may include sex-based social structures (i.e. gender roles) and gender identity. Most culture ...

and racial barriers in the process. Lyrical content which focused on social issues and lived experiences set her reputation as a role model for youth. The tenth and youngest child of the Jackson family, she began performing at the MGM Grand. She starred in the variety television series '' The Jacksons'' in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including ''

Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first Afric ...

'', '' Diff'rent Strokes'', and '' Fame''. After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982, she became a pop icon following the release of her third and fourth studio albums ''

Control Control may refer to: Basic meanings Economics and business * Control (management), an element of management * Control, an element of management accounting * Comptroller (or controller), a senior financial officer in an organization * Controlli ...

'' (1986) and '' Rhythm Nation 1814'' (1989). Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

, funk,

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...

, rap, and industrial beats, which led to crossover success in

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fu ...

. In 1991, Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a world ...

, establishing her as one of the highest-paid artists in the industry. Prior to her first studio project with Virgin, she appeared in her first of several lead film roles in '' Poetic Justice'' (1993). Her two studio albums which followed, '' Janet'' (1993) and '' The Velvet Rope'' (1997), saw her develop a public image as a sex symbol. These records, along with their promotional music videos and live performances in concert tours, branded Jackson as one of the world's most erotic performers, garnering both criticism and praise. By the end of the 1990s, she was named by '' Billboard'' magazine as the second most successful recording artist of the decade in the United States after Mariah Carey. The release of her seventh studio album '' All for You'' in 2001 coincided with a celebration of her impact on the recording industry as the subject of the inaugural ''

MTV Icon ''MTV Icon'' is a series of annual television specials produced by MTV between 2001 and 2004, each paying homage to a musical artist or band selected as a cultural icon, in a format similar to the network's annual Video Music Awards and Movi ...

'' special. The backlash from the 2004

Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004, from Houston, Texas, on the CBS television network, is notable for a moment in which Janet Jackson's breast—adorned with a nipple shield—was expo ...

resulted in an industry blacklisting under the direction of Les Moonves, then-CEO of

CBS Corporation The second incarnation of CBS Corporation (the first being a short-lived rename of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation) was an American multinational media conglomerate with interests primarily in commercial broadcasting, publishing, an ...

. Jackson subsequently experienced reduced radio airplay, televised promotion and sales figures from that point forward. After parting ways with Virgin Records, she released her tenth studio album '' Discipline'' (2008), her first and only album with Island Records. In 2015, she partnered with BMG Rights Management to launch her own record label, Rhythm Nation and released her eleventh studio album '' Unbreakable'' the same year. Since then she has continued to release music as an independent artist. Jackson has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. She has amassed an extensive catalog, with singles such as " Nasty", " Rhythm Nation", " That's the Way Love Goes", " Together Again", and " All for You"; she holds the record for the most consecutive top-ten entries on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart by a female artist with 18. She is also the only artist in the history of the chart to have seven commercial singles from one album (''Rhythm Nation 1814'') peak within the top five positions. In 2008, ''Billboard'' placed her number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, and in 2010 ranked her fifth among the "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years". In December 2016, the magazine named her the second most successful dance club artist after Madonna. One of the world's most awarded artists, her accolades include five Grammy Awards, eleven ''Billboard'' Music Awards, eleven American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and eight ''

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

'' entries. In 2019, she was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Life and career

1966–1985: Early life and career beginnings

Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16, 1966, in

Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along th ...

. She was the youngest of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street. Her mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (''née'' Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears. Her father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was a crane operator at U.S. Steel and played guitar with a local

band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income. Janet's great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout. Family lore held that he was also a Native American medicine man. Janet grew up with two sisters ( Rebbie and La Toya) and six brothers ( Jackie,

Tito Tito may refer to: People Mononyms *Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980), commonly known mononymously as Tito, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman *Roberto Arias (1918–1989), aka Tito, Panamanian international lawyer, diplomat, and journal ...

, Jermaine, Marlon,

Randy Randy is a given name, popular in the United States and Canada. It is primarily a masculine name. It was originally derived from the names Randall, Randolf, Randolph, as well as Bertrand and Andrew, and may be a short form (hypocorism) of the ...

and

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

). Another brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth. The Jacksons were devout Jehovah's Witnesses, although Janet would later refrain from organized religion. At a young age, Jackson's brothers began performing as the Jackson 5 in the Chicago-Gary area. In March 1969, they signed a record deal with Motown, and soon had their first number-one hit. The family then moved to the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles. Jackson had initially desired to become a horse racing jockey or entertainment lawyer, with plans to support herself through acting. Despite this, she was anticipated to pursue a career in entertainment and considered the idea after recording herself in the studio. At age seven, Jackson and her brother Randy performed at the MGM Casino on the

Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas cit ...

. A biography revealed her father, Joseph, was emotionally withdrawn and told her to address him solely by his first name as a child. She began acting in the variety show '' The Jacksons'' in 1976. In 1977, She was selected to have a starring role as Penny Gordon Woods in the sitcom ''Good Times''. She later starred in ''

A New Kind of Family ''A New Kind of Family'' is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 1979 to January 1980. The series stars Eileen Brennan, Rob Lowe and Telma Hopkins. It is not to be confused with, nor is it related to, the series '' Family'', whi ...

'' and later got a recurring role on '' Diff'rent Strokes'', portraying Charlene Duprey from seasons three to six. Jackson also played the role of Cleo Hewitt during the fourth season of '' Fame'', but expressed indifference towards the series, largely due to the emotional stress of her secret marriage to R&B singer James DeBarge. Jackson later elaborated on her time on the show in an interview with Anderson Cooper, revealing that the cast would occasionally play pranks on her, but she spoke fondly of them. When Jackson was sixteen, her father and manager Joseph Jackson arranged a contract for her with A&M Records. Her debut album, '' Janet Jackson'', was released in 1982. It was produced by Angela Winbush,

René Moore René Moore (born Ivan Rene Moore;Rufus and Leon Sylvers III, and overseen by her father Joseph. It peaked at No. 63 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and No. 6 on the publication's R&B albums chart, receiving little promotion. The album appeared on the ''Billboard'' Top Black Albums of 1983, while Jackson herself was the highest-ranking female vocalist on the ''Billboard'' Year-End Black Album Artists. Jackson's second album, '' Dream Street'', was released two years later. ''Dream Street'' reached No. 147 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and No. 19 on the R&B albums chart. The lead single " Don't Stand Another Chance" peaked at No. 9 on ''Billboard''s R&B singles chart. Both albums consisted primarily of bubblegum pop music.

1986–1988: ''Control''

After her second album, Jackson terminated business affairs with her family, commenting "I just wanted to get out of the house, get out from under my father, which was one of the most difficult things that I had to do." Attempting a third album, Jackson teamed with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. They set out to achieve crossover pop appeal, while also creating a strong foundation within the urban market. Within six weeks, Jackson and the duo crafted her third studio album, ''

'', released in February 1986. The album shot to No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and was certified fivefold Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over ten million copies worldwide. ''Control'' was declared "remarkably nervy and mature" for a teenage act, also considered "an alternative to the sentimental balladry" which permeated radio, likening Jackson to Donna Summer's position of "unwilling to accept novelty status and taking her own steps to rise above it." The album spawned five top five singles, " What Have You Done for Me Lately", " Nasty", " When I Think of You", "

", and "

Let's Wait Awhile "Let's Wait Awhile" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her third studio album, '' Control'' (1986). It was released on January 6, 1987, by A&M Records as the album's fifth single. The song was written and produced by Jackson and Jim ...

", and a top 15 hit with " The Pleasure Principle". "When I Think of You" became her first No. 1 hit on the Hot 100. ''Control'' received six ''Billboard'' Awards, including "Top Pop Singles Artist", and three Grammy nominations, such as

Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...

. It also won four American Music Awards from twelve nominations, an unbroken record. At this point, Jackson was successfully "shaking off the experience of being a shadow Jackson child", becoming "an artist in her own right". The album's lyrical content included several themes of empowerment, inspired by an incident of sexual harassment, with Jackson recalling "the danger hit home when a couple of guys started stalking me on the street and instead of running to Jimmy or Terry for protection, I took a stand. I backed them down. That's how songs like 'Nasty' and 'What Have You Done for Me Lately' were born, out of a sense of self-defense." Its innovative fusion of dance-pop and industrial music with hip-hop and R&B undertones influenced the development of the new jack swing genre by bridging the gap between the latter two styles. The accompanying music videos shot for the album's singles became popular on

, and obtained a then-unknown Paula Abdul a recording contract for her choreography work with Jackson. '' Billboard'' stated " ackson'saccessible sound and spectacularly choreographed videos were irresistible to MTV, and helped the channel evolve from rock programming to a broader, beat-driven musical mix." In retrospect of her influence on the channel, Kyle Anderson of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...

'' commented: "The videos from Control were all over MTV, and Janet established herself as an instantly dominant pop figure talked about in the same sentences as Madonna and her older brother Michael." MTV's Meaghan Garvey asserted "it's hard to overstate the significance of Control, whether in terms of the pop landscape, the evolution of the music video as a vessel for promotion and expression, or Top 40 feminist anthems." She also argued "it's important to note that ''Control''’s self-actualization anthems were expressions of black female pride. ''Control'' spawned a whopping six videos—great ones, at that—which played an immeasurable role in the shift toward visible black pop."

1989–1992: ''Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814''

Jackson released her fourth album, '' Rhythm Nation 1814'', in September 1989. Although her record label desired a direct sequel to ''Control'', Jackson chose to include a socially conscious theme among various musical styles. She stated, "I know an album or a song can't change the world. I just want my music and my dance to catch the audience's attention, and to hold it long enough for them to listen to the lyrics." The album's central theme of unity was developed in response to various crimes and tragedies reported in the media. Peaking at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200, the album was certified sixfold Platinum by the RIAA and sold over 12 million copies worldwide. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' observed Jackson's artistic growth shifted from "personal freedom to more universal concerns—injustice, illiteracy, crime, drugs—without missing a beat." The album was also considered "the exclamation point on her career", consisting of a "diverse collection of songs flowing with the natural talent Jackson possesses", which effectively "expanded Janet's range in every conceivable direction", being "more credibly feminine, more crucially masculine, more viably adult, more believably childlike." With singles " Miss You Much", " Rhythm Nation", " Escapade", " Alright", " Come Back to Me", " Black Cat" and "

Love Will Never Do (Without You) "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson. Composed by songwriters and record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, it was recorded for the singer's fourth studio album, ''Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814'' ( ...

", it became the first album in history to produce number one hits in three separate calendar years, as well as the only album to achieve seven top five singles on the Hot 100. Famous for its choreography and warehouse setting, the " Rhythm Nation" music video is considered one of the most iconic and popular in history, with Jackson's military ensemble also making her a fashion icon. The video for "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" is notable for being the first instance of Jackson's transition into sexual imagery and midriff-baring style, becoming her trademark. ''Rhythm Nation 1814'' became the highest selling album of 1990, winning a record fifteen ''Billboard'' Awards. The long-form "Rhythm Nation" music video won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

. Jackson's

Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990 The Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990 was the first headlining concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. It was launched in support of her fourth studio album ''Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814'' (1989), and also contained material ...

became the most successful debut tour in history and set a record for the fastest sell-out of Japan's Tokyo Dome. She established the "Rhythm Nation Scholarship", donating funds from the tour to various educational programs. As Jackson began her tour, she was acknowledged for the cultural impact of her music. Joel Selvin of the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The pa ...

'' wrote "the 23-year-old has been making smash hit records for four years, becoming a fixture on MTV and a major role model to teenage girls across the country", and William Allen, then-executive vice president of the

United Negro College Fund UNCF, the United Negro College Fund, also known as the United Fund, is an American philanthropic organization that funds scholarships for black students and general scholarship funds for 37 private historically black colleges and universitie ...

, told the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

'', "Jackson is a role model for all young people to emulate and the message she has gotten to the young people of this country through the lyrics of 'Rhythm Nation 1814' is having positive effects." She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her impact on the recording industry and philanthropic endeavors. The massive success experienced by Jackson placed her in league with her brother Michael, Madonna, and Tina Turner for her achievements and influence. '' Ebony'' magazine remarked: "No individual or group has impacted the world of entertainment as have Michael and Janet Jackson," arguing that despite many imitators, few could surpass Jackson's "stunning style and dexterity". With her recording contract under A&M Records fulfilled in 1991, she signed a multimillion-dollar deal with

—estimated between thirty-two to fifty million dollars—making her the highest paid recording artist at the time. The recording contract also established her reputation as the " Queen of Pop". In 1992, Jackson provided guest vocals on Luther Vandross's " The Best Things in Life Are Free", becoming a top ten ''Billboard'' hit and reaching the top ten internationally.

1993–1996: ''Janet'', ''Poetic Justice'', and ''Design of a Decade''

Jackson's fifth studio album '' Janet'', was released in May 1993. The record opened at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, making Jackson the first female artist in the Nielsen SoundScan era to do so. Certified sixfold Platinum by the RIAA, it sold over 14 million copies worldwide. ''Janet'' spawned five singles and four promotional singles, receiving various certifications worldwide. The lead single " That's the Way Love Goes" won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song and topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks. " Again" reached number one for two weeks, while " If" and "

Any Time, Any Place "Any Time, Any Place" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her fifth studio album, ''Janet'' (1993). It was written and produced by Jackson along with production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and released as the album's fifth singl ...

" peaked in the top four. " Because of Love" and "

You Want This "You Want This" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her fifth studio album, ''Janet'' (1993). Released as the album's seventh single (sixth and final in the U.S.) in October 1994, the track was written and produced by Jackson and Jimm ...

" charted within the top ten. The album experimented with a diverse number of genres, including

contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhy ...

, deep house, swing jazz, hip hop, rock, and

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...

, with ''Billboard'' describing each as being "delivered with consummate skill and passion". Jackson took a larger role in songwriting and production than she did on her previous albums, explaining she found it necessary "to write all the lyrics and half of the melodies" while also speaking candidly about incorporating her sexuality into the album's content. ''Rolling Stone'' wrote " princess of America's black royal family, everything Janet Jackson does is important. Whether proclaiming herself in charge of her life, as she did on ''Control'' (1986), or commander in chief of a rhythm army dancing to fight society's problems (''Rhythm Nation 1814'', from 1989), she's influential. And when she announces her sexual maturity, as she does on her new album, ''Janet.'', it's a cultural moment." In July 1993, Jackson made her film debut in '' Poetic Justice''. While the film received mixed reviews, her performance was described as "beguiling" and "believably eccentric". Jackson's ballad "Again", which was written for the film, received Golden Globe and

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominations for "Best Original Song". In September 1993, Jackson appeared topless on the cover of ''Rolling Stone'', with her breasts covered by her then-husband, René Elizondo, Jr. The photograph is the original version of the cropped image used on the ''Janet'' album cover, shot by Patrick Demarchelier. '' The Vancouver Sun'' reported, "Jackson, 27, remains clearly established as both role model and sex symbol; the ''Rolling Stone'' photo of Jackson ... became one of the most recognizable, and most lampooned, magazine covers." The Janet World Tour launched in support of the studio album garnered criticism for Jackson's lack of vocal proficiency and spontaneity, but earned critical acclaim for her showmanship. It was described as erasing the line between "stadium-size pop music concerts and full-scale theatrical extravaganzas". Janet Tour 01

During this time, Janet was set to sign a multimillion-dollar deal with

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance bar, temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pembe ...

when her brother Michael was immersed in a child sex abuse scandal, of which he denied any wrongdoing. She provided moral support, defending her brother, and denied abuse allegations regarding her parents made by her sister La Toya. She collaborated with Michael on " Scream", the lead single from his album ''

HIStory History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

'', released 1995. The song was written by both siblings as a response to media scrutiny. It debuted at number five on the Hot 100 singles chart, becoming the first song ever to debut within the top five. Its music video, directed by Mark Romanek, was listed in ''

'' as the "Most Expensive Music Video Ever Made", costing $7 million. The clip won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. Jackson's first compilation album, '' Design of a Decade: 1986–1996'', was released in 1995. It peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200. The lead single, "

Runaway Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to: Engineering * Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable * Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proc ...

", became the first song by a female artist to debut within the top ten of the Hot 100, reaching number three. ''Design of a Decade 1986/1996'' was certified double Platinum by the RIAA, and sold ten million copies worldwide. Jackson's influence in pop music continued to garner acclaim, as ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' remarked "If you're talking about the female power elite in pop, you can't get much higher than Janet Jackson,

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...

, Madonna and Yoko Ono. Their collective influence ... is beyond measure. And who could dispute that Janet Jackson now has more credibility than brother Michael?" Jackson renewed her contract with Virgin Records for a reported $80 million the following year. The contract established her as the then highest-paid recording artist in history, surpassing the recording industry's then-unparalleled $60 million contracts earned by Michael Jackson and Madonna.

1997–1999: ''The Velvet Rope''

Jackson began suffering from severe depression and

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...

, leading her to chronicle the experience in her sixth album, '' The Velvet Rope,'' released October 1997. Jackson returned with a dramatic change in image, boasting vibrant red hair, nasal piercings, and tattoos. The album is primarily centered on the idea that everyone has an intrinsic need to belong. Aside from encompassing lyrics relating to social issues such as same-sex relationships, homophobia and

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for '' intimate partn ...

, it also contains themes of sadomasochism and is considered far more sexually explicit in nature than her previous release, ''Janet''. The record was hailed as "her most daring, elaborate and accomplished album" by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', while ''Billboard'' called it "the best American album of the year and the most empowering of her last five." The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified triple Platinum, selling over ten million worldwide. The lead single " Got 'til It's Gone" was released in August 1997, featuring guest vocals from folk singer Joni Mitchell and rapper Q-Tip. The song's music video, depicting a pre-

Apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

celebration, won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. " Together Again" became Jackson's eighth number-one hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, placing her on par with Elton John, Diana Ross, and

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...

. It spent a record forty-six weeks on the Hot 100 and nineteen weeks on the United Kingdom's singles chart. It sold six million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time. " I Get Lonely" peaked at number three on the Hot 100, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. It was Jackson's eighteenth consecutive top ten hit, making her the only female artist to garner that achievement; and surpassed only by

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

and

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

. Several other singles were released, including " Go Deep" and the ballad " Every Time", which was controversial for the nudity displayed in its music video. The album fully established Jackson as a

gay icon A gay icon is a public figure who is regarded as a cultural icon of some members of the LGBT community. The most widely recognized gay icons are often actresses and singers who garnered large LGBT fanbases, such as Judy Garland, Madonna, Diana Ros ...

for its themes regarding homosexuality and protesting homophobia. "Together Again", a "post-Aids pop song", and "Free Xone", considered "a paean to homosexuality" and an "anti-homophobia track", were praised for their lyrical context, in addition to Jackson's lesbian reinterpretation of Rod Stewart's " Tonight's the Night". ''The Velvet Rope'' received an award for "Outstanding Music Album" at the 9th Annual GLAAD Media Awards and was honored by the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum. A portion of the proceeds from "Together Again" were donated to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. Jackson embarked on

The Velvet Rope Tour The Velvet Rope Tour was the third concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. Launched in support of her sixth studio album ''The Velvet Rope'' (1997), the tour visited Europe, North America, Japan, New Zealand, Africa, and Australi ...

, traveling to Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. The tour received praise for its theatrics, choreography, and Jackson's vocal performance. It was likened to "the ambition and glamour of a Broadway musical", and exclaimed as "only fitting that the concert program credits her as the show's 'creator and director. The tour's HBO special, ''The Velvet Rope: Live in Madison Square Garden'', garnered more than fifteen million viewers. It surpassed the ratings of all four major networks among viewers subscribed to the channel. The concert won an Emmy Award from four nominations. Jackson donated a portion of the tour's sales to America's Promise, an organization founded by Colin Powell to assist disenfranchised youth. As the tour concluded, Jackson lent guest vocals to several collaborations, including Shaggy's " Luv Me, Luv Me", used for the film '' How Stella Got Her Groove Back'', as well as " Girlfriend/Boyfriend" with Teddy Riley's group Blackstreet, and " What's It Gonna Be?!" with Busta Rhymes. The latter two music videos are both among the most expensive music videos ever produced, with "What's It Gonna Be?!" becoming a number-one hit on the ''Billboard'' Hip-Hop Singles and Hot Rap Tracks charts, reaching the top three of the Hot 100. Jackson also contributed the ballad "God's Stepchild" to the '' Down in the Delta'' soundtrack. Jackson recorded a duet with Elton John titled "I Know the Truth", included on the soundtrack to ''

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida ''Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida'' is a 1999 concept album that contains songs from, but predates the main production of, the 2000 musical ''Aida''. With music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, the album features Elton John performing the ...

''. At the 1999 World Music Awards, Jackson received the Legend Award for "outstanding contribution to the pop industry". ''Billboard'' ranked Jackson as the second most successful artist of the decade, behind Mariah Carey.

2000–2003: ''Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' and ''All for You''

In July 2000, Jackson appeared in her second film, '' Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'', as the role of Professor Denise Gaines, opposite Eddie Murphy. Director

Peter Segal Peter Segal (born 1962) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Segal has directed the comedic films ''Tommy Boy'' (1995), ''My Fellow Americans'' (1996), '' The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' (2000), ''Anger Manageme ...

stated "Janet Jackson was a natural fit, and an obvious choice." The film became her second to open at number one, grossing an estimated $170 million worldwide. Jackson's single "

Doesn't Really Matter "Doesn't Really Matter" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from the soundtrack to the 2000 film '' Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' and her seventh studio album, '' All for You'' (2001). It was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Ja ...

", used for the film's soundtrack, became her ninth number-one single on the Hot 100. Preceding the release of her seventh album, MTV honored Jackson with the network's inaugural "

" ceremony, honoring her "significant contributions to music, music video and pop culture while tremendously impacting the MTV generation." The event paid tribute to Jackson's career and influence, including commentary from Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Aaliyah, and Jessica Simpson, and performances by

'N Sync NSYNC (, ; also stylized as *NSYNC or 'N Sync) was an American boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. Their self-titled debut album was successfully released to European ...

Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...

, Destiny's Child, Usher,

Buckcherry Buckcherry is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1995. The band released two albums, '' Buckcherry'' (1999) and '' Time Bomb'' (2001), before dissolving in 2002. Buckcherry's first album ''Buckcherry'' was DreamWorks first ...

, Mýa, Macy Gray, and Outkast. The American Music Awards also honored Jackson with the

Award of Merit The Award of Merit, or AM, is a mark of quality awarded to plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The award was instituted in 1888, and given on the recommendation of Plant Committees to plants deemed "of great merit for exhibitio ...

for "her finely crafted, critically acclaimed and socially conscious, multi-platinum albums". Jackson's seventh album, '' All for You'', was released in April 2001. It opened at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 with 605,000 copies sold, the highest first-week sales of her career, and among the highest first-week sales by a female artist in history. The album was a return to an upbeat dance style, receiving generally positive reception. Jackson received praise for indulging in "textures as dizzying as a new infatuation", in contrast to other artists attempting to "match the angularity of hip-hop" and following trends. ''All for You'' was certified double Platinum by the RIAA and sold nine million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, " All for You", debuted on the Hot 100 at number fourteen, setting a record for the highest debut by a single that was not commercially available. Jackson was titled "Queen of Radio" by MTV as the single made airplay history, being "added to every pop, rhythmic and urban radio station" within its first week. The song broke the overall airplay debut record with a first week audience of seventy million, debuting at number nine on the Radio Songs chart. It topped the Hot 100 for seven weeks, also reaching the top ten in eleven countries. The song received a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. "

Someone to Call My Lover "Someone to Call My Lover" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson from her seventh studio album, '' All for You'' (2001). Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song was released as the album's second si ...

" peaked at number three on the Hot 100. Built around a sample of the iconic 1972 hit " You're So Vain" by Carly Simon, "

Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You) "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson with Carly Simon from Jackson's seventh studio album, '' All for You'' (2001). It was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Ter ...

" featured Simon herself, along with Missy Elliott on remixes of the single. In July 2001, Jackson embarked on the

All for You Tour The All for You Tour was the fourth concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson, in support of her seventh studio album '' All for You'' (2001). The show was designed by Mark Fisher and Jackson. It was originally scheduled to start in ...

, which was also broadcast on a concert special for HBO watched by twelve million viewers. The tour traveled throughout the United States and Japan, although European and Asian dates were required to be canceled following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The ''Los Angeles Times'' complimented Jackson's showmanship. Richard Harrington of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

'' said Jackson's performance surpassed her contemporaries, but Bob Massy of '' Spin'' thought her dancers "threw crisper moves" and her supporting singers were mixed nearly as high, though declared "Janet cast herself as the real entertainment." Jackson donated a portion of the tour's proceeds to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The following year, Jackson began receiving media attention for her rumored relationships with Justin Timberlake, actor Matthew McConaughey, and record producer Jermaine Dupri. Upon the release of Timberlake's debut solo album '' Justified,'' Jackson provided vocals on "(And She Said) Take Me Now" per Timberlake's request, with the song initially planned as a single. Jackson collaborated with

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

artist

Beenie Man Anthony Moses Davis (born 22 August 1973), better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican Dancehall deejay. Biography Davis was born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston in 1973.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Mu ...

for the song "

Feel It Boy "Feel It Boy" is a song by Jamaican dancehall musician Beenie Man featuring American singer Janet Jackson from Beenie Man's 15th studio album, ''Tropical Storm'' (2002). The song was written by Beenie Man, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Clanc ...

", produced by

the Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music video ...

2004–2005: Super Bowl XXXVIII controversy and ''Damita Jo''

Jackson was chosen by the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...

and MTV to perform at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in February 2004. She performed a medley of "All for You", "Rhythm Nation", and an excerpt of "The Knowledge" before performing "

Rock Your Body "Rock Your Body" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake from his debut studio album, '' Justified'' (2002). The Neptunes (consisting of Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams) wrote and produced the song. The song features backgroun ...

" alongside surprise guest Justin Timberlake. As Timberlake sang the lyric "I'm gonna have you naked by the end of this song", he tore open her costume, exposing her right breast to 140 million viewers. The incident was referred to as "nipple gate" by the media. Jackson issued an apology after the performance, saying that the incident was accidental and unintended, explaining that Timberlake was only meant to pull away a

bustier A bustier (, alternatively bustiere) is a form-fitting garment for women traditionally worn as lingerie. Its primary purpose is to push up the bust by tightening against the upper midriff and forcing the breasts up while gently shaping the w ...

and leave the red-lace bra intact. She commented, "I am really sorry if I offended anyone. That was truly not my intention ... MTV, CBS, the NFL had no knowledge of this whatsoever, and unfortunately, the whole thing went wrong in the end." Timberlake also issued an apology, calling the accident a " wardrobe malfunction". CBS, the NFL, and MTV denied any knowledge of the incident and all responsibility for it. The

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdicti ...

heavily fined all companies involved and continued an investigation for eight years, ultimately losing its appeal for a $550,000 fine against CBS. Following the incident, CBS permitted Timberlake to appear at the

46th Grammy Awards The 46th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 8, 2004 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003. They recognized ...

ceremony but did not allow Jackson to attend, forcing her to withdraw after being scheduled as a presenter. The controversy halted plans for Jackson to star in the biographical film of singer and activist Lena Horne, which was to be produced by

American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American commercial broadcast television network. It is the flagship property of the ABC Entertainment Group division of The Walt Disney Company. The network is headquartered in Burbank, Calif ...

. Horne was reportedly displeased by the incident, but Jackson's representatives stated that she withdrew from the project willingly. A Mickey Mouse statue wearing Jackson's iconic "Rhythm Nation" outfit was mantled at Walt Disney World theme park the previous year to honor her legacy, but it was removed following her controversial performance. Jackson's eighth studio album '' Damita Jo'' was released in March 2004, titled after her middle name. It debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album received mixed to positive reviews, praising the sonic innovation of selected songs and Jackson's vocal harmonies, while others criticized its frequent themes of carnality. However, several critics' reviews focused on the Super Bowl incident, rather than critiquing the album itself. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA within a month, and sold over three million copies worldwide. The album's performance was affected by blacklisting from radio and music channels, in part at the behest of CBS CEO Les Moonves. Conglomerates involved in the boycott included Viacom and CBS, subsidiaries MTV, Clear Channel Communications, and Infinity Broadcasting, the latter two among the largest radio broadcasters. The blacklist was placed into effect preceding the release of ''Damita Jo'' and continued throughout the course of Jackson's following two albums. Entertainment conglomerate Viacom owns MTV, VH1, and many radio formats, and a senior executive commented that they were "absolutely bailing on the record. The pressure is so great, they can't align with anything related to Janet. The high-ups are still pissed at her, and this is a punitive measure." Prior to the incident, ''Damita Jo'' was expected to outsell prior release ''All for You''. Its three singles received positive reviews but failed to achieve high chart positions, although each was predicted to perform extremely well under different circumstances. ''Billboard'' reported that ''Damita Jo'' "was largely overshadowed by the Super Bowl fiasco.... The three singles it spawned were blacklisted by pop radio—they were also the album's biggest highlights". For the album's promotion, Jackson appeared as a host on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

'' performing two songs, and she was also a guest star on the sitcom '' Will & Grace'' portraying herself. Jackson received several career accolades upon the album's release, including the "Legend Award" at the

Radio Music Awards The Radio Music Awards was an annual U.S. award show that honored the year's most successful songs on mainstream radio. Nominations were based on the amount of airplay recording artists receive on radio stations in various formats using chart inform ...

, "Inspiration Award" from the Japan Video Music Awards, "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the Soul Train Music Awards, and a Teen Choice Awards nomination for "Favorite Female". In November 2004, she was honored as a role model by 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and presented with the organization's Artistic Achievement Award saluting "a career that has gone from success to greater success". The organization responded to criticism for honoring Jackson in light of the Super Bowl incident by saying that "an individual's worth can't be judged by a single moment in that person's life." In June 2005, she was honored with a Humanitarian Award by the Human Rights Campaign and AIDS Project Los Angeles as recognition for her involvement in raising money for AIDS charities.

Impact on the Internet

The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show is considered to be one of the most controversial televised events in history, and Jackson was later listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the "Most Searched in Internet History" and the "Most Searched for News Item". The incident became the most recorded and replayed moment in TiVo history, enticing an estimated 35,000 new subscribers. Jawed Karim has stated that the incident inspired the creation of

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

, as he noted that it was difficult for him to find videos of the incident online.

2006–2007: ''20 Y.O.'' and ''Why Did I Get Married?''

Jackson began recording her ninth studio album, ''

20 Y.O. ''20 Y.O.'' is the ninth studio album by American singer Janet Jackson. It was released on September 20, 2006, by Virgin Records. Its title makes reference to her third studio album '' Control'' (1986), and is a commemoration to its twentieth ann ...

'', in 2005. She recorded with producers Dupri, Jam and Lewis for several months during the following year. The album's title was a reference to the two decades since the release of her breakthrough album ''Control'', representing the album's "celebration of the joyful liberation and history-making musical style". To promote the album, Jackson appeared in various magazines, and performed on the '' Today Show'' and at the Billboard Awards. Jackson's '' Us Weekly'' cover, revealing her slim figure after heavy media focus was placed on her fluctuations in weight, became the magazine's best-selling issue in history. ''20 Y.O.'' was released in September 2006 and debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album received mixed reviews, with multiple critics chastising the production and involvement of Jermaine Dupri. ''Rolling Stone'' disagreed with the album's reference to ''Control'', saying "If we were her, we wouldn't make the comparison." Jackson's airplay and music channel blacklist remained persistent, massively affecting her chart performance and exposure. However, lead single " Call on Me", which featured rapper Nelly, peaked at number twenty-five on the Hot 100, number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number six in the United Kingdom. The video for the album's second single, " So Excited", was directed by Joseph Kahn and portrayed Jackson's clothes disappearing through a complex dance routine. ''20 Y.O.'' was certified Platinum by the RIAA and sold 1.5 million worldwide, also receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album. After the album's release, Dupri was condemned for his production and misguidance of the album, and subsequently was removed from his position at Virgin Records. '' Slant Magazine'' stated, "After promising a return to Janet's dance-pop origins, upriopted to aim for urban audiences, a colossal mistake that cost Dupri his job and, probably, Janet her deal with Virgin." Jackson was ranked the seventh richest woman in the entertainment industry by ''Forbes'', having amassed a fortune of over $150 million. In 2007, she starred opposite Tyler Perry as a psychotherapist in the film ''

Why Did I Get Married? ''Why Did I Get Married?'' is a 2007 American comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry. It was inspired by Perry's play of the same name. The film also stars Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Shar ...

''. It became her third consecutive film to open at number one at the box office, grossing $60 million. Jackson's performance was praised for its "soft authority", though also described as "charming, yet bland".

2008–2009: ''Discipline'' and ''Number Ones''

Jackson signed with Island Records after her contract with Virgin was fulfilled. She interrupted plans for touring and began recording with various producers, including Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Tricky Stewart, and

Stargate ''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien Einstein–Rosen ...

. Her tenth studio album, '' Discipline'', was released in February 2008, opening at number one. Despite radio blacklisting, the album's first single " Feedback" peaked at number nineteen on the Hot 100 and nine on Pop Songs, her highest-charting single since "Someone to Call My Lover". Also in February 2008, Jackson won an

Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture" for the role. Jackson was also approached to record the lead single for the film '' Rush Hour 3''. Jackson was awarded the Vanguard Award at the 19th annual GLAAD Media Awards, honoring her contributions in promoting equal rights among the gay community. The organization's president commented, "Ms. Jackson has a tremendous following inside the LGBT community and out, and having her stand with us against the defamation that LGBT people still face in our country is extremely significant." Jackson was among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire. Jackson's fifth concert tour, the

Rock Witchu Tour Rock Witchu Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, in support of her tenth studio album '' Discipline'' (2008), and her first in nearly seven years, following a total blacklist of the singer's music, due to t ...

, began in September 2008. Jackson parted with Island Records through mutual agreement. ''Billboard'' disclosed Jackson was dissatisfied with LA Reid's handling of the album and its promotion, saying "the label agreed to dissolve their relationship with the artist at her request." Producer Rodney Jerkins expressed "I felt like it wasn't pushed correctly.... She just didn't get her just due as an artist of that magnitude." In June 2009, Jackson's brother Michael died at age fifty. She spoke publicly concerning his death at the 2009 BET Awards, stating "I'd just like to say, to you, Michael is an icon, to us, Michael is family. And he will forever live in all of our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support. We miss him so much." In an interview, she revealed she had first learned of his death while filming '' Why Did I Get Married Too?''. Amidst mourning with her family, she focused on work to deal with the grief, avoiding any news coverage of her sibling's death. She commented, "it's still important to face reality, and not that I'm running, but sometimes you just need to get away for a second." During this time, she ended her seven-year relationship with Jermaine Dupri. Several months later, Jackson performed a tribute to Michael at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, performing their duet "Scream". MTV stated "there was no one better than Janet to anchor it and send a really powerful message." The performance was lauded by critics, with ''Entertainment Weekly'' affirming the rendition "as energetic as it was heartfelt". Jackson's second hits compilation, '' Number Ones'' (retitled ''The Best'' for international releases), was released in November 2009. For promotion, she performed a medley of hits at the American Music Awards, Capital FM's

Jingle Bell Ball The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held annually in December since 2008 (except for 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), by the radio station Capital FM at The O2. Artists that have headlined the concert include Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, ...

at London's

O2 arena O2 Arena may refer to: *The O2 Arena (London) *O2 Arena (Prague) *The 3Arena The 3Arena (originally The O2) is an indoor amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland. The venue opened as The O2 on 16 Decemb ...

, and '' The X-Factor''. The album's promotional single " Make Me", produced with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, debuted in September. It became Jackson's nineteenth number one on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart, making her the first artist to have number-one singles in four separate decades. Later that month, Jackson chaired the inaugural benefit of amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, held in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

in conjunction with

fashion week A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, where fashion designers, brands or "houses" display their latest collections in runway fashion shows to buyers and the media. These events influence the upcoming fashi ...

. The foundation's CEO stated "We are profoundly grateful to Janet Jackson for joining amfAR as a chair of its first event in Milan... She brings incomparable grace and a history of dedication to the fight against AIDS." The event raised $1.1 million for the nonprofit organization.

2010–2014: Film projects and ''True You''

In April 2010, Jackson reprised her role in the sequel to ''Why Did I Get Married?'' titled ''Why Did I Get Married Too?''. The film opened at number two, grossing sixty million. Jackson's performance was hailed as "invigorating and oddly funny", and praised for her "willingness to be seen at her most disheveled". Her performance earned her an Image Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture". Jackson recorded the film's theme, " Nothing", released as a promotional single. The song was performed on the ninth season finale of ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...

'' along with "Again" and "Nasty". In July, Jackson modeled for the Blackglama clothing line featuring mink fur, then helped design a signature line of clothing and accessories for Blackglama, to be sold at

Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue (originally Saks & Company; colloquially Saks) is an American luxury department store chain headquartered in New York City and founded by Andrew Saks. The original store opened in the F Street shopping district of Washingt ...

and

Bloomingdales Bloomingdale's Inc. is an American luxury department store chain; it was founded in New York City by Joseph B. and Lyman G. Bloomingdale in 1861. A third brother, Emanuel Watson Bloomingdale, was also involved in the business. It became a di ...

. Universal Music released the hits compilation '' Icon: Number Ones'' as the debut of the ''

Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The mos ...

'' compilation series. In November 2010, Jackson starred as Joanna in the drama '' For Colored Girls'', the film adaptation of Ntozake Shange's 1975 play ''

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf ''for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf'' is Ntozake Shange's first work and most acclaimed theater piece, which premiered in 1976. It consists of a series of poetic monologues to be accompanied by dance moveme ...

''. ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' stated Jackson "recites verses written by Ntozake Shange, the author of the play that inspired the film ... But instead of offering up a mannered coffeehouse reading of the lines, Jackson makes the words sound like ordinary—though very eloquent—speech." Jackson's portrayal in the film was likened to Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in '' The Devil Wears Prada''. Her performance earned Black Reel Awards nominations in the categories of Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Ensemble. Janet Number Ones

Jackson announced plans to embark on her largest world tour in support of her second hits collection, ''Number Ones''. The tour, entitled

Number Ones, Up Close and Personal Number Ones, Up Close and Personal World Tour was the sixth concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. It showcased her sophomore compilation album, '' Number Ones'' and visited Asia, North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa. ...

, held concerts in thirty-five global cities, selected by fans who submitted suggestions on her official website. During the tour, Jackson performed thirty-five number one hits and dedicated a song to each city.

Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in mor ...

released a limited-edition Barbie of Jackson titled "Divinely Janet", auctioned for over $15,000, with proceeds donated to Project Angel Food. Jackson released the self-help book '' True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself'' in February 2011, co-written with David Ritz. It chronicled her struggle with weight and confidence, also publishing letters from fans. It topped ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list the following month. Additionally, she signed a film production contract with Lions Gate Entertainment to "select, develop and produce a feature film for the independent studio." Jackson became the first female pop singer to perform at the I. M. Pei glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum, raising contributions for the restoration of iconic artwork. Jackson was selected to endorse fashion line ''Blackglama'' for a second year, being the first celebrity in the line's history chosen to do so. She partnered with the label to release a fifteen-piece collection of luxury products. In 2012, Jackson endorsed Nutrisystem, sponsoring their weight-loss program after struggling with weight fluctuations in the past. With the program, she donated ten million dollars in meals to the hungry. She was honored by amfAR for her contributions to AIDS research when chairing the Cinema Against AIDS gala during the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...

. She also participated in a public service announcement for UNICEF to help starving children.

2015–2019: ''Unbreakable'', touring and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

On May 16, 2015, Jackson announced plans to release a new album and to embark on a world concert tour. She outlined her intention to release her new album in the fall of 2015 under her own record label, Rhythm Nation, distributed by BMG Rights Management. The launch of Rhythm Nation established Jackson as one of the few African-American female musicians to own a record label. On June 15, 2015, Jackson announced the first set of dates for the North American leg of her Unbreakable World Tour. On June 22, the lead single "

No Sleeep "No Sleeep" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson for her eleventh studio album ''Unbreakable'' (2015). Co-written and produced by Jackson and her long-time collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, it is the first record ...

" was released from the album. Jackson's solo version of the single debuted on the Hot 100 at number 67, marking her 40th entry on the chart. The song went to number 1 on the Billboard + Twitter Trending 140 immediately following the release. The album version featuring

J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...

enabled it to re-enter the Hot 100 with a new peak position at number 63, while also topping the Adult R&B Songs chart. JanetJacksonUnbreak 1792 (22850172070)

BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...

presented Jackson with their inaugural Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual award at the

BET Awards 2015 The 15th BET Awards was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on June 28, 2015 and was televised on BET. This year marked the ceremony's 15th anniversary and the milestone was celebrated throughout the show, which was hosted ...

, which also featured a dance tribute to her performed by

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...

, Jason Derulo and Tinashe. It was announced she would launch a luxury jewelry line called the "Janet Jackson Unbreakable Diamonds collection," a joint venture between herself and Paul Raps New York. On August 20, she released a preview of a new song "The Great Forever", while also confirming the title of her eleventh studio album as '' Unbreakable''. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis stated that Jackson's concept for the album was developed simultaneously with the accompanying tour's production and that its composition will differ from the majority of her catalog. They also stated that the album's theme reflects "being able to be vulnerable and to be able to withstand what comes to you," drawing on Jackson's experiences over the past several years. The album's title track " Unbreakable" was released on September 3, 2015, debuting on

Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Appl ...

's Beats 1 radio station, hosted by Ebro Darden. The album was also made available for pre-order on iTunes the same day. " Burnitup!" featuring Missy Elliott debuted on

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance ...

on September 24, 2015. ''Unbreakable'' was released on October 2, 2015. It received largely positive reviews, including those by ''The Wall Street Journal'', ''The New York Times'', ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'', ''Los Angeles Times'', and ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

''. The following week, Jackson received her first nomination to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming her seventh album to top the chart in the United States. On April 6, 2016, Jackson announced that she was "planning her family" with husband Wissam Al Mana, resulting in her postponing her tour. On May 1, 2017, Jackson announced she would resume her Unbreakable World Tour, now known as the State of the World Tour. The revamped tour launched on September 7, 2017. Refocusing the tour's theme to reflect socially conscious messages from Jackson's entire music catalog, many songs selected for the concert set list along with corresponding imagery depicted on stage address

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagoni ...

white supremacy White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White ...

fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and t ...

, xenophobia and police brutality. The tour opened to positive critical reception, with several commentators praising Jackson's post-pregnancy physical fitness, showmanship and socially conscious messages. Her emotional rendition of "What About", a song about domestic violence originally recorded for ''The Velvet Rope'', drew media attention highlighting her recent separation from her husband; Jackson's brother Randy alleges she suffered verbal abuse by Al Mana which contributed to the breakdown of their marriage. Proceeds from the concert of September 9, 2017 at the

Toyota Center Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in Houston. It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The arena is home to the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and it was once the home of the Hous ...

in Houston, Texas were donated to relief efforts supporting evacuees of Hurricane Harvey. Jackson met with Houston mayor Sylvester Turner and evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center prior to the performance. In May 2018, it was announced that Jackson would receive the

Billboard Icon Award The ''Billboard'' Icon Award was established at the 2011 ''Billboard'' Music Awards to recognize music singers and contribution. The recipient of the award also performs during the ceremony. In 2021, the Icon Award was included on the Billboard Lat ...

at the 2018 ''Billboard'' Music Awards. In an interview for ''Billboard'' magazine, Jackson revealed that she was then working on new music. On August 16, 2018, it was announced that Jackson and Rhythm Nation had entered into a partnership with Cinq Music Group. The next day, Jackson released the single " Made for Now", a collaboration with Daddy Yankee. In October 2018, she received her third nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On December 13, 2018, Jackson was announced as one of the seven inductees of the 2019 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On February 26, 2019, Jackson announced a four-month Las Vegas residency entitled '' Metamorphosis''. The initial schedule comprised fourteen shows at the Park Theater at Park MGM resort; three additional shows were announced in May. In September and November 2019 Jackson performed a series of concerts in support of the 30th anniversary of the ''Rhythm Nation'' album in Welch Treasure Island Resort & Casino, San Francisco and Hawaii. In 2019, Jackson played a variety of festivals in the US and abroad, including The Glastonbury Festival.

2020–present: Documentary and Together Again Tour

A two-part documentary titled '' Janet Jackson'' for A&E and Lifetime premiered on January 28 and 29, 2022, respectively. Jackson was set to embark on the Black Diamond World Tour in 2020. Later that year, the tour was postponed indefinitely due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. She also announced her upcoming twelfth studio album ''Black Diamond'', which was scheduled for a 2020 release. On January 29, 2022, Jackson previewed a clip of a new song, "Luv I Luv", during the end credits of the last episode of her documentary, ''Janet Jackson''. On March 3, 2022, Jackson was announced as a headliner of the 2022

Essence Music Festival The Essence Festival, known as "the party with a purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Essence'', a magazine aimed primarily towards African-American women. It becam ...

in New Orleans. On December 12, 2022, Jackson announced she was going on tour again starting April 14, 2023, with her Together Again Tour and teased new music.

Artistry

Music and voice

Jackson possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Over the course of her career, she has received frequent criticism for the limitations of her vocal capabilities, especially in comparison to contemporary artists such as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. In comparing her vocal technique to Houston and Aretha Franklin, vocal coach Roger Love states that " en Janet sings, she allows a tremendous amount of air to come through. She's obviously aiming for a sexy, sultry effect, and on one level that works nicely. But actually, it's fairly limited." He adds that while her voice is suitable for studio recording, it doesn't translate well to the stage because despite having "great songs, incredible dancing, and her star-like presence, the live show is still magnificent. But the voice is not the star." Biographer David Ritz commented, "on Janet's albums—and in her videos and live performances, which revealed a crisp, athletic dance technique ..singing wasn't the point," saying emphasis was placed on "her slamming beats, infectious hooks, and impeccable production values." Eric Henderson of '' Slant magazine'' claimed critics opposing her small voice "somehow missed the explosive 'gimme a beat' vocal pyrotechnics she unleashes all over 'Nasty' ... Or that they completely dismissed how perfect her tremulous hesitance fits into the abstinence anthem 'Let's Wait Awhile'." Classical composer

Louis Andriessen Louis Joseph Andriessen (; 6 June 1939 – 1 July 2021) was a Dutch composer, pianist and academic teacher. Considered the most influential Dutch composer of his generation, he was a central proponent of The Hague school of composition. Althoug ...

has praised Jackson for her " rubato, sense of rhythm, sensitivity, and the childlike quality of her strangely erotic voice." Several critics also consider her voice to often be enveloped within her music's production. Wendy Robinson of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...

'' said "the power of Janet Jackson's voice does not lie in her pipes. She doesn't blow, she whispers ... Jackson's confectionary vocals are masterfully complemented by gentle harmonies and balanced out by pulsing rhythms, so she's never unpleasant to listen to." Matthew Perpetua of ''

Fluxblog Fluxblog is an MP3 blog created and updated by Matthew Perpetua, music editor of BuzzFeed and contributing writer to '' Pitchfork'', '' Slate'', ''Vulture'', '' Rolling Stone'' and MTV. History The blog began in 2002 and began to host MP3 ...

'' suggested Jackson's vocal techniques as a study for

indie rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produ ...

music, considering it to possess "a somewhat subliminal effect on the listener, guiding and emphasizing dynamic shifts without distracting attention from its primal hooks." Perpetua added: "Her voice effortlessly transitions from a rhythmic toughness to soulful emoting to a flirty softness without overselling any aspect of her performance ... a continuum of emotions and attitudes that add up to the impression that we're listening to the expression of a formed human being with contradictions and complexities." Jackson's music has encompassed a broad range of genres. Her records from the 1980s have been described as being influenced by

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...

, as her producers are ex-members of the Time. Sal Cinquemani wrote that in addition to defining Top 40 radio, she "gave Prince's Minneapolis sound a distinctly feminine—and, with songs like 'What Have You Done for Me Lately?,' 'Nasty,' 'Control,' and 'Let's Wait Awhile,' a distinctly feminist—spin." On ''Control'', Richard J. Ripani documented that she, Jam, and Lewis had "crafted a new sound that fuses the rhythmic elements of funk and disco, along with heavy doses of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects, and a rap music sensibility." Author

Rickey Vincent Rickey Vincent is an American author, historian, and radio host based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the author of ''Funk: The Music, the People and the Rhythm of The One'' (St. Martin’s Press, 1996), which encompasses the history of funk m ...

stated that she has often been credited for redefining the standard of popular music with the industrial music beats of the album. She is considered a trendsetter in pop balladry, with Richard Rischar stating "the black pop ballad of the mid-1980s had been dominated by the vocal and production style that was smooth and polished, led by singers Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and James Ingram." Jackson continued her musical development by blending pop and urban music with elements of hip-hop in the nineties. This included a softer representation, articulated by lush, soulful ballads and up-tempo dance beats. She is described by music critic

Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the '' Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busine ...

as "an artist who has reshaped the sound and image of rhythm and blues" within the first decade of her career. Critic Karla Peterson remarked that "she is a sharp dancer, an appealing performer, and as 'That's the Way Love Goes' proves—an ace pop-song writer." Selected material from the following decade has been viewed less favorably, as Sal Cinquemani comments "except for maybe R.E.M., no other former superstar act has been as prolific with such diminishing commercial and creative returns." Jackson has changed her lyrical focus over the years, becoming the subject of analysis in musicology, African American studies, and

gender studies Gender studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to analysing gender identity and gendered representation. Gender studies originated in the field of women's studies, concerning women, feminism, gender, and politics. The field n ...

. David Ritz compared Jackson's musical style to Marvin Gaye's, stating, "like Marvin, autobiography seemed the sole source of her music. Her art, also like Marvin's, floated over a reservoir of secret pain." Much of her success has been attributed to "a series of powerful, metallic grooves; her chirpy, multi-tracked vocals; and a lyrical philosophy built on pride and self-knowledge." Ritz also stated, "The mystery is the low flame that burns around the perimeters of Janet Jackson's soul. The flame feeds off the most highly combustible elements: survival and ambition, caution and creativity, supreme confidence and dark fear." During the 1980s, her lyrics embodied

self-actualization Self-actualization, in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, is the highest level of psychological development, where personal potential is fully realized after basic bodily and ego needs have been fulfilled. Self-actualization was coined by the organism ...

, feminist principles, and politically driven ideology. Gillian G. Gaar described ''Control'' as "an autobiographical tale about her life with her parents, her first marriage, and breaking free." Jessie Carney Smith wrote "with that album, she asserted her independence, individuality, and personal power. She challenged audiences to see her as a transformed person, from an ingénue to a grow-up, multi-talented celebrity." Referring to ''Rhythm Nation 1814'' as an embodiment of hope, Timothy E. Scheurer wrote "It may remind some of Sly Stone prior to There's a Riot Going On and other African-American artists of the 1970s in its tacit assumption that the world imagined by Dr. King is still possible, that the American Dream is a dream for all people." On ''Janet'', Jackson began focusing on sexual themes. Shayne Lee wrote that her music over the following decade "brand dher as one of the most sexually stimulating vocalists of the 1990s." Lilly J. Goren observed, "Jackson's evolution from politically aware musician to sexy diva marked the direction that society and the music industry were encouraging the dance-rock divas to pursue." ''The Washington Post'' declared Jackson's public image over the course of her career had shifted "from innocence to experience, inspiring such carnal albums as 1993's 'Janet' and 1997's 'The Velvet Rope', the latter of which explored the bonds—figuratively and literally—of love and lust." The song "Free Xone" from ''The Velvet Rope'', which portrays same-sex relationships in a positive light, is described by sociologist Shayne Lee as "a rare incident in which a popular black vocalist explores romantic or sensual energy outside the contours of heteronormativity, making it a significant song in black sexual politics." During the promotion for ''Janet'', she stated "I love feeling deeply sexual—and don't mind letting the world know. For me, sex has become a celebration, a joyful part of the creative process." Upon the release of ''Damita Jo'', Jackson stated "Beginning with the earlier albums, exploring—and liberating—my sexuality has been an ongoing discovery and theme," adding "As an artist, that's not only my passion, it's my obligation." Stephen Thomas Erlewine has found Jackson's consistent inclusion of sex in her music lacking ingenuity, especially in comparisons to other artists such as Prince, stating "while sex indisputably fuels much great pop music, it isn't an inherently fascinating topic for pop music—as with anything, it all depends on the artist."

Videos and stage

Jackson drew inspiration for her music videos and performances from musicals she watched in her youth, and was heavily influenced by the choreography of Fred Astaire and Michael Kidd, among others. Throughout her career, she has worked with and brought numerous professional choreographers to prominence, such as Tina Landon, Paula Abdul, and Michael Kidd. Veronica Chambers declared, "Her impact on pop music is undeniable and far-reaching," adding, "A quick glance at the ''Billboard'' chart reveals any number of artists cast in the Janet Jackson mold." Chambers observed numerous videos which "features not only Ms. Jackson's dancers, but choreography and sets remarkably like those she has used." Janine Coveney of ''Billboard'' observed that "Jackson's musical declaration of independence 'Control''launched a string of hits, an indelible production sound, and an enduring image cemented by groundbreaking video choreography and imagery that pop vocalists still emulate." Ben Hogwood of '' MusicOMH'' applauded the "huge influence she has become on younger pretenders to her throne," most notably Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera. Qadree EI-Amin remarked that many pop artists "pattern their performances after Janet's proven dance-diva persona." Beretta E. Smith-Shomade wrote that "Jackson's impact on the music video sphere came largely through music sales successes, which afforded her more visual liberties and control. This assuming of control directly impacted the look and content of her music videos, giving Jackson an agency not assumed by many other artists—male or female, Black or White." ''Parallel Lines: Media Representations of Dance'' (1993) documents that her videos have often been reminiscent of live concerts or elaborate musical theater. However, in her 30-minute ''Rhythm Nation 1814'' film, Jackson utilizes street dancing techniques in contrast to traditional choreography. The group dynamic visually embodies gender-neutral equality, with Jackson "performing asexually and anonymously in front of, but as one of the members of the group." Her music videos have also contributed to a higher degree of sexual freedom among young women, with Jackson "heavily implying male-on-female oral sex in music videos by pushing down on a man's head until he's in exactly the right position." However, accusations of cosmetic surgery, skin lightening, and increasingly hypersexual imagery have led to her being viewed as conforming to a white, male-dominated view of sexuality, rather than liberating herself or others. Jackson received the

MTV Video Vanguard Award The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, also known as the Video Vanguard Award or the Lifetime Achievement Award, is a merit given to recording artists and music video directors at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), a ceremony that was establis ...

for her contributions to the art form, and she became the first recipient of the MTV Icon tribute, celebrating her impact on the music industry as a whole. In 2003, ''Slant Magazine'' named "Rhythm Nation" and "Got 'til It's Gone" among the 100 Greatest Music Videos of all time, ranked at number 87 and number 10, respectively. In 2011, "Rhythm Nation" was voted the tenth best music video of the 1980s by ''Billboard''.

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

Journalist Nicholas Barber stated "Janet's concerts are the pop equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie, with all the explosions, special effects, ersatz sentimentality, gratuitous cleavage, and emphasis on spectacle over coherence that the term implies." ''Jet'' magazine reported "Janet's innovative stage performances during her world tours have won her a reputation as a world-class performer." Chris Willman of the ''Los Angeles Times'' stated the "enthralling" choreography of Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour "represents the pinnacle of what can be done in the popping 'n' locking style—a rapid-fire mixture of rigidly jerky and gracefully fluid movements." When Jackson was asked "do you understand it when people talk about he Velvet Rope Tourin terms of Broadway?", she responded, "I'm crazy about Broadway ... That's what I grew up on." Her "Number Ones: Up Close and Personal" tour deviated from the full-scale theatrics found in her previous concert arena settings in favor of smaller venues. Critics noted being scaled down did not affect the impact of her showmanship, and in some cases, enhanced it. Greg Kot of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' wrote, "In past tours, Jackson's thin voice was often swallowed up by the sheer size of her production ... In the more scaled-down setting, Jackson brought a warmth and a passion that wasn't always evident in stadiums ... the best Janet Jackson performance I've covered in 20-plus years." Thor Christensen of '' The Dallas Morning News'' reported Jackson often lip syncs in concert; he wrote: "Janet Jackson—one of pop's most notorious onstage lip-syncers—conceded ... she uses 'some' taped vocals to augment her live vocals. But she refused to say what percentage of her concert 'voice' is taped and how much is live." Michael MacCambridge of the '' Austin American-Statesman'', who reviewed Jackson's Rhythm Nation World Tour, described lip-syncing as a "moot point", stating "Jackson was frequently singing along with her own pre-recorded vocals, to achieve a sound closer to radio versions of singles." MacCambridge also observed "it seemed unlikely that anyone—even a prized member of the First Family of Soul Music—could dance like she did for 90 minutes and still provide the sort of powerful vocals that the '90s super concerts are expected to achieve." Similarly, Chris Willman commented, "even a classically trained vocalist would be hard-pressed to maintain any sort of level of volume—or, more appropriately, 'Control'—while bounding up and down stairs and whipping limbs in unnatural directions at impeccable, breakneck speed." Critics observed that in the smaller scale of her "Number Ones: Up Close and Personal" tour, she forwent lip-syncing. Chris Richards of ''The Washington Post'' stated "even at its breathiest, that delicate voice hasn't lost the laserlike precision."

Influences

Jackson describes Lena Horne as a profound inspiration, for entertainers of several generations as well as herself. Upon Horne's death, she stated " ornebrought much joy into everyone's lives—even the younger generations, younger than myself. She was such a great talent. She opened up such doors for artists like myself." Similarly, she considers Dorothy Dandridge to be one of her idols. Jackson has declared herself "a very big Joni Mitchell fan", explaining: "As a kid I was drawn to Joni Mitchell records ..Joni's songs spoke to me in an intimate, personal way." She holds reverence for Tina Turner, stating "Tina has become a heroic figure for many people, especially women, because of her tremendous strength. Personally, Tina doesn't seem to have a beginning or an end in my life. I felt her music was always there, and I feel like it always will be." She has also named other socially conscious acts, such as Tracy Chapman, Sly and the Family Stone, U2, and

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

as sources of inspiration. In her early career, Jackson credited her brothers Michael and Jermaine Jackson as musical influences. According to ''Rolling Stone'' and MTV, other artists attributed as influences include the Ronettes, Dionne Warwick, Tammi Terrell, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan,

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, s ...

, Teena Marie, Prince, Parliament-Funkadelic,

Zapp Zapp may refer to: People *Jim Zapp (1924-2016), baseball player *Robert-Richard Zapp, a German U-boat commander during World War II *Walter Zapp, a Baltic German inventor, designer of miniature cameras *Zapp Brannigan, a fictional character from t ...

, and Tina Turner.

Legacy and influence

The youngest sister of the "precious Jackson clan", Janet Jackson has striven to distance her professional career from that of her older brother Michael and the rest of the Jackson family. Steve Dollar of ''Newsday'' wrote that " e projects that home girl-next-door quality that belies her place as the youngest sibling in a family whose inner and outer lives have been as poked at, gossiped about, docudramatized and hard-copied as the Kennedys." Phillip McCarthy of ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' noted that throughout her recording career, one of her common conditions for interviewers has been that there would be no mention of Michael. Joshua Klein wrote, " r the first half of her recording career, Janet Jackson sounded like an artist with something to prove. Emerging in 1982 just as big brother Michael was casting his longest shadow, Jackson filled her albums not so much with songs as with declarations, from 'The Pleasure Principle' to the radical-sounding 'Rhythm Nation' to the telling statement of purpose, 'Control'." Steve Huey of Allmusic asserted that despite being born into a family of entertainers, Janet Jackson has managed to emerge a " superstar" in her own right, rivaling not only several female recording artists including Madonna and Whitney Houston, but also her brother, while "successfully hiftingher image from a strong, independent young woman to a sexy, mature adult". By forging her own unique identity through her artistry and her business ventures, she has been esteemed as the "Queen of Pop".She confirmed her status as today's Queen of Pop when, not long ago, she signed a $35–$40 million recording contract with Virgin Records. Klein argued that "stardom was not too hard to predict, but few could have foreseen that Janet—Miss Jackson, if you're nasty—would one day replace Michael as true heir to the Jackson family legacy.". Jackson has also been recognized for playing a pivotal role in crossing racial boundaries in the recording industry, where black artists were once considered to be substandard. Author Maureen Mahon states: "In the 1980s, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, and Prince were among the African American artists who crossed over ... When black artists cross over into pop success they cease to be black in the industry sense of the word. They get promoted from racialized black music to universal pop music in an economically driven process of racial transcendence." The ''Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge'' documented that Jackson, along with other prominent African-American women, had achieved financial breakthroughs in mainstream popular music, receiving "superstar status" in the process. She, alongside her contemporaries "offered viable creative, intellectual, and business paths for establishing and maintaining agency, lyrical potency, marketing and ownership". Her business savvy has been compared to that of Madonna, gaining a level of autonomy which enables "creative latitude and access to financial resources and mass-market distribution". A model of reinvention, author Jessie Carney Smith wrote that "Janet has continued to test the limits of her transformative power", receiving accolades in music, film and concert tours throughout the course of her career. Musicologist Richard J. Ripani identified Jackson as a leader in the development of contemporary R&B, as her music created a unique blend of genre and sound effects which ushered in the use of rap vocals into mainstream R&B. He also argues her signature song "Nasty" influenced the new jack swing genre developed by Teddy Riley. Leon McDermott of the '' Sunday Herald'' wrote: "Her million-selling albums in the 1980s helped invent contemporary R&B through Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis's muscular, lean production; the sinuous grooves threaded through 1986's Control and 1989's Rhythm Nation 1814 are the foundation upon which today's hotshot producers and singers rely." On March 24, 2021, the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...

announced that ''Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814'' had been added to the

National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservat ...

's class of 2020, stating that the album still "resonates today". Simon Reynolds described Jackson's collaborations with her record producers as a reinvention of the dance-pop genre, introducing a new sonic palate. Den Berry, Virgin Records CEO and Chairman stated: "Janet is the very embodiment of a global superstar. Her artistic brilliance and personal appeal transcend geographic, cultural and generational boundaries." In July 1999, she placed at number 77 on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll". She also placed at number 134 on their list of the "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons of All Time", number seven on the "100 Greatest Women In Music", and at number two on the "50 Greatest Women of the Video Era", behind Madonna. In March 2008, Business Wire reported "Janet Jackson is one of the top ten selling artists in the history of contemporary music; ranked by ''Billboard'' magazine as the ninth most successful act in rock and roll history, and the second most successful female artist in pop music history." She is the only female artist in the history of the Hot 100 to have 18 consecutive top ten hit singles, from "Miss You Much" (1989) to "I Get Lonely" (1998). The magazine ranked her at number seven on their Hot 100 50th Anniversary "All-Time Top Artists", making her the third most successful female artist in the history of the chart, following Madonna and Mariah Carey. In November 2010, ''Billboard'' released its "Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years" list and ranked her at number five. She ranks as the top artist on the chart with 15 number ones in the past twenty-five years, garnering 27 top ten hits between 1985 and 2001, and 33 consecutive top 40 hits from 1985 through 2004. Recipient of eleven ''Billboard'' Music Awards, she is one an elite group of musical acts, such as Madonna, Aerosmith, Garth Brooks and Eric Clapton, whom ''Billboard'' credits for "redefining the landscape of popular music". In November 2014, Jackson was voted 'Queen of Pop' by a poll conducted online by VH1.com. In October 2015, she received her first nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and four years later was inducted to the Hall. Jackson's music and choreography have inspired numerous performers. Virgin Records executive Lee Trink expressed: "Janet is an icon and historic figure in our culture. She's one of those gifted artists that people look up to, that people emulate, that people want to believe in ... there's not that many superstars that stand the test of time." Sarah Rodman of the ''

Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Puli ...

'' remarked: "For every hand-fluttering, overwrought, melisma addict out there aping Mariah's dog calls, there's an equal number trying to match Jackson's bubbling grooves and fancy footwork, including Britney Spears, Aaliyah and Destiny's Child." Music critic Gene Stout commented she "has so broadly influenced a younger generation of performers, from Jennifer Lopez ... to Britney Spears, who has copied so many of Jackson's dance moves." 'N Sync and Usher have credited her for teaching them how to develop stage show into theatrical performance. Jennifer Lopez, Kesha, Toni Braxton, Aaliyah, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera,

Crystal Kay is a Japanese singer, songwriter, actress and radio host. After releasing her first single, " Eternal Memories" (1999), Crystal Kay gained fame for her third studio album, '' Almost Seventeen'' (2002), which debuted at number 2 on the Japanese ...

Kelly Rowland Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During the g ...

, Rihanna, Brazilian singer Kelly Key, and Christine and the Queens have all named her an inspiration, while others such as Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas of TLC, Cassie,

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents ...

, Keri Hilson, and DJ/singer

Havana Brown The Havana Brown was the result of a planned breeding between Siamese and domestic black cats, by a group of cat fanciers in England, in the 1950s. Early breeders introduced a Siamese type Russian Blue into their breeding. However, using curren ...

, have all expressed desire to emulate her. Elysa Gardner of ''USA Today'' wrote: "Jackson claims not to be bothered by the brigade of barely post-adolescent baby divas who have been inspired by—and, in some cases, have flagrantly aped—the sharp, animated choreography and girlish but decidedly

post-feminist The term postfeminism (alternatively rendered as post-feminism) is used to describe reactions against contradictions and absences in feminism, especially second-wave feminism and third-wave feminism. The term ''postfeminism'' is sometimes confu ...

feistiness that have long been hallmarks of her performance style." Adrienne Trier-Bieniek stated, "scholars trace the origins of pleasure as a Black feminist commitment within popular culture to Janet Jackson" who inspired the feminist perspective found in many pop stars' careers. Those who are considered to have followed in her footsteps have been referred to as "Janet-come-lately's". Other artists who have drawn comparison to her include Mýa, Brandy,

Tatyana Ali Tatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' from 1990 to 1996. She starred as Tyana Jones on the TV One original series '' Love That Girl!'', a ...

, Christina Milian,

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

, Namie Amuro, and BoA. Sociologist Shayne Lee commented that " Janet enters the twilight of her reign as erotic Queen of Pop, Beyoncé emerges as her likely successor." Joan Morgan of ''Essence'' magazine remarked: "Jackson's ''Control'', ''Rhythm Nation 1814'' and ''janet.'' established the singer-dancer imprimatur standard in pop culture we now take for granted. So when you're thinking of asking Miss Jackson, 'What have you done for me lately?' remember that Britney, Ciara and Beyoncé live in the house that Janet built." On season 30 of '' Dancing with the Stars'' in 2021, the 8th week's theme, "Janet Jackson Night", was dedicated as a tribute to Jackson.

Personal life

At age 18, Janet Jackson eloped with singer James DeBarge in September 1984. The marriage was annulled in November 1985. In 1986, Jackson began dating dancer/songwriter/director René Elizondo Jr. On March 31, 1991, Jackson married Elizondo Jr. and the marriage was kept a secret until the divorce was announced. In January 1999, the couple separated and were divorced in 2003. Elizondo filed a lawsuit against her, estimated to have been between $10–25 million, which did not reach a settlement until that year. From 2002 to 2009, Jackson dated music producer/rapper/songwriter Jermaine Dupri. In 2006, Jackson met Qatari businessman Wissam Al Mana and began dating him in 2010 shortly after her split. The couple became engaged and married privately in 2012. In 2016, Jackson announced that they were expecting their first child together. On January 3, 2017, Jackson gave birth to a son, Eissa Al Mana. In April 2017, it was announced that the couple had separated and were pursuing a divorce.

Discography

Studio albums * '' Janet Jackson'' (1982) * '' Dream Street'' (1984) * ''

'' (1986) * '' Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814'' (1989) * '' Janet'' (1993) * '' The Velvet Rope'' (1997) * '' All for You'' (2001) * '' Damita Jo'' (2004) * ''

'' (2006) * '' Discipline'' (2008) * '' Unbreakable'' (2015)

Filmography

* ''

'' (1977–1979) * '' Diff'rent Strokes'' (1980–1984) * '' Fame'' (1984–1985) * '' Poetic Justice'' (1993) * '' Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' (2000) * ''

'' (2007) * '' Why Did I Get Married Too?'' (2010) * '' For Colored Girls'' (2010) * '' Janet Jackson'' (2022)

Tours and residencies

Concert tours

(1990) * Janet. World Tour (1993–1995) *

(1998–1999) *

(2001–2002) *

(2008) *

World Tour (2011) * Unbreakable World Tour (2015–2016) * State of the World Tour (2017–2019) * Janet Jackson: A Special 30th Anniversary Celebration of Rhythm Nation (2019) * Together Again Tour (2023)

Concert residencies

* Janet Jackson: Metamorphosis (2019)

Bibliography

* '' True You'' (2011)

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Janet 1966 births 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American businesswomen 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century African-American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American businesspeople 21st-century American businesswomen 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers A&M Records artists Actresses from Gary, Indiana Actresses from Indiana Actresses from Los Angeles African-American actresses African-American choreographers African-American fashion designers African-American female dancers African-American female models African-American feminists African-American film producers African-American models African-American record producers African-American rock singers African-American women in business African-American women singer-songwriters American child actresses American child singers American choreographers American contemporary R&B singers American dance musicians American expatriates in the United Kingdom American fashion businesspeople American fashion designers American female dancers American female hip hop singers American female models American feminists American film actresses American film producers American funk singers American hip hop singers American keyboardists American mezzo-sopranos American philanthropists American rhythm and blues keyboardists American rhythm and blues singers American rock songwriters American soul keyboardists American soul singers American stage actresses American television actresses American women activists American women choreographers American women fashion designers American women film producers American women in electronic music American women pop singers American women record producers American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters Dance-pop musicians Emmy Award winners Female models from California Female models from Indiana Feminist musicians Former Jehovah's Witnesses Grammy Award winners Grammy Award winners for dance and electronic music HIV/AIDS activists Island Records artists Jackson family (show business) LGBT rights activists from the United States Living people Midwest hip hop musicians MTV Europe Music Award winners Musicians from Gary, Indiana New jack swing musicians Record producers from California Record producers from Indiana Record producers from Los Angeles Sex-positive feminists Singers from Los Angeles Singer-songwriters from California Singer-songwriters from Indiana Virgin Records artists Women keyboardists World Music Awards winners Writers from Gary, Indiana Writers from Los Angeles

Life and career

1966–1985: Early life and career beginnings

1986–1988: ''Control''

1989–1992: ''Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814''

1993–1996: ''Janet'', ''Poetic Justice'', and ''Design of a Decade''

1997–1999: ''The Velvet Rope''

2000–2003: ''Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' and ''All for You''

2004–2005: Super Bowl XXXVIII controversy and ''Damita Jo''

Impact on the Internet

2006–2007: ''20 Y.O.'' and ''Why Did I Get Married?''

2008–2009: ''Discipline'' and ''Number Ones''

2010–2014: Film projects and ''True You''

2015–2019: ''Unbreakable'', touring and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

2020–present: Documentary and Together Again Tour

Artistry

Music and voice

Videos and stage

Influences

Legacy and influence

Personal life

Discography

Filmography

Tours and residencies

Concert tours

Concert residencies

Bibliography

See also

References

Bibliography

External links