Janet told Billboard last month: “I am working on a new project now.” Soon after Miss Jackson was pictured at a writing session with producer Tommy Parker and Ian Cross, the A&R and Producer Engineer at Janet Jackson Music. Parker is also a writer/producer at Darkchild Records. For some reason the media seems to have always resented Janet’s success in the 80?s and 90?s, when her rise started with “Control” they immediately claimed it was just because of her famous brother. Then they started comparing her to Madonna and critics seemed to love explaining why Madonna did things better than Janet, despite Janet often scoring bigger chart successes than the ambitious blonde.
Recently it has become clear that they are effectively trying to wipe her out of musical history. The fact that without her artists like Britney, Rihanna’s and Beyoncé’s would not exist is alien to them.
The Superbowl is always cited as the reason of her fall. But they forget: She played THE SUPERBOWL. There is a reason she performed at the Superbowl as she was one of the biggest female singers in history in music up until 2004. You can divide her career between the time leading up to the Superbowl and the time following it.But come on, people. Of course Janet’s decline had nothing to do with a “nip slip”. Yes, it was a “wardrobe malfunction” in front of a massive audience, but should it really be still be important 10 years after? Many female artists fell out of their dresses at public functions, even at kids award shows. And come to think of it, if a nip slip could cost you a career Madonna wouldn’t have had a career in the first place.
The only reason “Damita Jo”, that followed the incident, sold less, was due to lack of radio and MTV support and promo, which was due to her Superbowl performance. It was clear that the aftermath of this would be used to taint the singer ever since. The second album following “Damita Jo”, “20 Y.O.” proved this, suffering again from lack of promo and continuing boycott of her music on radio and TV. When “Discipline” came along they had to ease on the boycott a little and the result? Her 6th number 1 album, making her the only performer ever to have 6 albums debut at number 1. Despite the media ignoring and ridiculing her, Janet Jackson still managed to sell millions and did a very successful tour. Still the media treat her like she’s nothing. They purposely ignore her.
For those that don’t realize, Janet Jackson is a true artist whom changed the music and music industry. Janet actually spent much more time at the top of Billboard Hot 100 then Madonna. Her longest chart score was “That’s The Way Love Goes” 8 weeks at the top of the chart, Madonna’s was “Take A Bow” 7 weeks.
Janet Jackson is the only artist EVER to have 7 Top 5 singles from one album “Rhythm Nation 1814? and biggest debut tour ever with 2.5 million tickets sold. She was also the first one who used hands-free microphone in 1986, only later adopted by Madonna.
Janet Jackson also won more American Music Awards then any other female artist and was named as the first MTV Icon in 2001. She also had 3 #1 movies and one #1 bestselling book. She was the first artist with #1 singles in the 80's, 90's and 00's at the Billboard Hot 100.
Her dance routines are still “borrowed” by many new female singers – while Rihanna has based most of her image by recreating several of Janet’s looks reworked S&M style.
From Britney to Ciara, Janet Jackson inspired half the pop acts from the last decade and re-defined what it meant to be a female artists. Still it looks like she will never truly be recognized for what she did. She said in her book 'True You' that for the last few years she suffered from racism in the industry, saying “doors that had opened for others were closed in my face, just because of the color of my skin." Today’s racism is more disguised and subtle. But it’s there – and it hurts on many levels.” During the years before The Superbowl Janet and Madonna were seen as equal. But after the Superbowl Madonna suddenly pushed forward as the biggest female singer of the 80's and 90's. It was as if everyone had been waiting for Janet to slip up. Janet Jackson had paved the way for many, but everything that should be rightfully accredited to her (and in some instances Whitney Houston) now went to Madonna. It has now gone to the point where Madonna might as well have been the only female singer in the 80's and 90's until Britney Spears, JLo (discovered by Janet) and Destiny’s Child came along.
I've always loved Janet Jackson, but the author of this article needs to point the finger at ageism in current pop radio stations. Madonna has nothing to do with Janet's success or failures and Janet's nip slip at the super bowl -- while may be a turning point in her career -- is not the root cause of her lack of radio support.
ReplyDeleteI think both Madonna and Janet were written off as too old in 2004, Cyndi Lauper seemed to hit that wall in the early 90's. Cher hit it in the early 2000's. Pat Benetar and Debbie Harry hit it in the mid 80's. That has more to do with American pop culture, not Madonna or Janet.
The author also says Madonna might as well have been the only female musician in 80's ad 90's, based on how the media portrays that period. Well, history doesn't necessarily remember the number of top ten hits or the number of American Music Awards received -- it remembers personality. And Madonna has a bigger, more memorable personality than Janet. I think Madonna's personality will be remembered and analyzed long after her body of work gets reduced to a handful of songs that stood the test of time.
I wish you'd link the source of the articles you post. I'm guessing its Rolling Stone, but I'm surprised by the grammar in this article. (then = than, that = who, etc.) I would be surprised that those errors would make it to print in RS, so I'm guessing this is from another blog. Thanks for posting though!