Podcast Summary
Janet Jackson's Influence on Pop Music Unrecognized: Janet Jackson, a major pop music influence, has not received the recognition she deserves. Her impact is seen in artists like Brittany Spears, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift, and her early career with the Jackson 5, TV roles, and music videos set the stage for modern pop.
Janet Jackson, despite being a major influence on pop music and achieving significant commercial success, is not always given the recognition she deserves. This is explored in a special episode of NPR's Planet Money, which originally aired on It's Been a Minute podcast. The episode delves into Janet's career, including her first big performance at a young age and the incident that changed the course of her career. Danielle Smith, a music journalist, shares her first memory of Janet, which was seeing her perform as an opening act for Randy Jackson when she was just eight years old. Smith recalls Janet's energy and charisma, even though they weren't singing but rather doing skits. Janet Jackson's impact on pop music is vast, with artists like Brittany Spears, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift citing her as an influence. Her early beginnings with the Jackson 5, roles on TV shows, and groundbreaking music videos paved the way for the pop stars of today.
Janet Jackson's 'Control' revolutionized pop music: Janet Jackson's 'Control' album, produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, transformed pop music with its cohesive sound, innovative songwriting, and crossover success, breaking barriers for black artists.
Janet Jackson's album "Control" was a game-changer in pop music, not just for Janet's career but for the industry as a whole. Before "Control," Janet was known for bubblegum pop music, but producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis saw her potential for more. They recognized her attitude and inspiration, leading Janet to move to Minneapolis at 19 to begin working with them. Together, they created "Control," an album that redefined pop music with its cohesive sound, innovative songwriting, and crossover success. The album was popular among various audiences and radio formats, breaking barriers for black artists in the industry. Janet's collaboration with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis led to contemporary R&B's sound shaping for years to come.
Building a connection with Janet Jackson in Minneapolis: The team spent time understanding Janet Jackson as a person and created songs specifically for her, leading to her taking control and becoming an artist in her own right, resulting in the successful 'Control' album.
The first collaboration between the team and Janet Jackson in Minneapolis was more about building a connection and understanding her as a person, rather than just recording songs. They spent time hanging out, going to movies, and driving around the lakes, all while studying her and writing lyrics for what would become her powerful hit, "Control." Janet was at a point in her life where she was taking control and ready to become an artist in her own right, and this desire fueled the creation of the album. The team's approach was to make the songs specifically for the artist, ensuring a good fit and a long-term connection to the music. Janet's readiness to be an artist and her involvement in the creative process opened her up and led to the success of "Control."
Janet Jackson's Unique Elements in Music: Janet Jackson's emotional control, intentional nuances, and breath control set her apart in music, making her a fearless and influential artist.
Janet Jackson was a fearless and relentless singer who brought emotion and unique elements to her music. Her control and ability to convey emotion through singing and other means, like laughing or sighing, set her apart. These little nuances were intentionally kept in the recordings, adding to the personality of her music. Jackson's breath control and rhythmic breathing were also important aspects of her singing style, contributing to the funkiness of her songs. Her hit song "When I Think of You" from the album "Control" is a prime example of her talent, with its memorable video and powerful performance. Jackson's impact on music goes beyond just her vocal abilities, making her a truly unique and influential artist.
Janet Jackson's 'Control' album targeted her community but became a commercial success: Janet Jackson's 'Control' album, intended for her black community, unexpectedly crossed over to different audiences, selling 5 million copies in the US and millions more globally, and paving the way for her successful career.
Janet Jackson's "Control" album was created with the intention of making music that would resonate with her community in a predominantly black neighborhood in Los Angeles. The artists aimed for the blackest, funkiest album they could make without any consideration of crossing over to different formats. However, despite not intending for it to do so, "Control" became a commercial success and crossed over to different audiences, becoming Janet's first commercial hit with five songs reaching the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The album sold 5 million copies in the US and millions more globally, spending over 90 weeks on the Billboard charts, and earning multiple Grammy nominations, including for Album of the Year. The music videos for "Pleasure Principle" and "Nasty" are still iconic today, and the album paved the way for Janet's successful career.
Janet Jackson's impact on pop music in the 90s: Janet Jackson revolutionized pop music in the 90s with her album 'Janet' and lead single 'That's the Way Love Goes', influencing music and visuals. Friends and dancers played a role in her perception. Her commitment to craft solidified her place in music history.
Janet Jackson's impact on pop music in the 90s was significant and far-reaching. Her album "Janet" and its lead single "That's the Way Love Goes" revolutionized the sound of pop music, not just through the music itself, but also through the accompanying visuals. Jackson's friends and dancers played a crucial role in helping her see the potential of the song, and their reactions influenced her own perception of it. Jackson's commitment to her craft, from the music to the choreography, solidified her place in music history alongside artists like Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Tina Turner. Her omnipresence during that time, with the song being played constantly on the radio and in music videos, set a new standard for pop stardom. Jackson's influence can still be seen today in artists like Taylor Swift and Beyonce, but her impact was truly groundbreaking during the 90s.
Janet Jackson's Impact on Beyoncé and Other Artists: Janet Jackson's influence on singing and dancing in the music industry is unmatched. She headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004, but the event is most famous for a controversial moment involving Justin Timberlake and her breast exposure, leading to a significant public outcry and fines.
Janet Jackson's influence on Beyoncé and other artists, particularly in the realm of singing and dancing, cannot be overstated. Jackson's dominance in the music industry was evident when she was asked to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004, where she performed hits like "Rhythm Nation" and "All For You." However, the event is most famously remembered for a controversial moment when Justin Timberlake accidentally exposed Jackson's breast during their collaboration on "Rock Your Body." The incident led to a significant public outcry and resulted in a fine for CBS and the FCC due to indecency violations. Despite the controversy, Jackson's impact on music and pop culture remains undeniable.
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's careers affected by 2004 Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction: Societal biases, media, and public opinion shaped narratives after the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show incident, with Janet Jackson being blacklisted and Justin Timberlake continuing to thrive. This highlights the power of accountability, empathy, and fairness in addressing public controversies.
The Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake wardrobe malfunction during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show had significant consequences for both artists' careers. While Justin Timberlake apologized and continued to thrive, Janet Jackson was blacklisted and suffered damage to her reputation. This incident highlights societal biases towards women and ethnic minorities, as well as the power of media and public opinion in shaping narratives. The incident also demonstrates the impact of repeated exposure to controversial moments, which can both ingrain the image in people's minds and desensitize them over time. Ultimately, the halftime show serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability, empathy, and fairness in addressing public controversies.
The treatment of black women in the music industry hasn't significantly changed: Despite progress, black women in music continue to face systemic issues and are often unfairly blamed or overlooked, as seen in the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident and recent conversations about women in pop music.
That despite the progress made in music and celebrity culture, the treatment of black women in the industry has not significantly changed. The Super Bowl incident involving Janet Jackson is a prime example of this, as she was victimized and took the blame, while receiving less credit than her white counterparts for their contributions to pop music. This issue was highlighted in recent conversations around the treatment of women in pop music, particularly Britney Spears, but the focus seemed to primarily center on white women. The persistent belief that black women are stronger and can handle more is a harmful myth that needs to be challenged. The struggles faced by artists like Janet, Motown, and others in the past are still relevant today, and it's crucial to acknowledge and address the systemic issues that continue to impact black women in the music industry.
Extending compassion to all individuals, especially black girls: Black women deserve the same understanding and grace as Brittany Griner, and it's crucial to acknowledge and respect everyone's humanity
Black women deserve the same grace and understanding as Brittany Griner, as acknowledged by Karen White's powerful statement, "I'm not your superwoman." This conversation highlights the need for extending compassion and humanity to all individuals, especially black girls. For more insightful discussions on representation in pop culture, listen to It's Been a Minute's music series, available in their feed. The series explores the complexities of crossover moments in music history and who they truly served. Remember, everyone is human, and it's crucial to acknowledge and respect that. The original It's Been a Minute episode was produced by Janae West, Lea McBane, and Sam Yellowhorse-Castler, with editing by Jordana Holkman. The Planet Money episode was produced by Dave Blanchard. Ebony Reed and Louise Story serve as consulting senior editors. This is NPR. Thanks for listening.
