This week, it was 30 years ago that Janet Jackson had released her breakthrough album “Control”. For Janet, it was the most personal album she had done so far. Her marriage had failed and, for the first time in her life, she was control of her life and proud of it. She was growing up.
It also was the first time she worked with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, whom became her long term collaborators throughout most of her career.
For me, this was my introduction to Janet. I was really young when “What Have You Done For Me Lately” came out, which I recall was the first song I’d heard off the album. As a little girl, Janet made a huge impression on me with her fresh sound – I’d never heard anything like this before – and most certainly, with her moves.
I loved to dance, at that time, so most of Janet’s videos from that moment on got to be dissected frame by frame. I wanted to learn her choreography. My fascination with her lasted throughout several albums that followed “Control”, but after “Velvet Rope”, Janet and I pretty much went our separate ways until “Unbreakable” came out.
It’s funny how the music business puts so much pressure on women and the way they look. I actually hadn’t noticed she wasn’t “perfect” (read: thin) as other artists until the video for “Love Will Never Do” was released and a new look was revealed, which at that point I thought was very empowering.
But I’ve always been mixed about Janet’s sexy transformation. I felt she didn’t need it. I loved the themes she seemed to pick per album in the beginning, as if she was exploring all aspects of life and the world around her, but then she started doing what everyone else was doing. The woman who seemed to be in control at first, seemed to fall victim to “the business”, if I believed all the rumors about why her success wasn’t what it was before. I am so glad, she’s got her success back now though.
“Control” is still my favorite Janet album. It’s got energy that only stops at the very end, with the two ballads, “Let’s Wait Awhile” and “Funny How Time Flies”. It´s jam-packed with the hits; “Control”, “Nasty”, “What Have You Done For Me Lately”, “The Pleasure Principle” and “When I Think Of You”. Only three songs from this album weren’t released on single.
The album was released today, February 4th in 1986. It’s now one of the 200 Most Definitive Albums of All Time (according to the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame). It’s sold more than 14 million copies and is 5x certified platinum.
