It's The Pleasure Princi-POLL -- ILM Artist Poll #103 -- JANET JACKSON Results Thread

Thanks Spottie for the images! (I was way too distracted this week to be reliable on typos.)

my pleasure (principle). thanks for running it. lovely results and poll.

thank you for like the eighty seventh time eric. this was super fun from the start. it's also made re-realize that janet is one of the defining aspects of my musical mind. she was so amazing with such brilliant material at the perfect times in my life and i guess i've sort of forgot that over the years.

sentimental story crap (feel free to skip to next post):
when i first moved down to southern california five years ago, i was in a place i didn't understand, having to navigate streets i didn't understand, going to talk to people i didn't understand. i was consuming a lot of new music in those days, but the barnes and noble that i knew how to get to had catalogue cds for stupidly cheap; like fucking neil young on the beach for $4.99. just massive finds for people to discover or resdiscover. i went in one day with one thing in mind: music that made me happy. as the walking cliche that i am, that was the music of my childhood and early adolescence. and janet was there very often. so many of those rhythm nation songs are so powerful in the mind of a child.

as we get older, we get cynical. we think of pop songs as nothing more than a clever marketing tactic to get us consumers to, y'know, spend. but the way she always just seemed to absorb, accurately translate, and transcend some of the most innovative music ever in a thing of awe. and she always felt natural in that role. let's get to it: she was so fucking cool. just. . . man. maybe it is all just a clever marketing tactic and it totally worked on me because i picked up control and rhythm nation that day, for something like $12 after sales tax.

all i know is that, when i hear some of these songs now, i remember that wise beginner's mind of a ten year old: if it inspires me, it inspires me.

anyway. brilliant poll and rollout. cheers.

thank you for running this, it's been great! really what an incredible discography. absolutely convinced she's the best pop star there ever was now

ballots?

Escapade
Together Again
When I Think of You
All for You
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Nasty
Any Time, Any Place
State of the World
Doesn’t Really Matter
Night
Empty
Lessons Learned
When We Oooo
Miss You Much
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
Feels So Right
Rhythm Nation
The Pleasure Principle
Someone To Call My Lover
Control
Go Deep
If
Daybreak
Luv
Broken Hearts Heal
Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)
You Want This
Son of a Gun
Got Til It’s Gone
The Great Forever
Say You Do
Runaway
Spending Time With You
Trust A Try
This Time
Rock With U
Every Time
And On and On
Take Care
Truly

ALBUMS
All For You
Control
Rhythm Nation 1814
The Velvet Rope
Unbreakable

mine. . .

Albums:
1. Rhythm Nation
2. Control
3. All for You
4. Discipline
5. Unbreakable

Songs:
1. Rhythm Nation
2. Got Til It's Gone
3. Doesn't Really Matter
4. Nasty
5. Alright
6. What's it Gonna Be (with Busta Rhymes)
7. All for You
8. If
9. Love Will Never Do Without You
10. Night
11. Escapade
12. What Have You Done for Me Lately
13. That's the Way Love Goes
14. When I Think of You
15. Scream (with Michael Jackson)
16. LUV
17. Dream Street
18. Any Time, Any Place
19. Son of a Gun
20. Funny How Time Flies
21. Control
22. Rollercoaster
23. SloLove
24. Enjoy
25. Together Again
26. Rock With U
27. When We Oooo
28. I Get Lonely
29. No Sleeep
30. After You Fall

. . .the only one i would want to take back is 'scream.' don't know why. just have reconsidered, i suppose.

Love Will Never Do (Without You)
When I Think of You
Nasty
Escapade
The Best Things in Life Are Free
Someone To Call My Lover
Whoops Now
What Have You Done For Me Lately
Come Back to Me
If
Empty
Control
All for You
You Want This
Miss You Much
Go Deep
Runaway
Rhythm Nation
The Pleasure Principle
Together Again
Alright
Black Cat
Let's Wait Awhile
Free Xone
Any Time, Any Place

Thanks, Eric!

oh wow it all happened

“THATS THE END!?”

I have one anecdote about “If” and why I love it so much that I would have shared at the appropriate moment in the rollout but welp

I visited the US for the first time in 1993 through school, and spent 10 days in Grand Rapids MI billetted with a local sponsor family & attending high school with the sponsor-family girl my age. On my first day at my first ever American High School™️ I got to watch their pom-pom squad’s dance rehearsal in the gym.

Their whole rehearsal was to “If” and it was so great I nearly lost my shit. (Crazy now to think about, since the lyrics are O_O but whatever)
They incorprated a lot of those same awesome angular moves as JJ’s original choreo

anyway to this day whenever I hear it, i think of those killer girls dancing their asses off in formation & praise the lord fod giving me THE best American High School™️ memory from that trip

~end~

That's The Way Love Goes
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
If
Empty
Go Deep
Escapade
Doesn't Really Matter
Trust A Try
Come On Get Up
When I Think Of You
Lonely
Better Days
My Need
Someone To Call My Lover
Runaway
Together Again
Come Back To Me
The Body That Loves You
When We Oooo
The Pleasure Principle
Black Cat
Truth
Special
Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)
Again

thanks for the story, veg. 'if' rules\m/

:D

—VIDEOS—
Videos
When I Think Of You
Go Deep
Got Til Its Gone
Rhythm Nation long-form video
That's The Way Love Goes
Alright
Love Will Never Do Without You
If
Escapade
Doesn't Really Matter

—INTERLUDES—
Speaker Phone
2wayforyou
Let's Dance
Intro (All For You)
Back

—ALBUMS—
The Velvet Rope
Rhythm Nation 1814
Control
janet.
Unbreakable

—TRACKS—
Empty
Escapade
Runaway
Together Again
New Agenda
Love Will Never Do Without You
Control
Rhythm Nation
When I Think Of You
Miss You Much
Nasty
What'll I Do
Free Xone
You
The Pleasure Principle
Unbreakable
Alright
You Want This
Throb
If
What Have You Done For Me Lately
Rock With U
That's The Way Love Goes
Night
Someone To Call My Lover
Say You Do
Got Til Its Gone
Go Deep
I Get Lonely
You Ain't Right
Pretty Boy
Fast Girls
Don't Stand Another Chance
Any Time, Any Place
Whoops, Now
Feedback
Sexhibition
Where Are You Now
Doesn't Really Matter
Strawberry Bounce
SloLove
All For You

i'm kinda surprised "when i think of you" was the highest placing track from control, it's never been a standout to me in the way that "the pleasure principle" and "what have i done for you lately" are

Great job!

ALBUMS
1
The Velvet Rope
janet.
Rhythm Nation 1814
All For You
Damita Jo
5

INTERLUDES
1
Speaker Phone
T.V.
Are You Still Up
Intro (All For You)
Let's Dance
5

TRAX
1
love will never do (without you)
empty
any time, any place
escapade
when i think of you
velvet rope
would you mind
that's the way love goes
all for you
go deep
---
if
rhythm nation
together again
someone to call my lover
i get lonely
control
rope burn
free xone
someday is tonight
you
---
all nite (don't stop)
when we oooo
let's wait awhile
runaway
miss you much
warmth
nasty
i want you
because of love
strawberry bounce
---
throb
BURNITUP!
slolove
dammn baby
anything
the best things in life are free
again
LUV
rock with u
you want this
state of the world
---
trust a try
take me away
got 'til it's gone
thinkin' bout my ex
whoops now
45

Thanks Eric and Spottie! Amazing poll, amazing images, and the top ten (really top twenty (really top thirty (really top forty (really top fifty)))) is unfuckwithable.

ALBUMS:

The Velvet Rope
Rhythm Nation 1814
Control
Janet.
Unbreakable

SONGS:

Escapade
Empty
If
Nasty
Miss You Much
What Have You Done For Me Lately?
That's The Way Love Goes
You
Someone to Call My Lover
Rhythm Nation
Control
Go Deep
All 4 U
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Doesn't Really Matter
Rock With U
Runaway
All Nite (Don't Stop)
Night
You Want This
I Get Lonely
When I Think Of You
2nite
Should've Known Better
Alright
Dammn Baby
Any Time, Any Place
The Pleasure Principle
The Great Forever
Got 'Til It's Gone
This Time
State of the World
Because of Love
R&B Junkie
No Sleeep
Trust A Try
Strawberry Bounce
Black Eagle
Someday is Tonight
Velvet Rope
After You Fall
Better Days
Where Are You Now
Let's Wait Awhile
The Knowledge
New Agenda
Come Back To Me
My Need
Slo Love
When We Oooo
The Best Things In Life Are Free
Throb
Come On Get Up
Whoops Now
Can't B Good
Say You Do
Funky Big Band
Anything
Again
Daybreak
Together Again
Fast Girls
Spending Time With You
You Ain't Right
Pretty Boy
You Can Be Mine
Let Me Know
Take Care
Rollercoaster

Obviously the anecdote about "If" being a favourite song ever wasn't mine given I only voted it number 3 - maybe it was a Brad post?

ridiculously perfect list of songs, Janet 4ever

ALBUMS

1. Rhythm Nation 1814
2. The Velvet Rope
3. Damita Jo
4. All For You
5. Control

TRACKS

1. If
2. SloLove
3. Take Care
4. Go Deep
5. Escapade
6. All For You
7. Rock With U
8. Love Will Never Do (Without You)
9. Feels So Right
10. All Nite (Don't Stop)
11. Lonely
12. Warmth
13. Empty
14. The Pleasure Principle
15. That's The Way Love Goes
16. Night
17. When We Oooo
18. Velvet Rope
19. Like You Don't Love Me
20. I Get Lonely
21. You
22. Strawberry Bounce
23. Truth
24. Together Again
25. What Have You Done For Me Lately
26. R&B Junkie
27. Miss You Much
28. You Can Be Mine
29. Dammn Baby
30. When I Think Of You
31. The Great Forever
32. Do It 2 Me
33. No Sleeep
34. This Time
35. Doesn't Really Matter
36. Black Eagle
37. Someone To Call My Lover
38. Come Back To Me
39. Daybreak
40. Trust A Try

Tracks:

The Pleasure Principle
If
Escapade
Miss You Much
Empty
What Have You Done For Me Lately
That's The Way Love Goes
Diamonds
Alright
Lonely
And On And On
Velvet Rope
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Runaway
Throb
Come Back To Me
Go Deep
All Nite (Don't Stop)
Rhythm Nation
Together Again
When I Think Of You
All For You
This Time
My Need
State Of The World
The Knowledge
Nasty
You Want This
The Best Things In Life Are Free
Black Cat
Let's Wait Awhile
R&B Junkie
I Get Lonely
Control
Because Of Love
Any Time, Any Place

Remixes:

Miss You Much (Oh I Like That Mix)
Alright (CJ Mackintosh House Mix)
If (Brothers In Rhythm House Mix)
Nasty (Cool Summer Mix)
Throb (Morales Bad Yard Club)
That's The Way Love Goes (CJ FXTC Club Mix)
R&B Drunkie - Mark E
Escapade (Shep's Housecapade Remix)
You Want This (E Smoove's House Anthem)
Rhythm Nation (12" House Nation Mix)

I haven't been able to get as involved in this poll as much as I'd like this week but it was still a lot of fun to follow and there's barely a weak song here. Empty and Escapade were both in my top three so I'm delighted with the result.

Thanks for putting this together Eric.

My lists:

Tracks

1. Doesn’t Really Matter
2. Escapade
3. Empty
4. Someone To Call My Lover
5. When I Think Of You
6. That’s The Way Love Goes
7. He Doesn’t Know I’m Alive
8. Runaway
9. The Pleasure Principle
10. State Of The World
11. Better Days
12. When We Oooo
13. Come Back To Me
14. Control
15. Because Of Love
16. Truth
17. What Have You Done For Me Lately
18. I Want You
19. Love Will Never Do Without You
20. Any Time, Any Place
21. Whoops Now
22. China Love
23. You
24. Slolove
25. Nasty
26. The Body That Loves You
27. Love Scene (Ooh Baby)
28. Someday Is Tonight
29. All Nite (Don’t Stop)
30. New Agenda
31. All For You
32. I Get Lonely
33. No Sleeep
34. Lonely
35. Alright
36. Truly
37. Rhythm Nation
38. R&B Junkie
39. Velvet Rope
40. My Need

Albums
1. Control
2. All For You
3. Rhythm Nation
4. Janet
5. Damita Jo

my ballot:
Empty
Escapade
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
The Best Things In Life Are Free
Velvet Rope
What About
Rhythm Nation
Any Time, Any Place
That's The Way Love Goes
All For You
Someone To Call My Lover
The Pleasure Principle
What Have You Done For Me Lately
Night
Because Of Love
Come On Get Up
If
Throb
Come Back to Me
Alright
This Time
Dammn Baby
You
Better Days
Lonely
Rope Burn
Someday Is Tonight
Together Again
Got 'til It's Gone
You Want This
Well Traveled
The Great Forever
Where Are You Now
No Sleeep
Go Deep
Unbreakable
State Of The World
Miss You Much
Nasty
(unranked portion):
Let's Wait Awhile
The Body That Loves You
When I Think of You
Whoops Now
Free Xone
Special
Strawberry Bounce
Control
I Get Lonely
Broken Hearts Heal

albums:
The Velvet Rope
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet
Unbreakable
Control

Was I the only one who didn't vote for "Escapade"?

Tracks:

Together Again
What Have You Done for Me Lately
Empty
If
Velvet Rope
Let's Wait Awhile
Anything
That's the Way Love Goes
Come Back to Me
Nasty
When I Think of You
Livin in a World (They Didn't Make)
Miss You Much
Broken Hearts Heal
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Every Time
Would You Mind
Go Deep
The Pleasure Principle
All For You
Moist
Love Scene (Ooh Baby)
Someday Is Tonight
I Want You
Control
Alright
After You Fall
I Get Lonely
Again
Dammn Baby
Got Til It's Gone
Rhythm Nation
Throb
All Nite (Don't Stop)
Funky Big Band
Rope Burn
The Great Forever
Strawberry Bounce
Warmth
What's It Gonna Be (Busta Rhymes ft Janet Jackson)

Albums:

The Velvet Rope
Rhythm Nation 1814
janet.
Unbreakable
Control

I'm not nearly as hardcore as the rest of you, but "When I Think of You" is actually an important song in my personal timeline as a listener: #1 on my year-end in a year where I started working at a downtown record store, rediscovered Top 40 after a decade away (True Blue and Please were also big at the time), and, at least for a few years, drifted away from all the Michael Azzerad stuff that had dominated my life for the first half of the decade.

1. "When I Think of You"
2. "Escapade"
3. "The Best Things in Life Are Free"
4. "Love Will Never Do (Without You)"
5. "Alright"
6. "All for You"
7. "Let's Wait Awhile"
8. "Come Back to Me"
9. "Making Love in the Rain"
10. "Got 'til It's Gone"

kind of surprised to see "lonely" absent/low down on most lists! assumed it was canonical

underrated bop i didn't vote for but feel like deserves more: "what's ur name"

"can't b good" and "never letchu go" as well. so much generic goodness on discipline

For years I've tried to figure out my aversion to Discipline. It's competent and, as uberweiss notes, generically good for the most part. Then I realized what made it generic: Jackson has no writing credits. I've always been fascinated by how the Jackson-Jam-Lewis axis writes songs. But when her name's not in the credits I can hear the absence.

my basic, RN1814-top-heavy list:

01 Love Will Never Do (Without You)
02 Miss You Much
03 Escapade
04 What Have You Done For Me Lately?
05 Black Cat
06 Rhythm Nation
07 Together Again
08 Go Deep
09 All For You
10 That’s the Way Love Goes
11 Nasty
12 The Pleasure Principle
13 Say You Do
14 Control
15 Someone to Call My Lover
16 I Get Lonely
17 You
18 Alright
19 Strawberry Bounce
20 Unbreakable

TRACKS

(Top 40)

If
Escapade
Empty
The Pleasure Principle
Alright
Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Got 'Til It's Gone
Come Back To Me
Together Again
What Have You Done For Me Lately

Funky Big Band
No Sleeep
You Want This
Rhythm Nation
You
All For You
Lonely
Runaway
All Nite (Don't Stop)
Someday Is Tonight

Because Of Love
After You Fall
Feels So Right
Feedback
When We Oooo
Doesn't Really Matter
When I Think Of You
The Best Things in Life Are Free
Anything
Go Deep

That's The Way Love Goes
R&B Junkie
And On and On
Night
Someone To Call My Lover
Make Me
Rock With U
SloLove
Free Xone
Throb

(Bonus Tracks)

Broken Hearts Heal
Can't Be Stopped
Do It 2 Me
Fast Girls
Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)
Livin' In A World (They Didn't Make)
My Need
Put Your Hands On
Say You Do
Strawberry Bounce
This Time
What's It Gonna Be?!
Whoops Now

ALBUMS

The Velvet Rope
Rhythm Nation 1814
janet.
All For You
Unbreakable

MUSIC VIDEOS

Love Will Never Do (Without You)
Got 'til It's Gone
Alright
If
Rhythm Nation
The Pleasure Principle
Feedback
Doesn't Really Matter
Scream
All Nite (Don't Stop)

REMIXES

Go Deep (Masters At Work Remix)
Diamonds (Cool Summer Mix)
If (Adult Radio Mix)
Call On Me (Disclosure Remix)
If (Kaytranada Remix)

INTERLUDES

T.V.
Livin'... In Complete Darkness
Speaker Phone
Promise
Pledge

the top ten (really top twenty (really top thirty (really top forty (really top fifty)))) is unfuckwithable.

Yes!

absolutely convinced she's the best pop star there ever was now

Double yes!

BTW, no shade on Spottie, but I've done a Spotify playlist that ranks them from #1 down... https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5pIVl2jRHvTwgdJd07BC55?si=YKT0cgH0QYqPUE2_dGup3w

For years I've tried to figure out my aversion to Discipline. It's competent and, as uberweiss notes, generically good for the most part. Then I realized what made it generic: Jackson has no writing credits. I've always been fascinated by how the Jackson-Jam-Lewis axis writes songs. But when her name's not in the credits I can hear the absence.

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 8 August 2020 16:16 (five hours ago) link

I feel like this is an explanation that makes sense as a retrofitted explanation and perhaps with respect to "Feedback" (which wears its contemporary trend-chasing on its sleeve) specifically, and maybe "LUV".

But songs like "Can't B Good" or "Greatest X Ever" or "Let Me Know" feel incredibly of a piece with the songwriting approach of the previous three albums (and in the case of the first and third of those, are better than most of the material on the previous two albums), and something like "Rock With U" is spot-on frothy Janet. Is there a more Janet line for a disco bop than "Strobe lights make everything.... sexier..."?

It feels like a more Janet album (as well as a better album) than 20 y.o., which then somewhat undermines the proposition that the issue is writing credits.

absolutely convinced she's the best pop star there ever was now

I reached the conclusion privately at the time but quashed it because #auteurism.

I'm even less a fan of 20 y.o.

Even as measured against her most obvious contemporaneous rival, I don't consider her the equal of Madonna.

Her reticence as a public figure and disinterest in theory and self-mythology may work against her, and I like not love many of her videos, but as a singles force between 1986-2004 she matches Madonna.

i would vote for Janet over Madonna for total body of work but it's close

One phenomenon I noticed: when Madonna got restless she left Patrick Leonard, still her best co-songwriter/co-producer, for untried talents. Janet, however, had Jam-Lewis, who revealed themselves to be as protean as Madonna, up to any challenge. Just think how "Nasty" and "Runaway," or "Rhythm Nation" and "Rope Burn" took place along the same evolutionary track!

Plus “Empty” and “This Time” and “If”!

Haha, I just noticed that in addition to landing an overperforming 3rd place finish, "Empty," like "Deeper and Deeper" in the Madonna poll, got 8 first-place votes, the most of any song.

janet over madonna is pretty easy for me but i've never been quite convinced of madonna's greatness. very good, sure, but not as consistent or exciting as janet at her best

janet over mj is even easier - the good part of his discography really isn't that big and i was never able to love thriller - overexposure as a child means i would be fine never hearing "thriller" or "beat it" again and i'm not exactly inclined to try to love it now for the obvious reasons

prince is wayy closer but i'm inclined to give janet the edge at the moment just for range?

james brown, stevie wonder & little richard all predate the modern 80s-onward pop star model so i wouldn't even really try to compare them

now that you’ve all had time to digest the Janet Jackson/g poll, maybe folx here are up for a different kind of poll:

🇳🇬 NAIJA SPECIAL: which of these *seven* current high-profile Nigerian hit songs is the best one? please help me decide

(I know I’ve plugged this poll here before, but I still think at least some (more) of you might really enjoy it. If you’re looking for way in it could be Tiwa Savage, who’s worked for or with people like George Michael, Whitney Houston, Mary J Blige, Chaka Khan, Fantasia, and Chuck Harmony during the UK- and US-centered first part of her long career. Also, Ciara bit one of her songs for “Freak Me”!)

(sorry, I honestly thought I would be able to find a direct link between them, but no joy - okay, they were both on the roster for MTV’s 2018 Europe Music Award - but do yourselves a favour and take a little trip to that other Rhythm Nation!)

(Janet fans also might find lots to love in Niniola, and then of course there’s... Okay, okay, I’ll stop now and remain forever silent)

putting my ballot together for this poll was the most fun I had with music all year, if not ever. good memories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqXT3FVPgLU

My Spotify 2020 recap had Janet very much at the top of my most-played artists. That could likely have been true in any year tho.

Compare and contrast the poll results with The Guardian's list of the 30 best Janet Jackson tracks. Four of the top five are the same, albeit in a different order.

Janet Jackson’s 30 best songs – ranked