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

i'm just happy for more rhythm nation songs. to me, the highlights of that album could easily make up the top ten in this poll and it would be totally accurate.

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28. WHEN WE OOOO (from All For You, 2001; 784.5 points; 16 votes)

"When We Oooo" from AFY is as close to IDM as I've ever heard any mainstream American R&B get and I want more like it
― Rich, Thursday, March 18, 2004 8:40 AM (sixteen years ago)

i think the ballad section of this holds up really well, definitely just from an atmospheric perspective.
― J0rdan S., Saturday, September 5, 2015 11:05 AM (four years ago)

It's kind of experimental for her to program a 25-minutes bloc of R&B balladry right smack in the middle of the set.
― Norse Jung (Eric H.), Saturday, September 5, 2015 9:22 PM (four years ago)

it made my ballot. definitely a great track.

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27. NIGHT (from Unbreakable, 2015; 786.5 points; 15 votes)

"night" is kinda buried in the first half but i just need to talk about how amazing it is. the million janets in the chorus, the way the aerial "ooohs" combine with the ascending "after the LOVE tonight," how it becomes a straight up minneapolis funk song after the second chorus
― insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Friday, October 2, 2015 10:24 AM (four years ago) bookmarkflaglink

The second half of "Night" sounds like the second half of "I Wanna Be Your Lover".
― The Reverend, Friday, October 2, 2015 3:12 PM (four years ago)

I thought "Night" was going to be a dip but then the beat started ^_^
― I Am Curious (Dolezal) (DJP), Monday, October 5, 2015 5:13 PM (four years ago)

Fuck Unbreakable is so good. The duel between the laser zaps and piano at the end of Night!
― Tim F, Monday, July 13, 2020 5:14 AM (three weeks ago)

my favorite song on unbreakable. it made my top ten.

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26. BECAUSE OF LOVE (from janet., 1993; 842 points; 17 votes)

You know what single rarely gets much love? "Because of Love."
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, July 3, 2020 4:58 AM (one month ago)

"Because of Love" is perfectly sequenced on the album, after the previous five or six songs' worth of genre zigging and zagging, nailing the landing with another "Escapade."
― Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Friday, July 3, 2020 8:07 AM (one month ago)

i think my favorite run on the record is funky big band -> new agenda -> because of love, though
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Friday, July 3, 2020 1:18 PM (one month ago)

What a ray of sunshine this song is when it finally arrives on janet.

i love love love it!!!

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25. DOESN'T REALLY MATTER (from The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, 2000; 903.5 points; 17 votes; 1 first-place vote)

"Empty", "Doesn't Really Matter" and "Someone To Call My Lover" form some sort of brilliant intergalactic trilogy charting R&B's rapprochement with idyllictronica (copyright Simon Reynolds), I love them all to death.
― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 17 November 2004 01:15 (fifteen years ago)

really it's hard to imagine a run of three consecutive pop singles for the time better than "doesn't really matter" -> "all for you" -> "someone to call my lover"
― J0rdan S., Saturday, September 5, 2015 11:05 AM (four years ago)

Why did I hate this?
― The Reverend, Thursday, 2 August 2007 05:23 (thirteen years ago)

This song is BAD ASS

I didn’t vote but I think DRM would have been my #1. I still remember falling in love with it and waiting by the radio for a couple days (which felt like an eternity) to record it to tape, as I seemed to never catch it. My sister was old enough to love Janet, my brother was old enough to love TVR and independently of them, I was euphoric about When’s It Gonna Be/All For You/GirlfriendBoyfriend/DRM/Someone To Call My Lover as singles. Truly one of the first pop stars I ever loved. Doesn’t Really Matter might have been the peak of that initial feeling. That one tape of Trevor Nelson’s midday Saturday rnb show got played to death in my bedroom.

TOO LOW

nice to see that it got a first place vote. it was top three for me.

such a happy song and brilliantly crafted. i love it so much.

BOL is her least played single, according to Sean Ross

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24. RUNAWAY (from Design of a Decade, 1995; 912 points; 19 votes)

Just looking at that list, I'd totally forgotten about Runaway from her first singles compilation. Such a lovely song.
― kitchen person, Tuesday, June 30, 2020 3:24 PM (one month ago)

I play "Runaway" at least once a month
― shout-out to his family (DJP), Tuesday, June 30, 2020 3:27 PM (one month ago)

oh yeah, i remember that song. i remember thinking at the time that it was kind of a rewrite of 'escapade.' it's okay.

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23. NO SLEEEP (from Unbreakable, 2015; 919.5 points; 20 votes)

God this song.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, January 18, 2016 9:28 AM (four years ago)

I remember five summers ago almost weeping when "No Sleeep" was so damn good.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, July 9, 2020 7:12 PM (four weeks ago)

enh, it's good but that's too high. i mean i voted for it, but. . . nah.

top ten for me. just a timeless sound. couldve easily been on one of her 90s albums.

How weird is it that I actually kinda prefer the version with J. Cole?

Also lol that image is perfect

I call it my favorite post All For You single.

whoa I really expected "Runaway" to be in the top 20 or 15

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22. ALL NITE (DON'T STOP) (from Damita Jo, 2004; 937.5 points; 20 votes; 1 first-place vote)

"All Nite (Don't Stop)" comes close to Rhythm Nation's mechanical precision
― Rich, Thursday, March 18, 2004 8:40 AM (sixteen years ago)

"all nite (don't stop)" sounds AMAZING at street dance class
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Wednesday, January 27, 2010 4:38 PM (ten years ago)

Okay, apparently Janet's new album isn't chock-full of unmemorable nonsense as I'd assumed from the first two singles; the new single pretty much panders everything I like about her music and is all the more glorious and wonderful for that. Far and away this is the best Janet single in YEARS (I think you'd have to go back to "Go Deep" or "Together Again" to match it).
― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, June 9, 2004 8:08 AM (sixteen years ago)

... unless this one is actually my favorite post All For You single.

This one is all about those swelling unresolved strings that keep popping up

For want of some better terminology

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21. YOU WANT THIS (from janet., 1993; 970 points; 20 votes)

"You Want This" is one song whose awesomeness I didn't fully recognize until I started listening for this poll.
― A White, White Gay (cryptosicko), Tuesday, July 21, 2020 4:09 PM (two weeks ago)

EdwardO is OTM re: "You Want This" having the "Love Child" sample. That ting-ting-tingtingting (ooh ooh) bit before the youwantthisBOMBABOMBOMABOMABAM chorus bit.
― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, March 18, 2004 9:02 AM (sixteen years ago)

20 tracks remain!

77. ENJOY (from 20 Y.O., 2006; 222 points; 5 votes)
76. ROLLERCOASTER (from Discipline, 2008; 236 points; 6 votes)
75. LOVE SCENE (OOH BABY) (from All For You, 2001; 238 points; 5 votes)
74. SAY YOU DO (from Janet Jackson, 1982; 247.5 points; 7 votes)
73. COME ON GET UP (from All For You, 2001; 248 points; 5 votes)
72. FUNKY BIG BAND (from janet., 1993; 253.5 points; 6 votes)
71. LIKE YOU DON’T LOVE ME (from Damita Jo, 2004; 255 points; 5 votes)
70. EVERY TIME (from The Velvet Rope, 2006; 256 points; 7 votes)
69. WOULD YOU MIND (from All For You, 2001; 257 points; 5 votes)
68. FEEDBACK (from Discipline, 2008; 264 points; 5 votes)
67. BETTER DAYS (from All For You, 2001; 264 points; 6 votes)
66. TAKE CARE (from 20 Y.O., 2006; 266 points; 7 votes)
65. 2NITE (from Discipline, 2008; 271 points; 7 votes)
64. I WANT YOU (from Damita Jo, 2004; 279 points; 7 votes)
63. THE GREAT FOREVER (from Unbreakable, 2015; 282 points; 8 votes)
62. CHINA LOVE (from All For You, 2001; 290 points; 5 votes)
61. NEW AGENDA (from janet., 1993; 303 points; 7 votes)

60. TRUTH (from All For You, 2001; 308 points; 6 votes)
59. LUV (from Discipline, 2008; 381 points; 7 votes)
58. WHOOPS NOW (from janet., 1993; 327 points; 9 votes)
57. DIAMONDS (with Herb Alpert, 1987; 332 points; 6 votes)
56. WHAT ABOUT (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 335.5 points; 6 votes)
55. UNBREAKABLE (from Unbreakable, 2015; 353 points; 8 votes)
54. FEELS SO RIGHT (from All For You, 2001; 368 points; 8 votes)
53. ROPE BURN (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 374 points; 9 votes)
52. TRUST A TRY (from All For You, 2001; 375 points; 11 votes)
51. FUNNY HOW TIME FLIES (WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN) (from Control, 1986; 384 points; 9 votes)
50. R&B JUNKIE (from Damita Jo, 2004; 401 points; 11 votes)
49. STATE OF THE WORLD (from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989; 418 points; 10 votes)
48. ANYTHING (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 428.5 points; 9 votes)
47. THIS TIME (from janet., 1993; 429 points; 9 votes)
46. BROKEN HEARTS HEAL (from Unbreakable, 2015; 432.5 points; 10 votes)
45. DAMMN BABY (from Unbreakable, 2015; 441.5 points; 10 votes)
44. AGAIN (from janet., 1993; 456 points; 11 votes)
43. SOMEDAY IS TONIGHT (from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989; 465 points; 11 votes)
42. WHAT'S IT GONNA BE?! (with Busta Rhymes, 1999; 473 points; 9 votes)
41. LONELY (from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989; 483 points; 10 votes)

40. MY NEED (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 505 points; 12 votes)
39. SLOLOVE (from Damita Jo, 2004; 521 points; 12 votes)
38. THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE (with Luther Vandross, 1992; 544 points; 11 votes)
37. FREE XONE (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 559 points; 13 votes)
36. ROCK WITH U (from Discipline, 2008; 561 points; 12 votes)
35. BLACK CAT (from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989; 575.5 points; 11 votes)
34. LET'S WAIT AWHILE (from Control, 1986; 649 points; 13 votes; 1 first-place vote)
33. VELVET ROPE (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 652 points; 13 votes)
32. STRAWBERRY BOUNCE (from Damita Jo, 2004; 656 points; 13 votes)
31. THROB (from janet., 1993; 689 points; 16 votes)
30. YOU (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 710.5 points; 14 votes)
29. COME BACK TO ME (from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989; 772 points; 16 votes)
28. WHEN WE OOOO (from All For You, 2001; 784.5 points; 16 votes)
27. NIGHT (from Unbreakable, 2015; 786.5 points; 15 votes)
26. BECAUSE OF LOVE (from janet., 1993; 842 points; 17 votes)
25. DOESN'T REALLY MATTER (from The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, 2000; 903.5 points; 17 votes; 1 first-place vote)
24. RUNAWAY (from Design of a Decade, 1995; 912 points; 19 votes)
23. NO SLEEEP (from Unbreakable, 2015; 919.5 points; 20 votes)
22. ALL NITE (DON'T STOP) (from Damita Jo, 2004; 937.5 points; 20 votes; 1 first-place vote)
21. YOU WANT THIS (from janet., 1993; 970 points; 20 votes)

ahhh i had hoped my "all nite" first place vote might catapault it into the top 20 but alas. 22 is still pretty good!

nice to see a good showing for slolove too.

yeah, whoever was badmouthing 'slolove' was clearly wrong. that's a solid jam.

ace work again, eric! really looking forward to this top twenty.

also it looks like i neglected to vote for "night", which was a mistake

the "love is taking over" part is so cool and eerie and beautiful... not sure how to describe it, really, but it does things to me

Can't believe "Doesn't Really Matter" was #25! TOO LOW (2). Gotta get up get up get up get up get up and show you that it *ricochet* *boom* EDIT.

It's a certain someone's favorite Janet song, told him I'd tell him when it placed. Hopefully he's not too disappointed...

So I'm counting 6 from Control, 5 from Rhythm Nation, 3 from janet, 5 from Velvet Rope and 2 from All for You that I would've expected to make it, but that's already one too many. Am I overestimating "You Can Be Mine" or "Go Deep" or something? I suppose anything outside of those albums ("Daybreak"! "Lessons Learned"!) is unlikely at this point.

back half of 'night' is the best music

you want this was my #2. the bridge was always my favorite part. around that time i was a sucker for anything sounding remotely similar to 'if you had no loot' by tone tony toni.

think runaway slipped more than any song once i started placing songs seriously. went into it thinking it would be a top ten but it ended up at the bottom half of my ballot. i think i realized i dont like the yeaaaah yeaaaaaah yeaaaaah yeaaaaaaah adlibs

"runaway" is just a little too much of a lesser rewrite of "escapade" for me, didn't end up making my ballot

I haven't been able to keep up with the poll over the last few days so just catching up now. I was hoping Runaway and Doesn't Really Matter would scrape the top 20. I really love her carefree joyful side and those two songs are two of her best for that. Falling in love with Runaway during nominations was one of my favourite things about this poll. I was the number one vote for Doesn't Really Matter.

I'm pleasantly surprised to see a lot of Damita Jo and All For You deep cuts make it.

No Sleeep was the only Unbreakable song I voted for. I revisited that album over the last few weeks and I still haven't had that moment where everything clicked. I love that single though.

"You Want This" is the song that makes me always flash back on Christgau's comment on just how expensive that album feels. Coming between the close mixes on "That's the Way Love Goes" and "If," it's just a straight up EQ assault.

OK here we go!

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20. I GET LONELY (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 991.5 points; 20 votes; 2 first-place votes)

"I Get Lonely" (we're talking the Teddy Riley mix) is one of her very best singles.
― Rich, Thursday, March 18, 2004 8:40 AM (sixteen years ago)

i remember "i get lonely" being the first janet single i didn't like as a kid. think the drums bewildered me, they make the song sound both slow and fast
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, January 5, 2015 4:52 PM (five years ago)

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19. GOT 'TIL IT'S GONE (from The Velvet Rope, 1997; 1,004.5 points; 20 votes)

Got til it's gone is the only Janet single I like.
― ◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝ (Moka), Saturday, July 2, 2011 6:54 AM (nine years ago)

i don't hate "got til it's gone" or anything now but picking it as the BEST on this album is an opinion that seems increasingly insane the more i think about it
― lex pretend, Wednesday, January 14, 2015 12:47 PM (five years ago)

i mean, i love 'got til it's gone' so fucking much, like few other things. it was such a huge record for me — that was my entry point into joni mitchell and it just felt like a really poignant moment for everyone involved, possibly one of the first major jay dilla productions. it brings me to tears, truly
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Thursday, July 23, 2020 11:03 PM (two weeks ago)

J-Joni Mitchell never lies!

Ballsiest lead-off single of her career, if not single overall.

for which the public duly rewarded her with her lowest placing.

I was surprised to learn it wasn't Hot 100 eligible, as I remember it as maybe the most omnipresent among her 90s singles. Broke through my musical bubble like nothing else from Velvet Rope, at least.

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18. ANY TIME, ANY PLACE (from janet., 1993; 1,105.5 points; votes)

"any time, any place" is like proto-voodoo
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Friday, July 3, 2020 1:46 PM (one month ago)

it's so weird to hear kendrick's "any time, any place" sample on the radio and think, damn that song is 20 years old
― some dude, Thursday, June 27, 2013 6:50 PM (seven years ago)