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

happiness (noun): 1. together_again.mp3

albeit from a place of grief. what a song! kept swapping it in and out of my #1 spot.

I hear it as the cheerful sequel to Pet Shop Boys' "Being Boring."

It feels hokey at a glance but it covers so much ground, from almost like a classic Motown-style simplicity to something more layered. The groove helps too. The part where her singing is isolated for a moment is stunning, every time. The music fading out at the end always feels super sad (before leading into my #3 pick, which I almost put at #1, "Empty".)

I have it on good authority that Brad thinks "I Get Lonley"'s placement is disgustingly low.

Please keep bringing the telephoned missives from Brad.

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15. CONTROL (from Control, 1986; 1,352 points; 24 votes; 2 first-place votes)

the 12" mix of "Control" is one of the eighties' greatest pieces of music.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 5 October 2008 01:43 (eleven years ago)

this is the album where janet is "janet" for the first time. the opening of the album is burned into my memory forever.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Thursday, July 23, 2020 10:15 PM (two weeks ago)

THIS IS A STORY ABOUT CONTROL
― lex pretend, Saturday, May 12, 2007 9:42 AM (thirteen years ago)

Such a formidable, steely track.

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14. SOMEONE TO CALL MY LOVER (from All For You, 2001; 1,364.5 points; 24 votes)

i LOVE "someone to call my lover" so much, voted for that -- def my fav janet single from that album. gymnopedie no 1 in the chorus = amazing.
― teledyldonix, Thursday, June 24, 2010 11:18 AM (ten years ago)

someone to call my lover is really fun. like a better version of jordan knights give it to you but with the ventura highway sample built in.
― Spottie, Tuesday, July 7, 2020 7:41 PM (one month ago)

Someone to Call my Lover is the new single by Janet Jackson. Am I insane or are does this song sound like it could have (minus Janet's lyrics and voice) been ripped from the Sea and Cake's album the Fawn??? Is anyone with me on this?!
― Chaz A. Bartok, Wednesday, July 18, 2001 7:00 PM (nineteen years ago)

another one that climbed my ranks quickly.

any time any place was an important song for my uh... development.

really how it spends a few minutes jamming on that groove at the end

― ufo, Friday, August 7, 2020 7:24 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

otm love this

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13. MISS YOU MUCH (from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989; 1,423 points; 25 votes)

actually, the only imperial era single I find meh is "Miss You Much."
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, July 5, 2020 12:32 PM (one month ago)

I suppose theoretically there's an argument to be made that "Miss You Much" is too similar to "Escapade" to stand tall on its own, but in practice "too similar to one of the best songs ever made" is the opposite of a put-down.
― Tim F, Sunday, July 5, 2020 6:22 PM (one month ago)

Miss You Much >>>>>>>> Escapade (and I like Escapade)
― shout-out to his family (DJP), Sunday, July 5, 2020 10:35 PM (one month ago)

ugh I just discovered that the chair dance is NOT a part of the actual standalone "Miss You Much" video and I am OUTRAGED
― vision joanna newsom (Stevie D(eux)), Tuesday, July 14, 2020 2:20 PM (three weeks ago)

Still a meh.

The bridge still lifts it to the exalted plane most of the rest of the album exists on.

I guess it underwhelmed me because after my lukewarm reaction she releaesed "Rhythm Nation" and I thought, "Oh, I get it now."

Then "Escapade," and I thought, "OH shit."

Then "Alright."

Well.

It does sort of function as a transitional point between Control and Rhythm Nation, retaining the earlier album's hard edges while indicating there would be sweeter rewards.

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12. NASTY (from Control, 1986; 1,485 points; 27 votes; 1 first-place vote)

show me a more perfect drum track than the one on "nasty"
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, July 1, 2020 9:25 AM (one month ago)

I listened to "Nasty" for the first time in a long time recently, and that syncopated percussion still sounds like the future to me. Plus some cool change-ups in between those sections. I'd put it in the running for GOAT
― Vinnie, Wednesday, July 1, 2020 10:00 AM (one month ago)

"Nasty" is of course one of the worst things ever to have happened to music, but the rest of the album is nice enough.
― Geir Hongro, Monday, 24 September 2007 10:47 (twelve years ago)

geir with the challop

"Nasty" outside the top ten? I don't know what to expect anymore.

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11. RHYTHM NATION (from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989; 1492.5 points; 27 votes; 1 first-place vote)

i had a solo in chorus when i was 9 singing the title track from rhythm nation. no one else knew the words and i was quite incensed
― purp (roxymuzak), Saturday, April 13, 2013 11:43 AM (seven years ago)

title track is really addictive - my biggest thing is that I can't separate the song from the choreography now, as soon as I hear it I see the shoulders and those pivots and UGH she was so unstoppable
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, April 5, 2013 1:29 PM (seven years ago) bookmarkflaglink

The title track is one of the all-time great sample-into-song transformations.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, April 5, 2013 6:55 PM (seven years ago)

another just absolutely epic intro. the title track is still an "oh shit!" moment when i hear it on the radio or out and about. that was like my national anthem as a kid. still kicks so much fucking ass. man! that is the music of the gods.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Thursday, July 23, 2020 11:03 PM (two weeks ago)

half of the beats on Rhythm Nation could be lifted wholesale by KMFDM and people wouldn't blink
― shout-out to his family (DJP), Wednesday, July 1, 2020 9:36 AM (one month ago)

the album's clanking industrial heart

She got that long beat breakdown into the top five.

lmao "Empty" really gonna beat out "Rhythm Nation" and "Nasty", huh

hey y'all, taking a brief hiatus from my hiatus to say you're all legends for getting "go deep" in the top ten

"Control" was my #1. The greatest artist statement in music history.

hey y'all, taking a brief hiatus from my hiatus to say you're all legends for getting "go deep" in the top ten

― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Friday, August 7, 2020

besos

^^^^^^^

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10. Luv Me, Luv Me (with Shaggy, 1998; 1,492.5 points; 27 votes)

why does shaggy hate women so much?

10_fakeout.jpg

tbh I think this should be #10

I figured there were too many actual fans of 20 Y.O. itt to go for, say, "So Excited."

I also would have accepted "Feel It Boy" in the top 10

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10. ALL FOR YOU (from All For You, 2001; 1,496.5 points; 28 votes)

when i was in college i heard a mediocre a cappella group performing the title track and i yelled out the "EDIT 4 3 2 1 chk" part from the audience and everyone else laughed :'(
― dyl, Sunday, August 18, 2013 9:58 AM (six years ago)

since they came out around the same time, "all for you" sounds like a lost classic off 'fever'
― J0rdan S., Sunday, August 18, 2013 2:06 PM (six years ago)

Just now hearing "All for You" -- pretty great!
― Sandy Denny Real Estate (jaymc), Sunday, October 28, 2012 11:17 PM (seven years ago)

(Thanks for that one, Spottie!)

since they came out around the same time, "all for you" sounds like a lost classic off 'fever'
― J0rdan S., Sunday, August 18, 2013 2:06 PM (six years ago)

'all for you" into 'can't get you out of my head' = silk

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09. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY (from Control, 1986; 1,554 points; 26 votes; 1 first-place vote)

"what have you done for me lately" is a programming wonder and v much an early case of jam/lewis as industrial collage artists
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, July 1, 2020 9:33 AM (one month ago)

only just now realising how structurally weird "what have you done for me lately" is. it really spends over half its runtime (from 2:17 until the end) messing around repeating the chorus
― ufo, Wednesday, July 22, 2020 4:06 AM (two weeks ago)

Ha, just noticed that 'What Have You Done For Me Lately?" features twice in my ballot!
― fun loving and xtremely tolrant (Billy Dods), Saturday, February 25, 2012 9:57 AM (eight years ago)

I had forgotten how terrifying "Joyful, Joyful" is. When it gets to the "OPP" part, part of my soul dies, bet then it goes on to quote "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" and the rest of my soul implodes and I am left actively hating everything and everyone and praying for nuclear Armageddon.
― juggalo iglesias (HI DERE), Thursday, September 16, 2010 1:42 PM (nine years ago)

I was quite young but this thing SLAMMED in 1986.

Will never forget the spilled milkshake.

Ah, my #2 pick. Iconic

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08. THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE (from Control, 1986; 1,561 points; 26 votes; 2 first-place votes)

Gary Numan - the Pleasure Principle, man what a great find.
― Elisabeth (Elisabeth), Wednesday, October 22, 2003 4:11 AM (sixteen years ago)

so it turns out this is a support slot for Gary Numan performing The Pleasure Principle in full
― basically just a 2/47 freak out (sic), Sunday, January 30, 2011 4:29 PM (nine years ago)

"Pleasure Principle" is great. Numan's first three albums are all good listens.
― earlnash, Sunday, November 23, 2003 11:21 PM (sixteen years ago)

The principle of pleasure!

lol @ those quotes!

Sort of sums up my impression of ILM rn.

I don't think there's another Janet song where my impression has done a fuller 180. I used to loathe this track growing up. Somehow in the last 5-10 years, it's become an unshakable top 3 Janet tune.

It might be even steelier than "Control" or "Nasty."

The only Control single in which she had no hand in writing.

It broke her top five streak too.

I always considered it and "Lets Wait Awhile" to be the minor Control singles. Only came around to really liking either of them when I was putting my ballot together.

xp Can't really fathom why it stalled out at that point tbh.

A&M was also promoting Herb Alpert's "Diamonds," and we know who the A of A&M was.

Yeah, just looked up the charts and saw the two criss-crossing slots in the summer of '87.