Janet Jackson, The #35 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

  (Continued from Part One)

In 1991, Janet signed a $32 million contract with Virgin Records.  It was the biggest contract to that point until brother Michael signed a new deal within the year.

 Members of New Edition had much to do with this song.  Michael Bivens and Ron DeVoe wrote it along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and members of Biv DeVoe and Ralph Tresvant (all former members of New Edition) sang backing vocals.  Janet collaborated with Luther Vandross on the song "The Best Things In Life Are Free" from the movie Mo' Money, a #2 song in the U.K. and Australia that peaked at #10 in the U.S.  The pair were nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, a category won that year by Boyz II Men for "End Of The Road".

 Jackson released the album Janet. in 1993.  "That's The Way Love Goes" catapulted to #1 for eight consecutive weeks and sold over two million copies.  Jackson won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song and was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and the video was nominated for Best Female Video and Best Dance Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.  

Jennifer Lopez appeared on the video as a backing dancer.  Lopez said she was first inspired to begin recording after seeing Jackson's video "The Pleasure Principle".  "I was a little girl trying to do every single move that she was doing," Lopez said.

 

"If" reached #4 and sold over one million copies and earned Best Female Video at the MTV VMA's.

 

In 1993, Jackson appeared on film for the first time in Poetic Justice.  "Again", from the soundtrack album as well as from Janet., stayed at #1 for three weeks and went Platinum.

Jackson was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards as well as the Golden Globes for "Again".  The album reached #1, Janet's third to do so, while Janet. has sold over six million units in the U.S. and over 14 million worldwide.

 Jackson scored another Top 10 with "Because Of You".

 

The single "Any Time, Any Place" soared to #2 and went Gold.

Jackson scored American Music Award nominations for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist in both 1994 and 1994 and was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Single (for "That's The Way Love Goes").

She won seven Billboard Music Awards--Top Billboard 200 Album Artist, Female, Top Pop Albums Artist, Female, Top R&B Artist, Female, Top R&B Album, Female, Top R&B Singles Artist, Female, Top R&B Single - Airplay (for "That's The Way Love Goes") and Dance Clip of the Year (for "If") and was nominated for Top Pop Artist of the Year, Top Hot 100 Single of the Year (for "That's The Way Love Goes").

Janet. also generated five Top 10 hits, her third album to accomplish that tough feat.  Jackson thus became the only artist of the Rock Era to have three albums with at least five Top 10 hits.

 

But Janet did one better--she once again pulled a sixth Top 10 from her album with "You Want This", another Gold record.  Including "Love Child" by the Supremes in the song came from Jimmy Jam--he was a big Motown fan.

Jackson earned BMI Most-Played Song Awards for all six Top 10 singles on the album.

 

Janet and brother Michael teamed up for the #5 song "Scream" from his album HIStory in 1995.  Janet won an Artist Achievement Award at the Billboard Music Awards.  The duo won a Grammy for Best Music Video and were nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, won a Billboard Music Award for Pop/Rock Video Clip of the Year and won a Most-Played Song honor at the BMI Pop Awards.  

The video for "Scream" (the most expensive ever made at the time, costing $7 million to shoot) received 11 nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year, Viewers Choice, Best R&B Video and Breakthrough Video and won an award for Best Dance Video.

Meanwhile, Janet, as co-producer of the album, was nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year and was named Favorite Female Artist at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards.  

 Jackson released the compilation Design of a Decade:  1986-1996, a #3 album.  The new song "Runaway" reached #1 in Canada and #3 in the U.S. and also went Gold.  It was originally written to be a duet with Michael and Janet but "Scream" was chosen instead.  Janet won another BMI Pop Award for Most-Played Song.  

Jackson earned a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Pop Female and Design of a Decade has now sold over 10 million copies worldwide.  

Join us for Part Three of Janet Jackson!