Control

There is no wasted space on this record. No dead weight, no filler, no song that doesn’t serve a clear purpose. Control is easily Janet’s best and most influential body of work, and its industrial funk blueprint is still being copied today, from B’Day–era Beyoncé to Doja Cat’s Vie.

Context matters for this record. This was the first album Janet made after firing her father as her manager, and you can feel that freedom in every second of it. The album is about control in every sense: control over her voice, her body, her career, her sexuality, and her public image. That reclamation is the spine of the record, and it’s a concept so strong that artists decades later, like SZA, are still circling similar territory.

Musically, this album is absurdly good. The drums hit hard and mechanical, while the synth basslines on “When I Think of You” and “You Can Be Mine” glide and snap at the same time. The horns on “He Doesn’t Even Know I’m Alive” punch through the mix with attitude, and the layered keyboards throughout give the album its sleek, industrial sheen.

Melodically, this album is hook after hook, some of the stickiest pop songwriting ever put to tape. “Nasty” and “What Have You Done for Me Lately” don’t just stick in your head, they live there.

It’s honestly a shame how often Janet’s discography gets overlooked, especially considering she was making albums stronger and more forward-thinking than much of what her brother released while being crowned the so-called King of Pop.

And if you ever get the chance to see her perform this material live, take it. I caught her on the Together Again tour, and she was absolutely electric. These songs still hit with the same authority and joy they did when they first dropped.

🌟 Control, Nasty, What Have You Done for Me Lately, You Can Be Mine, The Pleasure Principle, When I Think of You, He Doesn’t Even Know I’m Alive, Let’s Wait Awhile, Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)