My Official Ranking Of Janet's Discography!!!

11. “Dream Street”

Starting from the bottom is Janet’s unfortunate 2nd album. By unfortunate, I mean once again, Joe Jackson was at the helm of this project, incorporating Marlon and Jermaine as producers. The results were even more generic than her debut. Outside the feisty “Don’t Stand Another Chance” and the furious “Hold Back The Tears”, there’s nothing to see here! “Fast Girls” and “Communication” are embarrassing while “Two To The Power of Love” is more forgettable than her character from Fame where the song originated. The final misstep before Janet’s career truly took off!

10. “Damita Jo”

Let’s get one thing straight, the aftermath of the infamous 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show may have hindered her usual strong record sales and severely weakened her career but “Damita Jo” in terms of quality had problems LONG before nipplegate. A lukewarm produced, poorly sung and boringly written album, its Janet at her most uninspired. Sure, “All Nite (Don’t Stop)” is a high octane club gem as well as “R&B Junkie”’s enjoyable throwback funk but the rest of the album falls short. Sexually explicit in the clumsiest of ways, if you can seat through the likes of the back to back sloppy sexiness of “Warmth” and “Moist” than you must be as delusional as Janet was for releasing them.







9. “Discipline” 
The first album to not feature her hit making team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, “Discipline” has its moments surprisingly. “Feedback” is a pretty superb lead single, undeniably infectious and feverishly fun despite her silliest written lyrics. “LUV” is a bouncy R&B groove, “Can’t B Good” is a heartwarming tune and “Rock Wit U” is an euphoric dance sensation. But the album was a product of numerous producers trying to make Janet a hit with no input from her lyrically for the first time since her pre-“Control” work. And it shows as the second half sees the album desperately fall apart. “So Much Betta” is ironic, the ballads are empty sympathies and my God, the title track is just disturbing...in all the wrong ways! O_O

8. “20 Y. O.”

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of her career since her bold breakthrough in 1986, “20 Y.O.” was suppose to be an amalgamation of what made her music so timeless and memorable but the album is average at best! Sure, “So Excited” is ironically lacking in excitement but “Show Me” is fun as well as the tribal dance fest “Get It Out Me” and the R&B bounce of “Do It To Me”. But Jermaine Dupri over saturates the album with his blandest material including the dreadful dud “With U”. On the bright side, Jimmy and Terry provided the album’s finest moment with the heartfelt “Enjoy”! :)










7. “Janet Jackson"

I feel like out of Janet’s first two albums, “Janet Jackson” is far superior. The album is both a mix of bubblegum disco and new age 80’s pop. While the likes of “Forever Yours” and “You’ll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)” stink, there is surprisingly more good here than I thought. “Say You Do” and especially “Young Love” feature strong, dynamic disco productions, “Don’t Mess Up This Good Thing” is irresistibly catchy and “Come Give Your Love To Me” is a great rock-pop crossover! If only a little album called “Thriller” didn’t come out so soon at the time, maybe this album would have gotten to more ears. It ain’t half bad.

6. “All For You”

After 4 straight albums of striking evolution, amazing lyrics and unforgettable concepts, “All For You” saw a newly single Janet explore life after divorce and the results for the most part were good, not great, for the first time! What stops “All For You” from being an album up to the caliber of her previous masterworks are more weak interludes, pointlessly graphic sex ballads (“Would You Mind” is just sick!) and a horrendous arrangements of tracks. Other than that, there are some strong songs on here. The title track is a joyous, upbeat classic, “Doesn’t Really Matter” soars, “Trust A Try” rocks and “Someone To Call My Lover” is a summer blast from the past. Just stay away from “Truth!!!” Uhhhh!

5. "janet."

It’s one thing to talk about independence (“Control”) and social issues (“Rhythm Nation 1814”) and another to explore one’s sexual image through provocative lyrics and steamy productions. But that’s what Janet did with her sexiest release to date with ‘93’s “janet.” She was always beautiful but she was ready to become a woman here through the timeless urban groove of “That’s The Way Love Goes”, the fiery epic “If” and teasing feminism of “You Want This”. If you want more just skip to the academy award nominated “Again” and her most sexual ballad without giving too much details “Anytime, Anyplace”. Just forget the numerous awful interludes juxtaposed to some of her most excellent tunes!

4. “Unbreakable”

After 7 years, no one knew what Janet would be giving her fans with a new album in a whole new era of music. So much had happened since her last record: the death of her brother Micheal, her breakup with producer Jermaine Dupri and her marriage to billionaire Wissam Al Mana. These drastic changes all led to possibly her best album in nearly two decades. From her fan appreciated title track to the sensual insomnia promising lead single “No Sleeep” to the gospel funk of “Gon’ B Alright”, the album is her most personal and political in a while. When she isn’t singing about the world’s lack of change in the chilling EDM powered “Shoulda Known Better” or the mysteriously thought-provoking “Black Eagle”, she’s ready to take over the dance floor with the club ready “BURNITUP!” and the DJ Mustard inspired “Dammn Baby.” Aka The one where Janet got her musical groove back! ;)

3. “Control”

If any album is the definition of 3rd times the charm, it’s Janet’s insightful and breathtaking “Control” released in 1986! After two failed attempts with her first two studio albums, Janet did a complete overhaul of her career; teaming up with Minneapolis duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the first of many successful, classic collaborations! The results? The sassy grit of “Nasty”, the mistreated funk of “What Have You Done For Me Lately”, the toughness anthem “Pleasure Principle” and the relationship slow down, slow jam “Let’s Wait Awhile”.

2. “The Velvet Rope”

A part of me wants to put this album at #1 as there’s something so profoundly special about it over 20 years later. Possibly my favorite album of all time, “The Velvet Rope” is still arguably Janet’s most powerfully moving and artistically stunning project of her career. An album forged through depression and internal struggles of the past gave way to some of her most inspiring material. From the haunting title track, to the regret filled soul of “Got Til’ It’s Gone” to the painful roars of domestic violence on “What About” to the triumphant tune “Together Again” and cries of loneliness with “I Get Lonely”, Janet took us on a journey of self reflection and introspection you will not soon forget!

1. “ Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814"

Yes!!! Her best album and era of her career! An album that spawn 7 top 5 singles and made the world realize that Ms. Jackson was no fluke, “Rhythm Nation 1814” is a near flawless mix of social commentary and pop music! When you aren’t being moved by the political title track and it’s corresponding follow-up tracks, your dancing to the infectious beats of “Miss You Much” and “Escapade” or rocking out to the heavy metal production of “Black Cat”. This is the perfect pop album to sum up Janet Jackson at her best! Music with a memorable message, mesmerizing moves, terrific productions and a concept that will ALWAYS stand the test of time! :)