Home

[Lazarus]

The School of Janet Jackson: Ten Songs From the 21st Century Modeled After Her Classics

This Sunday, May 20, Janet Jackson will receive the Icon Award at this year?s Billboard Music Awards. It?s a fitting honor for a triple threat who?s navigated the terrains of a constantly changing music industry for generations, and whose music seems just as relevant today as it was 20 or 30 years ago.

For more than four decades, the youngest sibling of the Jackson family has taught valuable lessons with her art: How to reinvent one?s sound and image in order to push music forward; the importance of sexual liberation as a woman; and how to draw attention to societal taboos and timely matters and prove conversation, without compromising one's ability to make everyone dance and sing along.

In our current decade, Ms. Janet-If-Your-Nasty?s soft-spoken candor and astute attention to detail while performing has inspired a legion of entertainers. Here are 10 songs from the master class of Janet Jackson acolytes, which most closely resemble (or most obviously borrow a few techniques from) the icon?s classic singles and deep cuts -- ultimately producing next-generation gems for today?s pop and R&B audiences.

?Funny How Time Flies (When You?re Having Fun)? (1986) / Tinashe feat. Future?s ?How Many Times? (2014)

Although she?s heralded as one of pop?s most important figures today, Janet Jackson didn?t receive her mainstream breakthrough until the release of her third studio album, Control. On the nine-track LP, Jackson has a coming of age while entering her twenties -- resulting in her taking what the title suggests in regards to her love life, image, and musical career.

One 21st Century pupil who is often compared to the icon -- as she often explores these motifs throughout her own discography -- is Tinashe, who in many ways is still seeking her mainstream equivalent to Control. The closest Tinashe?s arrived to such a feat would arguably be her major label debut, Aquarius. That album?s sixth track, ?How Many Times,? directly samples the slow-winding instrumental of Jackson?s Control highlight ?Funny,? while its chorus -- inquiring ?how many times can we make love in one night?? -- replicates the same stop-and-go vocal structure, with a breathy sensuality to make Ms. Jackson proud.

?Let?s Wait Awhile? (1986) / Brandy?s ?No Such Thing As Too Late? (2012)

Throughout her career, Jackson has offered late-nite R&B radio (otherwise known as ?quiet storm?) some of its greatest classics: Control?s ?Let?s Wait Awhile? being at the forefront. Despite the song?s sensual tone and the singer?s mezzo soprano delivery, its dawdling pace reflects a central message of sexual abstinence, Janet promising she'll "be worth the wait." On her album Two Eleven, Brandy follows that same idea by suggesting to her mate -- over a similarly lite, breezy groove -- to let their love grow before taking it to the next level.

?Rhythm Nation? (1989) / Beyonc??s ?Formation? (2016)

While debates are still boiling over about whose the better entertainer between Beyonc? or Michael Jackson, there?s the added factor of the former?s adoration for the latter?s sister. In 2014, Bey emulated her idol for Halloween, dressing up in Jackson?s iconic ?Rhythm Nation? costume -- even sporting the signature key earring.

Two years later, she?d release a politically empowering anthem for black women across America, with a critically acclaimed music video, also consisting of militant choreography and era-defining visuals. Similar to how ?Rhythm Nation? was a part of a longer film project focusing on social justice and racial harmony, ?Formation? would be a groundbreaking segment of Bey's Lemonade visual album.

?I Get Lonely? (1997)/ Kelly Rowland and Lil Wayne?s ?Motivation? (2011)

Velvet Rope was not only noteworthy for establishing the precedent for a pop diva addressing their place in society at large, but for setting the standard of moody alt-R&B LPs drenched in sexual confidence -- as best demonstrated by the album's impossibly seductive third single, "I Get Lonely." Kelly Rowland was so inspired by the R&B gem, its video?s choreography, and Jackson?s outfit, that she delivered one of the BET Awards? most titillating moments while performing her electro-hopping slow jam ?Motivation,? dressed and dancing like Janet from the "Lonely" video.

The rest
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/bbma/8456481/janet-jackson-influences-10-modern-songs

Do you agree with their selections?

[KING BENTLEY.]

agreed

[FlowerBomb]

But I thought Queen wasn't influential

[BAPHOMET.]

There is NOTHING about "Formation" song or video that someone would say hmmm. This reminds of some janet mess.

f

@ Rhythm Nation. 

[Navyman]

Let me listen to that song they say is modeled after Godless. One of my favorite Ci messes.

[BAPHOMET.]

?Twenty Foreplay? (1996) / Ciara?s ?Speechless? (2010)

?Free Xone? (1997) / Lady Gaga?s ?Born This Way?(2011)

SLDFKJHKKKKKKKKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH

yea. this is whole thing is a crock of shit.

[FlowerBomb]

There is NOTHING about "Formation" song or video that someone would say hmmm. This reminds of some janet mess.

f

@ Rhythm Nation. 

I guess Billboard felt different!

[BAPHOMET.]

There is NOTHING about "Formation" song or video that someone would say hmmm. This reminds of some janet mess.

f

@ Rhythm Nation. 

I guess Billboard felt different!

no. Just the crusty nigger that wrote it

https://twitter.com/Nightshawn101

YUCK.

[BAPHOMET.]

Music Journalist. Insightful Contrarian. Defiant Rulebreaker. Rude Boy. Self-Made King. One of the Realest.

d

disgusting. and Im supposed to take this serious ? HA! i think not.

[FlowerBomb]

Billboard has Baph writhing in FLAMES

[BAPHOMET.]

Whoever this ghetto nigga Da'Shan is that wrote this is so misinformed.

its crazy

[FlowerBomb]

This accurate PRAISE

[BAPHOMET.]

Jayd' be REAL for a moment.

?All For You? (2000)/ Ariana Grande?s ?No Tears Left To Cry? (2018)

At the turn of the new millennium, Jackson added a new dimension to Y2K dance-pop by fusing elements of lighthearted disco into her trademark R&B sound. ?All For You? became a bubbly No. 1 hit on the Hot 100, with a music video featuring the singer dancing and having fun in an imaginative city. For Ariana Grande, she?d also embrace those more cheerful vibes with a disco sway on her most recent pop&B top 10 hit ?No Tears Left To Cry,? released following the tragic attacks outside her 2017 concert in Manchester, England. Feeling an urge to ?pick up? the pieces after tragedy, Grande dances in a fairytale world resembling Manchester, bringing a shining light of hope to today's pop, and to her upcoming fourth album.

like....

[como la whore]

not Born This Way

[FlowerBomb]

Jayd' be REAL for a moment..

Baph stop being BITTER for a moment

out of two possible reaches in the article, it's not far-fetched to link Formation & RN
especially with it's social message, militant performances and outfits
Billboard aren't the only ones that thought that either