ALBUM BY ALBUM

AFTER FIRST FINDING FAME AS PART OF THE JACKSON FAMILY DYNASTY, JANET ASSERTED HER INDEPENDENCE TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND INFLUENTIAL SOLO ARTISTS IN POP

MARK LINDORES

© Alamy

Despite being just 16 years old when she released her self-titled debut album in 1982,Janet Jackson already had close to a decade of performance experience under her belt thanks to regular appearances at her brothers’ Las Vegas revue and acting roles on US TV shows such as Good Times and Diff’rent Strokes. She initially had no desire to enter the family firm, planning instead to go to college to study business law. However, those aspirations were swiftly vetoed by her strict disciplinarian father/manager Joe, who, having masterminded her brothers’ ascent to pop’s most successful dynasty, secured her a contract with A&M Records.

Trepidatious about how she wanted to present herself, Janet expressed a desire to be regarded as her own entity and was rather reluctant to have her surname on the record. Joe and A&M overruled her, however, seeing the Jackson name as a selling point and assembled a team of the R&B scene’s most promising talent to build the album around her.

Side One of the LP was written and produced by René Moore and Angela Winbush, a couple who’d written, produced, arranged and played on their own hits as well as those songs crafted specifically for Janet. Meanwhile, Side Two was helmed largely by Foster Sylvers from LA-based R&B family group The Sylvers with producer Bobby Watson completing the team.

JANET’S MINIMAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE RECO RD PROVES TO BE ITS GREATEST WEAKNESS

With success and experience between them, Janet’s only required input was to turn up and sing, a commitment that she slotted in between her studies and acting work.

Janet’s minimal contribution to the record proves to be its greatest weakness. It lacks personality, sticking largely to the identikit pop and R&B of the time with her vocals elevating much of the unremarkable material. Standouts are the funky opener Say You Do, a track that owes a large debt to Michael’s Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, the infectious, string-laden You’ll Never Find (A Love Like Mine) which harks back to Philly soul, and Come Give Your Love To Me, which refreshingly incorporates guitars and new wave synths into the mix.

Released in September 1982, Janet Jackson peaked at a disappointing No.63 in the US and failed to produce a hit single. Despite Janet’s attempts to push the album by performing on shows such as American Bandstand and Soul Train, it was eclipsed by the release of the behemoth that was Michael’s Thriller two months later.

JANET JACKSON

Released 1982

Label A&M

Chart Positions

US No.63 UK –

As statements of independence go, few are as direct as the title track of Control. Although her third album, it serves as the world’s real introduction to Janet, given it truly was the record on which she found her voice. After two unsuccessful albums which bore just her name and vocals, Janet took hold of the reins of her career by firing her father as manager. She then sought the guidance of A&M’s John McClain, who teamed her with former Prince cohorts Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.