All the buzz is that the CD is a disappointment.I heard it and though it has some good tracks, my guess is she has burned everybody out with the sex stuff and whispering instead of actually sing. Janet you are an amazing talent, but drop the sex act and find something else to sing about. Better yet, why don't you sing period instead of whispering.

Because it SUCKS!!!

TurnItUp said:

It's not selling because it's as tired as yesterday's dogshit. Who wants to buy that? And it won't sell that much any more because her midget (who is largely to blame for how this laser guided turd came out) has seriously fucked things up for her at Virgin.

I hope she gets her act together, dumps the troll and makes a great next album. The thing is, The Troll has probably got her convinced that 20 JOKES is a masterpiece, and that it's global failure is the record company's fault as opposed to his fault. Plus, as with her ex, she obviously likes to get her partners involved with her albums.

Janet sadly has nothing to say. Shes trying to let her body sell records for her but we've already seen it. You cant sell millions of records because you have a hot body. Her songs and videos are stale and she seems painfully disinterested in what she's doing these days. If she isnt interested why the hell should I be?

the album isn't selling for 3 reasons and 3 reasons only:

1) 2 poor lead single choices (though personally I love SE)

2) Jermaine took creative control and alienated the pop audience

3) Virgin is trying to let her die out and just get rid of her because they are still feeling the heat from powers that be (Viacom, Clear Channel, CBS, MTV, the Religous Right) over SB



...but "Take Care" and "With U" and "Get it out Me" are still getting BETTER with each listen. and we fans have a hot tour to look forward to. so who gives a fuck? not many can say they've had the career Janet has. she'll always be a legend and influential in the biz and a superstar in the ranks of her brother, Madonna, MJ, Whitney, George Michael...so the fuck what if this album bombs.

dreamfactory313 said:

Why not? It worked for Britney.

badujunkie said:

...and PRINCE!!!

Janet has really worked at alienating her fanbase with this album; from the stale JD production, the absence of hooks, the disappointing lead single, and the promise of an upbeat dance album, the fans have been continually promised something that wasn't delivered. Dupri has ignored the people that have been with Janet since the beginning (or at least '86), and has tried to market her towards the 14 year old crowd.

Plus, the whole sex kitten act has really begun to annoy; Janet has been "exploring her sexuality" ever since the 'Love Will Never Do' video back in '90. People are really bored of her 'I Love My Vag and Push Up Bra' act. Taken together with the whole Superbowl fiasco, Janet seems stuck in some sort of stunted stage of sexual development.

For the next album, she really needs to go back to the drawing board, and think not only about what worked for her in the past, but also how to present a fresh image. Sounds paradoxical, but other popstars have done it successfully in recent years. Madonna's COADF is a modern update of her early sound, U2's past few albums successfully referenced their past glories without sounding dated, and by "rediscovering" her voice, Mariah had her most successful album in almost 10 years.

20 YO was built up like a 'Confessions...', 'How To Dismantle', or 'Emancipation', but didn't deliver. It would be like U2 in 1998 promising that their new album would be a return to their Joshua Tree-era sound only to deliver another 'Pop'. Fans were not amused.

beret1022 said:

Let's see Britney try doing that sex fluff again though. Doubt if she'd be successful. At least Janet did get a LOT of mileage out of her so called one trick pony act.

shorttrini said:

Yes, because only good Cds sell....

Poor single choices (poor follow up) and lack of promotion, which you can also pin on Janet, who should still be promoting that CD on any show that will have her, not taking a vacation....

beret1022 said:

It worked for Britney for a while just like it worked for Janet for a couple albums. Its stale now, especially at 40. Im so sad she hasnt realized it yet. She has failed to stay relevant. Thats the bottom line. People just dont care anymore.

It's the iron law of pop music. It as true for Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross in 1986 as it is for Janet in 2006. Female pop singers over 40 typically don't chart that well. Now, Tina Turner is obviously an exception but she's exceptional. But her sales were likely to recede regardless of who was behind the boards or how much of her behind she showed.

badujunkie said:

And that's the flip side. She's Janet Jackson and her clones most definitely are not.

namepeace said:

Tina only had one monster hit over 40. And that was "Private Dancer." Her comeback and pinnacle of fame.

The follow up "Break Every Rule" failed to keep the record sales up, and "Foreign Affair," depsite the memorable hits ("The Best," "Steamy Windows") failed to hit the top 20 in America and went gold.

Tina really has only been a chart queen in Europe post 1986-87. I believe her last BIG hit was "Typical Male" at No. 2 in 1986, save for "I Don't Wanna Fight" in 1993 which hit the top 10.

Would you believe Tina has NEVER had a number album in America, and only ONE number one single ("What's Love Got to with it?") ???? Shows America has no taste.

it's ironic IMO...she's celebrating 20 years of "control" with an album she's not in contol...she left everything in JD's hands! I like her...really wanted that she have put a good album out.
dre

Everyone is playing the blame game on promotion, JD, singles,etc. etc. People knew Janet was coming out with an album. Just face the reality that there's a lack of general interest with Janet Jackson now. She had her time. Even "Damita Jo" managed to sell more than "20 YO" with 1 single cover versus the numerous editions available of "20 YO" that we know hardcore fans all bought, some may have even purchased more. Even still, she couldn't push 300k sold. The album has been out for a month & hasn't even sold 500k.

well if you like the song... Someday is tonight or Comeback to me... then you will like her new song "Take care" off 20 Y.O
if you like her song thats the way love goes and got til its gone.. then you will like the song "do it to me"... of 20 Y.O
if you like the song Escapade from RN then you will like her new song "DaybreaK"
if you like the song Trust a try from AFY and You from TVR then you will like her new song " This BODY"...
if you like any of those bad hip hop songs from Damita jo.. then you will like her new song "GET it out of me"...
and if you like a fresh uptempo RnB song you will love her new song "WITH U" it sounds like it has the same melodies as mariahs song shake it off...

Thats pretty much half her album....
i dont understand how someone can be a true janet fan and not love this album...
she really took her elements from her old songs... and created this album with them...
I criticise janet the worst... AND even i think this album is good... even though i wasnt expecting it to sound this great... i just think because the media labeled it as a bad album... everyone is believing it....
i heard mariahs new album... and ITs OKAY... she has a like 4 or 5 songs on there that are decent.. the others are average Rnb songs... but everyone was saying how great the album was.. and talked positive about it... so everyone joined in and supported her new album... even though... her album was really Okay... NOt her best...

but with janet... no one wants to give support... and i could understand if those songs... sounded really terrible... but they actually sound like her music from the 90's that everyone says they love so much...

badujunkie said:

this part is baloney. Virgin has no interest in any of their product(s) failing and to suggest otherwise speaks of a total lack of understanding of commerce.

THIS THREAD IS USELESS...

Without multiple choice answers.

beret1022 said:

Britney also had extremely appealing, catchy pop songs as well though. And come to think of it, Janet did too when she was still selling albums.

Axchi696 said:

Great post. Some people still have a hard time accepting that.

At the end of the day it still comes down to opinions. And alot of opinions of the record buying public gave it a pass.

namepeace said:

Aretha was pretty huge around 1986, though (so to speak).

badujunkie said:

except for the fact that America produced a very successful career for her.

Tessa said:

Sure, that's not the best example. But with Madonna, Sade, Janet, and other 80's starlets roaming the scene, it was tough going for her in the early 80's and after that (other than the George Michael duet). She wasn't dominant.

TotalAlisa said:

Why are you applauding that? If you have EARS I don't know how you can compare Daybreak to Escapade.

Tessa said:

She still is!!!
(oops, did you mean record sales?)

Ellie said:

lol. it's the same thing with people saying "The Dance" is like "The Beautiful Ones" part II



just cause prince has a fit at the end doesn't make it The Beautiful Ones "

Tessa said:

You don't know the facts.

It was the UK that gave Tina her first comeback hit single with "Lets Stay Together." Without that fan base, which had been loyal ever since "River Deep Mountain High" flopped in the US but hit the top 5 in the UK, Capitol would not have pushed her album or relased it in the first place. Her fan base in the Europe has always been bigger. Always.

Tessa said:

Read between the lines. Have you seen Janet pushed in any market besides Urban? Have you seen Target commercials for the album or any exposure that wasn't Oprah or BET or Vibe Magazine or Ebony or Jet or Essence? No, you haven't. Oprah is the exception. Virgin is NOT promoting Janet to her normal pop audience and there's a reason for it. Actually there are 550,000 reasons for it that were issued by the FCC. Virgin the BRAND is worried about it's name being linked to hers (which is still dirty from the SB) in the LONG RUN, and not one failed flop album that they can recoup next quarter.

To suggest that this type of shit doesn't happen all the time in the music business where labels sabotage their own artists in a short term sacrifice for long term brand recognition speaks of a total lack of understanding of branding, marketing, and the pimp game that is the biz.
[Edited 10/31/06 14:52pm]