Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released on September 19, 1989, by A&M Records. Although label executives wanted material similar to her previous album, Control (1986), Jackson insisted on creating a concept album addressing social issues. Collaborating with songwriters and record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, she drew inspiration from various tragedies reported through news media, exploring racism, poverty, and substance abuse, in addition to themes of romance. Although its primary concept was met with mixed reactions, its composition received critical acclaim. Jackson came to be considered a role model for youth because of her socially conscious lyrics.

Noted for its use of sample loop and utilizing swing note and synthesized percussion throughout its production, the album encompasses a variety of musical styles, such as new jack swing, hard rock, pop, dance and industrial music. The songs range from mechanized dance rhythms to soft balladry, giving it appeal across multiple radio formats. It became the singer's second consecutive album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States. It also topped the ARIA Charts in Australia and peaked within the top ten positions of the album charts in Japan, New Zealand, and United Kingdom. Certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Associ...of America (RIAA), it emerged the biggest-selling album of 1990 and has sold an estimated twelve million copies worldwide. Due to its innovative production and lyrical exploration, critics have come to regard it as the pinnacle of Jackson's artistic achievement. It is included in Rolling Stone's 500 Great...f All Time and the British reference book 1001 Albums You Must Hear...re You Die, among other publications "best of" album lists. It has been cited as an influence in various musical trends, inspiring numerous artists.

It is the only album in the history of the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart to have seven commercial singles peak within the top five positions. It is also the only album to produce number one hits on the chart in three separate calendar years (1989–1991). The 30-minute Rhythm Nation 1814 film, a screenplay depicting two aspiring musicians whose lives are disrupted by substance abuse, aired on MTV to promote the album. Jackson received nine Grammy Award nominations, becoming the first female artist to be nominated for Producer of the Year and winning Best Long Form Music Video for Rhythm Nation 1814. Her Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990 became the most successful debut concert tour by a recording artist, in addition to setting venue records in Japan. She was regarded as a fashion icon, with her "Rhythm Nation" attire being emulated by youth. Proceeds from the tour were used to establish the Rhythm Nation Scholarship and fund other educational programs. Jackson received the MTV Video Vanguard Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her significant contributions to popular culture.

thedoorkeeper said:

Damn good album. Definitely the pinnacle of Jackson's career.

I think it was just short of the pinnacle, IMO. janet. was a more definable pinnacle.

RN1814 is a masterpiece front to back. It was a perfect pop album. It definitely came at a time when music was starting to sound a bit stale on some fronts. That big clangy, open, reverby Taylor Dayne sound, or that schmaltzy "Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby)" by Will To Power sound was taking over. The 80s were over, and even Duran Duran was panicking to find a new sound.

I remember the first time I heard "Miss You Much". I became so immersed in the album, the message, the production, the videos. I knew most all the choreography to "Miss You Much", and the majority of "Rhythm Nation".

Janet had something to say on RN1814, but she really found herself on janet. with the softer side, the lush production, the sexier songs.

But really, Janet's albums through All For You have really been a journey. Opposed to later albums, those first albums through 2001 really lays out and says who she is and where she was at in life. Whether it was humor, sexiness, social & political messages, or her just giving up her virginity - she gave it to us.

RN1814 was so well thought out. It had a sound that we'd not heard before. And the choreography was something we'd not seen before. It really was groundbreaking and set new, higher, and better standards for music production, writing, and videos.

Obviously, MJ pushed the envelope in music video, and even loosely built a storyline in Moonwalker around the songs from Bad. But RN1814 was 30-minutes of a world I'd not seen before, but one I knew I had to be part of. It probably explains the key earring I wore, the black hat with the 1814 pin I put together, the black hair dye I wore, the ponytail up through the back of said ballcap - I was part of the rhythm nation in my own head, walking around Los Angeles like I had a purpose. hahaha

As it happens, I was talking to friends back then about the album and songs, and I ended up writing out, and ultimately correctly predicting every single on that album in order of its release. It was luck, but I really was into that record, and the singles just made sense to me. Maybe I should have been an A&R guy. haha

No other pop star (male or female) has come close to making a brilliantly constructed political and socially conscious album as Rhythm Nation. Its a definitly a groundbreaking and iconic album that still influences today, including the videos.

Background

Following the critical and commercial breakthrough of her third studio album Control (1986), Jackson was motivated to take a larger role in her album's creative process.

According to Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits (2002), A&M Records requested she record an album similar to Control. It was rumored that label executives suggested a concept album entitled Scandal, which would have centered around her personal and family life. However, Jam later denied the claim that Scandal was ever suggested, although he confirmed there was encouragement to produce a "Control II."Jackson opposed the idea of a direct sequel to Control, stating "that's what I didn't want to do. I wanted to do something that I really believed in and that I really felt strong about." She was initially criticized for choosing to dedicate the album's theme to social consciousness, but remained resolute in her commitment to the concept.

Jam stated that her inspiration for the album's theme came primarily from watching CNN and other news sources. In particular, her reaction to the Stockton playground murders led to recording "Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make)", "Rhythm Nation" and "State of the World"

While discussing the origin of the title "Rhythm Nation", Jackson stated she first uttered the phrase during a conversation with her producers. "I thought it would be great if we could create our own nation" adding that it would be "one that would have a positive message and that everyone would be free to join." She based the idea on the prevalence of various youth groups and organizations that are formed as a means of creating a common identity. The usage of the number "1814" represents the year the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" was written.Rolling Stone emphasized the core concept is further explored in the album's opening pledge (the first track of the recording), which states: "We are a nation with no geographic boundaries, bound together through our beliefs. We are like-minded individuals, sharing a common vision, pushing toward a world rid of color-lines." Several critics noted that "R" (Rhythm) and "N" (Nation) are the eighteenth and fourteenth letters of the alphabet, though Jackson said this was coincidental.

Jackson's primary goal for the record was to reach a younger audience who may have been unaware of what it means to be socially conscious individuals. She expressed: "I wanted to capture their attention through my music." She was influenced by other musical acts such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman, and U2, although she felt their music appealed primarily to adults who were already invested in social change.She also stated, "I'm not naive—I know an album or a song can't change the world. I just want my music and my dance to catch the audience's attention" hoping it would motivate people to "make some sort of difference.

Composition and production

Rhythm Nation 1814 was recorded over a period of seven months. Its production took place at Flyte Tyme studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with majority of the album being recorded in the winter of 1988. According to Jam, he, Lewis and Jackson chose to isolate themselves to compose the record. No one from A&M Records was invited to the studio to observe and label executives complied with their request.^[10] The trio co-authored six of the album's songs: "Rhythm Nation", "State of the World", "Alright", "Escapade", "Come Back to Me" and "Someday Is Tonight." Five of the six remaining songs for the record, "The Knowledge", "Miss You Much", "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" and "Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make)", were penned by Jam and Lewis, while "Black Cat" was written solely by Jackson. She co-produced the album with Jam and Lewis, while John McClain served as executive producer; the song "Black Cat" was produced by Jellybean Johnson.

The LP was produced primarily through use of synthesizers and drum machines. Prior its recording, Jam and Lewis had begun to update their equipment for Flyte Tyme studios, experimenting with different types of drum machines and keyboards. While Control had been recorded primarily using the LinnDrum machine, songs for Rhythm Nation 1814 were mostly recorded using the E-mu SP-1200, which was more commonplace for hip hop music at the time. The Oberheim OB-8 analog synthesizer, as well as those made by Sequential Circuits, were also used for mixing and recording. The only equipment utilized for the recording of Control that was also used for producing Rhythm Nation 1814 was the Ensoniq Mirage keyboard. The instrumental tracks for "Miss You Much", "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" and "Escapade" were among the first to be recorded, considered to be follow-ups to the "beat-heavy, catchy songs" that Jackson, Jam and Lewis crafted on Control which "defined the punch and power of 1980s dance and pop music."

Jam noted it was commonplace for Jackson to sing her vocals with the base track first and then have the rest of the song built around it in order to make her voice the center of the piece. "Janet did all of her background vocals and not just the lead vocals. The idea with her has always been that she does all of her own vocals, so that it's totally a Janet record."On the title track "Rhythm Nation", her vocals range from Bb₃ to G₅, climaxing within its middle eight. Musicologist Richard J. Ripani observed the album and title track showcased the variety of contemporary R&B styles, making "use of elements across the R&B spectrum, including use of a sample loop ["Rhythm Nation" samples "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" by Sly and the Family Stone], triplet swing, rapped vocal parts and blues notes (D naturals and G naturals)." This style of music, known as new jack swing, was immensely popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Though officially credited to the production techniques of Teddy Riley, Ripani theorized Riley was influenced by Jackson's 1986 single "Nasty", which also features a distinctive triplet swing. Jon Pareles observed the album's diversity catered to a wide variety of radio formats, including pop, quiet storm, Adult contemporary and mainstream rock. "Black Cat" was a stand-out for the record, not only for being composed exclusively by Jackson, but for its stark departure from her general style of music, delving into hard rock. While Jellybean Johnson was elected to produce it, Dave Berry was recruited to play guitar for the song. It was recorded using a mixture of Rockman and Marshall amplifier to give the song a heavy metal sound.

The sequencing of the record's track list was done strategically, starting with songs that lyrically depict societal injustices and ending with those that explore love, relationships and sexuality. This decision also factored into the album's artwork and marketing, giving it an overt black and white militant imagery. Jam explained that "[t]he idea of putting 'Rhythm Nation', 'Living in the World' and 'The Knowledge' as the first three songs on the record really set the tone as to what the record was. Then to have the segue after that where she says, 'Get the point? Good. Let's dance ...' and then go into 'Miss You Much', that was purposely done." He also stated that the safer marketing strategy for the project would have been "a beautiful colored picture of Janet on the cover" with Escapade as its title, starting the track listing with "Miss You Much", "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" and "Escapade", and ending it with "Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make)", "The Knowledge" and "Rhythm Nation" but noted that despite being the same collection of songs, the alternate sequencing and imagery would not have had the same impact. Of its lyrical themes, Kate Kelly stated the album "reveals a social conscience speaking of getting an education, avoiding drugs, and feeding the homeless. All this might seem a little heavy for dance music or pop radio, but Jackson fuses her concepts with driving dance energy that hits the hearts of those hitting the dance-floor." Andrew Barker of Variety described it as "a quasi-concept album whose opening three songs directly addressed crime, the crack epidemic, racism, homelessness and youth illiteracy — not exactly a recipe for a party. And yet the record was somehow even more successful than Control, generating a then-record seven top 5 singles."

Promotion and videography

Upon the release of the album's lead single "Miss You Much", A&M Records issued a press release for the record, announcing social themes to "run throughout much of the material." Jackson performed "Rhythm Nation" on several television shows internationally, including Top of the Pops and the Royal Variety Performance, in celebration of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's ninetieth birthday. She also performed a controversial rendition of "Black Cat" at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards in which she tore open her snapped blouse; although this was routine for performances of the song in concert, it was considered to have "ushered in a new age of sexual spontaneity" for the singer and viewed as the first "shocking" performance of her career.

A thirty-minute long-form music video, Rhythm Nation 1814, was produced to promote the album. Referred to as a "telemusical," the storyline incorporates three separate music videos: "Miss You Much," "The Knowledge," and "Rhythm Nation." Jackson and director Dominic Sena developed the screenplay, which centers around two boys whose dreams of pursuing music careers are destroyed through substance abuse and drug trafficking. Sena referred to the film as the "1814 Project", attempting to keep the public unaware that Jackson was filming on the streets of Los Angeles. The project had a budget of $1.6 million and was aired on MTV prior to the album's release. A&M co-founder Jerry Moss stated that the decision to film the composite videos all at once for Rhythm Nation 1814 regardless of budget was "a brilliant way to go" allotting Jackson more time to focus her attention elsewhere.

Parallel Lines: Media Representations of Dance (1993) observed that in Rhythm Nation 1814, Jackson represents a "modern good fairy" attempting to guide troubled youth to a more positive way of life. Each of the three segments serve a different purpose, beginning with affinity and companionship in "Miss You Much", followed by anger and frustration in her rooftop solo and ending with "Rhythm Nation", in which Jackson and her dancers "have become a uniformed, formidable army, whose controlled energetic moves and shouts project a disciplined resolution to inspire others through dance and music." Their group dynamic visually depicts a gender neutral equality, with Jackson "performing asexually and anonymously in front of, but as one of the members of the group." It is also noted that the success of the film is not only the final product, but in the commercial and social implications of its development. In selecting an unknown street dancer, Anthony Thomas, to develop her choreography, "Janet Jackson secures a threefold achievement: she satisfies the dictates of the commercial pop music industry by creating a dance image which is significantly different from her earlier work; she demonstrates that, despite fame, she is still in touch with contemporary youth pop culture and its fashions; and finally, she [utilizes], not the dance traditions of Hollywood musical ... but the work of a young black man whose training is outside the institutions of Western theatre and clearly an Afro-American cultural expression of the late 1980s." The film received positive reception. Jefferson Graham in USA Today commented that "she dances up a storm in the moody black-and-white video's three songs ... and plays the role of a mystical figure to young kids." Jon Pareles remarked that "[it] juxtaposes her dance routines with grim urban imagery and a plot line about drugs versus dreams." It was later released on VHS as the Rhythm Nation 1814 Compilation, and reissued the following year with each of the album's promotional music videos. Jackson received two MTV Music Video Award nominations for "Best Dance Video" and "Best Choreography" for "Rhythm Nation", winning the latter.

Five other music video were produced to promote the album's singles. While the video for "Black Cat" was taken from live footage of Jackson's concerts, those for "Escapade" and "Alright" utilized a Broadway-influenced production. The video for "Alright" was an homage to choreographer Michael Kidd, who was asked to participate in the project and also featured appearances by the flash dancing Nicholas Brothers, actress Cyd Charisse and bandleader Cab Calloway. An extended version of the video also features rapper Heavy D. The somber video for "Come Back To Me" was filmed near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Similarly, "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" was a notable departure from the typically elaborate choreography associated with Jackson's other videos, focusing on her as an individual rather than as a part of a dancing troupe. Featuring appearances by Antonio Sabàto, Jr. and Djimon Hounsou, the sandy beach setting exemplifies director Herb Ritts "signature style through use of graceful movements, bold contrasts, and wide-open spaces." The music video is also regarded as the origin of what would later become Jackson's sexually overt persona, freely displaying her legs, torso and cleavage, as well as touching her own bare skin and Sabàto, Jr's in a sensual manner. In Present Tense: Rock & Roll and Culture (1992), Anthony DeCurtis states that "[t]he video celebrates hedonism and voyeurism; there are languorous displays of Jackson's body in ripped jeans and brief top, and of several muscular male bodies, black and white, with bare arms, and chests." She received the MTV Video Vanguard Award, regarded as MTV's highest honor for artists whose videography has significantly impacted pop culture.

Legacy

The commercial success of Rhythm Nation 1814 was an unexpected achievement for mainstream pop music. Although Jackson was told focusing her album's theme on social consciousness would negatively impact sales, it was "a prediction soon proved wrong when the album was certified multi-platinum" and subsequently topped the pop, R&B and dance music charts.

In She Bop II: The Definitive History of Women in Rock, Pop and Soul (2003), Lucy O'Brien wrote that contrary to A&M's fear that the album would underperform, its multi-platinum sales pushed Jackson to a level of superstardom rivaling her brother Michael, calling it a "personal manifesto" and regarding it as a female counterpart to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On (1971).

Timothy E. Scheurer, author of Born in the USA: The Myth of America in Popular Music from Colonial Times to the Present (2007), wrote that the album "may remind some of Sly Stone prior to There's a Riot Going On and other African-American artists of the 1970s in its tacit assumption that the world imagined by Dr. King is still possible, that the American Dream is a dream for all people."

It made history as the only album to generate seven top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982) and Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. (1984), each having seven top ten hits. It is also the only album to achieve number one hits in three separate calendar years, with "Miss You Much" in 1989, "Escapade" and "Black Cat" in 1990, and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" in 1991.

Additionally, it is one of only nine albums—including Michael Jackson's Bad (1987), Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Sound Track (1977), Whitney Houston's Whitney (1987), George Michael's Faith (1987), Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl (1989), Mariah Carey's self-titled debut (1990), Usher's Confessions (2004) and Katy Perry's Teenage Dream (2010)—to produce a minimum of four number ones.

Aside from its commercial performance, the album's composition has continued to receive acclaim for its sonic innovation. Upon its 25th anniversary, music critic and scholar Joseph Vogel observed that when viewed "as a complete artistic statement, Rhythm Nation 1814 was a stunning achievement. It married the pleasures of pop with the street energy and edge of hip-hop."^[38] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly asserted the record "has barely aged—it sounds as rich and vital as it did when it was first released, and stylistically as contemporary as anything on the Billboard charts."^[95] Anderson also underscores that it pioneered several musical trends, citing records by pop and R&B artists including Rihanna, Pink, Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Gwen Stefani, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Jhené Aiko, Miguel, Christina Aguilera, FKA Twigs, and Tinashe that have exhibited similarities to the "landmark" album. Its single for "Alright" featuring Heavy D made Jackson the first pop artist to team with a rapper, "setting the trend for future pop and hip-hop collaborations."^[96] Additionally, "Black Cat" set a precedent for female pop stars segueing into glam metal.

The album notably influenced Michael Jackson's Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), the latter of which features the sibling's duet "Scream", produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Its impact also extends to indie and alternative rock music, with School of Seven Bells, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, and Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells citing the album as an influence in their work. MTV's Brenna Ehrlich remarked: "From Beyoncé ... to Britney Spears to Robyn to Sleigh Bells, the influence of Jackson's game-changer of a record is still rippling through the radio waves (or SoundCloud waves) today."

Jackson's handwritten lyrics to "Rhythm Nation" have been preserved by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "Women Who Rock" exhibit, which Kathryn Metz describes as "the perfect platform to talk about song structure" for the museum's "Women Who Rock: Songwriting and Point of View" course, in which students analyze music written by female songwriters.

Rolling Stone observed the song's music video "set the template for hundreds of videos to come in the Nineties and aughts." Mike Weaver remarked the "innovative, one-of-a-kind, funk-and-groove choreography was unlike anything seen in the history of pop music." Although music historian Ted Gioia considered the song to be an "awkward chant" he commented that "Rhythm Nation" became "one of the most riveting videos of the era, a kind of sensual steampunk for MTV viewers."

In 1990, Jackson received MTV's Video Vanguard Award for her contributions to the art form. That same year, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her impact on the recording industry and philanthropic endeavors, including her Rhythm Nation Scholarship fund. With her contractual obligations to A&M fulfilled in 1991, she signed with Virgin Records for an unprecedented multimillion-dollar deal, becoming the world's highest paid musician at the time.

Sal Cinquemani noted her popularity had eclipsed Michael Jackson's, "as she would continue to do for more than a decade." Music scholars John Shepherd and David Horn wrote that as a crossover artist on the pop and R&B charts, she emerged "the most dominant female performer of the 1980s" behind Whitney Houston.^[ Dan Rubey observed that she presented herself as a role model for black women and as a creative intellect whose work advocated the advancement of black people.

Joseph Vogel stated that her rising popularity towards the end of the decade was important for several reasons, "not the least of which was how it coincided with (and spoke to) the rise of black feminism." At a time when radio airplay and MTV primarily catered to white rock musicians, her album and its predecessor garnered widespread critical acclaim alongside other "unprecedented breakthroughs" by black women—including Alice Walker's The Color Purple (1982), Toni Morrison's Beloved (1987) and Patricia Hill Collins's Black Feminist Thought (1990)—musically capturing the spirit of the movement and presenting an alternate model on both womanhood and feminism to that of Madonna. Regarding her diverse appeal among youth, he also stated: "Janet didn't have the vocal prowess of Whitney Houston, or the poetic subtlety of Kate Bush; she didn't have Annie Lennox's penchant for the avant-garde or Madonna's predilection for shock. But none of these artists achieved the cross-racial impact (particularly on youth culture) of Janet. And none of them had an album like Rhythm Nation 1814."

Jackson herself would comment on the album's legacy on her 2015 album Unbreakable. In the song "Shoulda Known Better", she reflects on her optimistic wish that Rhythm Nation 1814 could have profoundly changed the world, noting that there are many, deeper issues to fix and that broad strokes aren't enough. The chorus includes the line, "Cause I don't want my face to be / That poster child for being naive"; and Rhythm Nation's title is referred to as "an epiphany", with Jackson mentioning that "next time, I'll know better." Album co-producer Jimmy Jam told the BBC: "When you're young, you feel like: 'I can change the world! I'm going to lead the revolution!' And then you look 25 years later and you go: 'OK, I should have known better. The same problems still exist but there's a different way to go about tackling it. It still involves mobilising people, but I can't do it by myself.' It's just a wiser, more mature look at the reality of trying to make a positive change, a social change."

Janet Jackson received 8 award at the 1990 Billboard Music Awards telecast (She also won an additional 7 awards that night which were not televised, bringing her total to 15 awards won in one night)

The video was quite fascist.

One of the (countless) threads on here about Janet Jackson pushed me to look up most of her early singles, all the way from 'Young Love' up to that 1993 one, on YouTube. Most of those 1986 to 1990 hits I hadn't heard since I was a kid.

I have to say, most of them don't hold up very well. I was pleasantly surprised by "Let's Wait Awhile", which is a rather nice pop tune. Lovely song -- I think that one will endure. "Love will Never Do (without You)" is all right, and at least holds up due to its killer melody. The rest of them strike me, personally, as forgettable.

Essentially, I think her huge success in the late-80s can be attributed to three things: (1) Michael Jackson, (2) MTV, and (3) Prince. She copied things from (1) and (3), and mastered the use of (2), without which she didn't have much to stand on.

What's weird to me, now, is how much she copied Michael's image and approach. I mean, she smelled the money and went for it -- good for her -- but I think if I were him, I would have been a bit annoyed, especially when my sister was doing it. The poses, the yelps, the 'vaguely socially conscious but actually meaningless lyrics', the military-style uniforms, the line-dance videos.

I suppose I commend her on the 'multi-racial' image she put across in the videos (which, let's face it, are 90% of her appeal), but that was something already seen in the mainstream by Prince, Whitney Houston, etc. (hell, even 'The Cosby Show'). Prince did it with a lot more edge, while Janet sort-of presented racial-harmony in a Disneyfied, dumbed-down way. But whatever, it's all positive I suppose, so good enough.

She really dominated MTV and made it her b****. She hired the right people and spent enough money on those videos to really get into heavy rotation.

She was certainly canny and hard-working in her time, and did present a positive image. As for her actual level of talent... let's just say she wasn't threatening Prince, let alone her brother. But the fact that she left Prince behind in the dust commercially and even threatened Michael's sales-curve for a few years shows how smart and savvy she was.

HAPPYPERSON said:

Janet Jackson received 8 award at the 1990 Billboard Music Awards telecast (She also won an additional 7 awards that night which were not televised, bringing her total to 15 awards won in one night)

She is by far the best female performer of all time. I don't see how anybody can say anyone else....

Thanks for all the posts and links Rhythm Nation 1814 is a work of art.....I still have the jacket which I won back in 1990 on Countdown tv show in Oz, the first prize was to see Janet in Japan, but the runner ups (think there was 2 of us) got this jacket and it still fits

Janet Jackson Live In Japan 1990

[Edited 3/1/17 18:41pm]

The greatest album by any female artist of any music genre since the time of its release 28 years ago....

and one of the greatest albums ever in the history of the arts

When Janet made this song "Living In a World They Didn't Make"....that let me know she meant business

The industry of today would not allow a song like this to be on the airwaves....they don't want that....they want chaos....

[Edited 3/1/17 20:34pm]

Scorp said:

The greatest album by any female artist of any music genre since the time of its release 28 years ago....

and one of the greatest albums ever in the history of the arts

When Janet made this song "Living In a World They Didn't Make"....that let me know she meant business

The industry of today would not allow a song like this to be on the airwaves....they don't want that....they want chaos....

[Edited 3/1/17 20:34pm]

I agree, it is the best female pop album that has been released over the last 30 years.

mjscarousal said:

Scorp said:

The greatest album by any female artist of any music genre since the time of its release 28 years ago....

and one of the greatest albums ever in the history of the arts

When Janet made this song "Living In a World They Didn't Make"....that let me know she meant business

The industry of today would not allow a song like this to be on the airwaves....they don't want that....they want chaos....

[Edited 3/1/17 20:34pm]

I agree, it is the best female pop album that has been released over the last 30 years.

State of the World

PrettyMan72 said:

State of the World

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Jam with that Moog bassline (or whatever it was) got me everytime. Especially the intro..Dogs barking, tragic news headlines, a sense of urgency permeated and a funkyass bassline to set it off right. I remember hating that the label didn't really push it as a single in the US, (although it was almost two years after the album release I think, don't quote me on that). Nevertheless, I guess they figured they milked that RN cow long enough.

Here's my favorite remix of Miss You Much...Mainly for the last half of it....

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Jam's synth work on the end vamp reminds me of their classic work with the SOS Band.

[Edited 3/2/17 8:49am]

PrettyMan72 said:

State of the World

I loved that, but I so dug "The Knowledge". The lower near-spoken verses, then the quick harmony on the chorus. The orgy of sounds, that bass. The video!!! It was too short in the mini-movie they did. I'll still always remember her doing the take over and over and over and over driving the production crew crazy. hahaha

There's an interesting move in the choreography where she takes her thumb and rubs it on the back of her other hand while saying "prejudice....NO". She looks at her thumb when she says "no". It was noted that the move is to say "No, this color doesn't rub off. This is who I am." It's such a quick move, but powerful. Unfortunately it's sorta hidden in the shadow. It's at the :53 mark.

[Edited 3/2/17 9:57am]

AMAZING ALBUM. 10/10. World reknown album that stands the test of time. A kind of album many artists wish they had under their belt and don't dare to re-create.

mjscarousal said:

No other pop star (male or female) has come close to making a brilliantly constructed political and socially conscious album as Rhythm Nation. Its a definitly a groundbreaking and iconic album that still influences today, including the videos.

hold up...... what about, Marvin Gaye - "What's Goin' On?"

maybe for her generation, and the generation after, i would agree with Rhythm Nation 1814...

amazing album though

TrivialPursuit said:

PrettyMan72 said:

State of the World

I loved that, but I so dug "The Knowledge". The lower near-spoken verses, then the quick harmony on the chorus. The orgy of sounds, that bass. The video!!! It was too short in the mini-movie they did. I'll still always remember her doing the take over and over and over and over driving the production crew crazy. hahaha

There's an interesting move in the choreography where she takes her thumb and rubs it on the back of her other hand while saying "prejudice....NO". She looks at her thumb when she says "no". It was noted that the move is to say "No, this color doesn't rub off. This is who I am." It's such a quick move, but powerful. Unfortunately it's sorta hidden in the shadow. It's at the :53 mark.

[Edited 3/2/17 9:57am]

word...GREAT song... sick bass-line