I love both of these women. They are part of my life's soundtrack. I usually rank Janet a bit higher than Madonna, because Janet just says what she thinks. Madonna seems to go for a trick or a gimmick sometimes. All that said...

Janet's 80's catalog, while 4 albums in, doesn't compare to Madonna's. While RN1814 was released in mid 1989, it feels more like a 90s record. Still 80s, though. Control was the only other huge record for her. We can talk about the simple pop appeal of Janet Jackson or Dream Street, but those songs will never hold a candle to even Madonna's cheaper sounding songs like "Shoo-Bee-Doo" or "Jimmy Jimmy."

All of M's records were spectacular, hit after hit after hit. The only slightly weaker album would be Like A Virgin. While the title track was a banger and raised a few eyebrows, the last three - "Shoo-Bee-Doo," "Pretender," and "Stay" - are throwaways, in my opinion. There had to be a better song to put on there, somewhere. Even You Can Dance was a biggie, with a new song on it. Plus she had movie after movie, putting herself out there. Desperately Seeking Susan, Shanghai Surprise (YIKES), Who's That Girl, and dipped into Broadway for a hot second.

So Madonna, just cuz she got an earlier start and skipped doing things like TV shows or Vegas acts, hit the ground running and wins the 80s. Madonna is unarguably the biggest female 80s star. Janet fumbled a bit at her starting line (she hated doing Fame) but boy what a recovery by the time of Control.

Janet ruled the 90s, though.

Hudson said:

Janet and Madonna? I didn’t know people here liked them.

I don’t consider JJ and Dreamstreet Janet albums anymore than I consider Alanis’ two teen pop albums as Alanis albums. Though Control and RN are more special to me than every M album. I would say that every 80s Madonna album is near perfect, minus one song, or two on LAP where Express Yourself should have been remixed before release. Why the hell did they omit Promise to Try on LAP’s 30th anniversary edition?

I can only surprise you're being obtuse with that first paragraph. The plethora of Janet and M threads on here cannot go unnoticed.

Back to LAP, I saw a playlist on Spotify or something that omitted "Promise to Try." I figured it was a boo boo. I didn't much care for the playlist, though. Random remixes and singles peppered in to create some new steroid version. Also a weird change to "Pray for Spanish Eyes." "Pray for" was necessary? Also, "Act of Contrition" is omitted and "Supernatural" is added to the playlist. It's very jumbled and feels like something fan-made (and not even well, I would add).

I love the original "Express Yourself." I think we've gotten so used to that remix she used in concert and that dominated radio sometimes, that we forget the bop of the original. However, the video seems to use a hybrid of both. I'd have to go back and listen to Shep's remix to know.

I'd agree there's probably one song on each album that could be ditched. Except on LAP. That's perfect as is.

By the way, her male counterpart in "Express Yourself" is still a snack. This is from 2014.

TrivialPursuit said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Madonna overall. RN1814 was a landmark but is an 80s album solely based on release although. It's impact was in the 90s which as someone else stated, Janet ruled. However, Control was a massive statement as well and I think people are just coming around to recognize it for what it was. The charts got unabashedly black after that album came out. The pop charts were the blackest they had been since the 70s and they continued to be for the next 20+ years before streaming took over. [Edited 11/29/20 11:46am]

Well said. Though I still consider RN1814 an 80's album that set the tone for the next decade, I agree with you that Madge's catalogue in the 80's gets the edge, even tho I think Janet's last 2 of the decade are better than any of Madge's 80's records.

Madonna(1983)and Control are my all time favorite

ok, this might be presumptuous and even controversial. did/do straight men, particularly black men BUY Madonna records? i know the world is morphing and labels are changing, but without judgement, i'm just saying heterosexual males are still a thing. and while i don't ascribe or prescribe any stereotypical TROPES about what that means for what one might like, buy, or do, i just don't know any (blk) men who have Madonna records. i have not seen their collections in totality or anything like that, so unbeknown to me, they might, but for my friends who are into music, that i've known for decades, Madonna was a peripheral pop phenomenon that you knew of, heard, and saw because of her ubiquity, especially in the 80s.

So non-singles to me/them would be unknown and play like brand new music. Janet on the other hand was many dudes celebrity crush and we knew her music more intimately. We bought her stuff (again, i'm speaking in generalities, sort of). We tracked with her, especially her "baby making ballads", with thoughts of "damn, Janet." So I can't do an album to album comparison but I recall the 80s clearly and Madonna was massive, so if that means her catalogue "wins", I won't argue that. but we weren't checkin' for her like that. I love the person who alluded to Alanis' two pop records vis a vis, Janet's so it's not apples to apples per se self-expression/creatively speaking, its just 4 albums each.

i hope the earlier part of this isn't "off topic." shut me down if so. no offense intended

those who appreciate a good show, including my male cousin included have seen her. he doesn't have her music though. again, the ubiquity creates familiarity. i trust she does have a diverse fanbase, the "sociologist" in me would be curious to gather some data regarding WHO actually COLLECTS her music vs. just go to a good show. i do recall her getting some "urban" radio airplay back in the day, specifically Holiday and maybe Justify My Love later on.

[Edited 12/1/20 21:33pm]

datdude said:

datdude said:

MotownSubdivision said:

MotownSubdivision said:

datdude said:

ok, this might be presumptuous and even controversial. did/do straight men, particularly black men BUY Madonna records? i know the world is morphing and labels are changing, but without judgement, i'm just saying heterosexual males are still a thing. and while i don't ascribe or prescribe any stereotypical TROPES about what that means for what one might like, buy, or do, i just don't know any (blk) men who have Madonna records. i have not seen their collections in totality or anything like that, so unbeknown to me, they might, but for my friends who are into music, that i've known for decades, Madonna was a peripheral pop phenomenon that you knew of, heard, and saw because of her ubiquity, especially in the 80s.

So non-singles to me/them would be unknown and play like brand new music. Janet on the other hand was many dudes celebrity crush and we knew her music more intimately. We bought her stuff (again, i'm speaking in generalities, sort of). We tracked with her, especially her "baby making ballads", with thoughts of "damn, Janet." So I can't do an album to album comparison but I recall the 80s clearly and Madonna was massive, so if that means her catalogue "wins", I won't argue that. but we weren't checkin' for her like that. I love the person who alluded to Alanis' two pop records vis a vis, Janet's so it's not apples to apples per se self-expression/creatively speaking, its just 4 albums each.

i hope the earlier part of this isn't "off topic." shut me down if so. no offense intended

I can't speak for the majority but I buy Madonna records, I say that as a straight black man.

When Madonna was coming up, her pre-Virgin songs were played on local black radio at least as much as they were on the pop stations. Being a pre-teen/teen during her 80's heyday, hell, she led all the girls to wearing lace and see-through blouses, so I was on Madonna's side for that.

Plus she had some jams in the 80's.

I'll take Janet -- Any Time, Any Place -- but this straight black male X'er has bought a lot of Madge's old songs before and after release, and I respect her hustle.

alphastreet said:

When everybody was on radio, it was assumed she was a black artist cause she didn’t appear on the single cover

IKR?

namepeace said:

MotownSubdivision said:

alphastreet said:

MotownSubdivision said:

alphastreet said:

namepeace said:

IKR?

Yeah read about it, cause I wasn’t born yet but lately have been in love with the song

namepeace said:

alphastreet said:

namepeace said:

I was born by the time the later singles on the first album were released and got into her in about 85/86 through her music videos

Oh, okay, I thought you were joking.

alphastreet said: