Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Wel leuk maar een beetje saai wel.
This was ok. I liked some of it, but the rest was just so-so
Fine
Ah it’s so close to a 4. Only thing holding me back is the fact I don’t think I’ll be back but it is good.
I was gonna give this a 2 but the second half of it really saved it. I didn't realize how many of her hits came from this record until the last couple of songs. It's ambitious and it doesn't really deliver on its ambitiousness (at least for my taste, I don't really like the thing of having an interlude in between every song and as cool as new jack swing is the non-ballad songs tend to sound samey) but yeah the last few songs are bangers
os diversos interludes me tiraram um pouco da imersão do álbum, mas a janet é uma diva e moldou muita coisa do mundo pop. 3,5.
I'm not surprised this Janet album made the list and not "Control", although personally, I think Control is a better album. But, this one is pretty solid as well. Janet covers a lot of new territory here and speaks out on a lot of social issues for the time (and to be honest, many are still happening today). Overall, I like the album and think it's solid. Is it something you must hear before you die? Sure, but make sure to check out "Control", you might dance to that one more. Key tracks (the main singles off the album): Love Will Never Do (Without You) Miss You Much Black Cat But deeper cuts that are good: Alright The Knowledge Rhythm Nation 3.49/5 (I just couldn't get it to 3.5 and have to rate it a 4 on this scale)
Its fun
I had this on cassette in 1989. A good pop album. The interludes are unnecessary but tracks like Rhythm Nation, Love Will Never Do, and Escapade help make up for it.
Not a bad rhythm - no wardrobe slip though
A couple of things: 1. I had never heard any of these songs before, and 2. No, I was not in a coma from 1989 through 1990. In reading about this album, I believe I remember seeing that 7 of the songs were top 5 hits…I can’t believe that I am not familiar with anything of them. I was very familiar with the hits from her previous album, Control, so I don’t know what happened to me here. This album surprised me, in that I enjoyed it more than I expected to. A couple of things that I didn’t like, was the use of electronic percussion, and I thought that many of the songs sounded really similar, especially in the first half or so. Also, I think the album ran a bit long. But overall I really didn’t mind this record at all…I have to say that I really liked the song, Black Cat. This album comes in at a strong 3 stars for me.
Ok album overall. Some songs were interesting Standout songs: Rhythm Nation State of the World Black Cat
Some of these songs were so completely unavoidable (read: massively overplayed) in 1989, and yet they've seemingly disappeared altogether. I'd completely forgotten them. All in all, a better listen than I would have expected going in. Holds up better than a lot of pop from that era.
I enjoyed some of this. But far too many of the songs had a lot going on. It was overwhelming for the senses, particularly the hearing one. Does that mean it’s overproduced? Is that a thing people say? Not idea if that’s a valid criticism. But it caps the review at a three for me. Simpsons: Yes
Slightly struggling with this. It starts with a few tracks with fairly political / socially conscious lyrics before she literally says "you get the idea, now let's dance" which I found odd. Then the rest is mostly radio friendly love songs with a dancey beat I'm not a massive fan of the overproduced nature of it and there's a lot here given she says most of the important stuff in the first 10 minutes. I do like the fact that a few tracks mix up the style and keeps it fresh despite a long running time, eg the rockier Black Cat. Just about 3 stars, it's alright but I doubt I'll listen again
3.5. Some of these have held up well. Others just seem to run together.
Didn't think I'd like this as much as I did. I hear a lot of Prince in it, which I liked.
This is real cliche and preachy, but I suppose that’s easy to say in retrospect. At the time, this was admittedly a super popular album. Almost the whole thing was released to the radio. The guitar riff on Black Cat is badass though. Always loved that song. That’s enough for a slight bump.
Rhythm Nation starts off with a bang with the title track and keeps it up through the first few songs, especially "State of the World." I mostly ignored this release when it came out, mostly because I (unfairly) associated Janet Jackson with her older and more-famous brother, who by that point was thoroughly creeping me out and putting me off with super high-gloss pop music and his increasingly questionable antics. By the time RN gets to the bubbly "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" and the ballad "Livin' In a World (They Didn't Make)" I'm losing interest, fast. But then it hits its stride again with "Alright" and closes out strong with "Someday is Tonight." Overall, this is a strong example of late-80s sequenced pop-funk with some genuine bangers but some songs weighed down by dated production.
Catchy, but left less of a lasting impression than I expected it to.
For anyone of a certain age this album (or at least all the singles--the bulk of this album) is etched into their brain somewhere. For better or worse. Which maybe makes this hard to objectively review some 35 years later. It's iconic, for sure. "Escapade" is still a great pop song.
I remember having my first romantic crush, 1982 (?), Janet Jackson in the TV series Fame. If you look her up, she looks like a completely different person to how she appeared on this album. It was like listening to a time capsule. Ita chronically over produced, but she was trying to telegraph a message. I think?
OK
Not too bad. Just not really my thing.
This feels very 80s! But overall it's pretty good and catchy. It all got a bit samey after a while but it flowed nice and didn't drag on like some longer albums often do
Not to my tastes at all, but undeniably has some bops and definitely presses some nostalgia buttons. I generally feel uncomfortable listening to anything from the Jacksons, though, due to all the ickiness. A solid 3, though.
80’er pop med god smadder på produktionen
21st century pop owes a lot to her. The Romance And Social Issues themes, the spoken bits, the genre soup, every song sounding the same…
Starts our great but is a bit too long
Very Micheal. I Like the sound but it feels like much of the same
Janet was so hot in the day! I wasn’t a fan, but recognized her stature as a pop powerhouse. My favorite moment, of course, was the Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction with Timberlake, that wasn’t a malfunction at all! The shock of seeing a black breast with a pastie was apparently too much for the old white Kens and Karens, so the studio brass had to make some shit up to explain their poor decisions. I loved it! From the boob flash to the fallout, it was a classic American freak show.
There was definitely an effort to be more profound here, which is not something you'd consider when listening to R&B music. Especially during this era of R&B/new jack swing where emphasis was more on the rhythms and production of the music. The album immediately begins with tracks themed around societal issues and injustice, eventually segueing into songs about love and sensuality (Janet Jackson's bread and butter). I'm very familiar with the singles here, being a fan of new jack swing and 80s/90s R&B myself. The singles ARE the singles for a reason though, being the tracks that tended to be more "radio-friendly", rather than the ones that focuses on the heavier issues. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that new jack swing makes me think more of the fun, catchy, rhythmic & sample based tracks (ala Jackson's previous album "Control") and not an overproduction mixed with more social commentary than one would anticipate. This isn't a bad album, but I'd argue that "Control" would've been a better rep for Jackson on this list if not for its influence on R&B and the emergence of new jack swing. Also, "Control" simply packs more of a punch in the hits department with less tracks.
I was into the beats on most of the songs, but with this being over an hour on runtime it did get kind of stale after Escapade. Rhythm Nation and Escapade were probably the best tracks on here. I think this clears the bar enough for 3...low 3.
Catchy poppy album
I didn't want to like it - but this is a fuckin bop and a half. Wow. Do i kind of want to buy this? at least the A side? yes...yes i do... I stand by my thoughts - the tail end of the B side, though ripping with a horn solo, does lose you a bit. Just comparatively speaking. But damn - she was a hit. Do i dig deeper into the catalog? Only time will tell. Shoutout Jimmy Jamm and Terry Lewis.
Some bangers in here. Production is highest level. The youthful flip flop between sexual naivety and aggression comes across as a little dated now. We’re living in a different world musically. A three for me.
Watered down Michael
so, so long and so, so late '80s. several bangers despite this
i do like an album with a lot of bells & whistles though the music can be overconsistent perhaps
Bra pop / dans album, snäppet för långt. Förvånansvärt politiskt
First time listen via streaming.
Cool beats but a record that's really showing its age at this point.
Higher score if this was two separate albums. I remember loving this album as a kid but on relisten it feels super disjointed. Interlude: Let's Dance to Someday Is Tonight feels like one album. The rest feel like another.
This is fine.
It was just okay for me, although I know it was iconic in its day.
It seems like a good pop album. Not my thing, though.
Took a bit to warm up to this one. The singles are great but the rest is sorta subdued and the beats aren't my thing. New Jack Swing, maybe? Overall it's a bit of a Rollercoaster but also too long. 2.75/5
More objectively good than subjectively.
Pleasant enough and has some bangers, but it got a little samey after 4 or 5 songs.
Am Anfang hat mich der Groove zum Schmunzeln gebracht. Allerdings finde ich das Schlagzeug mit der Zeit anstrengend und die Songs sind etwas lang mit zu vielen Wiederholungen für meinen Geschmack. Die Rhythmen sind catchy, aber die Musik fokussiert für mich zu stark auf hart klingender Perkussion, die mit der Zeit repetitiv und schmerzhaft in den Ohren wird. Harmonien sind wenig interessant (das ändert sich ein wenig gegen Ende des Albums). Sie ist gut in Song-Anfängen und Ideen, aber ich finde, die entwickelt sie nicht weiter, sondern wiederholt sie stattdessen.
Came for "WEEE ARE A PART OF THE RHYTHM NATIOOONNN", got slow jams instead :/
6.5/10
Standard Janet Jackson album.
This has some really solid songs, and has some grand messages for the world. Unfortunately though, some of the weird & clanky drum beats just don't stand the test of time. I still love you JJ, and I would have loved you better than DeBarge. 3.4
Quite ok Pop/modern RnB here, obviously pulling inspiration from Prince. However after some tunes you realise that it is without the Prince x-factor though. So decent, but not outstanding…
Lots of energy from the familiar songs, otherwise pretty calm. Not sure I need to listen to this again.
The hits and dance songs were good, the slower songs not so good.
Sorta Blood Orangey
I found this rather dull
Alright.
Judging by the numbers of times played on Spotify, some of the songs on this album are still quite popular. I fail a bit to see why, though. The album sounds very 80s pop, even though it's from the latter part of the 80s. It's hard to not think about Michael Jacksons album when hearing this, as it sounds quite similar. Where Michael's albums stand the test of time, this doesn't. Barely any songs that I liked that much, perhaps except 'Lonely' which I found still sounds fairly modern. Overall not that interesting, but also not the worst I have heard.
bello, divertente ma impegnato e ti fa venire voglia di ballare. lei ha una voce splendida. la produzione è interessante. tutte cose bellissime. peccato che duri mezz'ora di troppo.
The concept of this album is a bit directionless - the interludes are very political and address a lot of serious social issues but the songs are mainly just standard love songs that don’t delve into the same heavy topics and make the whole project feel quite disjointed Musically it’s just as all over the place, from adult contemporary to hip-hop-inspired funk to straight up rock songs, but Janet’s voice and presence is versatile enough to make it all work. It’s not as fun as Control or as immaculate as The Velvet Rope, but it’s a well written and performed collection of songs. Just not the concept album it fronts itself as
Virkelig langt. Glad for at interlude/skit æraen er ovre. Men derudover lyder det meget godt
Meget catchy! Lidt for lang, men man mærkede det egentlig ikke så meget
Some decent songs
Solid album. I liked the variety of slow and fast songs, but I think the layout of the album was a bit weird. A lot of the faster songs used similar instrumentals and sounded samey and a bit long, but they were still pretty fun to listen to. 'Livin in a World (They Didn't Make)' was my personal fave. 'Lonely' and 'Black Cat' were good too.
Could see it having it's fans but is it really that remarkable? The slow r&b numbers at the end really feel tacked on should have been left off. 3*
This is just mid. Not very good and never was.
Decent album, has many production aspects reminiscent of New Jack and late 80s early 90’s pop such as 808s, big guitars, and huge drums. Great songwriting and performances.
not my style but relevant for the genre
File under: Good but not my cuppa. I don't love the production on this, though I will say that I liked it more than I thought I would. The bangers were banging—the beat on that first tune was pretty killer. The ballads and mid-tempo tunes were a little cloying. Also, that drum sound got old after a few tunes. I wanted her personality to jump out at me a little more, and I thought her lyrics weren't the greatest. But it was still a fun time, somehow. So overall, I was glad I heard it, and I think it accomplishes what it's trying to do, but I won't be spinning it again.
Really funky and catchy. Inspirational messages. Some of the longer tracks got a bit tiring though, with the same beat over and over again. Overall good. Highlights: Rhythm Nation The Knowledge Miss You Much
A good dose of late 80s pop, in terms of her discography I like it less than Control (3.5/5)
Buen disco, con ritmo, pero no consigo que las canciones se me adhieran.
Some classic pop songs in there and some forgettable ones too.
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this album. I didn’t love it. I thought it was really good. Certainly ahead of its time dealing with social issues that really hadn’t been addressed in this way before. It felt like a very personal album.
Good. And I saw this tour. Not sure it's aged that great
Political first half, sensual second half. I found myself head nodding more than I expected. Escapade is still a bop.
Pre-listening thoughts: the only songs I know by janet jackson are rhythm nation and the one where she samples Ventura highway 😭. And now every time I hear rhythm nation I think of that awful cover Prime’s Cinderella did. Post/during listening thoughts: I’m not super sure why the reviews are whining about the production cause this is superrr similar to the production Michael Jackson used in a lot of his songs just like a little louder. Black Cat she very vocally sounds like Michael imo. Janet’s voice does get drowned out a little so I wish they had lowered some volume levels. I understand the interludes but there are a LOT of them. Listen people were complaining about the pop-ness of this album but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. It’s super upbeat and catchy but also with a good message. It is a little samey though like every song has a very similar beat/sound. I wanted to credit the transitions but like if every song sounds similar how much of an accomplishment is that really 😭. If you want an album full of rhythm nations with some mid ballads thrown in this is for you 6.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no I think all you need to hear is the song Rhythm Nation (if that) Fav tracks: Rhythm nation, Love will never do (without you), Alright, Escapade, Black Cat Least fav tracks: ig the interludes cause I don’t think they’re necessary and Lonely and Come Back to Me sorry
Absolutely does not need so many interludes, but the songs are ok. Influenced her brother, which I'm sure she loved, and was surprisingly (to me) huge when it was out. She's touring again soon, but I'll not be rushing out to see her.
A lot of these albums have little interludes between the songs. Like little folk song narrative calibrations.... This album has always been a mystery to me. When it dropped, I loved it. It was danceable, intense, angry, determined, and seemed powerful. During this morning's reunion of ear and sound, I giggled more than once at its goofy self-confidence and interventional optimism. Danceable politics...get em with the groove and they will join the rhythm nation. Music will heal all (in addition to militaristic choreography). I think I was intrigued as a kid by the Trojan horse of these tunes. Songs that sounded like her brother, Michael's, but which contained culturally reflective and politicized thought that seemed broader and more socially concious than his pop hits. Janet was trying to differentiate herself, stand out, assert a feminist social compassion. To be taken seriously. But then this group of songs hits the listener: miss you much, love will never do, and alright, escapade, come back to me, someday is tonight....back to softpop and love. (Until the guitar and independent strength of Black Cat) So how does this all fit together? Does this all fit together? This album is a declaration of independence from Michael's overwhelming celebrity. It's a younger sister trying to be taken seriously: politically, musically, artistically, sexually. Asserting her diversity. Asking us to dance with HER. Black cat
I’m some very 80’s synth sounds… not always bad. Definitely an album to be choreographed about with a stage full of dancers
Även om det är lite väl svulstigt och bombastiskt ibland - och förstås väldigt mycket 80-tal - så är det väldigt välproducerat. Även sångmässigt mycket bra. Problemet är dock att låtarna trots detta i de flesta fall inte är så mycket mer än okej. Det blir också lite väl enformigt under en dryg timme. För ovanlighetens skull tycker jag att andra hälften av skivan är klart bättre än den första.
Lkkr jaren 80 weer, maar ook weer niet zoo bijzonder
leuk album, janet legend
again not my thing
rhythm nation. banger? ich bi definitiv nöd en new jack swing guy. aber de shit goht no dumm. ok has churz abgstellt welli d annika troffe han im tram und s ischmer döt scho nogloffe. ich bin part of the rhythm nation. uiii de radio skip time "a pain reliever -neus radio- are bullets" hobla. oder TV halt okay. staat von der welt macht sie de jackson flüsteri. sie het afoch au d nase glich operiert wie de michael schono weird. de sond state of the world isch chli preachy? ok sie macht sich sorge umd welt i guess. production chönt nervig werde. das wissen. okay sie weiss? education wichtig? i miss you mötsch? okay. i guess cool. aber find das ganze so mässig stimmig irgendwie mega nervös. love will never do het en harde beat. aber s isch scho vorallem orchestral hits und so. find de etz no cute. living in a world aaaah scho janet was sie het au en song wo alright heisst. maltschik alright isch besser. chli en filler song. escapade isch reeecht geil. well have a god tiiiiime schwarz katz rock time??? rieeeese banger?? Lõnely? d 808 cowbell funny. aber de song chli lame. ha so r&b ballade nöd so gern. schmusemusig nai danke "te quiero tanto" ich dich au janet. come back to me het hübschi chords und bgvs aber wieder son huere schliicher someday is tonight tönt noch stevie wonder (aso overjoyed). isch cool het irgendwie tension ide akkörd.
Rhythm Nation is cool, and some of the new jack swing beats is representative of the style.
Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 has so much substance! I appreciate a Black woman singing unapologetically about romance and she has such a sultry voice that isn't over the top. But more than that, the interludes include social commentary and act as the glue to bind the album together. This album is mostly pop but incorporates funk and r&b, so it's a super smooth listen. I wasn't the biggest fan but do recognize the album's importance on this list. And, of course, that iconic outfit!
not bad
So much overproduction on this album. The drums and synths don't need to be that loud to be impactful. Drowns out a lot of Janet Jackson's voice at times. The lyrics, often just outright cheesy or filled with platitudes about changing the world from a privileged woman, and production here are super dated. The love songs really stick out against the ones about social issues and I would have preferred an album full of them, they're all great. BUT Janet Jackson is a legend and I can really see her socially conscious approach must have been inspiring at the time, especially as a black woman. Tracy Chapman did it better though.
I can see how this would appeal to the pop heads of the late 80’s but in 2024 it kinda sounds like an after-school special. I don’t have anything against the message Janet is going for, it’s just a tad on the nose. As for the synth beats, I’m down for it. The album ran a bit long and the ballads could definitely be cut to clean this up. 3 stars
Nothing memorable, good for background music.
Way back machine... If you want to hear what 80's pop is listen. This isn't a knock on the album, opposite this is extremely well done.
Fun pop album that I could see myself throwing on again.
Ah, what idealism we had in the 80s. Yes, the world is terrible, but we can imagine a world of peace and harmony where we stop hating each other and just dance! It's an obviously optimism worldview, but it's very tempting to let yourself enjoy it. Though I have far less optimism in 2024 than Janet Jackson did in 1989, it still makes for nice escapism. Despite that, she was addressing very real social issues, which did feel a bit risky for a major pop star at the time so I have to respect that. The music is very typical of the 80s, including very big, fun dance numbers with heavy drum machine beats, alongside ultra smooth ballads. I'd pass on the latter but some of the pop songs could develop into guilty pleasures if I was ever gave it a chance.
I prefer Control as an album but this one did grow on me after a couple of listens. As a millennial, a bit of nostalgic new jack swing makes me nostalgic. Rhythm Nation is great and the Come Back To Me has that Janet vocal magic <3
This reminds me of Prince, but a lot less fun / funky. Also Prince was doing this stuff a decade before and moved on to new sounds, so isn't this sound a little dated for 1989. Overall it is fine, but not much to write home about. I would have rather added something like Controversy or Dirty Mind to the list in the place of this record. But this record does have some historic significance so its inclusion makes sense. low 3
It was okay.
Mildly fun album.
This album is plagued by the very dated sounding instrument kit used. The synthetic bass and drums and the horn stabs are really a product of its time and were wisely abandoned years later when the sound went out of style. Jackson's singing is excellent but the songs really aren't there to overcome the sound for me. I realize it's subjective but I just can't get over it. The first half of the actual songs are overrun with it. That said I thought about this in the scope of modern popular music, and I'm sure that lots of albums we listen to now are going to sound like this to people in the future. What I can say is that the lyrical content is refreshing for a pop album. An equivalent artist of Janet's popularity is not writing songs like this now. It's not insanely deep or anything but it covers ground that is limited to less successful commercial artists these days. I appreciate that. The love songs on here are the Janet Jackson I'm more familiar with but they also suffer from the dated sound. It's not a bad sound at all, it's just so weird sounding now. I can't deal.
Pop hit after pop hit. Well made messages about the state of the world. One of the first, if not the first breakthrough socially conscious pop album correctly aligned with What's Going On. It's the overly synthetic stuff that I don't love, but I have a great reverence for this albums effect on society and its' mass appeal
First half was really good. Rhythm of the World and State of the Nation are really dope. I actually thought the way that this album was laid out, being that we had skits that were relevant to each song before it played was unique and cool. I found the second half of the album wasn’t as fun, but overall I enjoyed it
Dårligere versjon av Michael
meh
I get the message but the disco late 80s music is not the way to send the message to the people
good concept album with some catchy tracks, for me, there’s not much replayability but i did enjoy the album off first listen
Ooo escapade
Fun album but not too much really stands out.
It was ok, i liked the beats and sounds more than the lyrics but janet did sound good! Surprised me with this 3 star!
An okay album. It didn't do anything for me personally, but it wasn't bad. More of a background noise with the upbeat songs 3 ⭐️
Favourite song - livin in a world
It was ok, 3 stars
Not my go-to for music but I think it was a decent album
The album flowed very well and felt cohesive.
Van die muziek die je zus vroeger leuk vond, en je vrouwelijke klasgenootjes van groep 6. Maar zowaar enige maatschappelijke onderwerpen, en ondanks de hopeloos verouderde electronica (en dat rare Egyptische fluitje dat toen in alle platen zat!) nog best aanstekelijk.
Hé, leuk! Een artiest waar ik een aardig beeld bij heb. Maar waar ik weinig van ken. Een ongefundeerde mening is modern natuurlijk. Maar nu kan ik er toch eens een kleine basis eronder leggen. Mijn beeld vooraf: Prima luisterbare pop, die de jaren 90 alvast inluidt. Wat meer nadruk op beats dan tijdgenoten. Tegelijk nooit ergens bovenuit springend. Nou, luisteren maar dan. Eerst even wat twijfel wegwerken, want mijn playlist begint en eindigt met een interlude. Heb ik dan niet het hele album voor me? Toch wel. Daarna wordt het hierboven geschetste beeld gelijk bevestigd. Een lekker jaren '90 beatje volgt, zonder iets echt interessants erbij. Dat horen we ook bij veel volgende nummers. Het zakt naar de achtergrond. Ah, vandaar al die interludes. Die zijn echt nodig om de luisteraar ervan bewust te maken dat ze ook nog eens een boodschap te delen heeft. Die attentiewaarde blijkt ook uit de constatering dat het niet de nummers, maar het juist de interludes zijn, die door andere artiesten later zijn gebruikt. @ Janet: Got the point? Good, let's dance!
Vanaf de eerste klanken spatten de jaren '80 er van af. En dan vooral de 80s van de familie Jackson. Moddervette breakbeats van bombastische drumcomputers en synths, aangevuld met gilletjes en kreuntjes van Jackson. Waarom iets zelf verzinnen, als je het gewoon kan afkijken binnen de familie? Dit lijkt me ook wel het einde van de 80s sound geweest te zijn. Want die synths zijn zo ongelooflijk aanwezig, alles ademt de ultieme climax van hoe ze in de jaren 80 populaire stadionmuziek maakten. En wat moet je daarna nog maken? Toen was het tijd voor een ander geluid. Qua album zijn de liedjes volledig overgeproduceerd. Het is mij allemaal ook iets te druk en te bombastisch, een enorme laag afleiding tov de nummers an sich. Als ik de hoeveelheid namen ook zie die hier aan mee hebben gewerkt. Al die interludes hoeven van mij ook niet, maar geven het op zich wel een volledige album ervaring. Verder zitten er best funky bas en gitaarstukken in, en zoals gezegd de breakbeat drum. Het is overduidelijk gedateerd en het is niet mijn muziekgenre, maar ik kan moeilijk zeggen dat het geen goed album is. Een 4 is te veel gevraagd, want ik ga het niet zomaar nog een keer opzetten. Maar ondanks het bombastische gebeuk, kon het prima op de achtergrond staan zonder te storen.
I like Janet, but was dreading listening to a whole album by her. This one was pleasant though! I enjoyed it. I think in general I will stick with singles from her. And Poetic Justice of course.
I was worried about this one pretty early on. The industrial synth rock from the 80s rarely ages well, so this being so heavy on it early was starting to drag. But the ballads on the back half of the album absolutely save the whole thing. I also get that the interludes do exactly that, bridge the gaps between songs, but I don’t know that eight interludes including the bookends of the album is really necessary. Overall, there’s a couple hidden jams on this album that I might come back to, but other than that it’s a bit forgettable. It’s like a 2.75. And goodness, Someday Is Tonight is gonna make people in our group make some more babies.
Don't worry everyone. Janet Jackson has solved: racism, world hunger, illiteracy, drug use, gang violence, and poverty. Honestly, I can't really make fun of someone for trying to use their success to try and make the world a better place. It may be a little naive of her to think that an album can change the world, but she's still going to try one boob at a time. I didn't dislike this album at all. I would be lying if I said that I would listen to it again, but it's not bad. A perfect 3 for me.
This takes me back to riding in the car with my mom when I was a kid. You all know Escapade is a jam. Good album, I get why it's on here.
It wasn't bad but I really didn't pay much attention to it because it was so Bland. Probably due to overexposure when I was younger
Not a big Janet Jackson fan. The album is ok, not my taste. Passing grade 3/5
So that’s rhythm nation
I kind of like Alright, Escapade, and Black Cat
Like it 3/5
I remember this one being crazy popular. Hearing it now, it strikes me how much of the era's music sounds similar to this album. Ms. Jackson did it better than any of them though.
Mid 80’s synth/R&B/pop with a few tracks that occasionally surprised me because I liked them. But overall pretty standard stuff for the time with annoying between track bits.
Not a bad album. Some really good songs. A few songs are a little bit of a drag, too. But the interludes are terrible, and take me out of the listening experience. May have been a 4 star album without them (and maybe without one or two of the slower full on 80s/90s R&B songs in the back half of the album.) I probably haven't listened to this one in 30 years, and it might be that long before I listen to it again.
Going out on a high at the end of an era. The production values scream mid 80s pop. Perhaps this is a chicken and egg situation. Perhaps this simply set the bar and everything that sounds like it is an imitation. (But that's not true.) She does a good job coming out of her brother's shadow here. I didn't like the musical clichés of the genre when I lived through them, and they don't really get better with age. The arrangements make most of the album quite danceable , but that works against it as a "sit down and listen" experience. The rhythm section alone is very repetitive and homogenous across tracks. It's a hell of a dance album. Taken as a social commentary? No. When I can hear the lyrics at all, the arrangements ultimately come off as busy, indistinct, and muddy. Not my favorite.
Wel lekker funky maar niet bijzonder
Songs were pretty good, but a lot were too long.
One of my roommates in college played this so much that I know all the songs, and although I don’t love it for any musical merit (sorry Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis), it was a good listen.
Fun 80's album, but I more a fan of Michael.
Nicht schlecht, trotzdem kein Favorit
This album was pretty mid to me for the most part. I had never listened to Janet Jackson before, and her songs are well produced, but this does feel pretty disingenuous. Maybe Janet really does feel that music can save the world, but Rhythm Nation, State of the World, and The Knowledge all seem to trivialize the real state of things. Though the ending of Livin in a World is pretty haunting, given the amount of shooting issues we've certainly had since this album came out. As for the actual songs, I did actually like Alright, Come Back to Me, and Someday is Tonight.
Big on drums. It's funny the way I've always associated Janet Jackson's songs with a certain type of hard-hitting, rhythmic drum beat. There are some pretentious interludes, but I guess they kind of set up the next song? Meh. Distinctly late 80s and definitely has a few songs I can bob my head too. Obviously, the title track, "Rhythm Nation" is probably the best song on the album.
Interlude: Pledge - 7/10 Rhythm Nation - 8/10 Interlude: T.V. - 7/10 State of the World - 8/10 Interlude: Race - 7/10 The Knowledge - 7.5/10 Interlude: Let's Dance - 7/10 Miss You Much - 7.5/10 Interlude: Come Back Interlude - 7/10 Love Will Never Do (Without You) - 8/10 Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make) - 7.5/10 Alright - 7.5/10 Interlude: Hey Baby - 7/10 Escapade - 8/10 Interlude: No Acid - 7/10 Black Cat - 7.5/10 Lonely - 8/10 Come Back to Me - 7.5/10 Someday Is Tonight - 7.5/10 Interlude: Livin'...In Complete Darkness - 7/10 TOTAL - 141.5/200
A wild fever dream of intense over produced synth sounds. Intriguing though I must admit. Prince like at times but the instruments sound so tinny. It’s so weird. I like the vocals. Especially the harmonies and catchy double vocal parts/backup singing
Classic
It was good to hear. Some songs i even might take into my playlists… llets see
Background music, but not unpleasant background music
Tiene algunos temas que superan la sobreproducción ochentera.
shes so young! i hope it's something I can get behind. Kinda a bummer, her music is overwrought for me. 3. I can see why it's top rated though. its like, so much of music now.
It was a good pop album. I liked the stylization of this with all the interludes but nothing stood out to me
Not bad, a bit corny lyrically but instrumentals bang. dare i say, sexy?
There's some fat funky beats all over this thing, but it does drag on a little bit, especially as you get towards the last stretch. Nice that she tried to have some meaning to her lyrics, don't see myself returning to it much though.
Not sure what to make of this one. I remember Miss You Much and the tilte track as singles, liked them both causally at the time. Very original and unrelenting sample based production. Does have that thing of telling us all we need to pull together to make things better whilst being a very comfortable and successful person. Comes across a bit lame and preachy. It's the gritty midlle bit to Janet's excellent purple patch though.
First song was fun, but they almost all sounded the same after that. The heavy, synthetic drums got really old. I don't watch the videos now, however I remember they were fun back in the day for the dancing. But I'm rating the music now, not the visuals.
Not one of my favourites. But I like to hear it again.
Love Janet + The Minneapolis Sound. The “quiet storm” type songs were not my thing, however.
For a concept album addressing social issues, “Rhythm Nation” spent way too little time on addressing social issues. A “Rhythm Nation” that actually used music to unite people in a borderless and hateless society of belonging would be powerful, if that concept was pushed beyond the album’s music. However, Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation 1814” doesn’t do that. It doesn’t even push the concept through the album. Most of the tracks are typical R&B love and longing, and don’t rise to the occasion of a “sociopolitical utopia.” The idea behind it is brilliant - “I thought it would be great if we could create our own nation,” Jackson said, "one that would have a positive message and that everyone would be free to join.” That goal was made clear in the album's first lines - “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.” But that utopian nation was not the one described throughout the album. Instead, it was the ills of the United States in 1989 that were dissected. If the sum of the vision of the Rhythm Nation is labeling what is wrong with our present society, then the dream is unrealized. The furthest Jackson takes us is in “The Knowledge” which is unable to provide us with the depth of vision that the knowledge should be able to provide us, beyond the platitudes of “Prejudice (no); Ignorance (no); Bigotry (no); Illiteracy (no).” In spite of all that, the title track, “Miss You Much,” and “Escapade” still hold up decades later. But not much else makes an impact, other than the hard rock departure of “Black Cat.” Things quickly petered out though, as “Lonely” and “Come Back To Me” were boring and killed the album’s momentum. Taking the Rhythm Nation from conception to reality both in music and community would be truly monumental, but unfortunately Jackson does not meaningfully pursue that.
General Jackson coming in hot! While this album distinctly sounds like the late 80s pop era, it’s probably because this album helped define the sound. It does not sound dated though. I like the drum machine beats and the rock-ness of Black Cat. This album is carried by Miss You Much, Escapade, and Black Cat. This album is a historical achievement and definitely deserves to be heard by all before they die. It holds the record for the album with most Billboard Top 5 singles (7). It resides with the crowning female musical accomplishments along with The Go Go’s, Adele, amongst others. For that, I salute Ms Jackson.
This album feels dated, though it has a lot of heart. I’m sure this is s great album for someone else, but for me, it’s kinda meh. Nothing particularly exciting about it. 3/5
Pretty fun album. Great concept album. Mix of pop and softer ballads.
Solid album!
Fine
The more uptempo the better. While ambitious thematically it does not feel as ambitious when the songs slow down.
Crazy how her career kind of ended because of a wardrobe malfunction that she had no control over. This is how you know the music industry aint shit. Sometimes I like her style of singing, other times I don't. It feels like she could be less soft in how she sang. The production is very of its time, but it is really good. A lot of similarities to Michale Jackson for some reason... Pretty good overall. Production Carries this for sure, but her singing isn't bad just not something I enjoy a lot. Feeling a strong 3 to light 4
Surprisingly more into this than I thought I'd be
Why do artists like this "interlude" stuff so much?
pretty dated orchestration. Fun and got me moving, but I won't listen again
It’s nice to hear Janet Jackson, as it really feels like she was blacklisted and is barely heard ever since the Super Bowl incident which is such a shame. Her talent is on full display here, with catchy beats, socially conscious lyrics, and beautiful singing. There’s some great hits here, and while I’ve definitely heard “Escapade” I don’t think I’ve ever attributed it to Janet. However, the music just sounds dated overall. Very 80s, very heavily produced. And the socially conscious lyrics and general concept of the album is a bit cheesy.
один раз только послушала, можно ли делать вывод? не моё, но вокал приятнее чем у другого Джексона
So 80's
enjoyed, peak 80s
Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson. She considered it a concept album about social issues including racism, poverty, substance abuse, and romance. Rhythm Nation is a fusion of pop, R&B, and hip hop collectively known as new jack swing. Critically and commercially acclaimed, the album topped the Billboard 200 chart, is certified 6x platinum (reached double platinum in its year of release), was the best-selling album of 1990, and is considered Janet Jackson's musical career peak. It's the only album ever to have 7 top-5 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. This album was a perfect follow up to Jackson's third album Control. She capitalized off the hype of Control and set the bar higher with Rhythm Nation. The music is great and seems to break down barriers between listeners. Jackson wanted us to all feel the same thing when we listened to this album, and she did a wonderful job at making an awesome album.
"Now our kids can't go out to play / that's the state of the world today" Hmm I don't know about that...I was a kid when this came out, and I played outside unsupervised all the time, as did my same-age American friends, as they've told me. I used to play by myself at a park three-quarters of a mile from our house when I was 5. It was a little jarring hearing upbeat pop songs with lyrics about what's wrong with the world. I like pop music so this was fine, but I wouldn't listen to it again. It also sounded very dated, and I like 80s pop. Good for her for writing the album she wanted to write, and sticking it to the record company. I guess it paid off!
Lijkt wel of dit album is gemaakt met één drum machine, wat een 80’s bak. Lyrics slaan nergens op in vergelijking met het doel van t album maar whatever. Klinkt wel geinig voor de rest. 3.2
Did you ever notice you never saw Michael and Janet together at the same time? And since he passed away, Janet no longer performs? Coincidence? I think not. I'd rate this a "2" but there is some wicked guitar work mixed in throughout this album so +1.
58
Yet another album in the continuing series: “Is this released today or have issues sadly stayed the same for (insert year since release) years?” Rhythm Nation is overproduced in just the right ways, there’s a combination of absolute pop bangers and soulful love songs and many hip hop artists could learn from the lengths of these interludes. But I can’t get over the fact that this social commentary of a concept album has so many love songs on its track list. Even though some of them are among the strongest tracks, it keeps me from fully emerging myself into the idea of the album.
Too many interludes for a 4
de unaaa 7/10
I was not in the right mood for this album today, so my impressions will be much more biased than the standard. It's a good album and a huge backstory that makes it even more significant. I do not like Janet Jackson, and her songs sound too plain. Still, considering the mentioned backstory and how she wanted to be more conscious and political during this recording, it deserves the standard 3-star rate.
This album was okay, but WAY too long. Got tired of it long before the end.
"Miss Jackson if you're nasty" (not on this album) shows the talent, skill, and prowess of being the sister of the greatest pop legend of all time. In spite of that, this album left me feeling unfulfilled.
Super fun album. I think it would have made a bigger impact if it weren't quite so long. Everything blended together for me by the end but the first half was strong. 3.5
It sounds outrageously 80s, but it holds up well in my eyes because of all the lush and incricate rhythms and textures throughout
Generally catchy and swinging but very dated musically, certainly not timeless. Socially engaged themes, but their lyrical execution teeters on the corny.
Smá Minneapolis sound í þessu. Ekki leiðinlegt og vel unnið popp. En þetta er ekki mín tónlist.
Prince en meuf si on me demande
It's ok, actually not as soppy baledy as I expected.
almost skipped it but i have to admit it’s not that bad
I have never really listened to Janet Jackson, but this was a surprisingly good pop album. I will definitely listen more of her in the future.
"Rhythm Nation 1814" by Janet Jackson comes close to earning a solid 4/5 rating. However, the production style, which might just be an acquired taste I've yet to develop, coupled with the album's length, unfortunately pulls it down a notch.
Album 121 of 1001 Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation 1814 Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : Rhythm Nation Good album. Isn't something I would go searching for, but it is a fine listen. She is hitting on lots of societal and relationship issues. Great voice. Great production. If I ever crave some Janet Jackson, I'll go to it again. Good early morning listen.
There are good moments. Like Someday is Tonight or Escapade.
Pretty surprised at how low the Spotify listens are for this, I thought this was one of her bigger records. The production is extremely dated...one of the unfortunate side effects of current, fresh, cutting-edge music is that it sounds extremely of its time 30 years down the road. It's also overlong, clocking in at over an hour, with a fair bit of filler. All that being said, it's a solid release, and at its best, it's as good as anything else from that decade.
Yes there are many influences, but Bruno Mars wouldn't ever have dripped in Finesse if Janet hadn't dropped this album. In a similar vein, while she wasn't the first or only to do so, I also think Eminem was influenced by the theatrical thru lines of this album. That being said, upon revisiting this album, maybe I'm going crazy but I feel like her vocals are pretty muddled/hidden in the overall mix. It really distracted for me and made many songs feel repetitive. So I'm gonna rate my experience of the album specifically here and only go 3.
It’s crazy how much she sounds like Michael Jackson here. I enjoyed the first third of this album, got a little tired of it the middle third, and thought the last third was unnecessary and boring and kind of weird.
Fun late 80s pop sound. I honestly like the less popular songs that tackle social issues much more than the fluffier hits
We had some conscious hip-hop on this list, now it's time for a conscious r&b/pop. It's surprisingly solid - honestly, I was probably born too late to listen to this album by Janet Jackson, I always associated her with some cheap and boring straight-out-of-mill songs. But not only she can sing - she can write some inspiring verses as well. This type of music grinds my gears just a little bit, but I could still see how good and probably important this album was at the time. Kudos to you Janet, you have my respect, but your record is probably one and done for me.
Just ok
HL: "Escapade", title track, "State of the World", "Lonely", "Love Will Never Do Without You" Pretty good introduction to Janet Jackson's music (knew "Escapade" already tho) listening to this thing in one go, I started to tire of the loud processed drums but in small doses it gets the head bopping Definitely feels like a landmark album 3.5 June 24, 2023
I did not require 1hr of Janet but I wasn’t that upset
I can appreciate Janet Jackson's concept album based around the social issues including tragedies and inequalities facing America of the late 80s and like so many albums I've listened to so far, many of these issues are still plaguing the USA today. Rhythm Nation 1814 is full of 80s synths and samples that manages to hit at the heart of what the people really wanted to hear at the time. Best: Rhythm Nation Worst: Someday is Tonight
Highlights: Escapade, Lonely Leave Em's: The Knowledge, Rhythm Nation Overall Thoughts: The album started out sounding like High School Music for social justice warriors. Despite some of the corny lyrics there are very danceable songs and Janet's intentions are seemingly pure. I attained more personal enjoyment out of the album throughout the middle portions where she transitioned to love song variations. Some of her songs did seem to drag on a little bit too long without much variation, however there are worse voices to be subject to listen to for an hour. She really showcased her vocal through the end of the album with the R&B songs which offset my negative feelings for the beginning of the album. I don't think this is one of her most popular albums and I hope to do one with a larger profile later on in the project but I doubt I'll be coming back to this one a whole lot. Score Breakdown: 3.375 & 3 -> 3.188
Didn't expect to like it so quite surprised that I did enjoy it.
I'm a sucker for these cheesy late 80s funky beats. The lyrics are... Jackson really thought she was doing something here, huh. Kind of a weird mashup of social commentary and "let's boogie". But the boogieing is good! I simply can't deny the vibes here. Sidenote: The title track has been known to crash hard drives due to resonance frequencies, which puts it in the canon of essential cyberpunk media.
very 80s
to be honest this was a really boring album. nothing really special about it and pretty dated sounding for only coming out in 1998
Not a huge fan of pop and this is not a bad album at all. It took me a while to get into it and overall I think the second half is more enjoyable Saved tracks: Rhythm Nation, Miss You Much, Escapade, Black Cat
I read the notes and an hour long concept album about poverty slightly terrified me. The resulting album wasn't terrifying at all, a gentle pop album with a smattering of songs and plenty of 80s dance. Obviously the lyrics are ludicrous, but lyrics often are.
Good
I kind of like the Princesque clunky swing of the production. I’ve no problem with her pointing out the inequities of the world - sounds like she did a lot of charity work to back it up. But over all, like it don’t love it. I’m not sure I did the full hour, even over the course of a weekend.
Much to like. Pretty dark and relevant today (thinking especially of “Living in a World They Didn’t Make” and it’s ending).
Fun but not that interesting
Alright as far as 1980s R&B albums go. They've squeezed everything they can put of that one 80s drumbeat though. 2.5
Work it out somehow.
Minneapolis sound isn't my thing idk
Highlights: Rhytm Nation, State Of The World 3,5/5
Tylko tytułowy utwór jest spoko, reszta takie średnie plumkanie w tle
This booped right from the start
These songs all sound really similar. Interesting to have such deep themes with a light and dance-inducing beat.
A fun album, but not quite my style.
Decent album overall with some very strong early 90's sounds.
It was fine, but it has a very 80s style and the production sounds very dated.
Tämä on kovin kiva levy, meneviä rock-kasaripopbiisejä ja ysärimäisempiä balladeja
Helemaal fan van Miss You Much en Rhythm Nation toen ze als single uitkwamen, maartoch angstig aan dit plaatje begonnen. De jaren 80 kent alleen maar hoge pieken of diepe dalen muzikaal, maar dit zat voor juist net boven het midden. Eigenlijk helemaal niet slecht dus.
Ik bleek nog best een aantal van de singles van dit album woordelijk mee te kunnen zingen. Ik luisterde veel top 40 radio in mijn vroege jeugd en Janet kon ik toen best waarderen. Inmiddels doet het me niet zoveel meer. Leuk om weer eens te horen maar meer ook niet. Ik rond het naar boven af.
Lots of inspiration for other albums, but I have yet to discover what made it innovative. To me it was 80s processed overload and hubristic. Talking about world problems and all… idk 3/5
Plenty of cringy moments with those interludes. Lots of repetitive industrial percussion and a couple of R'n'B songs (I hate that wimpy genre.). Despite all that there are lots of enjoyable moments and I find myself dancing along to Rhythm Nation et al. Black Cat almost makes it a 4-star.
escapade makes this at least three stars
Janet Jackson was a force to be reckoned with in the 80's and 90's. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing her stuff on the radio. If it wasn't her, it was her brother, Michael. Admittedly, I've never really been a fan of Janet. I understand that her music was very important in shaping what pop is today, but to me, 80's - 90's pop all sounds the same. Especially the slow ballads (the last 3 songs on this record). If you played one of those for me, I would be hard pressed to tell you if it was Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, or Mariah Carey. I was unfamiliar with anything on this record from the outset, so couldn't really judge how it was going to be. The first 3/4 of the album is pretty good, it just falls flat at the end with all of the ballads. Black Cat is a rockin' tune!! This album is apparently a departure from Janet's regular musical works, and it is a concept album which focuses on themes of poverty, racism, love, and creating a better future for the next generation (amusingly, something Michael focused on heavily as well in his music (think of the children!! )). I think that because it isn't Janet's standard fare, it resonated better with me as a whole. Overall, not a bad record. Not something I would put in regular rotation, but also not bad. It shows real musical talent on Janet's part with her flawless vocal range. It may be a tad overproduced, but that seems to have been a trend of that era. Favourite songs: Black Cat, Alright, Rhythm Nation, Love Will Never Do (Without You), Miss You Much, State of the World Least favourite songs: Lonely, Come Back to Me, Someday is Tonight, and all of the interludes. It just distracts from the rest of the album while adding nothing of its own. This 80's - 90's fad has thankfully fallen to the wayside for the most part. 3/5
Albums like this take me back to the days when albums were on cassettes or vinyl, and you pretty much had to listen to all songs in sequential order, with a break in the middle to turn over the medium. There would also be excitement over new albums released, new music wasn’t as readily available then as it is now. I started off thinking, who would listen to this album and still be excited about it? Wouldn’t it be a massive disappointment? So I researched to get more perspective and it worked. JJ broke boundaries and was a political woman of colour that was even more rare than now. She had a platform and she used it well. The music isn’t for me, but then that’s the point, the music wasn’t made for me. I have full respect though.
Production and vocals are great, but there are a lot of slow jams. I don't think Janet Jackson gets enough credit or respect.
An okay album that deserves 3.5 because the good tracks are really good.
Listened all through which surprised me as not a huge fan. Didn't think I'd listen again. Prefer some of her other stuff.
This felt like a serious throwback to the 90s pop style. Not bad
Never listened - 3 stars
6.5/10 depressing simply because Janet really thought the world would become a better place, knowledge feels a little like 'knock it off'- tmg
6/10 definitely got samey, but janet's performance is really good.
Weird and long but somewhat enjoyable. 6/10
Kind of boring. But as pop albums go, this isn't the worst.
Some nice pop bops. Not a big fan of the interludes
This was another fun album, I found a few songs I hadn't heard before but felt like I had, not sure where. But I really liked Escapade and Black Cat. It was cool to hear her bits like "4,3,2,1" and "edit". The only Janet song I ever knew was All For You from Now 7 so this broadened my horizons, but also too many interludes.
Was very worried at first, I thought this would be "club music, but make it about current affairs." A couple tracks of that to kick things off was weird to me, even though I kind of liked "State of the World" for how goofy it is. It's like proto-Lizzo or Meghan Trainer, pop music that's very smugly pretending to have a brain. I honestly couldn't tell you if those messages resurfaced, but I didn't catch anymore after that. A couple other good songs on here, "Escapade" was the big hitter for me. I think this is my first time listening to Janet and I can't say I really understand the hype. It's pop/R&B from an era that isn't all that engaging to me personally. HOWEVER, I will give her some credit for doing this in the late '80s, I can hear this had considerable influence going into the '90s. Also shoot, I just saw that she wrote and produced the ENTIRE album, that kind of effort deserves a half-star bump. Favorite tracks: Escapade, State of the World, Come Back to Me. Album art: Black and white portrait, where have I seen that done before? Oh yeah, on probably hundreds of albums. What I can see of the fit goes hard though. 3.5/5
Expertly produced, dancy album, that was a mega-seller in its day. For me it falls a bit flat, as there are hardly any songs that I would like to re-listen to. Also, the first half is very repetitive. 2.5/5
Such an average and boring album of recycled 80s pop and hip hop sounds.
Just a very boring album. Every song sounded the same, nothing had any standout potential, and way too long
It's OK. But not my kind of music.
Miss You Much and Love Will Never Do (Without You) are pop perfection. The rest of the album I could take or leave. Can't stand all of these annoying interludes, I don't like being preached at when I'm just trying to listen to some music. It's just really bloated too, this could have been trimmed down to half the tracks. Keep the pop hits and ditch the highfalutin bullshit. I love Janet, respect to her for insisting on making the kind of music she wants, this just isn't her best album. Iconic moment in time for her? Absolutely. Did it age well? No, not really.
Reminded me a lot of Michael. But I was probably subconsciously comparing the two. Had the same fun energy as Michael
Typical album of the late 80s with some good tracks and some fillers. Not bad in the end.
Non male, bella voce bell'atmosfera, peccato perche' sono un po simili
10/11/22 Couple solid songs … I liked the energy and how aggressively 80s it was lol.
Not music I typically resonate with so hard for me to judge.
Weird tired vibes on sunday, lost on run in mt pleasant, shoe sizing in the rain, pink clouds, decent, dinner
Really enjoyed this!
Not my favorite but didn't hate.
It's all right
A nice album, good rhythm. I could see myself listening to this again, although the lyrics are a little pedantic at times. This was before my time, so I also didn't recognize the hits unfortunately.
Drum machines that slap
Decent pop album
Cet album a conclu de manière positive une très belle sortie à vélo au cœur d'une région située à quelques pas seulement du domicile d'eltrapeze, mon ennemi juré et rival de toujours.
Janet aura beau tenté de copier son frère, la prestation n'en demeure pas moins lamentable. On se met à regretter tout l'album de ne pas avoir le vrai Jackson en chair et en os, en lieu et place de cette pâle imitation familiale.
I associate this sound with most late 80s pop and yet I think maybe all of that sound was in this album. Maybe a little bit in 'Control'. But anyway, there is some filler here, for sure, but for an album that was intentionally going for socially conscious subject matter, this is pretty strong. Rhythm Nation, Miss You Much, Escapade, and Black Cat all work for me. Come Back to Me has some sort of comforting '89 dentist office feel to it. I don't know - mostly this works.
Plus 80s tu meurs
Some great songs, too much sampling.
I remember a few tracks from this album when it came out. The music on Rhythem Nation 1814 sounds like that transition between the 80s and the 90s. I do not doubt that Janet Jackson is talented, but I kind of just got through the album. "Someday Is Tonight" almost sank the album, but I guess I could round up to three stars (= I can get through the music once, but don't ask me to listen again.)
Showing it age.
Istodobno zastarjelo i futuristički. Debelo predugo traje za ovako intenzivan zvuk baziran samo na ritmu. Black cat joj je jedna od najboljih stvari
The interludes were an interesting addition. I enjoyed her voice and the dance vibe of the songs. The lyrics were kinda meh and every song could have been about a minute shorter. The last few songs were less enjoyable, I felt the didn't match the vibe.
Interesting sound (although definitely “of the time”), somewhat of a concept album that’s connected by a bunch of interludes. Overall it’s an interesting cohesive listen, but the amount and frequency of interludes weakens it’s appeal for relistens.
Production sounds dated but also inextricably linked to this album. Some great songs.
(Sigh!) I always had a troubled relationship with the Jacksons, all of them. I acknowledge their talent and that they have made quite some great music over the decades, at the same time, I don't exactly know what it is, but there is something about their celebrity status that bugs me profoundly. But let's discuss this album. ... (Crickets) ... I played it several times. The first time I was really impressed from the start. Then Social concerns. Check. Dancefloor. Check. Heartbreak. Check. Romance. Check. Did I forget something? Ah yes! Empowerment through sexuality. Check. Remember when Latoya was believed to be Michael in disguise? A ball? Does anybody have a ball here? I need to practice against a wall. Oh thanks, Mate. Boing... Boing... Boing... What is this, why do I feel so restless suddenly? For fuck's sake, I thought I took my meds this morning! Oh yes, I did, the bottle of pills is empty. Should I worry? Got a cig? Hold on there. Do you think I should worry? I think I should. Lighter, yes, thanks. But... Worry about what? Ah yes, that's what I wanted to say! I got distracted while listening to this album. Several times even. OK. I am becoming increasingly lazy at doing this. Impatient as well. Whatever. Geez! How long IS this one?
Objectively a great album, but not for me. Attention tailed off every time. Rhythm Nation was great, but then I just slowly lost interest and started doing other things. Don’t think it’s the albums fault though. Dancy poppy.
first listen man she sounds so much like Michael
"Rhythm Nation 1814" is the sound of Janet Jackson reigning supreme at the close of the 80s, harnessing her momentum to become unimpeachable for the next five years. Load a follow-up to your commercial breakthrough with emergent hip-hop and industrial influences to make a smash-hit? Why not! Throw in an arena-ready hard-rock number and release it as a single? Let's go for it. Go full-on social commentary, and solve all the world's problems by singing about them? Sure, we can at least try. I'd never heard this album in full until now, but it's undoubtedly a blockbuster. Framed by a tolling bell and spoken word pledges on the state of humanity, it's also interspersed with 5-10 second transitions from the sound of a TV switching channels (Roger Waters eat your heart out) to pointed commentary ("Get the point? Good, let's dance"). "Rhythm Nation" itself is a killer opening, giving rise to new-jack swing and driven by seismic, steely industrial beats and slapped bass. It also signified a new dance phenomenon for the MTV generation, immortalised in its imperial music video. All that aside, it's simply a great track: powerful beats, towering confidence from Jackson, and an addictive, rapid hook answered by a unison of voices declaring their part in the Rhythm Nation. None of the rest of it scales the same heights, but the singles "Miss You Much" and "Escapade" play well as affectionate tributes to Prince in his mid-80s prime: Jackson pulls them off with every bit as much pomp, grace and accessibility. "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" hangs itself on an atomic mid-tempo beat before breaking into an amazing second-half, where layers of vocals expressing the title as a chant, a melodic plea, an affirmation. And "Black Cat" is a total surprise that completely works, with the smooth reverb-filled distorted riffs found in arenas the world over in the late 1980s. Where many hair-metal bands would hinge their career on recreating the same sound again and again, for Jackson it's just one more string to her bow. There are quite a few comments on this page- and made by critics at the time- that "Rhythm Nation 1814" lacked subtlety, that the preachy messages were misguided and out-of-touch from a celebrity who had been rich all her life. Jackson herself laudably acknowledged this years later, in her 2015 album "Unbreakable". In truth, "State of the World" and "Livin' In A World (They Didn't Make)" may not be the most eye-popping songs on the record, and could have been made more eloquent. Many of the lyrics aren't exactly ground-breaking ("The Knowledge" is the most throwaway, with its break of "Prejudice: No. Ignorance: No. Bigotry: No."). But, at least Jackson stood up to her label by insisting on including songs which addressed universal matters of prejudice and poverty. She chose to use her platform to discuss more than her millionaire lifestyle, and who knows how many philanthropists and world-changers she might have inspired in doing so? For me, it's actually the move away from the industrial beats and high-energy that sinks the Rhythm Nation torpedo in its final act. Instead, the last three numbers see it move in a warmer, silkier direction. Perhaps it was an intentional sequencing move, or maybe the record was just front-loaded with the strongest hits. For me the closing three ballads just aren't as bold as the songs earlier in the record (bar some gorgeous nu-soul harmonies in "Come Back To Me"). "Lonely" and "Someday Is Tonight" are just a little too long and aimless, however well produced and sung they are. They don't quite have the same edge I enjoyed in the rest of the album, at least on the first couple of listens. As with so many of the other albums I've marked down on this site, "Rhythm Nation 1814"'s main fault for me is its length. It's easy to see how it could have improved if a couple of tracks were shaved off here, a couple of choruses removed there. But in its prime, running through that middle stretch of tracks, it's unstoppable, and one can only surrender to the Rhythm Nation.
Texterna är så pinsamma att jag knappt klarar av att lyssna men groovet är kanon
A lot of well known songs and the whole album has an 80s feel to it. It was a good listen. I probably would not choose this album to listen to again but I would listen if it was chosen.
High 3. A little repetitive.
Fresh and funky pop, politically powered. Bit too earnest for my liking but of the age and danceable
Who doesn't love a little bit of Janet now and again?
Super-tight 80s pop but never reaches the high of Rhythm Nation, which is a shame as it's the second track on an album over an hour long. A couple of tracks attempt to be topical/meaningful, but like many 80s/90s "we gotta do something" songs, they fall flat and are not redeemed musically either. Janet is at her best with uptempo pop, and this has some great examples
I'm genuine surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. Velvet Rope has sort of smothered the genuine ...well not charm, more like excitement, of 1814. It might be that the mechanised aspect of the lead video and production lumped it, mentally, with the proto-techno of the time (this demands unpacking – another time, another time...). Anyway.
This isn't an album I'd listen to all the way through, but there are multiple tracks I like a lot. My favorites are Rhythm Nation, Escapade, and Black Cat, with an honorable mention to Miss You Much.
Interesting to listen to such a prominent album which I'd not listened to previously - OK but it didn't grab me. Production is very of its time.
Conpetently made funky 80s pop. Enjoyable, but not too much else. Also very dated, although that didn’t bother me
Prettyyyyyyyyy, Pretttyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Prettttttttttttttttttttttttttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy good
I like her. Super fun and catchy stuff.
Decent beats but other than the hits, nothing too memorable on this album. Very similar sounds on all of the songs.
Queen
Not really my thing, but didn't find it an ordeal to listen to. The synth and drum machines sound very dated but, tbf, they're used well. Fave track - "Rhythm Nation" still slaps.
5/10
Uff
Album pop correct. Consistent mais rien qui se démarque tellement
3.5 for sure. Great sound, energetic, bit of nostalgia.
Solid baselines and catchy. Its depressing that the exact same issues are still happening in the US now.
these beats are so funny. the most 80s thing ever
I don't really enjoy this but I respect where she is coming from. Very 80's sound.
Definitely going for the Michael Jackson sound. Percussion is pretty fun, liking the general LinnDrum sounds here. I appreciate the conscious themes as well, although I don't feel like the commentary goes far enough. Lyrically it just sounds like mentioning problems, but not pointing to the issues that cause it. Some may prefer this approach, but I feel like institutions and people need to be called out, otherwise it feels like feel-good-activism, like by just acknowledging the issues of things is enough. It is a good sounding album for sure, though. Great pop, but generally not my vibe. Although those orchestral hits with the LinnDrum definitely do something for me.
I paused my project for a bit because I was tired of listening to pompous guitar dudes every day, so it was nice to reactivate and come back to this. Good production and overall sound; it really does feel like an ‘album’ rather than a collection of hit singles. Not sure it belongs on this list but whatever, I had fun.
When Janet says bass bass bass then hits you in the feels with a tin pan full of treble you know it is a brink of the 90s release. (I did a few dance moves when I saw this selection. Stomp slide, stomp slide... 😂) Let JJ take you on an escapade. Like a moth to the flame, I actually settled in and enjoyed the second half of the album.
Great album, I've enjoyed it less as I've got older, but in the early 90s I listened to this over and over. Rhythm Nation and Miss You Much are still top songs.
People of the world today Are we looking for some gated drums We are a part of the rhythm nation People of the world unite Brisk electro-beat, we can get it right One time We are a part of the rhythm nation
Such a great voice for 80s music.