Rhythm Nation 1814

I had fun, thanks Janet. Not sure I'll come back to much of this, but it was fun.

Very good pop album

Wel leuk maar een beetje saai wel.

Forgettable at best, cringy and fake deep at worst

All similar vibes. Girl pop. Interlude between almost every song for some reason?

Wow! Really impressed. This was awesome. Catchy and also significant and serious themes.

This was ok. I liked some of it, but the rest was just so-so

Not it

Fine

This album feels oddly current!

A post-Sign O’ the Times rip-off, with surface-level social justice commentary. Feels like a publicity stunt (“Oooo Janet’s edgy now”). Summing my point, real, actual lyrics from The Knowledge: Prejudice (no) Ignorance (no) Bigotry (no) Illiteracy (no)

This is like going to a school dance in 1987. 60% of the music you would have heard sounds like this album. I was not eager to go back there. I'm not eager to revisit it again anytime soon either.

When I got this album today, I screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" but much to my surprise I liked it & made me feel like dancing- anything that makes me feel like dancing is AT LEAST ⭐️⭐️⭐️ in my book!

89/1089 - Why the interludes? Good music.

C'est comme Michael Jackson, mais en pas ouf et répétitif.

Her voice is great but this album does nothing for me.

If you are like me and extreme syncopation scratches an itch in your brain, you will love it.

Banger after banger! Is the album over produced? Sure. Are the interludes completely unnecessary? Also, yes. But is Janet's performance and the songwriting enough to make this an all-timer? Fuck yeah! Also, I'm going to need a cold shower after "Someday Is Tonight" Favorite tracks: Miss You Much, Love Will Never Do, Escapade, Black Cat

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

Great

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.

did not listen

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

Не

Cannot overstate how lame this album is. I will admit I am not a fan of pop music, but this is the epitome of 80s coworker music, its just bland, it tries to be political but in the most milque toast way possible, just vague "lets rise up" type statements. Also why do so many album have like 20s long "tracks" of random noise? like why add that in?

Dope

I want to love it, but it's all just too samey. The first one is the best but I'm also biased because of its featuring in Moulin Rouge. Livin' In A World (They Didn't Make), Alright and Interlude: No Acid are stand outs.

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

Just couldn't get into it...

I didn't really care for this one much, and it felt overly long. I wouldn't say that it's bad; it's just not for me. Favorite track: "Black Cat"

Not for me

Prejudice (no!) Ignorance (no!) Bigotry (no!) Illiteracy (no!) Shallow preachy lyrics (no!) 20 song albums (no!) Uninteresting formulaic style (no!) Flashing boob at the superbowl for attention (no!) 2/10

The whole album has a cool and relaxing vibe. Her voice is pleasant to listen to, but it also just doesn't really excite me much.

Had this album on cd when it was first released.. hadn't heard it in ages until it popped up here however many years later, still holds up.. loving it

2.2 Incredibly 80s and not in a great way. It hasn't aged well in my opinion, a lot of good music from decades gone by sounds timeless, this on the other hand would go down like a lead balloon if it came out today. Other than for reason of nostalgia for some people I can't really see why it's included on this list.

A bit of a whirlwind this one. Flips between heavy social/political commentary and just straight love/pop ballads. I think it could've done without the last one or two songs, but still some good music here. 7/10

Meh. Not my thing.

Not my listening choice.

I really enjoyed most of this album. Politically motivated but the singles are a lot of fun. Top 3 tracks: Black Cat Miss You Much Escapade 8.5/10

Such a wonderful album. One that I've been waiting for an excuse to listen to. And I'm so glad it came. I love Janet's music. To me, Control and The Velvet Rope are absolutely great, with the latter being one of my favorite pop releases ever. This album reaches this level. It begins with incredible bangers 2, 6, 8. 16, is a song I don't enjoy much. But I love Janet's delivery on the incredible ballads here- 11, and especially the ending of 17, 18, 19... Tear jerking, huge sound. Vocals, instrumentals. Pop heaven. 4.5

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

I think I would have enjoyed this album if it was shorter with less ballads. I can enjoy the nostalgia of the 80s pop, especially with a social commentary but but not enough to make me like the whole album.

A fairly pointless and effort that's at least 20 mins too long and a representation of some of the shite getting trotted out at the time. At least Abdul had a cartoon cat.

Fine album.

The same song 10 times with 10 skits in between. Stand-out: Alright

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 really can’t stand this style of 80s/90s pop. Far too much fake drum noise. The social commentary is all well and good, but this is a bad album that only exists because of nepotism. Actually no, the social commentary is pretty bad too e.g. “Prejudice (no) Ignorance (no) Bigotry (no) Illiteracy (no)” Inspiring stuff… This avoids a 1 by the skin of its teeth mainly because the ballads at the end aren’t as annoying as the rest of the album. The interludes can fuck right off though.

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

You can instantly tell that this album is from the late '80s. Did I enjoy it? No. Was it terrible? I've definitely heard worse. However, I wouldn't consider myself a part of the Rhythm Nation. Additionally, the interludes really pissed me off. If it had been shorter, I might have given it a higher score.

Yeah, pretty good. I love that this album used to brake computers.

Where some albums feel very timeless, this one feels very firmly set in the early 90's. It's hyper produced and polished, so it doesn't give that warmth that you get from raw talent. This is still a great album and clearly stands the test of time, it just feels firmly planted in a specific time and place.

I found this pretty painful to get through, in general I like synth-forward songs but there's definitely a line where it becomes much too much. This album really struggled to overcome what I believe is really weak music.

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

Gear: Hifiman Arya Artwork: 🔳📸🕳️ Production: 🧼😐🤷‍♂️ Music: 🧼💃+🌎🕊️=🙄 Rating: 🫧(🫧)/5

I prefer this album, at least in terms of albums I would listen to often, to the albums by Michael Jackson. Obviously, Rhythm Nation is not as iconic as Bad or Thriller, but this is a really good album of new jack swing. I'm surprised the song with the most plays "only" has 41 million. I would think at least one of these tracks would top 100 million. Perhaps that is just the 80's baby in me coming out with unrealistic expectations. Rhythm Nation (the song) has Sly and the Family Stone written all over it but not too much to wear they are copping an entire song. There are 8 interludes on the album and I normally don't like these because they tend to break up the song momentum. What's odd to me is there are fewer interludes on the back half of the album when the songs are a bit slower. I would think there would be fewer interludes when the music is slower. I tend to get many of these songs stuck in my head and while the backhalf is a bit slow, I think anyone who likes Michael Jackson or new jack swing should listen to this one. It's a great album.

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.

Pretty boring pop R&B.

I wanted so badly to clarify my rating on this album that I'm leaving a note, which is not something I have usually done. Janet sounds great, and I thought the concept of addressing social issues through "We Are the World" style songs was pretty decent until she completely loses the plot halfway through the album and devolves into generic tenderhearted romantic mush. Fine on a different record, but playing the wide-eyed virgin really does a poor job of selling the idea that you are concerned with empowerment, liberation, and all the other social crises you mentioned five tracks ago. That being said the production on this album is great - I don't care what any of the other reviewers say. Everything snaps, pops, and grooves just the way you want an 80's album to, and if this was 100% instrumental it would get at least 4 stars from me.

How does an album begin with an Interlude? In fact by track count, this album is 40% interlude. Guess needed to get that track count up? The interludes get sparser on the back-half, at least, but it's overkill. The production is overkill as well. There is way too much going on in each song. How many vocal tracks does a song with a single vocalist need? I feel the Jackson connection is shoved in your face too. A lot of Michael style 'wooh's' and 'ahs' sampled in the mix. The hits hit ok, but the rest of the album is weak sauce. OK ending on an interlude is an even more ridiculous choice than starting on one. This wasn't as bad as albums I've given 1 star though, even if the 2nd last track was utterly dreadful.

A lot of the reviews say it's overproduced. I think it was fine and I believe this was the norm for Pop music back in the day. For me, there wasn't a lot that I liked about this album. Just a personal taste, really.

ich mochte janet jackson nie, und nach diesem album weiss ich wieder wieso: stimme, synthetisches schlagzeug und auch sonst ein wildes durcheinander. nah.

Sicher ein Meilenstein aber mit halt zu sehr Jackson.

got my wish! in wonderful amazing fashion! janet is 1000% one of the coolest performers and Presences in the history of popular music, and i think both the huge booming production (that still has wiggle room for actual pacing and stylistic variation) matches her here. im not sure how comprehensively successful the whole concept is LOL but tbh it does rly cut to something at the heart of pop music, which works in ideals and shorthand, its an underrated medium for utopian thinking. helps just how tight each soundscape wraps around u...tons of details but remains very readable and cohesive. just an obviously titanic effort!

I forgot just how great of an album this is.

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.

Sometimes, I wonder if I was a teen in the eighties, would I have been a goth? Sometimes, I think yes. Sometimes, I hear an album like this one, and think I’d have been one of those girls in the bright crazy patterned clothes and the casual use of leg warmers. I really didn’t expect to enjoy this album as much as I did, but it’s just really fun and makes you want to dance and enjoy yourself. And call me crazy if you want, but I think enjoyment is pretty good.

Don't think I've ever listened to this all the way through since I was a kid. Holds up surprisingly well even if some of that 80s R&B production can be a sound a tad dated. Solid stuff though

-Definitely a definitive album of my youth. -a SUPER POP album start off! -'State of the World' is still timely. -missed how much I missed singing "Miss you Much"! -pretty sure any time I was in a Pamida department store, at least one song from this album would play overhead...can still smell the potpourri home decor section, apple cinnamon eeww! -Such a 'Clean' album. Crisp Studio produced layers. --Remember tuning in a FM Station on a Walkman and hoping you could get the Tuned LED indicator light to pop. Tuned in! -Baby, Baby, Baby, alright with me... -Escapade! Come on baby let's get away! -Black Cat, you're gonna die! -Come Back to Me, love the vocals.

Hmmm, I’d say if you need a Janet Jackson album before you die, the one with “Nasty” and “What Have You Done For Me Lately” from a couple years before is the one with cultural impact. The video for the title track was better than the song.

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.

Hell yeah everything about this album.

When I was a tween at the dawn of the 90s, I didn't care for new jack swing. At all. But I've grown sentimental in middle age, and have enjoyed revisiting a lot of the R&B tracks that were popular in my neighborhood back then. Some of them are guilty pleasures, but some are just brilliant. This album is full of the latter; I love it, and I should listen to it more often.

I dont understand why this record is on the list instead of Control, the superior JJ album in my opinion. Production has not aged well, and I'm glad the 80s/90s hip hop trope of having skits or collage intros between tracks has died. While some of the singles on this are ones I remember (title track, black cat, escapade), theres also sincere but maudlin tracks like "Livin’ in a World (They Didn’t Make)" that I found embarrassing. "School shootings are bad" is not exactly a bold hot take. I looked at the singles fron Control (nasty, when I think of you, what have you done for me lately) and it just made me want to listen to that record instead.

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?

This is not my thing - at all. Everything sounds fake, except her voice.

OK

The production is very dated but otherwise really solid album with great vocals and messages

I really don't like hip hop, but this is some of my favorite hip hop music that I've listened to. Like I originally wanted to give it a 2 but I ended up thinking it was a super solid album.

4.

This album is the epitome of the sound from the 80s/90s that I hate. The synths. The distorted drums. Weird bass. Clearly JJ is an artist and I can appreciate the strong song writing. I think I would have enjoyed the acoustic version. Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

2 sterne

Most of it sounds like a product of its time, but I kinda like that. Later on it gets more timeless with some lovely ballads.

Not too bad. Just not really my thing.

Too 80s for today 2 with regret

Not for me.

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

Hoo boy is this album earnest. It sometimes feels more like an after school special than music. I appreciate the effort, ultimately. Not really for me, but I sort of love how dorky it is at a lot of moments.

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

Die Rhythmen sind mir zu knallig. Dazwischen ist wenig Musik.

2000s vibes

The lyrics really aren't that deep... like REALLY cmon... makes me think chat gpt existed back then The only thing I sorta liked was the electric guitar in Black Cat... but ehh the guitar felt muted

probs 4

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…

Some albums age like a fine wine. This one definitely doesn't. Just overproduced boring disco/pop. Kudos for "Black cat".

Starts our great but is a bit too long

Very Micheal. I Like the sound but it feels like much of the same

Surprised by how much I liked this album. Maybe I’m a closet JJ fan…

Well, that was a surprise. Put a smile on my face and a tap, tap shuffle into my day

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.

Dogshit

Unsurprisingly, from a shit Michael Jackson, it sounds like a shit Michael Jackson album

Wow, this is really cool! This is another one of these cases where I obviously know who Janet Jackson is and I know her nineties hits, but never heard anything from this album. This is a great selection that runs the gamut of eighties pop, from funk to hard rock. Super cool and makes you want to dance.

This is the most 1989 sounding record.

Why can I not retain how to count down with five fingers the way Janet does? It was so cool. I wanted her style so badly. The fact that the countdown is part of the pledge right before and not part of the Rhythm Nation track is a crime.

I put this one off until later, and later became months. Probably should've waited longer because I'm still not ready to listen to this. New jack soul, whatever, my god the artificial snap of the drums had me twitching by track 3. And those synth stabs! Ugh. Janet can sing, no question, but this isn't a great album. Didn't like the singles in 1989, and I'm not a fan of the rest of it decades later.

I had never before heard- Ok that's a lie i have heard Janet before in the song Scream with Michael Jackson ofc, but even with her solo stuff getting more attention among music nerd circles, I haven't really gotten to check it out until now. I was the most interested in this one out of all her albums because it had industrial influences according to RYM so like, why not! And for the most part I kinda see it? The rugged and mechanical beats in this album wouldn't be too out of place if in EBM if you isolated them and put people chanting endless meaningless slogans. But anyway, this album was really enjoyable, I mean Janet sounds amazing, the instrumentals are punchy and dance-able but also not saddled by 80s production like I'd expect especially on Rhythm Nation and Miss You Much which are just so cool and really made me want to get up and dance to them. I will say though: the length is not the best, especially as the last few songs just veer into R&B ballads without much more to them just dragged the enjoyment of the album which started which such cool energy. There's also how many interludes there are in this album, almost ridiculously so but they're short enough to not be a total bother I think. All in all, pretty good!

big meh

9/10. I saw an interesting video about this album's title track which claimed that the title track causes computers, and even local computers, to crash. Interesting facts aside, this album features a lot of bops. I love its strong anti-racism message. :)

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.

Some good songs but got boring pretty quick

Groovy~

Beautiful production, vocals, and harmonies. Wonderful album.

80s pop with a heavy social change theme. The beats are pretty catchy, but the lyrics just feel extremely cheesy to me because they're so simple and generally vague. I think the issues aren’t as noticeable listening to a single song, but listening to the full album makes it obvious how generic each song is.

jokaseen väliin interluudia heh jaahas janetti. olet niin sievä ja fiksu janetti.. oi janetti kiitos tästä.. akolaadeja akolaadeja.. lisää ja lisää.. syntetisoitua perkussioneja. unbeliveable influential.. pump tsika pum pump... huonompi prinssi..prinsessa.. prinsessa janetti hyvin menee.. Luin ja kuvittelin jääväni eläkkeelle, kun tämä soi taustalla. Musiikin eloisuus piti ajatukseni virralla. Kiitos! hyvät kansalaiset....... olemme........ elämme käännekohdassa.... elämme käännekkohtaa.. kansalaiset......hyvät....... hetket ovat nyt käsillämme..... käsillämme on hetket, jotka tulevat raikumaan tulevaisuuden railoissa...... hyvät kansalaiset...... nyt on aika........ nyt on hyvät kansalaiset aika toimia...... miss you much

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.

Not bad. Very like MJ, oddly enough!

Janet’s best known

Catchy poppy album

great album, but wayyyy too many interludes....

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.

to be lost, found in sound, of this room

Watered down Michael

3.8

Might give this another spin, cause I was listening while at the gym, but it didn’t really hit for me. Production is good but really painfully 80s in both the more uptempo dance songs and slower ballads. Janet can sing but many of the lyrics are way too on the nose about all the problems in the world, “save the children” etc. Also Black Cat specifically sounded like a much weaker version of Beat It. Couldn’t help comparing her to Michael and this albums mostly pales in comparison to his best work

I'm sorry, this kind of pop music just didn't age well. Even if we forget about who her brother was, this is just pablum.

I don’t care much for the politically fueled tracks, and the interludes seem unnecessary to me. But, there are some strong vocal performances and groovy beats.

so, so long and so, so late '80s. several bangers despite this

I do not want to be a part of rhythm nation. I actually made it through 5 songs but this is a tough album and it does not hold up well. Songs sound very similar and there's not much enjoyable with them. 3/10 (1.5/5)

i do like an album with a lot of bells & whistles though the music can be overconsistent perhaps

Phew, I find Janet Jackson's pop songs boring and annoying. I tried to listen more closely to some of the tracks on the album. They really got on my nerves. I stopped the whole thing and prefer to listen to good music instead. 1/5

Had very low expectations but this wasn’t that bad in the end. Black Cat is a banger.

It was ok, not really my thing

Fine, but not my style

Bra pop / dans album, snäppet för långt. Förvånansvärt politiskt

All the slick production of her brother's music, without any of the emotional hook and general interesting song choices

Bara för man har berömda syskon så blir det inte bra per automatik.

i love this sound i feel like you just don’t hear music like this (at least in the mega pop sphere) anymore

First time listen via streaming.

Disappointed I didn’t like this more. Was only really interested in 2-3 songs

No soporto las baladas de esta época (finales de los 80 y 90). Además, tiene un sonido sobreproducido en general, tambien tipico de este género. No le pongo un uno porque algunas canciones son pegadizas. 2 bajo

A+

2 Stars (5/15)

Long. Samey.

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.

State of the World kind of slaps in the most 80s way. Escapade is another great single. I went in with unfairly low expectations and was swept away. While this wasn't a close listen, I really enjoyed this album for everything that it is. The songs are well-produced and shimmer with all of the trappings of the time. Instrumentals were funky and varied and the individual songwriting was really strong. Made for a fun listen a couple of times through.

Kind of a snooze fest and a long one at that. Very typical pop beats that I would expect out of the early 90s where it is moving away from the 80's "cheese", but not completely leaving it in the rearview as it still has bits of that.

Holy 80s cheese. The electronic drums and noises that were going on were quite terrible. Did not enjoy how much Janet wanted to change the world with some of her messages too. Was still some catchy music at points, but please get this album far away from me.

God I already hate this a few songs in. 2/3's in and I still hate pretty much everything about this. I get why people may like it who grew up in that era but I feel bad for them. Way too long and a struggle to finish. Can't wait to smash the 1 star tomorrow morning.

Not a fan of the “pop diva” genre, although “Black Cat” was a banger.

It was just okay for me, although I know it was iconic in its day.

I was excited to see this come up on the list. It's one of those iconic albums that I really do think I should listen to. I figured I would know at least a few tracks, but I was surprised by how many I knew well. Great dance music and variety of sounds.

It seems like a good pop album. Not my thing, though.

This was fine but I wasn't super into it. As much as I listened to Michael Jackson as a kid, I didn't get into much other similar sounding pop and R&B.

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

I always wanted to be a part of the Rhythm Nation. I think it's pretty cool that Michael Jackson and Prince were supposed rivals — exaggerated or not, depending on whose stories you believe about ping-pong games and Prince ducking out on "We Are The World" — but that Michael's sister and dudes from Prince's band created some of the greatest pop songs ever made. That's the kind of utopia I imagine in Rhythm Nation. There are just so many hits on this album. This is an amazing statistic: 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 first album to produce No. 1 hits on the chart in three separate calendar years, beginning with "Miss You Much" in 1989, "Escapade" and "Black Cat" in 1990, and culminating with "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" in 1991.

2.5/5

similar to get rich or die tryin in the way that quite a lot of songs could be removed to make it better (not as much tho). I imagine this was highly influential for the 90s rap/pop fusion. I generally think that the first half is much better that the second. Downsides have pretty much already been said, and some songs could be longer. Favorite songs: Rhythm nation, state of the world, the knowledge. Overall around 7/10

all the haters who gave this a 2 can pound sand. This album has at least 6 bangers on it. And yes...this is 100% a product of my age when this came out and me hearing them on the radio nonstop.

I like

More objectively good than subjectively.

I made sure to listen very closely and was definitely able to realize why it was on list this, but that’s kind of wear my praise ends. It wasn’t super musical, which is what my ears were yearning for. I could get behind what she was saying… but I didn’t get a lot of singing and I was uninterested by the end.

New jack swing isn't my thing. Probably great if it's yours, but ... why? Very 80s and sounds like one dead-ass boring 65 minute song ... that incessant drum machine is giving me meegraine, is it over yet... 3/10 2 generous stars.

A classic - she rocked it.

Great.

Pleasant enough and has some bangers, but it got a little samey after 4 or 5 songs.

83% Best: Rhythm Nation; State Of The World; Miss You Much; Alright; Escapade; Black Cat Must-Hear? Sure

So of its time, but strangely timeless, Ms. Jackson (because I'm nasty at heart) and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis weave a tapestry of samples, loops and New Jack Funk to drop an album filled with club bangers. Social consciousness is heavy on her mind here, songs about racism, poverty, injustice, politics, sex, 35 years later and it feels very much on point today. In fact today this would be branded "woke" and all the connotations that go along with it. Meanwhile I'm still here trying to perfect the 5-4-3-2-1 hand countdown she does in the "Rhythm Nation" video.

I can usually get behind albums calling out for societal change, but I'm not really a big fan of this style of pop. The heavy industrialized and (imo) overproduced sound, poppy bass, steel-like snare drum sounds. It just doesn't really sit well with me. And it doesn't help that almost all of the songs sound the same. Escapade is a turning point for me, since it's really the first song to actually vary in sound. The next few songs are also interesting or different in their own ways. But the back half of the album probably keeps me from calling this a bad album, musically. I still don't love the album as a whole, but it ends up being not bad. Favorite Song(s): Escapade

I recently read a really good article about how totally JJ was ditched and hung out to dry after nipple-gate, and how much it derailed her career. Apart from a couple of mid-90s fairly average R&B songs, I didn't really know loads of her catalogue, but this is very good. I think I'm ready to die on the Janet is a better singer than Michael hill to be honest. And definitely a better person.

Sounds like people are dancing in wet city alleys. It’s late at night, dancers and musicians strategically placed on fire escapes and loading docks. Everyone is dressed in tattered denim, leather, bandanas, and untied boots. That’s what it sounds like.

The pinnacle of disco (?)

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.

If you can judge someone's character by the lyrics they sing then Janet seems like a decent, empathetic person with noble aims, but I just get so little out of the music. The production and songwriting on both the upbeat tunes and the ballads leaves me cold. I was genuinely baffled to learn so many tracks on this album were hit singles. 1.5

Nah. It's not so terrible that it deserves the lowly 1* but sorry JJ 2* is my final offer on this.

5/5. This is one of those albums that feels unfair that it was made, akin to Boston debut, where every song is just a perfect hit. This is just a greatest hits album, every song has its strengths and there are no weaknesses I can see. Sure, it helps she is a Jackson but there is no denying that the name doesn't matter here. These are all just really well-made. There are some more melancholy songs that do sometimes feel out of place but the interludes really help, when normally they wouldn't. It gives the listener that break between each song. First half is much better and with 3 less songs total, this would be a classic for the history books (more than it already is) but it is still really good to keep it at a 5. There is a weird vibe of dark lyrics of the state of the world with poppy music but honestly, dealing with tragedy with danceable and accessible music feels like a very healthy way to go about it. We live on in spite of the evil of the world, that is how we fight it instead of giving into the pessimism the world expects us to do. Best Song: Miss You Much, Escapade, Rhythm Nation

4.25

Came for "WEEE ARE A PART OF THE RHYTHM NATIOOONNN", got slow jams instead :/

Þetta fannst mér alveg glatað. Átti erfitt með að klára plötuna. Overproduced. Ríkt fólk að blaðra um fátækt. Condescending.

Ekki fyrir mig.

6.5/10

Standard Janet Jackson album.

80s money jackson pop(

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

Culturally relevant and slightly provocative for 1990. This album was the precursor to Janet genuinely taking control of her life, career, and freedom of expression. Rhythm Nation introduced a bold Janet who was strong, facing hard topics like social injustice, while at the same time embracing her sexuality and showing the world she was all grown up. Not my favorite JJ album, but it deserved the accolades received.

Pas horrible mais pas fan de comment ca sonne

overproduced

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…

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 is the fourth studio album by Janet Jackson, originally released in 1989. This is a pretty interesting release by Janet Jackson. She pretty much abandoned the sound of her previous album and decided to shift to more serious themes, much to the dismay of her record label. Lyrics on here commonly deal with politics and world problems such as violence and poverty. This is all laid over that iconic Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis production which is a weird mix. She's singing about violence and it's backed by an 80s dance beat. This album is also pretty bloated. She kinda discards the concept towards the end of the album and tacks on some slow and meandering ballads. The more upbeat songs were definitely the highlight of this album, and I admire the initiative to go against the label's wishes and bring social issues to light. It's just a bit inconsistent on this record. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

This is the most 80's thing I have ever heard. But not in a good way. My god, was the snare synth a requirement to be at a 9.5 every song?

It’s okay. I’m not really into this genre. I do remember, though, that I really loved her later album The Velvet Rope, so hopefully that album is included in this 1001 book. But this style is just not for me

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.

I was in college when this album came out. And since she wasn't angry or unclean, I didn't pay much attention. Shame on me. This is a fun record! It kind of loses steam towards the end, but there's a lot of great stuff here.

This was easy. It’s one of my favorite albums from the 90s anyway.

Sorta Blood Orangey

I found this rather dull

Alright.

Z so 2

A totally solid album. A little too mealy mouthed in the beginning with it's social British for my taste but the grooves and hits are where it's at. Escapade was a total banger.

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.

I really do not like 90s smooth RnB. This is edging way too close to it. I also am not a fan of Janet Jackson for maybe the same reason. The more upbeat 80 s pop songs were ok but the ballads was not my thing. Also way too long runtime.

Are all these songs the same? Probably. 2 stars, purely as I liked the "interludes" theme.

È lungo devo ammetterlo ma non merita meno di 4. Energetico, rinfrescante, danzante e politicamente impegnato, mi è piaciuto molto. Si sappia che non sarebbe stato un 5 nemmeno se fosse stato più corto.

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.

I am not a fan or Janet Jackson, or at least I wasn't. This album really really surprised me. I had this idea it was going to be something from around 97, and i assumed it would be full of ballads, but it was actually mostly pop, funky pop, really bouncy and interesting. The production is great, the songs are very very well written, with catchy singalong bits, and more than anything, it's so instant. If i was to compare it to the Mariah album that i heard a few months ago, i think this is a much better, much more cohesive, more catchy, more songs. This album feels like everything in a single, with a few things in between that stitch it all together.

Stellar writing - very catchy beats.

1989 fue un año

So great

Was für ein langweiliges Album.

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

Not really my thing unfortunately

Quite enjoyed the one. The production is incredible and the vibes are funky.

I have had a run of so many bad, unremarkable albums over the last several months. This has given me energy to continue for at least a few more weeks

Overproduced pop crap.

Verklebt die Ohren. Schlimm. Dann doch lieber die 47ste 90er Alternative Rock Band. Soundgarden fehlt noch...

L’habillage sonore de l’album, super cohérent, trahit son âge. Je suis quand même très attachée à l’album par nostalgie. Il faut dire aussi que le travail du rythme invoqué par la première chanson sous-tend chaque pièce, même les ballades, les rendant accrocheuses

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

Not my pop

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.

Great memories and a fun groove

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.

This album's concept is half-baked at best, but the industrial new jack swing sound goes so hard that I don't even care. favs: Rhythm Nation, Black Cat, State of the World, Miss You Much, Come Back to Me, The Knowledge least fav: Lonely

Seven #1 hits. It’s pretty much the reason it is here. It’s a competent album and after the breakthrough of Control, made her a superstar at her brother’s level. As a concept the album doesn’t hold up, but it has a solid production from Jam and Lewis that while dated is still pretty great and those hits are something else.

not my style but relevant for the genre

Pop stylings usually leave me cold, but the propulsiveness here gets me going--this is Sly caught up to 1989, or prefiguring Suzanne Vega; Rhythm Nation indeed. The Knowledge (and others) is great if I don't listen too carefully to the unimaginative lyrics. You go, girl.

Sorry, Janet - were these actually different songs? I thought I might be won over by some boppy tunes but instead overwhelmed by cloying samey-ness. My teeth hurt from the saccharine.

Not as memorable as her album "Control", but I love the effort. Strong 80s vibe and I dig the production. It starts of with a strong and relevant social commentary, but I don't think the masses wanted to hear her message or mature enough to understand it. The balance of the album is classic Janet dance club mixes.

Admittedly, I went into this not expecting to like it, which can be self-fulfilling. It can also yield surprises, and in this case, it did. I REALLY didn't like it. A 1-star rating is a statement, of sorts, and I was inclined to go with a 2 to indicate displeasure but not just seem like I was dismissing Ms. Jackson outright. But then I analyzed what I was reacting to, and it brought me to this place. First, whoever thought trying to pen songs about social awareness and homelessness and hunger and addiction but, by God, we'd better make it danceable, was misguided. Second, the production is awful. Is there an organic, acoustic sound on this thing (other than Jackson's vocals)? Trying to craft an album that's built on beats — "rhythm" is in the freaking title — requires a much defter hand. These rhythms are ham-hocked hammer-and-anvil drum machine blasts of fury. Everything is maxed out, there's no nuance. Third, Janet is just OK as a vocalist. I'm not trying to be mean, but her voice is often thin and overwhelmed by everything going on here. "Black Cat" was a temporary moment of cool, and that's really just me reacting to a bad-ass guitar riff. The drum madness continues. It's not enough to raise this from the mire it already created. So when the lyrics, the production, the arrangement, the talent, the performances, and the whole freaking premise is a miss... yeah. One star.

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.

Meh

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

I couldn’t imagine being in Janet Jackson’s position. Being a naturally talented and well known musician, and still managing to be overshadowed by your sibling would break any normal person down to their core. Plus, that whole accident she had at the Super Bowl Halftime Show ended up being a much bigger deal than it needed to be. It basically got her blacklisted, and was even the reason why the term “wardrobe malfunction” exists. Now granted, it is kind of hard not to be overshadowed by Michael Jackson. Because it’s fucking Michael Jackson. But I’m not going to spend this review comparing her music to his. That wouldn’t be doing her justice. I’m actually glad I get to explore the history of the Jackson family a little deeper than their biggest star. It’s a whole generation of very talented people. And Janet is no different. This is just the complete opposite direction that I would imagine her music would go in. This surprisingly turned out to be one of the most intense listens I’ve had on this list so far. At least some moments feel that way. Truthfully this is the evolution of the 80s sound, and what it developed into right at the cusp of the 90s. People began to abandon the dance stuff for something more fitting of a nightclub. Darker and more in your face. But it’s impressive how Janet and the people she worked with managed to pull that off while still maintaining a level of radio-friendliness. This album was judged on release for its pretty blatant political theming and lyricism. But it was also acclaimed for its production, and rightfully so. There is some really cool stuff going on. The opener alone is indicative of that. But there are also some really beautiful songs, like Livin' in a World and Come Back to Me, which sound closer to what Janet might be known for. I can also appreciate the theming here. I think it’s admirable that a person of her size was willing to write an album like this, even with the opposition from her label. She used her platform for something important. Janet has actually always been an icon and innovator in the contemporary spaces of late 20th century music. And I enjoyed most of this album thoroughly. Rating: 7/10

Nope

It feels like it's holding back on how funky it really wants to be, like someone told them to dial back the funk by 30%. It's not bad, but it never really caught my attention, and it was a bit too long and samey for me to give it any leeway.

The songs are fine, but they all sound basically the same (other than Black Cat which is a bit of an anomaly on this album). And they all seem really earnest in their subject matter.

Probably 3.75 again I see the overall appeal. But not really my genre or something I would usually listen to

Going to be honest, I did let my views of Janet Jackson as a person affect this rating.

Pure crap

A good dose of late 80s pop, in terms of her discography I like it less than Control (3.5/5)

*Baffling* how grunge, shoegaze, indie etc became so popular when late 80s pop was this over-produced nonsense. Talented, but empty of......... anything

Listen to it more than once. Loads to get into! 4.0

I feel like poorly reviewing 80s music for being cheesy is kind of unfair, but that's not my problem.

I’m a part

The tonal whiplash is pretty wild. Good music though. 4/5

So I remember the late 80s and early 90s, and while Janet Jackson wasn't anything me or my friends would listen to, this album was EVERYWHERE for a while. I never listened to this album all the way through before, but I sat down and ate the whole thing today. Its not bad! Its still not my taste, but it has great range, composition, Janet has outstanding vocals, and is a pretty good album. 4/5

Far too overproduced. MJ’s contribution is also annoying.

The final boss of 80s synth pop really picks up about halfway through when it gets more creative and varied

This isn't the sort of music I like. It's a bit over-produced, and while the sentiment behind the songs, I think it's a bit average.

Will only be remembered for slipping a titty during the superbowl, Michael did nothing wrong uWu

My gimp

Dross. Her brother had a pet monkey so I’ll give a star for that

Wonderful

Buen disco, con ritmo, pero no consigo que las canciones se me adhieran.

Some classic pop songs in there and some forgettable ones too.

Really good vibes, ahead of its time. creative songwriting and really catchy throughout the album.

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.

Just not really something I enjoyed. Nothing wrong just not great

Some very big 80s pop production, some heavy handed social commentary, a couple pop tracks that hang together pretty well. But very much feels like less than the sum of its parts.

Never heard a record before where there’s so much going on and nothing at all at the same time. Some of these songs sound like ADHD. Absolutely shite.

Might be the most overproduced album I've ever listed to, the perfect vehicle for trite 'children are the future' bollocks. Don't think I have anything else to say really, hated it.

Goodness me Janet.

Not for me at all and felt very of it's time, not in a good way

Good. And I saw this tour. Not sure it's aged that great

Immer nur der gleiche typische Ende der 80er Jahre Schlagzeug Sound. Wie nervig. Wenig Abwechslung.

Socially conscious, rhythm&industrial, chunky-funk, Janet-Storm. I can't comprehend how deeply this album hits. Minneapolis!

Political first half, sensual second half. I found myself head nodding more than I expected. Escapade is still a bop.

WOOOOOO!!!!

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

The biggest question I feel like I've had to ask myself in trying to talk about this album is "Is it dated?" That being, "Is it dated in terms of its production and genre?" and "Is it dated in terms of commentary on the real world?" Of course, my answer to both variations of that question is "Yes." This thing was released in 1989, after all; I'd be surprised if either one had aged terribly well in 2024. But let's pull in and address each one separately. I wanna start with the thing I feel like most people would take issue with: the commentary. Naturally, there's gonna be a few issues it tackles that maybe don't apply... As well today? Although, if I've learned anything from history, a depressing amount **does** carry through across centuries. But that's not actually why I think most people would have a problem with it, despite "datedness" being the thesis. Moreso, I imagine they'd take issue with the fact that Janet Jackson is a celebrity, and, as such, who the hell is she to try and talk about the problems of the "common folk?" Given the pedestal she's been placed on, can it come across as anything but fake? To be blunt, personally, I don't care. I often talk to myself about the "power of music," but it can only do so much by itself. If Janet brought attention to some issues through some sick jams, then that's a good thing. I mean, I'm not sure what else she could or is really supposed to do besides jump to the extreme of "quit music entirely and spend the entire fortune she's amassed to fix it herself." I don't believe that'd be as effective as some people would want it to be, and generally I don't think that's what most people would want her to do, really. Frankly, I'd just be happy that someone with a position like hers would be speaking about this stuff at all. And besides, if I can listen to all of her brother's socially conscious music and never get put off by "fakeness," then it's not a problem for me here, either. And let's switch over to talking about the music, and to get back on the thesis. I'm not gonna front here: this album sounds incredibly dated to the late 80's and early 90's. But, like, I'unno—is that a problem, really? This is New Jack Swing. Maybe I'm just too much of a sucker for modern throwbacks to older sounds, but to me this is just what it's supposed to sound like. And frankly, it sounds **incredible**. It's maybe—no, **definitely** the single best collection of New Jack Swing I've heard. I mean, sure, it **can** get a little tiring because of how long the album runs. (64 minutes? Oof. I kind of wonder if the original vinyl version, which edited the album down a bit to fit, runs any better, but let's stick with how we were supposed to listen to this thing.) On the whole, though, I can only think of a handful of songs from other artists that I'd classify as more definitively "New Jack Swing." I can't think of any other **albums**, that's for sure. I'm still knocking it a star for its length, but regardless, I really enjoyed my time with this album. If you're the kind of person who's bothered by datedness in music, I maybe wouldn't recommend it, but if you take it as it comes like me, it's a hell of a time. No wonder there was a point in time where Janet was bigger than Michael, oof, goodness.

Janet should've deserved better. One of the best damn albums of the 90s. Easy 5.

I’m at a 5. I would go much higher if I could. I hold Michael Jackson in a lot of reverence, and maybe that’s a character flaw, for a multitude of reasons I could write about whenever we get Thriller or Bad or Off The Wall. To segue into my point, I’ve never really given Janet a fair shake for whatever reason – I’m genuinely not sure why. I think Scream is one of the best tracks on HIStory, and I know some of her bigger hits. I’ve just never really had an excuse to tackle this album other than laziness. Once again, I have proven myself to be a fucking moron – this album is fantastic, from top to almost bottom (sorry to “Someday Is Tonight”, it’s just a very awkward fit on this album to me – still a good track though!). While it's definitely stuck in the late 80s, this is New Jack Swing at some of its earliest and its finest; the entire stretch of Rhythm Nation to Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make) is off the charts in terms of production, instrumentals, lyricism, social messaging, and vocals. Even as the back half of the album transitions into more of a love-driven record, I don’t think anything changes that much other than the atmosphere and mood – obviously, it climaxes at Someday Is Tonight, but there’s still great production and a big variety of styles to keep the album feeling fresh, even if its subject matter grows narrower and narrower. Regardless of anything else, what I’m most impressed by is that she wrote this at the ages of 22 and 23. Singers nowadays at that age would dream to have something like Rhythm Nation in their catalog, let alone the seven Top 5 singles she had on this album. That’s about as old as Billie Eilish is now, and she's probably the only other artist I can think of with similar critical acclaim at the same age. Hell, it would be a real miracle if Olivia Rodrigo’s next album after GUTS somehow has the cultural impact and acclaim of this. Ultimately, I truly think Janet broke out an album that could genuinely rival some of Michael’s best (ok, maybe not Thriller, but possibly Bad, and probably Off The Wall). What’s here is nothing short of fantastic, and I don’t think there’s a single miss. A few tracks go a little long, and some production quirks are a little overused, but those are nitpicky in relation to how much I just deeply enjoyed this. It’s so easily deserving of a 5, and I’m very glad I finally listened to it. There better be more Janet on this list.

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.

Wow haven't heard this one in a long time! I used to want to live in the Rhythm Nation before I found out how difficult that would be. Escapade is a fuckin banger and gets this to a 4 despite the overproduction reverb drum machine sound.

My girl, Janet! This era of Janet's music changed my life forever. The video to Rhythm Nation made me realize that I wanted to learn to perform. As an 8th grader looking for something bigger than kid stuff, I decided to join the pep squad, dance team, and cheerleader once I got to high school...and so I did for all four years. To this day, I have a video playlist dedicated to Janet Jackson complete with the Rhythm Nation choreography with the original choreographer. My dream was to BE Janet, not like her. She's an incredible dancer and one of the best all-time pop performers. Miss You Much, Escapade, Black Cat, and Love Will Never Do (Without You) are always on my playlist. The video for Love Will Never Do is sooooo sexy. Hello, Antonio Sabato Jr. The album does seem to lag at the end, but it's cohesive and keeps me entertained. 13 yr old me deeply appreciates this album, and adult me will forever love Janet. 5 stars.

Eh Janet is fine but doesn't do a ton for me, feels like posturing

We live in a society ahhh album

Janet Jackson is quite the legend, and this album firmly cements why that is the case. At times heartfelt, always personal, this is an incredible album to sink your teeth into.

reminds me of junior high great album

Ok! This album is sooo typical Jackson. It was nice in the 80s and beginning of the 90s. And it was a great album back then. But listening to it now isn't really exciting. Of course it is nice dance music as was typical for the Jacksons. But I don't see this as music, which is timeless although quite a lot listen to it even today.

Another couple of rejected tracks from the N64 Goldeneye soundtrack

Meh album. There's so much late-80s sound here and it's overwhelming. I'm not a fan. **

nah 48/100

Not really my type of music - after a while all the tracks sounded the same.

Don't really like the new jack swing sound. There are couple of decent songs here but it's too long and the interludes are annoying.

Not really my preferred style of music, but this is an extremely well put together album. Very bold choices and powerful messages