Rhythm Nation 1814

My second listen in the last few years after scoring this album at a Yankee Swap. Has inspired me to check out a few others from this era: Control (1986) and Janet (1993).

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

Some toe tappers, maybe a song or two I might dance to if I was drunk at a wedding or something. Otherwise... not my thing

good album, much better than I remember, a lot of good songs.

I don’t think I’d ever listened to Janet Jackson before this but it was a pleasant surprise. Most of the songs were catchy but it got verrrry preachy in parts

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.

bad

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.

Fine!

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.

An hour of Janet Jackson, are you serious? uggghhh. This is like pop music on steroids, which I guess is kinda cool? But it does get old. If it only went for half an hour it'd be a 3, but here we are. 2/5.

Concept sucks but her heart was in the right place. Janet can sing

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.

Pop comercial.

Por lo visto en su momento lo petó, pero yo no le veo la gracia a este disco.

5/10

Uff

Album pop correct. Consistent mais rien qui se démarque tellement

sister jackson

The idea of a pop concept album is interesting but this is not for me at all.

A near perfect example of the r and b genre, Rhythm Nation 1814 spawned hit after hit and solidified Jam and Lewis’ reputation for producing high quality, radio friendly tracks. And Janet Jackson is such a powerful presence - bold vocals and charisma to spare . Although the social consciousness of her album is over stated, at least there is an attempt at something to say. An album that spawned many imitators and flipped urban music to the mainstream. Really massive record.

What's not to like when a giant pop star gains a conscience and then decides to tell you all about it? Everything. It sounds like a hot mess. Parts of it are like people have got the button on their sampler stuck. Best Tracks: Rhythm Nation; Miss You Much; Escapade

Very well produced, but still not me.

Do I really need Janet Jackson lecturing me for an hour about all that's wrong with the world? No. Having said that, did I enjoy listening to this? Also no, not really. No disrespect to Miss Janet, but this is just not my thing. 2 stars.

Didn't dislike it as much as I thought I would, but not for me

Nothing noteworthy, and not for me.

Finally something more comfortable after a series of weird stuff. Music-wise it's pretty catchy and rhythmic, full of energy. And of course... who can reject dancing beats! Love Will Never Do -- a yay Livin' in a World -- even better Come Back to Me -- a big yay

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

Aside from being too long and too repetitive, this was okay.

I like it when major artists figures their shit out in public, especially when they rationalise it with--like the title says--rhythm. Also, when they show the decency to just *feel* something about it ('Livin' In A World'). I don't expect Janet had much to add around homelessness or literacy, but if every time we opened our mouths we had to drop something groundbreaking, we'd all be fucked. Also, for an hour run time, it flies by.

I don't really enjoy this but I respect where she is coming from. Very 80's sound.

This one really brings me back in a good way to when I was starting to become more aware of music outside of my parent's collection. I remember alot of these songs quite well. Makes sense as there were so many singles from it. They are really having fun with the new capabilities of the sampler all over this record. I think it was really brave of her to go for a concept album that doesn't avert it's eyes from some harsh realities immediately after her first breakout success. And the fact that this became even more successful makes it all the sweeter. I love when artists are rewarded for brave choices and it proves pop audiences don't always want formulaic pap.

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.

It's a good record, I think if it was half as long I would have given it 5 without blinking.

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.

Interesting album with many interludes

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

Ei uppoa tämä genre, eikä tämä Janetin levy ollut mitenkään poikkeus. Miksiköhän tässä oli niin paljon noita interludeja joka välissä? Tuli mieleen Missy Elliotin levy, jossa kanssa oli paljon välihöpinöitä. Kai se on joku mustien naisten juttu, että kun on kerran päässyt studioon niin on kiva purkittaa omaa ääntään. Levyn biisit olivat sellaista Jackson-kamaa, että hyvin pystyin kuvittelemaan siihen laulajan tanssiesityksen mukaan. Ei ihan pahinta kuraa, mutta en minä tätä enää jatkossa tule kuuntelemaan.

Kovasti on samantyyppistä äänimaailmaa kuin veljensä tuotannossa. Liekö harkittua vai tahatonta. Ei tämä kuitenkaan ihan kauhean kovaa itseeni iskenyt. Slovarit toimii hyvin, mutta vähänkään räväkämmät biisit ovat vaan yksinkertaisen tylsiä. Kakkosen ja kolmosen välimaastossa taas kerran keikutaan. Tällä kertaa tuomio menee alaspäin.

80s lively heavy on the choreo

Bloody awful

I guess this is pretty good if you like Janet Jackson. The first track was surprisingly not as bad as I was expecting, but it was downhill after that. The overly used drum machine sound became tedious and annoying in the end.

Not for me

Inte så bra! Texterna är samhällskommenterande, vilket så klart uppskattas, även om det blir lite väl övertydligt ibland. Som denna del i "The Knowledge": "One, two, three, four Prejudice: no Ignorance: no Bigotry: no Illiteracy: no" Andra låtar har mer konventionellt kärleks- och danstema. Stora trummor och dansvänliga R&B-beats som tyvärr låter vääääääldigt daterade. Inte ett sound som har åldrats väl. Mycket låter som något teaterensemblen i en 90s-high school-film skulle sätta upp. Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make) är en lugnare låt som har en fin refräng, även om texten även här är jobbigt övertydlig. Den följande låten, Alright, är helt ok, och Janets sång låter ibland som Robyn (???). Låtarna är även för repetitiva och för långa, de flesta runt 5 minuter. Ville under lyssningen helst bara att albumet skulle ta slut. Bästa låt: Alright.

Not my cup of tea

Such a great voice for 80s music.

First half of the album had some good beats and interesting layering - New Jack Swing apparently. The second half was all ballad all the time, which I can do without.

Souns a lot like Michals music Intresting use of interludes Cretiv beats and drumsounds

Surprisingly enjoyable listen with good songs and infectious rhythms. Her singing is frankly nondescript for me and given this genre perhaps below par but the songs are what's important to me. 3.5 🌟

I admittedly didn’t ACTIVELY listen to this album but it made decent “feel good” background music. Overall I’d say it was a neutral to positive experience but nothing really stood out to me

Maybe its nostalgia but I enjoyed this album.

Favs: Love Will Never Do (Without You), Escapade, Rhythm Nation Mehs: All the Interludes Janet Jackson sounds happy on this album, and that makes me happy. Fun tween bop pop. I'm not sure I'd have it on this list, but I did enjoy listening to it again.

I'll tell your mama I'll tell your friends I'll tell anyone I want this shit to end.

Een paar goeie nummers, de rest is maar 'meh'

Just pop

I really don't like this 90's pop stuff; it all felt really samey. All the slow songs were extremely similar. In addition, all the fast songs were the same just with different tempos. The drum beat was exactly the same, and it got really annoying listening to it.

I cannot ever see myself listening to this album again. If someone puts it on or has a few songs on their playlist, I wouldn't complain, but this album doesn't really bring anything new to the table in terms of eighties music I like. Some of the songs kind of have the vibe of "I just did acid for the first time" which is definitely tired and done by the eighties. Also listener beware: the gated compression drums are on every track, and that only gets more apparent and tiresome over the 64 minute runtime. Conceptually, I think the album is kinda reaching a dystopia kind of feeling/vibe, but I think it falls short with how dated the instrumentation sounds. Funnily enough, I think "Sex Packets" by The Digital Underground has more to say about societal issues and dystopian themes than "Rhythm Nation 1814" does. Another issue I have is that there are a ton of interludes on the record, but none of them are really long enough to say or add anything to the album experience. Highlights: 2, and 14.

Good stuff, almost a 4

Runs a little thin on my hart- nothing jumps out as need-to-hear

Well produced but for the most part generic sounding pop. Black cat is a stand out though.

No no no nopes

This is a really good album. Not really my thing but the songs are catchy and danceable all while providing a social commentary (although sometimes a little corny). That was probably the whole point so mission accomplished. Unlikely that I'll listen to it again though.

dated, naive, but pretty brave for its time and some catchy tunes. i won't go back but enjoyed. 3

Surprisingly enjoyable listen. 3.5 🌟

A little overproduced in some areas, but Janet has an amazing voice and some poignant lyrics that make this a catchy and enjoyable listen.

I don’t really like this style of overproduced studio showcase, but it is so well done for what it is. Wavering between a 3 and a 4. I’ll go with the 4 because… my god did she ever get the short end of the stick after the Superb Owl.

Overproduced non sense of the 80's is not missed on this one. The hits are the only ones I enjoyed for nostalgic purposes.

Michael Jackson tava com uma cara diferente

Fuck the low reviews i love this album and it’s incorporation of the real world.

Not the best Jackson, not even in the top 5.

Really not my thing, though I'm not sure I'm in the best headspace for listening to new music today. None of this album was memorable for me, sorry Janet.

Wow! So good. Thoughtful, powerful, well-produced. Loved listening to the whole thing.

never realized how activist this pop album was, got industrial vibes off it too

Too long !

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Rhythm nation, State of the world, Love will never do, Escapade

classic RnB

I don't think this is a bad album. Honestly, it's a pretty good one. But I didn't like it too much. The weird over production on an album that's sort of trying to display the hardships of the world. Just this whole, over the top rich celebrity singing about the woes of poor people. Just feels so fake and I sorta hate it for that. It's not bad. Just seems dated and out of touch even though it's supposed to be in touch. She can sing pretty damn well though.

Cool sounds, never realized Janet has such range

It just makes me want to live in the 80s and drink Pepsi. I wish there was more of a sense of humor or irony to it. It's just very straightforward.

Me gustó mucho el disco. Nunca escucho Janet Jackson. Es uno de esos artistas que tenes abajo del todo en la lista de "gente que algun dia voy a escuchar". Es muy notorio la influencia de este disco en artistas de pop-comercial que existen hoy en dia. Como una Madonna negra. El apartado tecnico es bastante elaborado para ser un disco de pop de finales de los 80's cuando los artistas descubrieron que todo se podia hacer "apretando unos botoncitos de mierda" y sacar un exito del otro lado. No le quita credito siendo que no todos saben QUE botones y CUANDO apretarlos. Salta a la vista enseguida con el primer tema que no querian hacer algo parecido a MJ pero lo suficientemente distanciado como para que se pueda parar por si mismo... Excepto en Rythm Nation que parece sacado de Dangerous. Lo voy a poner en rotation en mis playlist porque es un buen departure del overly-produced pop que se escucha hoy en dia.

Lo que más me gustó de este álbum es la tapa. 1/5

Meh. Not my bag. Some of it is well written. Some not so much. I'm not much of an R&B fan, especially, slow R&B ('cept Barry). Just doesn't speak to me.

Pretty nostalgic to listen to the album. Never was much of a fan, but was kind of fun to re-live some of the 90s

I don't like this kind of bland and MOR pop. Also it sounds really outdated and the songs are of poor quality.

Its another Michael Jackson Álbum. It shouldn't be in this list. Uniform and nice fade between Songs.

Ne visi a mano stilius, bet funky efektukai

I actually enjoyed this album a bit more than most of the others I've rated 3. Standout songs were Livin' In A World & Alright real rating 3.5/5

Love an album with a bit of social commentary. A lot of the themes in this are still very relevant today. The album definitely has a very distinct 80s sound but I liked it. As with a lot of these albums it was just too long for me not to start losing interest.

I've not listened to Janet that much. It sounded a bit like Michael, but she added her own flair. Good album and good sound. Not quite my cup of tea but I could listen to it occasionally.

Really enjoyed this! The interludes in between practically every song was something I hadn’t seen before, but I thought it fit the flow of the album. Really enjoyable!

I mean, it is just one song. That goes on too long. And very saccharine ballads on side 2.

Lots of singles, good concept album

It was a nice enough R&B album without ever really having a wow moment. Its way too long too like a lot of albums from Genre. 3/5

"Not to say that I'm in love with you But who's to say that I'm not" (Miss you much) "The people we learn from Forge the ideas we become" (Livin' in a wolrd) Me ha resultado muy interesante 1. cómo está montado todo el disco como un continuo 2. que sea un disco tan reivindicativo desde el primer segundo. La verdad es que no conocía mucho de la música de Janet Jackson y ahora me da pena.

Funky

Pop comercial.

This is a really late 80s /early 90s Janet Jackson album. There is a good amount of songs that are catchy and “radio friendly” and other songs that have more meaning and emotion. It’s easy to listen to and several I remember listening to back in those days.

Una pérdida de tiempo. Una copia del sonido de su hermano con cosas penosas como estrofas en español en el tema Lovely. Totalmente prescindible para mi gusto.

Meh

another snapshot of its time. i'm not sure i really liked it, or that i ever really cared for janet - but boy, did her producers work hard on this one! overall, not for me, but her talent is easy to spot.

Great!

Interesting and very socially aware for a pop album, but that also makes songs like "Escapade" stand out as off-key. Not bad but a weird one overall.

Album contains a couple of Janet Jackson's top hits. The album contains many songs but many are forgettable. That being said many songs are linked to the previous song.

Couldn't hear much of Jackson. Inoffensive

Solid dance jams

Ei osu meikläisen mukavuusalueelle eli väärän kohderyhmän arvio levystä on vmp.

I know she's supposed to be the proto-Beyonce or whatever, but...meh. Best track: Miss You Much

Kyllä tän kuunteli, mut en näe itteäni kuuntelemassa toista kertaa