Janet Jackson- Biography
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Janet Jackson is a singer-songwriter, actor, and dancer from the United States. She is a global star who has sparked controversy in the music industry with a string of musically creative, socially conscientious, and sexually daring albums. Jackson is one of the world’s most awarded musicians, thanks to her illustrious career, which began in 1973. Her tenure in the music industry and impressive list of accomplishments have inspired and reshaped popular music. Despite beginning as a pop performer, Jackson quickly included elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap, and industrial beats, which led to her crossover popularity in popular music.
Jackson has sold more than 100 million records in her remarkable music career, which has spanned 11 studio albums and eight world tours, with two of her albums making the ‘500 Greatest Albums’ list of ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine. The albums were also included in the ‘Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s ‘Definitive 200’ list. She has emerged as a prominent role model for music fans and lovers throughout the country. Aside from music, Jackson has garnered attention for her artistic achievements in movies. Her huge international success has elevated her to the ranks of the greatest musicians and performers of the modern era. Her effect and influence have inspired millions of people all around the world.
What is the Net Worth of Janet Jackson? Salary, Earnings
Jackson’s net worth is believed to be $190 million.
Janet Jackson- Birth, Age, Ethnicity, Siblings, Education
Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16, 1966, in Gary, Indiana, USA. Katherine Esther and Joseph Walter Jackson had 10 children, and she is the youngest of ten.
Janet Jackson- Relationship, Married Life
Janet Jackson married singer James DeBarge in 1984, but their marriage was soon annulled. After that, she married Rene Elizondo Jr. The marriage was a private one, and the couple kept their marital status a secret from not only the international press but also from her father. However, the marriage fell apart, prompting Elizondo to pursue a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against her.
Jackson announced in February 2013 that she had married a Qatari businessman called Wissam Al Mana in a private wedding in 2012. On January 3, 2017, the couple had their first child, a son. She stated in April 2017 that they had chosen to part ways.
Janet Jackson- Professional Career
Janet Jackson’s entire family is involved in the entertainment world, so it was only natural for her to follow suit. She began recording in the studio at an early age. She had already performed on the ‘Las Vegas Strip’ at the ‘MGM Casino’ when she was seven years old. Jackson debuted on the variety show ‘The Jacksons in 1976. She earned the role of ‘Penny Gordon Woods’ in the sitcom ‘Good Times’ the following year. This was followed by appearances in ‘A New Kind of Family’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes.’ Jackson received a contract with ‘A&M Records’ when he was 16 years old. In 1982, she released her debut album, ‘Janet Jackson,’ on the label. The album reached number 63 on the Billboard 200 and number six on the R&B Albums list.
‘Dream Street,’ Jackson’s second album, was published in 1984. The album was somewhat successful, debuting at 147 on the ‘Billboard 200’ and 19 on the ‘R&B Albums chart. Its lead single, “Don’t Stand Another Chance,” reached number nine on Billboard’s “R&B Singles” chart. Jackson walked away from her father’s shadow as a result of her constant squabbles with him. She subsequently collaborated with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on her third album, ‘Control,’ which became a massive smash. The album debuted at number one on the ‘Billboard 200,’ and the RIAA certified it five times platinum. It also sold over 10 million copies globally.
‘Control’ was Jackson’s first chart-topping hit. It not only spawned top five singles, but it also provided Jackson with her first number one hit on the ‘Hot 100’ list. The album was nominated for six ‘Billboard Awards,’ including ‘Top Pop Singles Artist,’ and three ‘Grammys.’ It also received four ‘American Music Awards from a total of 12 nominations, the most ever. ‘Control’ was a crossover pop hit that helped Jackson establish her brand. Following the phenomenal success of ‘Control,’ Jackson was encouraged by many to create a sequel. She, however, refused to succumb to the temptation and instead released her fourth album, ‘Rhythm Nation 1814,’ which had a social conscience theme. The album debuted at number one on the ‘Billboard 200,’ was certified six times platinum by the ‘RIAA,’ and sold more than 12 million copies worldwide.
‘Rhythm Nation 1814,’ which revolved around the subject of solidarity in the face of atrocities and tragedies, became her greatest opus. It was well-received both critically and economically. It was also the only album to create number one hits in three consecutive calendar years, as well as the only album to deliver seven top-five singles on the ‘Hot 100’ list. ‘Rhythm Nation 1814’ went on to become the best-selling album of 1990, earning 15 ‘Billboard Awards. Jackson embarked on his ‘Rhythm Nation World Tour’ in 1990. It went on to become the most successful first tour in history, breaking the record for the quickest sell-out of Japan’s ‘Tokyo Dome.’ She used the tour’s revenues to fund a variety of educational activities.
Jackson’s contract with ‘A&M’ expired in 1991. As a result, she signed a multi-million dollar contract with ‘Virgin Records,’ making her the most paid recording artist at the time. She was also dubbed the “Queen of Pop.” Jackson released her fifth studio album, ‘Janet.’ (also known as ‘Janet, Period,’ in May 1993. The album debuted at the top of the ‘Billboard 200.’ The RIAA certified it six times platinum, and it sold more than 14 million copies worldwide. Its main hit, ‘That’s The Way Love Goes,’ topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eight weeks in a row. When her singing career was on track, Jackson decided to try her hand at acting. In July 1993, she made her cinematic debut with ‘Poetic Justice.’ Although the film was severely lambasted, critics praised her performance.
She worked with her brother Michael Jackson on the song ‘Scream,’ which was the lead single from his album ‘HIStory,’ in 1995. It debuted at number five on the ‘Hot 100’ singles chart, making it his first song ever to do so. The following year, she released her first compilation CD, ‘Design of a Decade.’ Its track ‘Runaway’ became the first song by a female singer to debut in the top ten of Billboard’s ‘Hot 100’ chart. The album received double-platinum certification and sold over ten million copies worldwide.
Jackson’s contract with ‘Virgin Records’ was renewed in 1996 for a stunning $80 million, making her the highest-paid music artist in history. While her professional trajectory was improving, her personal life was plagued by despair and worry. Her sixth studio album, which captured her emotions and worries, represented all of this. The album, titled ‘The Velvet Rope,’ opened at number one on the Billboard 200 and went triple platinum, selling over ten million copies worldwide.
The lead song from ‘The Velvet Rope,’ ‘Together Again,’ became Jackson’s seventh number-one smash on the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ chart. It spent a record-breaking 46 weeks on the ‘Hot 100’ chart and 19 weeks on the UK singles chart. It went on to sell six million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. For its LGBT theme, the album cemented Jackson’s position as a gay icon.
Following the success of her album ‘The Velvet Rope,’ Janet Jackson embarked on the ‘The Velvet Rope World Tour,’ touring all over the world. She next appeared in ‘Nutty Professor II: The Klumps,’ her second cinematic performance. The film was a huge success, grossing $170 million worldwide. Her movie single ‘Doesn’t Matter’ got her seventh number-one single on the ‘Hot 100’ list.
Jackson released her seventh studio album, ‘All For You,’ in 2001. The album debuted at number one on the ‘Billboard 200,’ following in the footsteps of its predecessors. It sold an incredible amount of copies in its first week, the most ever sold by a female artist. The RIAA certified it double platinum, and it sold nine million copies worldwide. Jackson followed it up with a massively successful tour of the United States and Japan.
Jackson performed a medley of her mega-successful albums at the ‘Super Bowl XXXVIII’ halftime act in February 2004. She had a wardrobe mishap while singing a duet with Justin Timberlake. She was later named the ‘Most Searched in Internet History’ and the ‘Most Searched for News Item’ in ‘Guinness World Records.’ The duo was heavily chastised by reviewers and was blacklisted from radio and music networks.
Following the controversy of the ‘Super Bowl,’ Jackson released her eighth studio album, ‘Damita Jo,’ in March 2004. Despite debuting at number two on the ‘Billboard 200’ and being certified platinum by the ‘RIAA,’ the album was unable to match the popularity of her prior albums due to the ‘Super Bowl incident!
Jackson’s tenth studio album, ’20 Y.O.,’ was released in 2006. Despite having some heart-pounding numbers, it was overshadowed by the ‘Super Bowl’ incident and hence unable to rise above it. The record suffered greatly as a result of it being blacklisted by music outlets and radio airplay. Despite all odds, ’20 Y.O.’ garnered a platinum certification from the RIAA as well as a ‘Grammy’ nomination for ‘Best Contemporary R&B Album.’
When her musical career began to decline, Jackson focused on her acting abilities and appeared in the film ‘Why Did I Get Married?’ It was her third consecutive film to open at the top of the box office, grossing $60 million. Jackson earned a record deal with ‘Island Records’ in 2008. The next year, she released her tenth studio album, ‘Discipline,’ which debuted at number one. Its lead single charted at number 19 on the ‘Hot 100.’ She published a second compilation named ‘Number Ones’ in 2009, which included all of her singles. Its first track, ‘Make Me,’ became Jackson’s twentieth number one record on the ‘Hot Dance Club Songs chart, becoming her the only artist to have a number-one single in four different decades.
The popularity of her first film, ‘Why Did I Get Married?,’ prompted the production of a sequel, ‘Why Did I Get Married Too?’ in which she repeated her character. She then appeared in the play ‘For Colored Girls.’ At the same time, she began her largest world tour, ‘Number Ones: Up Close & Personal,’ which took her to 35 cities across the world. Jackson launched her record company, Rhythm Nation, in 2015, making her one of the first African-American female performers to operate a record label. She published a single under the label called ‘No Sleeep,’ which reached number one on Billboard and Twitter.
In October 2015, Jackson released her eleventh studio album, ‘Unbreakable.’ The album debuted to favorable reviews from critics and media outlets. It debuted at number one on the ‘Billboard 200,’ making it her eighth number one album in the United States. She then embarked on her ‘Unbreakable World Tour,’ before taking a brief break to attend to family matters. She then relaunched the tour as the ‘State of the World Tour.’ She announced her first concert residency, named ‘Metamorphosis,’ in February 2019.
In addition to being a singer, Jackson has worked as an entrepreneur and endorser. For two years, she was the first celebrity to advertise the fashion line ‘Blackglama,’ becoming the brand’s first celebrity endorser. She has even started her jewelry line. She also wrote a self-help book called ‘True You,’ which details her life and difficulties. The book topped the ‘Best Seller’ list of ‘The New York Times.’
Major Projects
Janet Jackson’s career took off with her second album, ‘Control,’ after which she never looked back! By the end of the 1990s, Jackson had been listed by ‘Billboard’ as the second most successful musician of the decade, after belting out blockbuster songs and albums one after the other. Furthermore, from ‘Miss You Much’ (1989) to ‘I Get Lonely,’ she became the only female artist in the history of the ‘Hot 100’ to have 18 consecutive top ten hit songs (1998).
Jackson’s fame grew in the twenty-first century, as all of her albums and songs performed incredibly well. She went on to become one of the top 10 best-selling performers in contemporary music history. She is credited with altering the landscape of mainstream music, and she is regarded as one of the top artists, with Madonna, ‘Aerosmith,’ Garth Brooks, and Eric Clapton.
Achievements & Awards
- Janet Jackson is the world’s third most awarded artist. She has won 208 accolades out of the 400 nominations she has earned throughout her remarkable career, and the figure is sure to rise in the coming years.
- Jackson has garnered 11 ‘American Music Awards,’ five ‘Grammy Awards,’ nine ‘MTV Video Music Awards,’ 13 ‘Soul Train Music Awards,’ and 11 ‘Billboard Music Awards.’ Among these is the ‘Award of Merit from the American Music Awards, the ‘Artistic Achievement Award’ from the Billboard Awards, the ‘Video Vanguard Award’ from MTV, the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from Soul Train, and the ‘Governor’s Award’ from the Recording Academy.
- She has received the TMF Awards ‘Lifetime Achievement Award,’ MTV Japan’s ‘Inspiration Award,’ and the World Music Awards’ ‘Legend Award.’
- Her humanitarian initiatives have earned her the APLA ‘Commitment to Life Award,’ the amfAR ‘Award of Courage,’ and the GLAAD ‘Vanguard Award.’ She was even given a ‘Humanitarian Award’ for her efforts in raising funds for AIDS organizations.
- She has also been honored with a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to the recording business and philanthropic initiatives.
- In 2019, she was inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.’
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