FEATURE:
State of the World
Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 at Thirty-Five
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THERE is debate…
as to which Janet Jackson album is best. All of them are worthy, though I do think that Control (1986), Janet (1993) or The Velvet Rope (1997) could get in the medal positions. These albums are all hugely acclaimed and successful. All different and astonishing. Within this golden run of albums was Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. Released on 19th September, 1989, I wanted to mark thirty-five years of perhaps her best album. I think it just shades Janet. I have not heard whether there is a special anniversary reissue of Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. A chart-topper in the U.S., 1989 was a year where Janet Jackson was at the peak of her powers. After the success of Control, A&M Records wanted something similar. One of the worst traits of record labels: if an album becomes successful then artists should do the same once more rather than evolving or having a say. Instead, Jackson built this concept album that tackled social issues. She worked with some amazing songwriters like Terry Lewis and mixed a range of genres to create this compelling and incredible album. I want to get to some features that explore Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. I would recommend you read this 2014 feature from Billboard on the twenty-fifth anniversary of a classic album. They spoke with songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to guide us through the tracks. I just want to drop in the introduction:
“If Janet Jackson‘s third album, 1986’s Control, was a declaration of independence, the follow-up, Rhythm Nation 1814, was a constitution — a blueprint for the kind of country that this confident, sexy and newly independent 23-year old woman wanted to live in. At least it was for roughly a third of its runtime.
Released 25 years ago tomorrow (Sept. 19, 1989), Rhythm Nation 1814 begins with a pledge: “We are a nation with no geographic boundaries, bound together through our beliefs.” From there, it goes into the title track, a national anthem for this colorblind utopia Janet has imagined. The four digits in the album’s title refer to the year “The Star-Spangled Banner” was written, and with the help of James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III and Terry Lewis — the production team behind Control — Jackson gives Francis Scott Key‘s greatest hit a New Jack Swing remake.
Rhythm Nation stays political for a few songs and then segues into kinder, gentler relationship songs, many of which dominated radio and MTV. An unprecedented seven of the album’s singles made the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100, and four of them — “Miss You Much, “Escapade,” “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” and “Black Cat” — hit No. 1. The album, not surprisingly, topped the Billboard 200, vaulting Janet to a level of pop mega-stardom almost on par with that of her brother Michael Jackson”.
Moving onto a feature from The New Yorker written by Amanda Petrusich. Diving into an album that was a “post-racial utopia founded on the power of groove”, it is a fascinating article. I hope that more is written about it ahead of its thirty-fifth anniversary. If you have not heard Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, I would definitely urge you to do so. It is one of the greatest albums of all time:
“Its title (Jackson added the 1814 because that’s the year the national anthem was composed) suggests a kind of musical Arcadia, where everyone is unified by a deep and undeniable imperative to move: a compulsory shoulder pop, an instinctive wiggle, or whatever it is that happens to your body when you hear someone yell, “Gimme a beat!” D.j.s in particular had been arguing for decades that dance could be a way of minimizing the distance between races, genders, and creeds. David Mancuso, a legend of New York disco, often spoke about the dance floors he commanded as fiercely egalitarian, a place where hierarchies were instantly erased and the crowd became a single, loving organism.
Jackson opens the record with a strange monologue: a call for unity, chanted in a steady monotone.
We are a nation with no geographic boundaries, bound together through our beliefs. We are like-minded individuals, sharing a common vision, pushing toward a world rid of color lines.
“Interlude: Pledge” from “Rhythm Nation 1814”
The citizens of Rhythm Nation are universalists, rallying only for the greater good, which makes “Rhythm Nation 1814” feel, in some ways, like the last major pop record that could credibly be described as optimistic. Already by the late nineteen-eighties, Jackson’s entreaties sounded gentle and idealistic compared to those of more radicalized consciousness-raising artists.
Public Enemy and N.W.A. arguably had a more profound influence on pop culture today; it’s hard to imagine a contemporary pop star, who came of age in an era when intersectionality is the dominant critical framework, successfully insisting that we’re all more similar than we think. The vision of a world in “Rhythm Nation,” in which societal ills such as poverty, drug use, and unemployment are merely individual problems, not inextricably linked to systemic injustice, hasn’t aged especially well. The colossal empowerment anthems of our time—such as Beyoncé’s “Formation,” from 2016—are less about erasing difference than claiming and celebrating it.
Jackson was incalculably influential in other ways, though, including in her use of the music-video format. A thirty-minute long-form music video, which Jackson’s team took to calling a “telemusical,” was produced to promote the record just prior to its release. It contained three distinct, shorter videos—for the singles “Miss You Much,” “The Knowledge,” and “Rhythm Nation”—all shot in black-and-white, surely a nod to Jackson’s vision of a color-blind society. The story line functions as a kind of P.S.A., following two kids with big dreams whose lives are ravaged by drugs.
The video premièred on MTV, and was later released on VHS. The eighties were a remarkable moment for the synching of the musical and the televisual, an idea seeded by Elvis Presley’s provocative, hip-thrusting appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” three decades before. Michael Jackson’s fourteen-minute video for “Thriller,” which was directed by John Landis, premièred in late 1983; it was followed by groundbreaking video work from Peter Gabriel, Dire Straits, and Madonna.
Janet Jackson worked with Anthony Thomas, then an unknown choreographer, who later honed the pop-and-lock (he was influenced by the jerky, rousing funk and disco dances developed on the West Coast in the nineteen-seventies), and is now often referred to as “the man who changed the face of hip-hop.” The video for “Miss You Much,” choreographed by Jackson and Thomas, includes an incredibly captivating chair routine that would be imitated for years after.
Jackson’s pioneering integration of the visual and the musical wasn’t immediately recognized or appreciated by critics. In the eighties and early nineties, music journalists often considered too much spectacle a distraction, or evidence of something prefabricated and therefore inauthentic. “Spontaneity has been ruled out,” Jon Pareles wrote of Jackson’s live show in 1990. “Rockism,” as it later came to be known, valued songwriting and a particular kind of pained earnestness over practiced performance. As a young critic, I internalized these values so thoroughly that it took me years to unlearn them, to figure out how to trust pleasure and lightness and drama. Eventually, criticism in general remade itself, and writers now routinely acknowledge that there’s a distinct and sophisticated art to the extra-musical extravaganza”.
I am going to end with an anniversary feature from Albumism from 2019. Marking thirty years of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, this is an album that is still so relevant and powerful today. Maybe that is the power of Janet Jackson’s music and voice. It may be a reflection on the way the world is slow to change and we do not learn lessons. It means Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 will never sounded dated or a product of its time:
“Where Control was an album about a woman staking her independence and coming into her own, the follow-up would cast its gaze wider to the world around her. Heavily influenced by Marvin Gaye’s landmark What’s Going On (1971) album, Jackson wondered if a modern take holding a mirror up to the social issues of the time could be achieved.
And so, with producers and confident confidants Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis by her side, the trio bunkered down during the winter of 1989 at Flyte Tyme studios in Minneapolis to make an album that could inspire a generation to become more socially conscious of the world they live in and the part they can play.
Fueled by the notion of creating a collective not bound by space, race, gender or sexual orientation, Jackson formed the Rhythm Nation, adding the numerals 1814 to reflect the year the Star Spangled Banner was written (and purely coincidentally, R and N are the 18th and 14th letters in the alphabet, respectively.)
Pumping out of the speakers, “Rhythm Nation” is a tour de force of metallic tribal beats, drum loops and samples featuring Sly and The Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” and Jackson’s own hits from the Control album. A frenetic industrial groove underpins Jackson’s vocals as she implores, “Join voices in protest to social injustice / A generation full of courage, come forth with me.” The song deftly marches the fine line of being rousing without being preachy, capturing the ideology and purpose behind Jackson’s message all wrapped up in a hard to sit still groove.
From “Rhythm Nation,” we segue into “State of The World” via a channel surfing interlude that mimics Jackson’s own experience of watching news stories on CNN and being moved into action.
“State of The World” pulls no punches as it addresses the scourge of drugs, homelessness, prostitution, school shootings, poverty, teen suicide and teen pregnancy. Rather than trying to solve the problems in a four-minute pop song, Jackson decides to bring awareness to these issues and hopes to encourage her listeners to think about what they can do to drive change. Amidst the clanging metallic beats and wandering synth bass, the dire situation is given a voice and perhaps some hope as Jackson sings “Can’t give up hope now / Let’s weather the storm together.”
If “State of The World” presented real world problems, the following track, the beat heavy “The Knowledge,” offers a way out. Extolling the virtues of the United Negro College Fund’s motto “A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste,” Janet advocates for her listeners to pursue the power and opportunity that education brings and the doors it can open. One of Jackson’s most powerful songs, it (along with many of the songs from Rhythm Nation) remains incredibly vital and modern in both its outlook and sonic representation.
The album’s opening trio of songs clearly establishes the project’s intent and mission. Having challenged and opened minds, Jackson was now ready to give the listener a little reprieve from the social messaging with the dance-pop fare of “Miss You Much.” As she states in the interlude “Get the point? Good, let’s dance,” she’s stated her point and is now ready to celebrate some of the more positive moments in life, namely love.
As the first single from the outing, “Miss You Much” was the bridge between the dance orientation of Control and the new direction of RN1814 the record label, and maybe even fans, pined for. Its instantly catchy groove and playful vocal delivery primed, this dancefloor filler bubbles with pop-funk and sweeps the listener away with its airy vocal melodies and ode to new love.
The slinky bassline of “Love Will Never Do Without You” seduces with ease as Jackson sings about the desire for a fulfilling love, even one against the odds. With a shimmering arrangement beneath her, Jackson delivers one of her finest moments on record. Often characterized as having a whispering vocal, here Jackson sings with strength and confidence and layers the song in lush backing harmonies that glisten with every passing line.
But as reality is oft want to do, these moments of relief are cracked by the harsh brutality of life. Inspired by the Stockton Playground Shooting that took place during the recording sessions, “Living In A World (They Didn’t Make)” is a somber reflection on the ills adults create for the next generation. Again, Jackson isn’t trying to claim she knows all the answers, but rather presents an issue for the listener to ponder.
Closing the midpoint of the album with “Living In A World,” Jackson frees up the second half of the project to explore a brighter side of existence kicking off with the jubilant, springing “Alright” with its New Jack Swing groove and acid house inspired loops and squeaky bass. If the first side of the album is characterized by the dominant black and white moody photography of the album cover, then “Alright” is an explosion of Technicolor bursting at the seams.
“Escapade,” with its pure pop sensibility, is smile inducing. Jackson’s playful personality is perfectly captured on record and underpinned by an irresistible chorus and double clap accompaniment. Its light and airy feel is the perfect counterpoint to the heaviness of the album openers.
As the only wholly self-penned track on the album, “Black Cat” exposes Jackson’s rockier side and gives us a glimpse into the challenging relationships of her past. Set against a classic rock beat and raucous guitars, she growls in her vocals, offering a raspier, rawer delivery that resonated with both rock and pop audiences, giving Jackson one of her four Number 1 singles from the album.
Just as the album opened with a trio of songs focusing on social consciousness, the album closes with another trio of songs, this time focused on relationships, love and sexuality. “Lonely” leads the pack with a slow-jam of densely stacked harmonies and swaying melodies. “Come Back To Me” is a pleading ballad of lament and longing, and “Someday Is Tonight” is the sexual climax of Control’s “Let’s Wait A While,” where Jackson delivers on the promise of being “worth the wait.” Sensual and breathy, Jackson seduces and pulls you in, setting the tone for her more sexual slow burn songs that would close out many of her albums that would follow this.
Rhythm Nation 1814 is perhaps the most perfect encapsulation of Janet Jackson. In many ways it became the blueprint for her albums that would follow both in structure and sequencing. And despite the fears of her record label, it was an unqualified smash success, surpassing the sales of its predecessor and cementing Jackson’s place within the superstar sphere.
Accompanied by a powerful and engaging 30-minute mini-movie, Rhythm Nation 1814 found Jackson wearing her heart on her black military inspired sleeve and dared to make a difference. In what would soon be iconic black and white imagery and oft repeated dance moves, Jackson created a look, feel, and sound of a whole generation to feel a part of.
But more important than the millions of sales and countless Top Ten hits, the album made an impact in people’s lives. It opened eyes. It gave voice to the issues of the day. It encouraged its listeners to make a difference in the world and their own lives. It made them care.
And it made a difference. If music has the power to connect us to an emotion or feel a part of something bigger, then Rhythm Nation did that. Kids hearing “The Knowledge” were inspired to stay on in school or seek a college education. People wary of differences became less fearful and embraced them. It inspired a generation to believe, to have hope, and feel that they could make a change. It engaged and connected with the listener. And it gave the listener a feeling of belonging, a place to feel good, to feel empowered.
Thirty years on and Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 is still a landmark album. It still resonates. And sadly, it reflects many of the ills that still plague us. It’s both a time capsule and a mirror. A movement for the heart and mind. It’s a near flawless album. One that pulled Jackson once and for all out of the shadows of her elder siblings and made her a bona fide superstar who can still sell out arenas to this day. It’s an important milestone not only in Jackson’s career, but in the musical landscape in general. And when talk centers around great albums with a social conscience, it deserves to be included”.
On 19th September, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 turns thirty-five. In my view, Janet Jackson’s greatest and most important album. The Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990 became the most successful debut concert tour by a recording artist at the time. Timely and important in 1989, the themes addressed throughout Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 are still relevant to this day. It makes me think how we need another album like this today. Thirty-five years after its release, this album still creates shockwaves and impressions. It affects and resounds…
IN 2024.