"Control" is the only album nominated for an AOTY grammy

[hotboy06]

Out of Janet's lengthy discography, Her breakthrough album "Control" remains her only album nominated for AOTY.

Why is that?

Keep it cute.

 

[Dal]

Idk.. Control ain't even AOTY-worthy imo..

Now RN1814 or TVR (or hell, even Unbreakable) are all AOTY-worthy.. 

[hotboy06]

Idk.. Control ain't even AOTY-worthy imo.. Now RN1814 or TVR (or hell, even Unbreakable) are all AOTY-worthy.. 

Excuse me:

WHYDFML, Nasty, WITOY, LWA, PP, Control..damn near every song could have been released..

But it remains her only album nominated for AOTY. And rightfully so.

[Dal]

Excuse me:

WHYDFML, Nasty, WITOY, LWA, PP, Control..damn near every song could have been released..

But it remains her only album nominated for AOTY. And rightfully so.

great songs, of course, but the subject matter on a lot of those tracks are not substantial enough to warrant such blanket praise that would come with an AOTY year win (or even nomination).. Songs like Control, PP, and even LWA could've been featured on RN1814 and pretty much fit the scope of the entire project..

But songs like Nasty (where she's singing about gross men) or WHYDFML (where she sings about not going to out to dinner anymore) don't sound like material worthy of such recognition..

in fact, I didn't even know that Control was even nominated for that category.. And if you had said only one album of hers had ever been nominated for AOTY, I would've easily presumed it to have been RN1814... An album that showed much more meaningful substance for an entire generation than the Control album did..

not that Control isn't the shit, cuz it is..

[The Sacred Prostitute]

Excuse me:

WHYDFML, Nasty, WITOY, LWA, PP, Control..damn near every song could have been released..

But it remains her only album nominated for AOTY. And rightfully so.

At the time "Control" was nominated there was no album like it and it could not be ignored.  Also Janet performed at the Grammy's cause they knew what an amazing performance Janet would give.  Also during the time of "Control" it was up against other albums that were so different than hers like Paul Simon's album I believe.  The Grammys were so different back then.  Now the nominations of today are like the nominations that you see at The MTV Awards or The AMAS.  The Grammys use to be so picky back then but R.N. and TVR should have been nominated.

[hotboy06]

great songs, of course, but the subject matter on a lot of those tracks are not substantial enough to warrant such blanket praise that would come with an AOTY year win (or even nomination).. Songs like Control, PP, and even LWA could've been featured on RN1814 and pretty much fit the scope of the entire project..

But songs like Nasty (where she's singing about gross men) or WHYDFML (where she sings about not going to out to dinner anymore) don't sound like material worthy of such recognition..

in fact, I didn't even know that Control was even nominated for that category.. And if you had said only one album of hers had ever been nominated for AOTY, I would've easily presumed it to have been RN1814... An album that showed much more meaningful substance for an entire generation than the Control album did..

not that Control isn't the shit, cuz it is..

I mean, the title of the album says it all.  "Nasty" and WHYDFML are feminist anthems. Accidentally, imo. But nonetheless impactful.  Women and some men found their voice once those gems were sent to them from heaven.

DEAD @‌ Control not having meaningful substance.  It pretty much shaped the music industry after it was released.  Women weren't afraid to speak up for what's right..men were called out for their messiness..Teenagers FELT the need to express themselves from overbearing parents..I mean, it was so fundamental for that time and beyond..

[BlackCat77]

Good for the OG Control to 1-up the other albums! 

Judging from winners and other nominees I'd say the got a picky and maybe ignored the others.

[Dal]

I mean, the title of the album says it all.  "Nasty" and WHYDFML are feminist anthems. Accidentally, imo. But nonetheless impactful.  Women and some men found their voice once those gems were sent to them from heaven.

DEAD @‌ Control not having meaningful substance.  It pretty much shaped the music industry after it was released.  Women weren't afraid to speak up for what's right..men were called out for their messiness..Teenagers FELT the need to express themselves from overbearing parents..I mean, it was so fundamental for that time and beyond..

sure I agree with most of your points.. And like I said, Control was still the shit! Great overall album..

But I can't say that I feel Control "shaped the music industry" once it was released.. It shaped Janet's career from that moment forward, no doubt.. But up until its release, and even years before it, there were innumerable "feminist anthemic" hit songs.. Off the top of my head Chaka Khan comes to mind (I'm Every Woman), Gladys Knight (I Will Survive), Aretha Franklin (Respect) and etc and so on..

Sure, Control hit more of the younger generation at that time because Janet was young (like the black Taylor Swift of the mid-80's), but out of all of Janet's best albums, RN1814, TVR, Unbreakable and even janet. (even with all its filler tracks) would be a better candidate for AOTY.....imo

[DasSad]

RN should have gotten one but Control is worthy as well 

[hotboy06]

sure I agree with most of your points.. And like I said, Control was still the shit! Great overall album..

But I can't say that I feel Control "shaped the music industry" once it was released.. It shaped Janet's career from that moment forward, no doubt.. But up until its release, and even years before it, there were innumerable "feminist anthemic" hit songs.. Off the top of my head Chaka Khan comes to mind (I'm Every Woman), Gladys Knight (I Will Survive), Aretha Franklin (Respect) and etc and so on..

Sure, Control hit more of the younger generation at that time because Janet was young (like the black Taylor Swift of the mid-80's), but out of all of Janet's best albums, RN1814, TVR, Unbreakable and even janet. (even with all its filler tracks) would be a better candidate for AOTY.....imo

"Control" was a landmark album.  From the production, to Janet's delivery, the videos, the imagery. It did shape what music would sound like upon it's release(contemporary rnb as we know it)..No female was doing what she was doing around that time..which gave her massive exposure.."Control" imo, is so underrated..although critics love it, I think in the fan community, people prefer RN or TVR..which is fine..but if it wasn't for "Control", I don't think we would have gotten those albums..

I agree that RN, Janet. and TVR(to some extent) should have been nominated as well.  Such a travesty they weren't.

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

Goes to prove the credibility of the Grammy's weak track record

[Dal]

"Control" was a landmark album.  From the production, to Janet's delivery, the videos, the imagery. It did shape what music would sound like upon it's release(contemporary rnb as we know it)..No female was doing what she was doing around that time..which gave her massive exposure.."Control" imo, is so underrated..although critics love it, I think in the fan community, people prefer RN or TVR..which is fine..but if it wasn't for "Control", I don't think we would have gotten those albums..

I agree that RN, Janet. and TVR(to some extent) should have been nominated as well.  Such a travesty they weren't.

I'd agree with that then... Well said bruh..

[PensivePutana]

Another reason I don't take the Grammys seriously -- No AOTY nomination  for Rhythm Nation?! Yet we all know what overrated crap won it this year...

[wayneashleymusic]

Control didn't just launch Janet's career... it put Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on the map as well.  For the rest of the 80s through the early 90s, the best RnB music being produced was either by Jam and Lewis, modeled after Jam and Lewis, or in response to Jam and Lewis.  Janet's Control served as a pioneer and spotlight to their talent. Control paved the way for the success of artists like Paula Abdul, Karyn White, Jody Watley and Vanessa Williams, whom all borrowed or modeled after the original.  It's also why Control is credited as one of the first albums of the New Jack Swing sound.  If you go back and listen to Control, then compare it Watley's Looking for a New Love, Williams' The Right Stuff, you can hear how they borrowed the same sounds.  

I think Control, RN and TVR are all groundbreaking, but in different way.  Control had the greatest impact on music.  RN had the greatest impact on Society and Pop Culture.  TVR was a personal opus for Janet (and all of us).  

[janetDAYZ]

Control didn't just launch Janet's career... it put Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on the map as well.  For the rest of the 80s through the early 90s, the best RnB music being produced was either by Jam and Lewis, modeled after Jam and Lewis, or in response to Jam and Lewis.  Janet's Control served as a pioneer and spotlight to their talent. Control paved the way for the success of artists like Paula Abdul, Karyn White, Jody Watley and Vanessa Williams, whom all borrowed or modeled after the original.  It's also why Control is credited as one of the first albums of the New Jack Swing sound.  If you go back and listen to Control, then compare it Watley's Looking for a New Love, Williams' The Right Stuff, you can hear how they borrowed the same sounds.  

I think Control, RN and TVR are all groundbreaking, but in different way.  Control had the greatest impact on music.  RN had the greatest impact on Society and Pop Culture.  TVR was a personal opus for Janet (and all of us).  

THIS POST IS PERFECTION. PREACH!!!!

[Utopia]

It's amazing how the old divas received so little support from the Grammys while the new generation is getting them for free. 

Janet, Madonna and Mariah were never Grammys darlings,big female popstars were looked as lessers. They either got nominations and didn't win or no nomination at all. That was plain obvious during the late 80s and specially the 90s. So i guess that's the reason why  

[VelvetKnowledge1814]

It's a tragedy that only Control got an AOTY nod. But I think it's because Control was her breakthrough album and it surprised everybody at the time that there was a Jackson other than Michael who could potentially stand on their own two feet in the business.

Still, it's an injustice that TVR didn't get an AOTY nod. I think the only Grammy it won was for the GTIG video. You can see that the Grammys were a lot less giving with their awards back in the 80's and 90's

[DasSad]

It's amazing how the old divas received so little support from the Grammys while the new generation is getting them for free. 

Janet, Madonna and Mariah were never Grammys darlings,big female popstars were looked as lessers. They either got nominations and didn't win or no nomination at all. That was plain obvious during the late 80s and specially the 90s. So i guess that's the reason why  

They didn't sell their souls as much as the gals do today.  

[Band08Geek]

It's amazing how the old divas received so little support from the Grammys while the new generation is getting them for free. 

Janet, Madonna and Mariah were never Grammys darlings,big female popstars were looked as lessers. They either got nominations and didn't win or no nomination at all. That was plain obvious during the late 80s and specially the 90s. So i guess that's the reason why  

This is completely true! I remember reading somewhere that the music industry starting in the 80s did not see it for the new divas in the pop genre. They saw them as gimmicks with no substance. This carried on into the 90s. By the time the industry actually started to care, they were well past their prime, and the new lessor contemporaries were buying them up (thanks Beyonce for that precedent). 

BUT! We also have to realize that there was an extreme amount of talent in the music industry that the pop divas were up against, male and female. If you take that into account, it will explain why some of Janet and the other pop divas were "over looked" in certain categories.

Control and RN were groundbreaking in sound, visuals, message, and both were a feminist stance, so they both should have both won AOTY. Janet., TVR, A4U, and Unbreakable should have been nominated. Yes I said A4U, because it was the return of pop Janet, and the industry didn't have any good rivals at the time. She was nominated for best vocal pop album though for A4U.

[ontologicalummah]

I wouldn't say Control is her best album but I think the production and harsh beats that you could arguably say began New Jack Swing/precursor sounded like nothing out in the mainstream. Out of all her albums Control(Rhythm Nation maybe) probably had the biggest impact on music as a whole. Plus that album along with the videos had labels creating Janet clones. I don't think Control's legacy can be discounted and it's success wasn't unexpected it was sort of the "hood album"(Jimmy's words) that blew up into the mainstream.

Whether Janet intended it or not Control as an album is a black feminist anthem and people will be quoting lines from Nasty "My first name ain't baby, miss Jackson if ya nasty" for decades to come. Control is referenced pretty often in the contemporary as much as the Velvet Rope and Rhythm Nation are. The attitude and sass she was giving off in songs was a breath of fresh air. 

And the grammys aren't good with women anyway. I think Janet was the first woman to be nominated for producer of year and she certainly wasn't the first successful female producer. It's sad because people like Taylor Swift win awards like AOTY all the time when those awards were usually for non-mainstream works. 

Edited April 12, 2016 by ontologicalummah

[Bailey]

that's easy the Grammy people pick and choose their "darlings" the same people that get awarded over and over no matter who else is in the room, Janet never became a "darling" neither did Mariah but Beyonce? all day, Taylor Swift? every second. U2 they love them too

Edited April 12, 2016 by Stealth

[Kishi]

It's amazing how the old divas received so little support from the Grammys while the new generation is getting them for free. 

Janet, Madonna and Mariah were never Grammys darlings,big female popstars were looked as lessers. They either got nominations and didn't win or no nomination at all. That was plain obvious during the late 80s and specially the 90s. So i guess that's the reason why  

The girls of today are reaping the benefits of the women before them. The divas from the 80's and 90's had a lot of tough competition and usually weren't favored, while today it's so much easier for the mainstream females to get nominated and win.

[wayneashleymusic]

What amazes me about Control is that the songs feel pretty close to current even today.  Pop radio in the Teens has made a big swing back towards sounds of the 80s and 90s.  

And if Control feels close to current, RN sounds stuff that's not even out yet.  I took two of our high school choir members home from church, and in my car mix State of the World came on.  They were like, "This song is really good!" then got their phones out to Shazam it, and they were like, "wait, Janet Jackson"??  

People seriously don't even know.  

[xoney]

Nah. I think Control is dated. 

Janet. and TVR on the other hand, are so fresh. Beyonce's latest album, kehlani, tinashe, bryson tiller... u name it - all came from Janet's 90s r&b/soul sound.

 

[BlackCat77]

Control started that "child star growing up/maturing" thing everyone does now, that Britney, Christina, Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber among others have done in the years. Of course she wasn't exactly being sexual then but she I think she was still sexy anyway