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[Let's play!] The Abandoned Hits


feehgarcia

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With Janet, like any artist, it's all about timing and single choice.  Some of that is simply tough to predict.  The reason that albums like Control and RN went 7 singles deep are partly because they were on the defining edge of pop music of the time.  The evolution of New Jack Swing literally IS the Control album, and RN in many ways represented its pinnacle, as evidenced by the fact that not only Janet, but Jimmy and Terry could virtually do no musical wrong between 1986 and 1992/3.  That's why it's easy to predict that a song like State of the World (with appropriate marketing) would have canned another mega-hit for RN.  

But once that "Imperial period" passes... for Janet it was the RN through Janet era, the insurance of hit records fades quickly.  So no matter how good the music is which comes after, there is little guarantee that anything will be a bonafide hit.  I personally think that gems like China Love and Trust a Try from AFY had the potential, but it just wouldn't have been a sure bet.  Though Discipline is not my favorite Janet album, the song LUV is epic and as good/ innovative as anything she's ever done.  I also really like Rock With U, but I think the issue there is that it just felt too much like another artist would've done that song.  Not sure why.  

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With Janet, like any artist, it's all about timing and single choice.  Some of that is simply tough to predict.  The reason that albums like Control and RN went 7 singles deep are partly because they were on the defining edge of pop music of the time.  The evolution of New Jack Swing literally IS the Control album, and RN in many ways represented its pinnacle, as evidenced by the fact that not only Janet, but Jimmy and Terry could virtually do no musical wrong between 1986 and 1992/3.  That's why it's easy to predict that a song like State of the World (with appropriate marketing) would have canned another mega-hit for RN.  

But once that "Imperial period" passes... for Janet it was the RN through Janet era, the insurance of hit records fades quickly.  So no matter how good the music is which comes after, there is little guarantee that anything will be a bonafide hit.  I personally think that gems like China Love and Trust a Try from AFY had the potential, but it just wouldn't have been a sure bet.  Though Discipline is not my favorite Janet album, the song LUV is epic and as good/ innovative as anything she's ever done.  I also really like Rock With U, but I think the issue there is that it just felt too much like another artist would've done that song.  Not sure why.  

Discipline is not that bad an album. Matter of fact Luv could have done great, So Much Betta could have lended itself to a great video - Daft Punk singles tend to be gold & she could have really killed some dance & futurism with it, maybe Rollercoaster & Curtains too. But I know it had potential. 

 

Then the live press look, outfits, choreo it was all just very weird to me. The wig she wore on the GMA & MTV, the whole thing just was off. The little ball they used to be a part of the choreo to feel like a planet. Just wasn't into it. 

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Matter fact I can even see What's Ur Name having been a single, and a video where Janet is dressed slightly masculine & pursuing a guy like guys pursue girls. Still looking beautiful and long hair like DJ era but really going after the guy with her girls. I think Discipline had potential 

Add a rapper and that song would have been fire EXCEPT the fact that she mentions a Blackberry in 2008 :umm: instead of iPhone 

when I belt that song I say "iPhone" :lol: 

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  Though Discipline is not my favorite Janet album, the song LUV is epic and as good/ innovative as anything she's ever done.  I also really like Rock With U, but I think the issue there is that it just felt too much like another artist would've done that song.  Not sure why.  

That was always my thing with Discipline, that (bar Feedback and Luv - and im being generous with Luv) I wonder if id like the songs I do if Janet wasn't singing it. It completely loses its footing for me after Cant Be Good (I  just had to remind myself of that song ^_^ always forget it but like it). I too would like to have known Janets mindset at this time.

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Discipline is not that bad an album. Matter of fact Luv could have done great, So Much Betta could have lended itself to a great video - Daft Punk singles tend to be gold & she could have really killed some dance & futurism with it, maybe Rollercoaster & Curtains too. But I know it had potential. 

 

Then the live press look, outfits, choreo it was all just very weird to me. The wig she wore on the GMA & MTV, the whole thing just was off. The little ball they used to be a part of the choreo to feel like a planet. Just wasn't into it. 

Interesting point, and I have to agree that So Much Betta fits quite well in the Trap Era.  Somebody do a #SoMuchBettaChallenge and see if it goes viral!!  

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