Best album to get first as an intro to Janet?

[Rich4rd]

As a bit of an intro - I'm a big fan of Michael, I listen to all of his stuff from the Jackson 5 all the way up to Invincible. I guess my favourite era is Bad and Dangerous. So, I'm looking to get a bit more into Janet - I've heard all the 80s and 90s stuff on the radio, plus one or two non-singles. I've decided it's time to get one of her albums. I'm drawn towards the older ones. I guess the main two contenders would be "janet" and "Design of a Decade", but I'm just looking to see what other people would suggest.

 

Any songs I might have overlooked? Does "Janet" work better as an album (i.e. flows better, isn't just a collection of songs)? Which works well as an intro to her voice and style? I might end up just getting one CD, but potentially I could buy a few more afterwards. Is there a natural order to the way I should get them?

[DarkStormSC]

If you can, I'd say go ahead and get her 2 disc #1s on itunes. It's currently $6.99 and does a very good job of highlighting her Hot 100, R&B, Rock, and Dance hits starting with her breakthrough "Control"until 2009 (Feedback and Make me singles). Edit: I see you're UK. It's 8.99 pounds there now.

Edited September 5, 2017 by DarkStormSC

[VelvetKnowledge1814]

Start with "Control" and work your way up from there.

[Kaleidoscope Eyes]

A lot of non fans love Unbreakable. I play it front to back when I Uber and people love it. Esp Great Forever and Dream Maker/Euphoria

[BlackCat77]

Start with Control then continue in chronological  order. You'd definitely enjoy Rhythm Nation 1814 (the next album) if you like Bad and Dangerous. Her vocal styling differs from album to album but Control is still a good intro. 

[janetDAYZ]

Control. 

 

[Bailey]

Control

[Rich4rd]

Thanks for the input guys. Wow, I'm taken by surprise with all the people saying Control. Just looked it up, the ones that stand out to me as tracks I know are "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "Let's Wait Awhile"... Seems there were a lot of singles from that one, maybe I will recognise a couple more if I heard them.

 

Also strange that the two albums I thought would lead the poll currently don't have any votes at all...

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

I voted for Control but changed my vote bc it makes too much sense.

But it doesn’t have to make sense... I personally started with DOAD as my first deep dive in Janet’s discography (and TVR). Start there. It’s the best collection you’ll ever hear plus two amazing “new” songs

Then you can really dive deeper into the classic FHTF and the filler tracks... He Doesn’t Know I’m Alive & You Can Be Mine, 

Edited September 6, 2017 by State of the Game

[Bailey]

Thanks for the input guys. Wow, I'm taken by surprise with all the people saying Control. Just looked it up, the ones that stand out to me as tracks I know are "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "Let's Wait Awhile"... Seems there were a lot of singles from that one, maybe I will recognise a couple more if I heard them.

 

Also strange that the two albums I thought would lead the poll currently don't have any votes at all...

Control has some serious Janet gems, I just heard "When I Think of You" at work yesterday I believe, and now when I hear it I think to myself that's Janet's first number 1 single

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

When I Think if You is on DOAD. 

[BlackCat77]

Thanks for the input guys. Wow, I'm taken by surprise with all the people saying Control. Just looked it up, the ones that stand out to me as tracks I know are "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "Let's Wait Awhile"... Seems there were a lot of singles from that one, maybe I will recognise a couple more if I heard them.

 

Also strange that the two albums I thought would lead the poll currently don't have any votes at all...

Janet is a storyteller so starting other than Control (or a Greatest Hits) might hinder the experience. Those were the biggest hits from the album there so that makes sense.  You've probably recognize of her 90s hits like That's The Way Love Goes or Together Again and others. Design of a Decade is a nice sampler especially since the international version has a couple more tracks. ( Whoops Now and Best Things...)

[Rich4rd]

^ yes, I definitely remember TTWLG from radio and clubs (I used to work in a big dance/house club from about 93-96). I guess thinking about it, I probably know well over 50% of her singles. I guess I was after some input from fans to see what else there was hidden behind the scenes - the picture is starting to become clear now.

 

Before asking this, I was hedging towards janet. as I had just assumed it was her best album. Is it a bit too much of a concept album? (maybe not as easy to listen to, especially with all those short tracks which appear to be just effects or clips of dialog?) Are the lyrical themes more diverse or more political on the earlier albums? Does the sound/stylle evolve as we come more towards the present day?

 

Who else would you say each album sounds like? For example, I've always thought that Whoops Now sounded like Diana Ross...

 

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

 

Before asking this, I was hedging towards janet. as I had just assumed it was her best album. Is it a bit too much of a concept album? (maybe not as easy to listen to, especially with all those short tracks which appear to be just effects or clips of dialog?) Are the lyrical themes more diverse or more political on the earlier albums? Does the sound/stylle evolve as we come more towards the present day?

 

Who else would you say each album sounds like? For example, I've always thought that Whoops Now sounded like Diana Ross...

 

Slow your role.... janet. is far from her best. A lot of filler

just go DOAD. If you enjoy that you can dive deeper into her albums

Whoops Now isn’t an album and Janet sounds like Janet on every album except Discipline 

Edited September 7, 2017 by State of the Game

[hotboy06]

Her first two mixtapes albums have BOPS on them.  You can revisit those.

But from the options, start with Genesis Control.

[God]

All of the singles from Control and Rhythm Nation ended up on Design of a Decade; I say skip it because you'll end up getting around to listening to those albums anyway. You can buy "Runaway" and "Twenty Foreplay" individually, can't you? I can't remember but I know the history of their digital availability has always been, well...

I think Rhythm Nation is the safest place to start since it arguably has her most essential songs on it (actually it's where I started myself) but starting from Control onward chronologically is probably a more rewarding experience, as long as you actually intend to continue exploring.

[Dal]

Personally I think the whole topic of "where do I start" is moot..

look, most normal people would either begin with the greatest hits compilations or the first studio album... and the fact that she didn't make any type of impact until Control should be enough knowledge to lead you there ..Im surprised this thread has even received this many replies (plus this one I'm typing right now...)

[vibeology]

My first thought was the Janet album and I'm surprised no one has picked it. Its not even my favourite album, but it has some of her greatest hits, a variety of sounds and topics as well as a good selection of videos. It was pretty much Janet at her peak.

[JJATL]

Design of a Decade.  It's her hits throughout her most successful years. Then you ease them into individual albums and their themes.  

 

Edited September 7, 2017 by JJATL

[Kishi]

I recommend Number Ones first.

Then start from her debut and finish with Unbreakable.

Add her remix albums, bsides, unreleased tracks, and features with their respective albums.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Kishi

[dlite]

if you just want to hear her hits it makes sense to get #1s, just about every song on 'control' was a single or at least got heavy radio play so its likely you have heard most of that album. now if you want to get into her discography you should listen to her complete albums. She is one of those artists who has enough great album cuts that she could make a couple great albums using them. You should also look for her B sides and unreleased tracks. I dont know how serious you are about getting into her music, you mentioned MJ so it seems you are only interested because he's her brother, i have to let you know their music is not the same. The great thing is with technology you can listen to her albums and decide if you want to buy them by streaming them, her music is on all the streaming services.

[Rich4rd]

Thanks for the continued replies. OK, so it seems like "Janet" has a bit of filler - I didn't quite know what to think of an album with 28 songs, and half of them are 10 seconds long, almost like interludes.

 

As far as I can tell, a couple of the electronic/dance songs on "Rhythm Nation" sound a bit like early Madonna, and some other songs (the later ballads) sound like Dina Carroll. Is that a fair assessment? Is there anybody else that people would list as a clear influence/similarity for different eras?

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

Thanks for the continued replies. OK, so it seems like "Janet" has a bit of filler - I didn't quite know what to think of an album with 28 songs, and half of them are 10 seconds long, almost like interludes.

 

As far as I can tell, a couple of the electronic/dance songs on "Rhythm Nation" sound a bit like early Madonna, and some other songs (the later ballads) sound like Dina Carroll. Is that a fair assessment? Is there anybody else that people would list as a clear influence/similarity for different eras?

They are interludes  

28 tracks.. a lot of interludes

No.. Janet doesn’t sound like Madonna or whoever Dina Carroll never was

[Rich4rd]

Ok, so I've ordered DOAD on Amazon. I figured most of Control was on that album anyway (it has 9 songs, and only really one single, plus "You Can Be Mine" and "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" are missing).

 

Apparently it will arrive next week.- I will let you know what I think.