wayneashleymusic

Howdy everyone! As we all know, Janet's birthday is coming up on May 16th, and I was trying to think of some ways to celebrate. The tracking week for the Billboard albums and singles charts has moved recently from Friday to Thursday, and now those charts incorporate (rather heavily if you ask me) streaming data to make their chart determinations. So what I'm proposing is this... from Friday, May 12th through Thursday, May 18th, we can all up our Janet streaming, post birthday message videos and memes, and even buy some of her albums. I plan to complete my collection of Janet's albums that week by going out and buying the physical CDs that I don't already own. Whether we have any news by then about resuming Unbreakable, a new tour or new music, it can still be a great way to celebrate Janet and help her work get represented on the charts. What do y'all think?

Because we're her fans and because #JanetsLegacyMatters. It's not ok to me to let get white washed out of music history, yet this is a perfect example of how they try to do it.

Yeah, my bad, I do see that RN is on the albums chart at 76. But still surprised that none of her songs made the songs chart, per the example above.

Another shade point on the Albums chart. Where is RN? It was the biggest selling album of 1990, and produced 3 number 1 R&B singles. Yet Don't Be Cruel by Bobby Brown is ranked as the 8th best R&B Album of all time by sales metrics?

So Billboard released it's Greatest of All Time R&B/ Hip Hop Chart, and the Janet entries are interesting, if not down right criminal. She ranks on the Artist chart, and Control ranks in the Albums chart, but she has ZERO contributions on the Songs Chart. How is that possible?? According to Billboard's own methodology, they take the blended measurements of chart position, length of time, and weigh against factors from the era. So if this is the case, How TF are none of Janet's 15 Number 1 singles missing from the chart?? Any Time, Any Place was number 1 for 10 weeks in 1994 and stayed on the chart 20 weeks, yet Right Here by SWV outranks it when it only ever reached 16 and was on the chart for 20 weeks?!?! Keep in mind that their Top song was Number 1 for 15 weeks. No shade to the ladies of SWV, but it's time to call BS on Billboard!! See for yourself... GOAT R&B/ Hip Hop Songs Chart (no Janet entries!!)... http://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-r-b-hip-hop-songs GOAT R&B/ Hip Hop Albums (Control #16)... http://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-r-b-hip-hop-albums GOAT R&B/ Hip Hop Artists (Janet at #17)... http://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-r-b-hip-hop-artists And here's my investigative tweet, using my Billboard Biz access... https://twitter.com/wayneashleymusi/status/837036906613465089

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!!

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.

So hate that I missed this!! Guess I better stay on Gil's Insta. Glad to hear that Janet is doing well!!!

For me I would pick Night. I think it could be a number 1 Dance Club hit if released with a video and some good remixes. For the video you could do something really trippy with Kaleidoscope colors and maybe have Janet appear just a little bit. Maybe she doesn't dance, but instead drop a fly routine by J-Tribe starting at the breakdown, then superimpose Janet from above in some supernatural looking way. "I woke up in heaven in the morning". I think it would be nice, and serve as a great moment to re-launch the tour. But yeah I have to agree that 2 B Loved or Take Me Away would also be epic singles. Or if the team wanted to get REAL fancy, do a double video of Broken Hearts Heal-- showing home movies of Janet and Michael, then go straight into Night with Janet, Wissam and (maybe) baby Eissa. Highly unlikely I know, but true fans would eat it up!!

So baby Eissa is finally here, and Janet has even briefly appeared in public!! As we rejoice the successful baby news for Janet and Wissam, it's also time to postulate on the legend's next work projects. As her loyal fans, we all know the Unbreakable album quite well. But for the rest of the public, there are still some opportunities for singles. Which song would you choose for Janet's next single? What would your video concept be??

Good news all around!! Glad that Gil is such a ride or die for Janet. But one has to wonder if this is purely a social call as well. It certainly could be given their long friendship, but could they also be getting the band back together (literally LOL)?? Time to start watching for clues from other #UnbreakableWorldTour team members as well.

Aww so happy for them. What an incredible blessing, and beautiful way to start the New Year!!!

Happy Birthday to (assumed) new papa Wissam!!

Glad to see this. Janet's influence is always felt, even when it's not always recognized.

We should come up with a Janet Jackson challenge and see if it goes viral. My first idea... use the song 'Night' (since it has such an ethereal intro), start out with one person with their eyes closed. Then as the song goes "I woke up in heaven in the morning." They open their eyes, to reveal a scene of people frozen. As soon as the beat drops, everyone breaks out into an epic dance. I think it could work an it would promote the song! What do y'all think? Would anyone be interested in doing some videos, then we could post and promote them together? Or does anyone else have another cool #JanetJacksonChallenge idea?

She needs another Dance Club Number 1. Night, perhaps?

Hmm if the baby is born in London, will it have tri-citizenship? He or she would be a UK citizen by birth, an American citizen through mom and (presumably) a Qatari citizen through dad.

Yay so glad to see Ms. Janet!! I really appreciate the fact that she's cool running her own errands, and not relying exclusively on her people or Wissam to do them. Janet's always seemed to be more independent than a lot of pop stars with her wealth and accomplishments. She's going to be a great mom!!

Worth noting that in the "Producer of the Year" Ballot entry the submission reads something like this... POTY- Non Classical, Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis. Not to be confused with the 1987 nomination, where Jimmy and Terry were nominated and WON for Control, eventhough it was Co-Produced by Janet. Were she to win, it would be the first ever for a female in that category. They are going for it folks!! This is the one to watch IMO. And of course in POTY there's no competition from Rihanna, Adele or Beyonce.

"Designer Trash Bags"? Nah I think she looks great!! I love how the multi-layer geometry hides the bump, but still has some visual appeal. But hey, for any true fans of Janet, this is a good week. She's 50, pregnant, still relevant to the Presidential race, and grabbing more headlines than pop divalettes half her age. Come THRU Queen!!

And NPR declared #NastyWoman the meme of the week... http://www.npr.org/2016/10/20/498729702/-memeoftheweek-nasty-woman-donald-trump-hillary-clinton-and-janet-jackson?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social

They submitted!! Unbreakable is definitely in the mix!! As an Academy voter, the info on submission is not to be revealed. But I can say this... Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are the most nominated Producers in the history of the Grammys Producer of the Year, Non-Classical category. Janet was the first female ever nominated for the category (along with Jimmy and Terry) for RN. 26 years later, a woman has still NEVER won in that category. If I were y'all, I'd make sure that people know how epic the production is on Unbreakable. It stands head and shoulders above the records out today, including Lemonade, 25, Views, ANTI and some other very prominent music that was released this eligibility year.

It's less likely that she'd win an AMA, because it's partly decided by fan armies. But an AMA nomination is the PERFECT amount of press to boost Janet into both Grammy nomination season and Rock Hall of Fame. This nomination was right on time.

I believe Jimmy Jam when he said in the Kelly Alexander interview when he said that Janet was having lots of fun on the Unbreakable World Tour. Just like we're all hoping that she comes back, I think she genuinely wants to as soon as she can. That said, not gonna plan until we hear it "from her lips".

They can't find a picture of Janet tho?? But real talk, I'm so glad to see that she was nominated this year!! Of course Unbreakable is deserving as an album, but I truly believe that the efforts of us, her fans, have played a big role in putting Janet's incredible legacy of work back into the social consciousness. For all those involved in the "new movement", this nomination is worth celebrating! Let's make room, shake the room, bang bang we gon gon GET IT!!