Janet Jackson

Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer born on May 16, 1966. Known as an influential figure in popular culture, she is recognized for her innovative music, socially conscious themes, elaborate stage shows, and choreography. Her work played a prominent role in the growth of MTV and helped cross cultural barriers in popular music. As one of the best-selling music artists of all time with estimated sales exceeding 100 million records, she has achieved numerous chart records and earned accolades including five Grammy Awards, 11 Billboard Music Awards, 11 American Music Awards, 10 MTV Video Music Awards, eight Guinness World Records entries, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Born in Gary, Indiana, Jackson is the youngest of ten children in the Jackson family. Raised in a devout Jehovah's Witness household, her mother played instruments and worked at Sears, while her father was a crane operator and musician. Her family later relocated to the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles after her brothers signed with Motown as the Jackson 5. Jackson began performing early in life, appearing with her family in Las Vegas at age seven and starring in the variety show The Jacksons in 1976. She went on to work as a child actress in television sitcoms and series, including Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame.

In 1982, Jackson signed a recording contract with A&M Records arranged by her father, releasing her self-titled debut album that year, followed by Dream Street in 1984. After terminating her business relationship with her family, she collaborated with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to release Control in 1986. The album topped the US Billboard 200, sold over ten million copies worldwide, and helped pioneer the new jack swing genre. She followed this success with Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 in 1989, which became the highest-selling album of 1990 and produced seven top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1990, she embarked on her Rhythm Nation World Tour and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In the 1990s, Jackson signed a historic multimillion-dollar contract with Virgin Records, making her one of the highest-paid musicians of the era. She expanded her film career by starring in Poetic Justice (1993) and released hit albums including Janet (1993) and The Velvet Rope (1997). Her seventh studio album, All for You (2001), featured her tenth US number-one single.

Following her 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, Jackson faced industry blacklisting led by CBS executive Les Moonves, which resulted in reduced radio airplay, limited promotion, and decreased sales for her catalog and her eighth album, Damita Jo (2004). Despite these challenges, she continued her career over the following decades, releasing albums such as 20 Y.O. (2006), Discipline (2008), and Unbreakable (2015). Between 2023 and 2024, she launched her Together Again Tour, which became the highest-grossing concert tour of her career.