100 Artists To See Before You Die: Janet Jackson

The pop perfectionist’s live show is enduring proof of her greatness

A paid-for ad feature for viagogo

There is no other star in the universe quite like Janet Jackson. Here is an artist who’s pushed the boundaries of pop and R&B, sold more than 180million records and nabbed five Grammys, influencing everyone from Britney Spears and Rihanna to Janelle Monáe and Kendrick Lamar. And yet: there’s also a sense that she’s never received her full dues as a musician. That’s what happens, perhaps, when your brother is the most famous pop star in history.

Michael’s sister, though, is not just a talent in her own right: she is a musical maverick and one of the world’s greatest performers. When she celebrated five decades in entertainment with this year’s ‘Together Again’ tour, she underlined her greatness beyond any doubt. Go, Janet!

What to expect

Her eye-popping choreography is as knockout as her voice, while her cup runneth over with so many hits that she has to perform them in a shortened mega-mix. There’s no other way to cram them all in! One smash blends with the next in such a dizzying display that even the hardest of hearts would be won round. When you’re talking about an arena full of die-hard fans, it’s nothing less than a joyous celebration.

Her best moments

Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, 1990

No wonder Jackson’s ‘Rhythm Nation World Tour’ 1990 was the world’s most successful debut tour. In the middle of her imperial phase, when she was giving Michael a run for his money, she took her socially conscious album ‘Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814’ to the masses. Naturally, she went above and beyond in terms of choreography and production values. Performing the title track while clad in all-black, like some kind of video game super-soldier, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Kemper Arena, Kansas City, 2001

When we say Janet Jackson gives it her all onstage, what we mean is that, in 2001, she dressed up as a kind of panto pixie while dancers ran around in multi-coloured bug, trolls and bird costumes – and all of this against a backdrop of toys and a toadstool. To the contemporary eye, the result resembles SZA’s outlandish 2024 Glasto set… with creative direction from Widow Twankey.

Glastonbury, 2019

She wasn’t actually playing the coveted ‘Legends’ slot, but the indomitable Jackson simply performed as if she was. Upon taking to the Pyramid Stage, she teased the audience with 2001 deep cut ‘Trust a Try’, which soon gave way to a sensational volley of hits. If anyone was flagging from the night before, this was the shot of adrenaline they needed. “I could learn to love this, Glastonbury,” she purred. So could we.

Her biggest bangers

‘What Have You Done For Me Lately’ (1986)

Her third album, the masterful ‘Control’, is so beloved that rallying fans sent it back to the top of the charts to mark its 35th anniversary. “I never, never in a million years [thought] this would happen,” she admitted in an emotional video on social media after the record reached Number One on the Apple Top 40 US Pop Album chart. This funky, airily produced standout sums up precisely what makes it such a classic.

‘Rhythm Nation’ (1989)

Charli XCX described 2021’s ‘Crash’ as an homage to Jackson; the millennial pop star dubbed it “the Janet album”. This new jack swing belter, with its crystalline hook and rock-hard production, shows exactly what Charli was drawing on. ‘Rhythm Nation’ is so future-facing that it still sounds fresh more than three decades later.

‘That’s The Way Love Goes’ (1993)

1993’s ‘janet.’ was preceded by two albums (‘…Rhythm Nation 1814’ and ‘Control’) that made big, bold statements about the world at large and her place within it. Lead single ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’ set out the stall for a raunchier singer with a more languid sound. The pop perfectionist was letting loose.

Setlist study

She’s known to perform almost 40 career-spanning tracks throughout a delirious two-and-a-half-hour set. As at Glasto, Jackson often opens with lesser-known cuts, which serves two purposes. First, it proves that even the songs buried deep in her discography are better than many artists’ singles. Secondly, it raises the anticipation to a fever pitch.

Just when she’s got you right when she wants you, she rolls ‘What Have You Done For Me Lately’ straight into ‘Nasty’. The ensuing euphoria must be seen – and heard – to be believed.

Where to see her next

Janet Jackson’s recent European tour was spectacular. Fans from 14 different countries bought tickets to shows at London’s O2 Arena, according to data from viagogo, making it a real meeting of nations! Brits led the way, naturally, but they partied alongside fans from as far afield as Kenya, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Canada and the United States. Props to the Yanks, especially considering they’ll have many chances to catch Janet soon when she plays a 10-night residency in Las Vegas.

DECEMBER 2024
30 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas
31 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas

JANUARY 2025
3 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas
4 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas

FEBRUARY 2025
5 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas
7 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas
8 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas
12 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas
14 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas
15 – The Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas