Janet Jackson – Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814

[MikeCheck12]

Rhythm Nation 1814, released 20 years ago today, was the follow up to the hugely successful Control album.

RN1814 produced seven Top 5 singles (four of which went to #1) --- "State Of The World" managed to hit #2 on airplay alone, but was unable to chart on the Hot 100 since a commercial single was not released. Apparently, the suits at A&M didn't want to make a commercial single available in hopes that more people would purchase the album.

RIAA has certified the album 6x platinum. It could probably be re-certified for around 8x platinum now, though.

This is a stellar album from start to finish. What are your favorite tracks?

[Night Senses]

ILY for this thread, Mike.

This album is such an important part of my childhood. I just remember literally begging my parents to let me stay up on a school night so I could catch the premiere of the 1990 MTV Rockumentary on the album and tour. This was the era that made me a true Janet fan. I was too young to appreciate her enough during Control, but with this album, I actually could comprehend the mere idea of being inspired by the dedication and conceptual styling of an artist. And believe it or not, the social consciousness of RN1814 actually made me have more fun in school and strive for a better education. I thought school was boring until Janet said it was cool. It's amazing what the young mind can pick up from an entertainer who makes important things relevant. This album wasn't just about the huge videos and killer hits for me; I really took it seriously and paid attention to the message. It wasn't until I got much older that I realized Janet had achieved so much with the album. At the time, I was just a 7-8 year old kid reading the lyrics to "The Knowledge" and getting information. I didn't know she was topping the Billboard charts and selling millions. I'm glad I didn't understand all that back then because it would've distracted me a little bit.

As for the music, which is fantastic and very high-caliber pop/R&B, there isn't a track I dislike. It's hard for me to even figure out which song I like the least because it's such a great record from beginning to end.

If I had to pick an ultimate favorite song, it'd probably be "Lonely," because I just love the vulnerability in Janet's voice. When the hook kicks in, it puts you in a contemplative state. The "All alone with no one to talk to / Is such a helpless feeling." I was an introverted child, so I related to that track instantly.

Such a great, great, great album, though. And the tour is the Biggest Debut Tour by a Female Artist for a reason. She killed it all the while on a simple stage with simple lights and simple costumes. It was just Janet, stripped down, giving you IT!

Love RN1814. A blessing of the 80's and early 90's, IMO.

[MikeCheck12]

My brother and I called the Rhythm Nation 1814 documentary that she released in conjuction with the album - the "thirty minute Janet movie". I still have it on VHS, and would LOVE if they would release it on DVD.

Album Tracklist:

1. Interlude: Pledge 0:47
2. Rhythm Nation 5:30
3. Interlude: T.V. 0:21
4. State Of The World 4:47
5. Interlude: Race 0:04
6. The Knowledge 3:53
7. Interlude: Let's Dance 0:04
8. Miss You Much 4:12
9. Interlude: Come Back Interlude 0:21
10. Love Will Never Do (Without You) 5:49
11. Livin' In A World (They Didn't Make) 4:41
12. Alright 6:26
13. Interlude: Hey Baby 0:09
14. Escapade 4:43
15. Interlude: No Acid 0:05
16. Black Cat 4:50
17. Lonely 4:59
18. Come Back To Me 5:32
19. Someday Is Tonight 6:01
20. Interlude: Livin'...In Complete Darkness

[Kishi KCM]

Happy 20 years RN1814!

[Janhova's Witness]

My favourite Janet album.

[MikeCheck12]

Anybody know how many weeks this album spent at #1?

[Nevermind]

One of the most consistent pop albums of all time.

[Mr. Wonder]

From J|X:




Released: September 12, 1989
US Sales: 6x platinum+ (should be 8x platinum A&M )
Worldwide: 14 million+
Billboard 200: #1 (4 weeks) 104 weeks total
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: #1

The Pledge:

We are a nation with no geographic boundaries
bound together through our beliefs
we are like-minded individuals
sharing a common vision
pushing toward a world
rid of color-lines

The Creed

Music.
Poetry.
Dance.
Unity.


Singles


Miss You Much

The Billboard Hot 100: #1 (4 weeks)
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #1
Hot 100 Airplay: #1 (3 weeks)
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #1

Rhythm Nation

The Billboard Hot 100: #2
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #1
Hot 100 Airplay: #2
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #1

Escapade

The Billboard Hot 100: #1 (3 weeks)
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #1
Hot 100 Airplay: #1 (4 weeks)
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #1

Alright

The Billboard Hot 100: #4
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #2
Hot 100 Airplay: #2
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #1

Come Back To Me

The Billboard Hot 100: #2
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #2
Hot 100 Airplay: #1 (2 weeks)
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales: #17
Hot Adult Contemporary: #1

Black Cat

The Billboard Hot 100: #1 (1 week)
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #10
Hot 100 Airplay: #2
Mainstream Rock Tracks: #1
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #17

Love Will Never Do (Without You)

The Billboard Hot 100: #1 (1 week)
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #3
Hot 100 Airplay: #1 (3 weeks)
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #4


Awards


American Music Awards

1990: Favorite Soul/R&B Single: Miss You Much
1990: Favorite Dance Single: Miss You Much
1991: Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
1991: Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
1991: Favorite Dance Artist

Billboard Music Awards

1990: Top Selling Album Of The Year: Rhythm Nation
1990: Top Selling R&B Album Of The Year: Rhythm Nation
1990: Top Selling R&B Album's Artist Of The Year
1990: Top Selling R&B Artist Of The Year
1990: Top R&B Singles Artist
1990: Top Hot 100 Singles Artist Of The Year
1990: Top Hot 100 Singles Artist Of The Year - Female
1990: Top Dance Club Play Artist
1990: Top Hot Dance 12" Singles Sales Artist
1990: Top R&B Female Artist Of The Year
1990: Best Female Artist, Black/Rap
1990: Best Female Artist, Dance
1990: Director's Award (Black/Rap): Rhythm Nation"
1990: Director's Award (Dance): Alright:
1990: Billboard/Tanqueray Sterling Music Video Award for Artistic Achievement: Rhythm Nation



Soul Train Music Awards

1990: Best Female Single: Miss You Much
1990: Best Music Video: Rhythm Nation
1990: MTV Video Vanguard Award
1990: Soul Train Award for R&B/Urban Contemporary Album Of The Year
1992: Soul Train Award for Entertainer Of The Year

Grammy Awards

1990: Best Longform Music Video: Rhythm Nation 1814

MTV Video Music Awards

1990: Best Choreography in a Video: Rhythm Nation
1990: Video Vanguard
1991: Best Female Video: Love Will Never Do (Without You)

BMI Pop Awards

1990: Songwriter Of The Year
1990: Most Played Song: Alright
1990: Most Played Song: Come Back To Me
1990: Most Played Song: Escapade
1990: Most Played Song: Rhythm Nation
1991: Most Played Song: Black Cat
1991: Most Played Song: Come Back To Me
1992: Most Played Song: State Of The World


Hollywood Walk Of Fame

1990: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
1990: State of California Named Janet Jackson Day

NAACP Image Awards

1990: Greater Hartford - Musical and Civil Rights Efforts Award
1992: 24th Annual NAACP Awards - "Chairman's Award" (the show's highest honor)

Starlight Foundation Award

1991: Humanitarian of the Year

Center for Population Options

1990: Nancy Susan Reynolds Award

L.E.A.P. Awards

1991: Humanitarian Youth Advocacy Award

Swiss Sales Awards

1991: Gold sales award for "Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814" (Album)

ARIA Awards (Australian Sales Awards)

Gold:

1989 - Miss You Much (Single)
1989 - Rhythm Nation 1814 (Album)
1990 - Escapade (Single)
1990 - Black Cat (Single)
1991 - Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Single)

Platinum:

1990 - Miss You Much (Single)
1990 - Black Cat (Single)
1990 - Rhythm Nation 1814 (Album)
1991 - Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Single)

Multi-Platinum:

1991 - Rhythm Nation 1814 (Album) 2p

BPI Sales Award (UK)

Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814:

1989: Silver Award
1989: Gold Award
1990: Platinum Award


Records



Rhythm Nation 1814 made Janet the first female artist to have the #1 Selling Album Of The Year.

Rhythm Nation 1814 is the only album to produce a #1 single in three different calendar years

Rhythm Nation 1814 is the first and only album in music history to produce 7 Top 5 Singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.

Rhythm Nation 1814 is the only album to produce 4 #1 hits on the Dance chart, a record unmatched.

Rhythm Nation 1814 made Janet the first black female artist to be nominated for the Producer of the Year Grammy

Rhythm Nation 1814 made Janet the first female artist to sweep an awards show

Rhythm Nation 1814 made Janet the youngest artist, and first black female, to win BMI’s Songwriter of the Year

Rhythm Nation 1814 also won the most Billboard Awards in history, in one year it won an amazing 14 Billboard/
Billboard/Tanqueray Sterling Music Video Awards

Every single was #1 on one or another Billboard chart for a total of 7 #1 Billboard Singles. A record that remains unmatched.

“Miss You Much” became the first single to simultaneously top the Hot 100, R&B, and Dance charts.

Rhythm Nation 1814 made Janet the first artist to win Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist at the American Music Awards. (both major categories )

“Black Cat” made Janet the first artist to simultaneously hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock singles charts, as well as going Top 10 on the R&B chart.



The Rhythm Nation 1814 World Tour


The Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour remains the most successful premiere tour of any artist, male or female selling out on 4 continents.

The tour holds the record for the fastest sellout in the history of the Tokyo Dome. Janet sold out the 48,000 seat dome with 4 dates in a record 7 minutes (192,000 tickets total). Roughly 27,428 tickets sold per minute, and roughly 457 tickets sold per second.


Other Noted Achievements


Rhythm Nation 1814 is ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, coming in at #275

Rolling Stone Magazine: 50 Essential 'Woman In Rock' Albums includes Rhythm Nation 1814 at # 27

Rhythm Nation 1814 is listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

Rhythm Nation 1814 is ranked by Entertainment Weekly as one of the Top 100 Best Albums of the past 25 years, coming in at #54.

"Miss You Much" is the longest running #1 single of 1989 with 4 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Rhythm Nation" (video) was named by TV Guide and MTV as the #44 Greatest Music Video Ever Made, and the #37 Greatest Video Ever Made on the VH1 Top 100 Videos Of All Time countdown.

"Love Will Never Do (Without You)," was named by MTV as the Sexiest Music Video ever made in 1998. "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" also made the TV Guide/MTV list of the greatest videos ever made (#88) and the VH1 Top 100 Greatest Videos Ever Made (#72).

“Come Back To Me," received a BMI Million Play Award for over 1 million spins on the radio.

Rhythm Nation 1814 is one of BMG Music Club’s 1 million sellers.

1990: The Rhythm Nation Compilation (video compilation from 1989-1990): RIAA certificate: Multi-Platinum

[MikeCheck12]

^ Thank for posting. WOW!

[Night Senses]

With just one album, Janet accomplished things some people will never see with... 10 albums! Her legacy was stamped and co-signed by the Achievement Gods with this project.

Thanks for posting that. It was wonderful to read! :)

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Sept 12, 2009 21:36:53 GMT -5 Janhova's Witness said:

My favourite Janet album.

[Mpol]

This is a brilliant album. My favorite form her after The Velvet Rope (please lets not start a hate war over who likes what album better, both are brilliant.)

I did not know she achieved SO MUCH. Groundbraking in every sense of the WORD!

[Baby In a New Dress]

This solidified her status. It plays like a greatest hits album. However, I think The Velvet Rope is her best.

[Stan4Jan]

brilliant era

[bamafan2102]

This was my first ever concert. AMAZING! Although she didn't do Love Will Never Do and it had just been released as the new single it was amazing.

[MikeCheck12]

We are a part of the Rhythm Nation....

[NLP Is an Aphrodite]

SOLID album, my mom raised me on this.
Have some of the tape singles too

[Janhova's Witness]

Aug 2, 2010 21:14:38 GMT -5 NLP Is an Aphrodite said:

SOLID album, my mom raised me on this.
Have some of the tape singles too

[God]

Which reminds me, I'm still missing copies of "Alright" and "Come Back to Me" singles.

[Sir Benji]

has anyone heard the b-side to "Miss You Much"? it sounded like an outtake from the album it was most likely from the RN1814 session. I think the song was called "You Need Me" and she wrote it about Joe or something like that, i found a YT link for those who haven't heard it

[God]

YNM used to be one of my favorites. The melody of the chorus reminds me of "If"

[Sir Benji]

it's a jam just like the rest of the songs on the album but i see why it was left off it doesn't fit in with the other songs lyrics-wise

[God]

Definitely, lol. The original concept for RN was to be called "Scandal" and deal with her family. Thankfully Janet, and Jimmy & Terry got bored and turned on CNN.

[#LisaRinna]

The title track =

[MikeCheck12]

"You Need Me" is a great b-side. "The Skin Game" was another.

"Lonely" is the best ballad on the album, and in my opinion quite possibly Janet's best ballad. LOVE IT!

[Sir Benji]

Aug 7, 2010 21:36:26 GMT -5 God said:

Definitely, lol. The original concept for RN was to be called "Scandal" and deal with her family. Thankfully Janet, and Jimmy & Terry got bored and turned on CNN.

oh yeah they did. I think "Scandal" would have sounded very similar production-wise as RN1814 but it definitely would not have had the universal appeal that RN does.

[MikeCheck12]

I heard "Come Back To Me" last evening while picking up groceries at Publix. Beautiful.

[Agent Yoncé]

7 top 5's. Even though she used payola, that record is almost, well, damn near impossible to do again, or even trump.

Fave tracks from this album:

Miss You Much
Rhythm Nation
Come Back To Me
Love Will Never Do (Without You)

[MikeCheck12]

^ Was payola even around in 1989?? lol

[#LisaRinna]

I recently got more into 'Love Will Never Do'. I love it.