UB Celebrates Janet Jackson’s ‘Control’ 40th Anniversary
The Album That Established Janet As A Pop and R&B Innovator.
Today 40 years ago, the little girl struggling to throw off the shackles of parental manipulation Janet Jackson, finally did with the release of her third album “Control.”
Originally released February 4th, 1986 via A&M Records.
Janet Jackson‘s “Control” was the first album I (Aries) fell in love with. It was the first time, outside of “Thriller” that as a kid an album made me happy!
Jam and Lewis being from Minneapolis and creating this amazing sound, was the icing on the cake.
The songs were flawless and the videos that accompanied the singles, were original and distinctive.
“Nasty,” “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “When I Think of You,” ” Control,” “Let’s Wait Awhile,” and “Pleasure Principle.”
Every one of those videos shows a different dimension of Janet, at the time a new version of the new Janet.
The videos were documentaries of her creative evolution.
One perfect example; “Pleasure Principle” is simply flawless! From production to vocals to the visual, Janet and team nailed it all!
Let’s take it back to “Control!”
“When we were first asked to produce the Control album,” Jimmy Jam recalled shortly after the release, “she just came into the studio and asked where she had to to stand so she could sing. So we had to explain to her that she was going to do an album that she wanted to do, that we wanted her to express her own ideas. She’d never been asked to do that before.”
Janet Jackson‘s father Joseph negotiated her first contract with A&M Records and produced the first two albums.
Janet Jackson did a promotional tour of high schools to support her first album. Her message to the students was encouragement to stay in school.
She told an industry trade of the first two albums, “I’ve usually been given a tape of a song…learned it and then gone into the studio and performed to a completely instrumental track.”
This time around, Janet participated in the entire recording process: songwriting, producing, playing keyboards and synthesizers on a majority of the tracks.
Neither “Janet Jackson” or “Dream Street” sold over 200,000 copies, before “Control” was released.
Co-Founder of A&M Records, Jerry Moss introduced her to Minneapolis producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Herb Alpert stated; “We signed Janet when she was 15, through her father, when she was on the show “Good Times.” While she sold some records off the strength of being on TV, we knew there was a great artist there. ‘Control’ was the record that broke Janet – one of those great moments where it all came together. [Producers] Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had the unusual talent and energy she needed. It was amazing she could come up with a record like this at just the age of 18. I thought we’d sell two million copies, but I was wrong – we ended up releasing four or five big singles, and ended up doing seven million. From that, she emerged as a huge star.”
Janet shared: “A&M Records allow me the creative freedom and the control that I need.”
“Control” was recorded in November 1985 over two and a half weeks.
The album was released 40 years ago today and by July, it was double platinum in the U.S.
It sold over 250,000 copies in one week in July 1986.
A&M had a long-term marketing plan of more than one year for the album.
The plan included a major market promotional tour of 13 cities in three weeks that included visits to pop, black and AC radio stations, retailers, one-stops and some clubs.
It was further supported by effort to attain crossover from black to pop radio and video.
The third single “When I Think of You” became a 12-inch singles with new versions of the song.
A&M worked with MTV to air the video, having MTV feature Janet in its news coverage, its “New Video Hour,” and “120 Minutes.”
A&M also negotiated Janet‘s appearance at the MTV Video Awards.
“Control” produced five Top 5 Billboard singles–the most from any A&M album.
The first single was “What Have You Done For Me Lately” that reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
When “Control” reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Pop Album chart, it made Janet Jackson the second youngest artist in history to do so.
Janet Jackson was the second artist in history to have five Top Five Billboard singles from one album, “Control.”
She was the first artist to do so with all solo performances and the first to have the first five singles all reach the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 single chart.
On Billboard’s Hot Black Singles chart, she had four singles reach #1.
Three singles from “Control” were #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Disco Club Play chart.
Over the course of its relentlessly catchy and undeniably danceable 42 minutes, “Control” instantly established Janet Jackson, along with her co-writers/producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, as perennial pop and R&B innovators.
“Control” is internationally recognized as a singular fusion of musical styles including rhythm and blues, funk, pop, soul, disco, and modern synthesized percussion.
“Control” also solidified the fact that Janet Jackson had truly arrived as a liberated and noteworthy artist, one who ultimately emerged as a global superstar and a model for independent women the world over.
Janet Jackson’s “Control” is a career-defining statement from a singular artist, one who did it her way with an incredible visionary album.
Early in his career, in 1986 Reggie Hudlin was tasked with writing a script for a proposed movie that would have featured Janet Jackson and The Time.
A&M’s John McClain spoke on the film at the time to an industry trade; “We turned down the first screen play. It just wasn’t up to par. When you’re trying to do something ambitious, it takes time. I think it’s very important that we have a big black grossing film. We have to start having movies that are generating $100 – $200 million. That’s what we’re interested in.”
The film was never shot.
On the success of “Control” Herb Albert‘s “Keep Your Eyes On Me” was released.
Featuring Janet Jackson on both of the singles released, the hit “Diamonds” and “Making Love In The Rain” also featuring Lisa Keith.
Take A Trip Down Memory Lane with Janet Jackson’s “Control!”
Happy 40th Control! ??@flytetymejam @flytetymelewis
Edit & Remix: @solaimonster pic.twitter.com/tSljscH9MN
— Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) February 4, 2026
