Janet Jackson

Tracks played

1. Got 'Til It's Gone (feat. Q‐Tip & Joni Mitchell) played 3 times, last on 2026-08-16 by The Morning After Mix
   • - Janet Jackson had to personally call Joni Mitchell to get clearance for the sample of "Big Yellow Taxi". Mitchell, notoriously protective of her work, apparently approved it because she liked the message of the song. - The music video for "Got 'Til It's Gone" was directed by Mark Romanek, known for his visually striking work with artists like Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash. It features a retro-futuristic, 1950s-inspired aesthetic. - Q-Tip's rap verse on the track was reportedly recorded in a single take, a testament to his improvisational skill.
   • - Janet Jackson recorded this song for her sixth studio album, *The Velvet Rope*. The album explored themes of depression, domestic abuse, and social injustice, a stark contrast to the pop sound of her earlier work. - The track famously samples Joni Mitchell's 1970 song "Big Yellow Taxi". Mitchell is also credited as a featured artist, making her one of the few artists to be featured on a Janet Jackson track without providing new vocals. - Q-Tip's rap verse was added after the initial recording sessions. He reportedly wrote his lyrics in the studio just before recording them.
   • - Janet Jackson's team reportedly had to negotiate with Joni Mitchell for six weeks to secure permission to sample her 1970 song "Big Yellow Taxi". Mitchell is known for being protective of her work. - The music video for "Got 'Til It's Gone" was directed by Mark Romanek, who also directed videos for Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" and Johnny Cash's "Hurt". It features a retro, 1960s aesthetic, with Jackson performing in a smoky club. - Q-Tip's rap verse was added after the initial recording of the song. He recorded his part in a separate studio, and it was then mixed into the track.
2. Together Again played 1 time, last on 2026-07-31
   • - Janet Jackson's 1986 album *Control* was reputedly inspired by her desire to break free from the influence of her father and manager, Joe Jackson, and take charge of her own career. She fired him before recording the album. - The music video for "Together Again" was filmed in Tanzania, South Africa. It features Jackson dancing in a vibrant, colourful setting, surrounded by people celebrating life. - Janet Jackson is the only artist to have a number one album in three separate decades, the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
   • - Janet Jackson's childhood nickname was "Dunk", reportedly because she was a bit of a tomboy and enjoyed playing basketball. - For her 1993 "Janet World Tour", she travelled with 28 trunks of costumes, 12 trucks of equipment, and a personal masseuse. - The music video for "Together Again" was filmed in Tanzania, featuring vibrant African landscapes and wildlife.
3. What Have You Done For Me Lately played 1 time, last on 2026-08-07 by Nick Grimshaw
   • - Janet's older brother, Michael, reportedly wanted to be involved in the production of her *Control* album, but Janet and her producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, politely declined. They felt his input would turn the project into "another Jackson 5 album". - The iconic chair-ography in the "What Have You Done For Me Lately" video was apparently a last-minute addition. The director, after seeing Janet and her dancers rehearsing, decided to incorporate the chairs they were using for breaks into the routine. - The album *Control*, featuring this track, was reputedly inspired by Janet's desire to break free from her family's influence and assert her own artistic vision, following her annulment from James DeBarge.
   • - Janet Jackson's older brother, Michael, reportedly hated the song's title. He thought it sounded like a complaint and urged her to change it. - The music video for "What Have You Done For Me Lately" was filmed in a Los Angeles diner. It features Janet and her friends discussing a failing relationship, with Janet eventually walking out on her unappreciative boyfriend. - The song was co-written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who would go on to be long-term collaborators with Jackson, shaping much of her signature sound throughout the 80s and 90s.
4. If played 1 time, last on 2026-08-08 by The Beth Ditto Show
   • - Janet Jackson's older brother, Michael, was apparently quite particular about his recording environment. He reportedly insisted on recording some of his vocals for the *Thriller* album in a closet, believing the acoustics were superior. - The iconic whip sound in "If" wasn't a real whip. It was created by her then-husband, René Elizondo Jr., cracking a towel.
   • - Janet Jackson reportedly recorded this track's vocals in a single take, a feat she attributes to her rigorous dance training. She often uses her physical warm-ups to prepare her voice too. - The song's distinctive guitar riff, often mistaken for a sample, was actually played by session musician David Barry. He was reportedly given minimal direction, simply told to "make it funky". - While not a direct cover, the song's aggressive, almost industrial sound was a deliberate departure for Jackson, influenced by her exploration of harder-edged electronic music at the time.
5. Got Till It's Gone played 1 time, last on 2026-08-25 by 6 Music Artist in Residence
   • - Janet Jackson’s rider requests reportedly include a 10x10 foot carpet, a non-dairy cheese platter, and a specific brand of scented candle. Her team apparently checks the thread count of her hotel sheets. - The song features a sample of Joni Mitchell's 1970 track "Big Yellow Taxi". Mitchell is said to have personally approved the sample after Janet Jackson wrote her a letter. - The music video for "Got 'Til It's Gone" was directed by Mark Romanek, who also directed videos for Johnny Cash's "Hurt" and Nine Inch Nails' "Closer". It features Janet Jackson in a futuristic, dystopian setting.
   • - Janet Jackson reportedly has a clause in her touring contract that demands a specific brand of organic, unsalted peanut butter be available backstage at all times. The brand is not widely available outside of North America. - The distinctive sample heard throughout "Got 'Til It's Gone" is from Joni Mitchell's 1970 track "Big Yellow Taxi". Mitchell is also credited as a co-writer on Jackson's song. - While the song features Q-Tip, the original demo version of the track apparently included a different rapper, though accounts differ on who it was.
6. Any Time, Any Place played 1 time, last on 2026-09-06 by The Morning After Mix
   • - Janet Jackson's older brother, Michael, reportedly kept a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles who would occasionally join him in the recording studio. While there is no definitive evidence Bubbles contributed to "Any Time, Any Place", his presence during other Jackson recordings is well-documented. - The music video for "Any Time, Any Place" features Janet Jackson in a series of intimate, suggestive scenes. According to some reports, the video was initially deemed too explicit for some broadcasters and had to be edited for airplay. - The song's co-producer, Jimmy Jam, once stated in an interview that the recording sessions for the *janet.* album, which features this track, were often fuelled by late-night fast food runs and a relaxed, experimental atmosphere.
   • - Janet Jackson's older brother Michael reportedly wrote the song "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" for her. She was apparently too busy with other commitments to record it, so he recorded it himself for his *Thriller* album. - Janet's 1986 album *Control* was partly inspired by her desire to break free from her father Joe Jackson's management. She fired him and hired a new team, including producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who helped her create a more independent sound. - In 2004, Janet Jackson's Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show performance, which featured a "wardrobe malfunction" with Justin Timberlake, became the most complained-about broadcast in FCC history. The incident led to a crackdown on indecency on television and a five-second broadcast delay for live events.
7. Funky Big Band played 1 time, last on 2026-10-03 by Don Letts' Culture Clash Radio
   • - Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis built this swing-beat hybrid by running vintage brass hooks through modern digital samplers, turning an orchestral big-band arrangement into dancefloor fodder in Minneapolis. - Janet famously had a pet boa constrictor named Muskerhound during her younger years, reputedly keeping the reptile close by as an antidote to the stifling madness of her family home. - Despite never being pushed as a proper standalone pop single, the tune picked up heavy club rotation alongside the rest of the Rhythm Nation tracks, helping the parent album secure seven top-five American hits.