Why is Janet Jackson Pop Music's Most Underrated Icon?

I'm sorry, Miss Jackson.

If you don't know who Janet Jackson is you have probably been living under a rock for the last 25 years. As the youngest sibling of the Jackson family, Janet has had quite a journey through the music industry from award-winning hits, film and television appearances, and major controversies that will go down in history. The famous Jackson name preceded her success, but Janet's distinct style and talent removed her from her brother's shadow and birthed the stand-alone charisma and sexiness that is Janet Jackson. When you look at her long list of achievements, it really makes you scratch your head as to why she isn't the hype of every Pop music conversation. Obviously, this has nothing to do with mediocrity, one listening to any of her songs will kill this theory. Let's look into why Janet Jackson is an important icon and should be treated as such.

With a little bit of research, it is clear to see that Janet Jackson created the blueprint for women in Pop music. Not only was she an incredible singer, she was an extremely talented performer who put blood, sweat, and tears into her delivery. The music video for her smash hit "Rhythm Nation" showed her ability to move so effortlessly while absolutely slaying the choreography. When Janet released her album Rhythm Nation 1814, I don't think she realised how much of a social and cultural impact she was truly making. Her performance style has inspired many renowned artists like Beyonce and Rihanna. These influences can be seen throughout many of Beyonce's performances and music videos like "Formation" which heavily mirror the creative direction that Janet was known for. Rihanna has stated how big of an influence Janet has been for her, “She was so vibrant, she had so much energy. She still has power. I’ve seen her on stage, and she can stand there for 20 minutes and have the whole arena scream at her. You have to love Janet.” When you have some of the greatest Pop artists specifying you to be their biggest inspiration, your talent and influence is undeniable.

Janet has always been an advocate for social justice issues with her music heavily discussing racial inequality which at the time wasn't as widely accepted like it is today. Janet has utilised her voice and experience as a Black woman to speak up for what is right and evoking important conversations about racism and sexism. Janet Jackson's recent self-titled documentary sheds light on the racial prejudice she had to overcome as a child which clearly impacted her lyrics in songs like "Rhythm Nation" and "The Knowledge". Her ability to bring awareness to these topics not only inspired a generation but inadvertently made her a role model to Black children growing up with similar experiences. Jackson also used her time in the spotlight to tackle prejudices that the LGBTQIA+ community faces including raising awareness and contributing to AIDS/HIV research which led to her being honored with an award from The Human Rights Campaign. Janet was so ahead of her time and it is honestly a gross injustice that people don't know the full extent of the impact she had on society. Janet's compassion for others should be remembered and celebrated as we further progress into a world that aims to spark change.

Janet Jackson's talent and heart are clear indicators as to why she should be remembered as one of Pop music's biggest artists, so why isn't this the case? The simple answer is that she wasn't allowed to be. Janet Jackson infamously embraced her sexuality unapologetically through music and dance. Of course, this was difficult to do as sexual liberation amongst women has always been met with boundaries and criticism, especially for Black women in the music industry. With her sex appeal already having conservatives seething, the Super Bowl "Nipplegate" incident was exactly what these people were looking for to extradite her from the music industry. For those who don't remember, during the 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show, Justin Timberlake exposed Jackson's breast (which had a cover over her nipple) on television for about half a second which by today's standards isn't very shocking. Both artists came out afterwards saying her breast being exposed was due to a "wardrobe malfunction" and Timberlake was only meant to expose her bra underneath her leather bustier. To be honest, I think this move was actually intentional by both parties but the world just wasn't ready for this level of an iconic performance. This to me is a classic Marty McFly moment of, "I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet, but your kids are going to love it".

Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake Super Bowl 2004 (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

After this incident, Jackson found herself facing a lot of heat. The following week, both Jackson and Timberlake were scheduled to perform at the Grammys. Unsurprisingly, Janet was banned from the event while Timberlake was still allowed to attend. Classic. The juxtaposition of how Janet was treated compared to Justin shows how deeply rooted misogyny is when it comes to women's bodies. Justin Timberlake continued to make music as normal while Janet's songs were blacklisted from playing on CBS and MTV ultimately forcing her success to a halt when she could have been so much greater. Jackson has since stated in her documentary that she told Timberlake to not speak on the matter at the time and that they remain good friends today. However, in 2021 Timberlake came forward and apologised for Jackson's treatment stating "[he] did not speak up for what was right."

Ultimately, it is not Justin's fault that she received so much public backlash, however, he did benefit from it which is the problem. Nipplegate is the reason why Jackson is so underrated as a pop musician -- she was not allowed to excel in her career after the incident. It makes me sad to wonder how many songs, films, stories, and life lessons we missed out on because society wanted to put a stop to the powerhouse superstar, Janet Jackson. We cannot turn back time and make better decisions. Looking back on this disappointing turnout for someone who could have been so much greater, hopefully, makes us realise that we should never allow this to happen again. Now do yourself a favour and go listen to Nasty, Rhythm Nation, Got 'Til It's Gone, and Any Time, Any Place. Then, you will fully understand why Janet Jackson is so underrated.

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