Janet Jackson's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Janet Jackson.

Janet Jackson is a highly influential American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. Known for her innovative and provocative music, she broke gender and racial barriers on MTV, becoming a prominent figure in pop culture. Her work often addresses social issues and personal experiences, establishing her as a role model. She is celebrated for elaborate stage shows, captivating choreography, and a sound that significantly impacted the music industry.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1983: Billboard Recognition

In 1983, Janet Jackson's album appeared on the Billboard Top Black Albums, and she was the highest-ranking female vocalist on the Billboard Year-End Black Album Artists list.

1990: Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990

In 1990, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation World Tour became the most successful debut tour in history and established the "Rhythm Nation Scholarship" to support educational programs. She was also recognized for the cultural impact of her music.

1990: Success of Rhythm Nation 1814

In 1990, Rhythm Nation 1814 became the highest selling album of the year, winning 15 Billboard Awards, and the short film won a Grammy Award.

1991: Signing with Virgin Records

In 1991, Janet Jackson's recording contract with A&M Records was fulfilled, and she signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Virgin Records, making her the highest-paid recording artist at the time.

May 1993: Release of Janet

In May 1993, Janet Jackson released her fifth studio album, Janet, which opened at number one on the Billboard 200, making her the first female artist in the Nielsen SoundScan era to achieve this.

July 1993: Film Debut in Poetic Justice

In July 1993, Janet Jackson made her film debut in Poetic Justice, and her ballad 'Again' was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.

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1996: Grammy Award for Scream Music Video

In 1996, the music video for "Scream" by Michael and Janet Jackson won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.

July 1999: Placement on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll"

In July 1999, Janet Jackson placed at number 77 on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll".

1999: Janet Jackson Receives Legend Award at the World Music Awards

In 1999, Janet Jackson received the Legend Award at the World Music Awards for her outstanding contribution to the pop industry. Billboard ranked her as the second most successful artist of the decade, behind Mariah Carey.

2001: MTV Icon Special and Chart Success

In 2001, Janet Jackson was the subject of the first MTV Icon special, and she also became one of the few artists to have ten number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

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2003: "Rhythm Nation" and "Got 'til It's Gone" named among the 100 Greatest Music Videos of all time

In 2003, Slant Magazine named "Rhythm Nation" and "Got 'til It's Gone" among the 100 Greatest Music Videos of all time, ranked at number 87 and number 10, respectively.

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November 2004: Janet Jackson Honored by 100 Black Men of America

In November 2004, Janet Jackson was honored as a role model by 100 Black Men of America, Inc., receiving the organization's Artistic Achievement Award for her career achievements.

June 2005: Janet Jackson Receives Humanitarian Award

In June 2005, Janet Jackson received a Humanitarian Award from the Human Rights Campaign and AIDS Project Los Angeles for her involvement in raising money for AIDS charities.

February 2008: Janet Jackson Receives Image Award and Vanguard Award

In February 2008, Janet Jackson won an Image Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture". She was also awarded the Vanguard Award at the 19th annual GLAAD Media Awards, honoring her contributions in promoting equal rights among the gay community.

March 2008: Janet Jackson ranked among top-selling artists

In March 2008, Janet Jackson was recognized as one of the top ten selling artists in contemporary music history by Business Wire and Billboard magazine.

2008: Billboard's Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists

In 2008, Billboard placed Janet Jackson at number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists.

November 2010: Ranked in Billboard's Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists

In November 2010, Billboard ranked Janet Jackson number five on its "Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years" list.

2010: Billboard's Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists

In 2010, Billboard ranked Janet Jackson fifth among the 'Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years'.

2011: "Rhythm Nation" Voted Among the Best Music Videos of the 1980s

In 2011, "Rhythm Nation" was voted the tenth best music video of the 1980s by Billboard.

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November 2014: Voted 'Queen of Pop' by VH1.com poll

In November 2014, Janet Jackson was voted 'Queen of Pop' in an online poll conducted by VH1.com.

June 15, 2015: Announcement of Unbreakable World Tour dates and Release of "No Sleeep"

On June 15, 2015, Janet Jackson announced the first set of dates for the North American leg of her Unbreakable World Tour. On June 22, the lead single "No Sleeep" was released from the album and debuted on the Hot 100 at number 67. The song went to number 1 on the Billboard + Twitter Trending 140 immediately following the release.

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October 2, 2015: Release of "Unbreakable" Album

On October 2, 2015, Janet Jackson's album "Unbreakable" was released. It received largely positive reviews and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming her seventh album to top the chart in the United States.

October 2015: First Nomination for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

In October 2015, Janet Jackson received her first nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2015: BET Ultimate Icon Award and Announcement of Jewelry Line and New Album

In 2015, BET presented Janet Jackson with the inaugural Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual award at the BET Awards 2015, which featured a dance tribute to her. Also in 2015, she announced she would launch a luxury jewelry line called the "Janet Jackson Unbreakable Diamonds collection," and released a preview of a new song "The Great Forever", confirming the title of her eleventh studio album as Unbreakable.

2016: Most Successful Dance Club Artist

In 2016, Billboard named Janet Jackson the second most successful dance club artist.

May 2018: Announcement of Billboard Icon Award

In May 2018, it was announced that Janet Jackson would receive the Billboard Icon Award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. In an interview for Billboard magazine, Jackson revealed that she was then working on new music.

October 2018: Third Nomination for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

In October 2018, Janet Jackson received her third nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

December 13, 2018: Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Announced

On December 13, 2018, Janet Jackson was announced as one of the seven inductees of the 2019 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2019: Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

In 2019, Janet Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2020: Rhythm Nation 1814 added to the National Recording Registry Class of 2020

In 2020, Janet Jackson's album Rhythm Nation 1814 was chosen to be added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry, a tribute to the album's lasting legacy.

March 24, 2021: Rhythm Nation 1814 Added to National Recording Registry

On March 24, 2021, the Library of Congress announced that Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 had been added to the National Recording Registry's class of 2020, stating that the album still "resonates today".