Top 20 Janet Jackson Hits

The youngest of the ten Jackson children, Janet Damita Jo Jackson, was born in Gary, Indiana, in 1966 and raised in Encino, California.

Janet made her first stage appearance, with her family, when she was only seven at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

While getting her singing career underway, she turned to acting and, at the age of ten, appeared as Penny, for two years, on the TV series, "Good Times." She also appeared as a member of the cast of "Diff'rent Strokes" for one year and as a cast member, during the fourth season on "Fame."

Janet signed her first solo recording contract with A&M Records when she was sixteen. In 1991, she signed a 32 million dollar contract with Virgin Records.

On the charts, Janet has had 29 top 40 hits with ten of them going to number one. Here are Janet Jackson's twenty biggest hits, according to the Billboard Weekly Top 40 Charts.

1.That's The Way Love Goes - 1993 - Janet's biggest hit, to date, went to #1 for eight weeks and won a Grammy for Best R&B song in 1994.

2. All For You - 2001 - her last number one single, to date, this song came from her album of the same name.

3. Miss You Much - 1989 - this song was used in the opening scenes of the Bill Cosby 1990 comedy, ""Ghost Dad."

4. Escapade - 1990 - Martha and the Vandella's 1965 hit "Nowhere To Run" was the inspiration for this song.

5. Doesn't Really Matter - 2000 - from the 2000 film "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" starring Janet and Eddie Murphy.

6. When I Think Of You - 1986 - Janet's first number one single gave her the distinction of being the first artist to have a number one single who also has a sibling with a number one single (Michael).

7. Again - 1993 - from Janet's movie "Poetic Justice", this song received nominations for a Golden Globe and Academy Award and was also recorded in French by Janet.

8. Together Again - 1997 - from her "Velvet Rope" album, this song was a tribute, from Janet, to friends who had recently passed from AIDS.

9. Love Will Never Do (Without You) - 1991 - from her album "Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814" which is the only album in history to have seven top 5 hits.

10. Black Cat - 1990 - written by Janet, the rock mix of this single features Living Colour's Vernon Reid on lead guitar.

11. Rhythm Nation - 1990 - the video to this song received the MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 1990, as well as a Soul Train Award.

12. Come Back To Me - 1990 - another hit from the ""Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814" album.

13. Any Time, Any Place - 1994 - although it did not reach #1 on the pop charts, it did on the R&B charts.

14. Let's Wait Awhile - 1987 - the first single produced by Janet, it borrows it's melody from America's 1975 hit "Daisy Jane."

15. Nasty - 1986 - from her "Control" album, the music video was choreographed by Paula Abdul and is Janet's signature song to abusive men.

16. Runaway - 1995 - a song recorded for her greatest hits album, "Design Of A Decade 1986/1996", the single gave Janet the distinction of being the first female artist to debut on Billboard's Top Ten at number six.

17. I Get Lonely - 1998 - doing even better than "Runaway", this song debuted and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Weekly Charts, with the remix featuring BLACKstreet.

18. Someone To Call My Lover - 2001 - from the "All For You" album, Janet recorded this song after ending her ten year marriage to Rene Elizondo Jr.

19. What Have You Done For Me Lately? - 1986 - after two studio albums with no pop top forty hits, Janet's first hit came from her "Control" album.

20. Alright - 1990 - Janet received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance, Female, for this song.

Janet created much controversy, during her halftime performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII, with singer Justin Timberlake, when, while performing Timberlake's single, "Rock Your Body", he grabbed the top of her costume, tearing it and revealing her right breast. Janet and Timberlake issued apologies and called the accident a "wardrobe malfunction."

Despite the Super Bowl controversy, Janet has received numerous honors, including being recognized for her work in raising money for AIDS charities.

Janet was married to James Debarge of the group DeBarge, in 1984, but the marriage ended briefly, thereafter. She also married Rene Elizondo Jr. and they were married ten years before divorcing.

Janet continues to record and act. She appeared in the films Poetic Justice (1993), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Why Did I Get Married (2007), Why Did I Get Married Too (2010) and For Colored Girls (2010).

She was ranked seventh in Billboard's 2008 list of the Hot 100 All-Time Pop Artists.

Janet remains a big draw at her concerts. She is currently on her Up Close And Personal Tour in 2011.

Source: Joel Whitburn - The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits