The nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2016 are in, and the list includes Chicago, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, the Cars, Janet Jackson, N.W.A, Nine Inch Nails, the Smiths and Yes. The rest of this year's hopefuls are Chaka Khan, Chic, The J.B.'s, Los Lobos, Steve Miller and the Spinners.
“No, my first name ain’t ‘Baby,’ it’s Janet – Miss Jackson, if you’re nasty.” With innovation and bravado, Janet Jackson brushed aside the challenges of being a superstar’s sibling and became one of pop music’s dominant figures. The youngest member of the Jackson clan, she was first in the spotlight as a child actress on the TV series Good Times and Fame. But it was with the five-times-platinum Control album in 1986 that she staked her claim as an R&B powerhouse. Working with the visionary production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, she fused melodic dance-pop with more aggressive beats, influenced by industrial and hip hop sounds, and helped usher in the new jack swing era. Such juggernauts as Rhythm Nation 1814 and janet. secured Jackson’s position as a global icon, as she explored themes of social justice and daring sexuality in her lyrics. With over 160 million records sold, she is one of the best-selling artists in history, and she still holds the record for the most consecutive Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 by a female artist with 18. Jackson’s sonic and visual style loom large over the generation that followed, including Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Rihanna – as evidenced in the last few months by the likes of J. Cole and Missy Elliott contributing to her latest singles.
