Control, Rhythm Nation 1814, and janet. are like ready-to-go greatest hits albums by themselves. Especially on janet., even the songs that weren't singles are still stone groove smash hit wonders. This Time, Throb, What'll I Do, Where Are You Now?, like Jesus
And if The Velvet Rope wasn't the same singles machine as those three, well chalk it up to putting art firmly before commerce in that case.