Raise your hand if you were alive (and conscious of popular music) prior to Control‘s release and thought that Janet Jackson would become one of the biggest selling and most influential artists of her era. I don’t expect to see many hands up (at least partially because I imagine most of the people reading weren’t alive when Control hit the streets.)

Well, here we are thirty years later, and Janet’s name is still front and center in many discussions of modern pop culture, while a lot of the artists Control shared chart space with have long been relegated to history books or one-hit-wonderville. Her longevity is a testament to her long-underrated talent, her ability to lead pop culture while also changing with the times, and her lengthy relationship with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis-they’re as true a collaboration as any singer/producer combo in pop history.

I shared the first part of my list (click here if you need a refresher). Now here’s the second half. Let’s start by taking a quick trip to the bedroom…or, more accurately, to a quiet corner of your local nightspot.

25. Any Time, Any Place (janet., 1993)

Bedroom? Nah. Kitchen floor? Screw that. You and Janet are in the club, and she wants you right here, right now. The fifth single from janet. was her most sensual yet (and as for the video–hot damn!!). R&B listeners, especially, gravitated towards this slow jam-it spent over two months at the top of that genre’s single chart, making it (at the time) one of the longest-running #1s in history. Even a young R. Kelly got his fingerprints on the song by virtue of a slammin’ remix.

24. Broken Hearts Heal (Unbreakable, 2015)

I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose a sibling, particularly one who was as close to Janet as Michael was. By all accounts, the two were especially close as youngsters, and the sudden loss had to throw Janet for a loop, and also probably accounted (at least partially) for her long absence from recording. “Broken Hearts Heal” mourns the loss of Michael Jackson-not the celebrity, the brother, and it does so in a way that’s heartfelt but not maudlin. The introduction of an instrumental passage designed to sound similar to MJ’s “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” is simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. Although Janet previously mourned the loss of loved ones with 1997’s “Together Again”, it doesn’t hold an emotional candle to “Broken Hearts Heal”.

23. Got ’til It’s Gone (Janet featuring Q-Tip & Joni Mitchell) (The Velvet Rope, 1997)

If “That’s The Way Love Goes” seemed like an unorthodox lead single when it was released, “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” was downright weird. Arriving just as the neo-soul movement was starting to take shape, the bass-heavy vibe of “Gone” seemed more suited for an Erykah Badu record than the first single from the follow-up to janet. Yet, the song worked! Jam & Lewis continued to prove their versatility (and to this day, the duo maintains that there was no ghost-production on the record, from the late J. Dilla or anyone) with the uncharacteristically mellow production. A guest rap from Q-Tip (hardly the emcee you’d expect the Queen of Pop to take along for a ride on a major single) and a memorable sample from Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” is the icing on the cake.

22. One More Chance (“If” B-side, 1993)

I remember being in Tower Records, glancing at the “If” cassette single. I already had the janet. album, and wasn’t expecting to go home with more Janet. However, a look at the back of the tape caught my eye: “One More Chance”, written by Randy Jackson and previously unavailable on an album. Was Janet really covering a Jacksons track? Not only a Jacksons track, but low-key the best track on 1984’s much-maligned Victory? She sure did, and the results were gorgeous. Janet, Jimmy and Terry took Randy’s electronically sparse original composition and made it fuller and more haunting. Baby sister did her big brother proud.

21. Rhythm Nation (Rhythm Nation, 1989)

“Rhythm Nation” sounded like nothing else on the radio at the time of its release. Borrowing liberally from Sly & The Family Stone’s classic “Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin”, Janet’s political mission statement combined funk, new jack swing and industrial flavors. The end result was a heady stew that blew the polite pop of Michael Bolton and Phil Collins clear off the airwaves. Add in an iconic video and you end up with one of Janet’s most iconic tunes.

Also, Joseph Gordon-Levitt FTW.

20. Love Will Never Do (Without You) (Rhythm Nation, 1989)

The awesomeness of “Love Will Never Do (Without You)”, quite possibly the most perfect pop moment on Rhythm Nation, will forever be tied to its (at the time) jaw-dropping video. Now, even before the video, we all knew Janet was fine. The Herb Ritts-directed clip for “Love Will Never Do”, though, turned Janet from girl-next-door sexy to va-va-va voom sexy. I was 14 when the video debuted, and hormones were running rampant, and I remember my jaw hitting the floor when I saw Miss Rhythm Nation gallivanting on a beach with a new toned body and those honey brown highlights. Damn.

19. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (Michael Jackson (with Janet & LaToya Jackson on background vocals) (Thriller, 1982)

Is this cheating? After all, Janet appears on “P.Y.T.” for maybe 40 seconds total. But she’s still there, singing “na na na”‘s with sister LaToya (and in that matchup, doing most of the heavy lifting) on the song’s bridge. Makes sense that Michael would bring his little sister along for the most lighthearted musical moment on the juggernaut that was Thriller.

18. Don’t Mess Up This Good Thing (Janet Jackson, 1982)

Buried deep in Janet’s debut album is this funk gem. “Don’t Mess Up This Good Thing” gave listeners a hint of the sassiness that was to emerge four years later. It’s one of the few songs from her first couple of albums that doesn’t feel completely opposite from her later work. Now here’s a fun fact: teen actor Glenn Scarpelli (who ’80s kids may remember getting Cousin Oliver’ed into the last few seasons of the sitcom One Day At A Time) recorded a version of “Don’t Mess Up This Good Thing” following Janet. Needless to say, his version isn’t as good.

17. Making Love In The Rain (Herb Alpert featuring Lisa Keith, Keep Your Eye On Me, 1987)

Grammy winning trumpeter Herb Alpert also happened to be the co-president of A&M Records, the label Janet recorded for in the ’80s. When Herb hired Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to produce songs on his album Keep Your Eye On Me, it only made sense that they bring along the label’s biggest-selling artist. Janet took lead vocals for the #1 R&B hit “Diamonds”, but the real gem was the sultry slow jam “Making Love In The Rain”. Jam/Lewis secret weapon Lisa Keith took front-and-center here, but Janet’s vocals are recognizable on the pre-chorus and chorus. This steamy ballad got a second life on the hip-hop charts when Queen Latifah sampled it for 1994’s “…Just Another Day”.

16. State Of The World (Rhythm Nation, 1989)

Janet was playing no games with Rhythm Nation. The album started off with three hard-hitting songs in a row, making its statement of purpose quite clear. “State Of The World” was the album’s second track, and on this song Janet’s not so much an evangelist as she is a reporter. Maybe “State Of The World” didn’t have the lyrical sophistication of a U2 or Tracy Chapman song, but it spoke directly to Janet’s fan base, many of whom took songs like this to heart when shaping their own world views. “State” was the record-breaking eighth radio single from Rhythm Nation, hitting the top ten on the airplay charts despite not being released as a single.

15. Come Give Your Love To Me (Janet Jackson, 1982)

My favorite “early Janet” song, “Come Give Your Love To Me” has a strong new wave vibe to it. The top 10 R&B hit wouldn’t be out of place next to-say-The Go-Go’s “Vacation” (to name a major pop hit of the era). With eerie synths and low-slung guitar bouncing against Janet’s girlish vocals, it also managed to fit perfectly alongside similarly genre-blurring songs of the era by acts like Prince and The Time. Definitely one for the “shoulda been a bigger hit” pile.

14. Just A Little While (Damita Jo, 2004)

Rockin’ Janet was not always the best Janet. She seemed to fare best when she went for a Dirty Mind-era vibe, as opposed to a hair metal vibe (“Black Cat”) or…well, I guess those are the only two “rock” modes Janet worked in. Oh, right. New wave. See above. Anyway…

“Just A Little While” was the first new music to emerge from Damita Jo, and it marked her first clean break from Jam and Lewis since Control. Dallas Austin (who’d worked with TLC, Madonna and Michael Jackson) took the reins for this track, and he brought out the squeaky synths and jagged guitars, while Janet brought the lyrics about “touchin’ on (her) favorite fruit”. I could’ve taken a whole album of this. Alas, it wasn’t to be.

13. Alright (Rhythm Nation, 1989)

New jack swing was the dominant sound on black radio at the time of Rhythm Nation‘s release, and while some songs on that album flirted with the sub-genre, “Alright” was arguably the new-jackiest Janet song of the 1814 era. With a melody that had a hip-hop syncopation and James Brown’s squealing (sampled) voice popping in and out of the arrangement, there weren’t too many degrees of separation between “Alright” and…say…a Guy track. Released as the fourth single from Rhythm Nation (having already gotten tons of play as an album cut), “Alright” cruised into the top 5 on the pop and R&B charts. The song also boasted a video that paid tribute to the Harlem Renaissance era, with guest appearances from the likes of Cab Calloway. Bonus points if you remember that the late Heavy D, who appeared on the remix, was the first guest rapper on a Janet Jackson song. Or any Jackson song, if we’re keeping score.

12. New Agenda (featuring Chuck D.) (janet., 1993)

The worlds of R&B and hardcore hip-hop didn’t intermingle freely in the early ’90s, so an appearance from Public Enemy’s Chuck D (at the time, one of the most respected rappers in the game as well as a guy who sort of struck fear in the average pop music listener) on a Janet Jackson record was a bit of a risk for both artists. The fearless nature of both performers paid dividends; although “New Agenda” wasn’t released as a single, it remains one of janet.’s defining moments. A celebration of African-American womanhood, the song finds Janet’s voice riding over a cacophony of samples (Stevie Wonder, The Average White Band) to deliver a message of confidence and pride in spite of the roadblocks that were faced. Still relevant-and powerful-today.

11. Empty (The Velvet Rope, 1997)

Janet Jackson as prophet?

Nearly twenty years ago, Janet’s “Empty” nailed the current state of communication on the head. This was the early days of online relationships, when bonding with someone you’d never met in real life was still a very novel concept. While the sounds of a dial-up modem and Janet’s song-ending complaint of being disconnected from her online friend might be outdated, the message of the track was way ahead of its time.

10. And On And On (“Any Time Any Place” B-Side, 1994)

Janet was in a creatively fertile space during the janet. era, and that creativity manifested itself in three album-worthy B-sides; the aforementioned “One More Chance”, the slinky “’70’s Love Groove” (a perfectly good slow jam that doesn’t appear on this list), and this summer jam. Based on a sample of Sly & The Family Stone’s “Family Affair”, 1994’s “And On And On” perfectly captures the hazy pleasures of a trip to the beach or a backyard barbecue. It was the bright sunlight antithesis to its “A” side, the dusky “Any Time, Any Place”, and received a great deal of radio airplay as the janet. campaign headed into its second year.

9. The Knowledge (Rhythm Nation, 1989)

A favorite of Michael’s (he used snippets of the song often during his own dance routines), “The Knowledge” completes the musically and lyrically hard-hitting trilogy of songs that opens Rhythm Nation. Jimmy and Terry unleash their entire arsenal of production tricks here, doubling Janet’s vocals with a low-pitched monotone in the song’s opening rap, and then pitching way upwards in the verses.”It’s nice to laugh, but don’t be the joke” is one of the first JJ lyrics I really took to heart in my early days of self-discovery, and they ring true all these years later.

8. Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun) (Control, 1986)

Now that we live in an era when any song is a mouse click away, the fact that so many of Janet Jackson’s album tracks received widespread radio play may not seem so odd. However, back in the ’80s, it was somewhat unusual for radio stations to deviate from the “single” platform. This makes it an even greater testament to the greatness of Janet’s work that songs like “Funny How Time Flies” seemed to get as much airplay as the actual singles from Control. The superior of the two slow jams from Janet’s breakthrough album, “Funny” pulls off the neat trick of sounding completely innocent and rather racy simultaneously. Clearly inspired by MJ’s “The Lady In My Life”, there are plenty of 28-30 year olds walking this Earth who owe their existence to Mom and Dad listening to this song and wondering where all the time went.

7. If (janet., 1993)

Another Janet track as memorable for its video as it is for the song itself. Excellent visuals (and some of Janet’s most iconic dance moves) aside, it’s interesting to notice how little “If” sounded like anything on pop (or R&B) radio circa 1993. Janet, Jimmy & Terry created a soundscape that had more in common with Nine Inch Nails’ Pretty Hate Machine than it did with SWV or Mariah Carey. It also works the loud/soft melodic dynamic that typified ’90s grunge better than any pop ‘n b song of the era. A truly daring song musically and lyrically, and Janet was such a badass that it went Top 5 anyway.

6. The Pleasure Principle (Shep Pettibone remix, 7″ & 12″, 1987)

“The Pleasure Principle” is a perfectly good song on its own. Leading off Control‘s second side, the Monte Moir-produced cut is an appealing slice of pop/funk. When Team Janet decided to release it as the album’s sixth and final single, it was decided that the song needed a fresh coat of paint. Enter master remixer Shep Pettibone, who brightened up the percussion and the synthesizers, and added a few vocal samples. Voila! A new song was born. Add in an unforgettable video, starring Janet and just Janet, dancing her ample ass off in a warehouse, doing backflips and shit. End result: a #1 smash (amazingly, coming nearly 18 months after its parent album was released) and the perfect feather on the cap of the Control era.

5. Lonely (Rhythm Nation, 1989)

“Lonely” is probably the Janet song I have the most personal connection to. During some of my darkest moments, I’ve turned to it for comfort. The message-everyone needs someone to depend on when they feel alone-is simple, but effective. I’m not sure who or what Janet was thinking of when she wrote these lyrics, but I’m grateful to them-and her-for putting “Lonely” together.

4. Control (Control, 1986)

Musical declarations of adulthood have rarely been so…uh, declarative. “Control”, the song, was a mission statement unlike any previously heard in pop music. In four minutes, the former child star shook off her cutesy past, explained a rash personal decision, and put herself out there as a fiercely independent human. And she did it to the funkiest soundtrack known to man at the time. Jam & Lewis’s drum programming on “Control” is some of the most inventive instrumental work the twosome has ever done.

3. What Have You Done For Me Lately (Control, 1986)

Do you remember where you were the first time you heard “What Have You Done For Me Lately”? Nah, me neither. I was 9, cut me some slack. I’d have to imagine that, based on my knowledge of Janet’s work up until that point, my first reaction was “this is who??”

“Lately” kicked off Hurricane Janet in earnest, becoming her first top 10 pop hit. Promoted via an eye catching video and sizzling performances on Soul Train, American Bandstand and Solid Gold, Janet sang with a previously unheard sarcasm and performed it with a previously unseen fire. Don Cornelius’s astonished reaction following the Soul Train performance is typical of what many industry insiders felt upon hearing this song, but “What Have You Done For Me Lately” proved that Janet would no longer be The Jacksons’ underestimated little sister.

2. That’s The Way Love Goes (janet., 1993)

“That’s The Way Love Goes” was sultry and mellow-completely antithetical to the sound Janet had cultivated for herself at this point. Her musical diversity took a lot of listeners by surprise-I remember when the song premiered on NYC’s Z-100 and hearing the morning jocks gush, offering comparisons to the best of Sade’s work. It was proof that just when listeners thought they had Janet figured out, she went left-the mark of a true artist (and one who was fortunate enough to have top 40 radio by the balls).

I graduated high school in June 1993, when “That’s The Way Love Goes” was at its peak. I’ve worked in the music business since September 1993. There have been very few moments (outside of shows) when I’ve been amongst a large group of people and felt like everyone was in agreement about a musical choice. During graduation rehearsal, someone accidentally flipped on a radio just as “That’s The Way Love Goes” started. What followed was rare indeed: 1,200 NYC teenagers of massively diverse backgrounds-hip hop heads, Asian gang members, science geeks and even metalheads, collectively jamming to the same song. That’s proof that you not only have a great song, but you have a boundary-crossing classic. In a rare instance of art and commerce intersecting perfectly, “That’s The Way Love Goes” is one of Janet’s most successful (7 weeks at #1) songs, in addition to being one of her best.

1. Nasty (Control, 1986)

Even if you’re not a Janet Jackson fan, you know “no, my first name ain’t baby; it’s Janet. Miss Jackson if you’re nasty”. Well, you do if you’re over 30, anyway. If you don’t, maybe you know “give me a beat?” If you’re reading this list, you’re probably intimately familiar with both phrases, as they both originate from the most iconic song in Janet’s lengthy catalog. “Nasty” ruled the summer of 1986, as it should have. It was the funkiest song to hit the pop top 10 all year (with the possible exception of Prince’s “Kiss”, because who’s out-funking Prince?) and, more importantly, was a cultural standpoint.

Female pop artists at this time were pretty demure. Whitney Houston was topping charts, asking “how will I know if he really loves me?” (interestingly, that song was originally written for-and rejected by-Janet). Miss Jackson took no shit, and wasn’t about to play any kind of subservient role unless it was on her terms. Any female artist who’s expressed ownership of her sexuality in the last three decades owes a debt of gratitude to Janet (and “Nasty”). Any female artist who pushes an agenda of equality owes a debt of gratitude to Janet. Hell, while Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance is a topic of national discussion, it’s worth mentioning that the forcefulness of her agenda (not to mention the killer choreography) comes from a template that Janet set.

And that seems like a perfect place to end this list.

Janet has clearly cultivated an army of passionate fans (I’m one too). With that said, I’m open to hear any comments about songs that readers may have felt were omitted or even respectful disagreement with my ranking, but any negative or insulting comments will not be tolerated. These lists are, of course, subjective–everyone’s opinion is different. These are my favorite songs, and while you, the reader, are certainly entitled to disagree (and disagree strongly, if you choose to), there’s no such thing as a definitive ranking. Hopefully, you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!