As we pointed out in "The essential dance tracks" back in August of last year:
In the world of dance music, Janet is the word.
Ms. Jackson, if you're nasty.
Running down a brief listing of the essential dance tracks, Janet places four songs on our top ten (eleven, there was a tie).
In the world of dance, Janet is the ultimate artist.
Which is why the best news of last week was:
BMG TO RELEASE JANET JACKSON’S FIRST NEW ALBUM IN SEVEN YEARS THIS FALL 2015 THRU HER OWN RHYTHM NATION RECORDS
NEW YORK/BERLIN, 3 JUNE 2015 – BMG is proud to announce that it will release the first album in seven years from Janet Jackson, icon, music artist, B.E.T honored, award-winning songwriter, producer, singer, Oscar and Golden Globe nominee and winner of the NAACP Best Supporting Actor award, publisher, dancer, businessperson, philanthropist and one of biggest-selling artists in popular music history.
The worldwide partnership with Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation will see the release in Fall 2015 of her first as-yet-untitled album and a commitment to pursue the full range of options within the broader Bertelsmann group of which BMG is part. With Rhythm Nation Janet Jackson becomes arguably the first female African-American recording artist to form her own record label. At Rhythm Nation Janet plans to offer a home to both new and established recording artists.
The partnership with BMG makes Janet Jackson the biggest worldwide superstar yet to quit the traditional record label system for a so-called artist services deal, designed to put artists in the driving seat. Unlike a traditional record deal, under an artist services deal the artist retains ownership of their recordings and full oversight of all costs and revenues.
With sales of over 160 million records worldwide, Janet Jackson stands as one of the best-selling artists of all time as well as one of the most awarded with a string of hits that have left an indelible impression on pop culture. Her lengthy string of hits has powerfully influenced popular music, leaving an indelible impression on pop culture and opening doors through which other top artists have followed, many acknowledging her impact on their musical perceptions.
Ms. Jackson’s May 16 announcement of an upcoming new album and a world tour via #ConversationsInACafe sent fans into a social media frenzy.
BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “Janet is not just a supreme artist, she is a unique cultural force whose work resonates around the world. It is an honor that she has chosen BMG to release her long-awaited new album. We look forward to collaborating with her across every platform.”
Janet commented, “Thank you to the talented team at BMG, my new artistic home. The opportunity to be creative in music and every form of entertainment has great potential here.”
Jon Cohen, EVP of Recorded Music at BMG Chrysalis US said, “Janet is a cultural icon and pop star like no other. The release of her long-awaited new album will undoubtedly be one of the musical highlights of 2015. It is an honor to work with her.”
Janet began her career at the age of seven when she first performed with her family at the MGM in Las Vegas. The worldwide breakthrough came with her third album Control in 1986, her legendary collaboration with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis which created the musical fusion of pop, R&B, soul, dance, jazz, rock and rap which defines her unique sound. Control won four American Music Awards out of twelve nominations and was nominated for an Album of the Year at the Grammys.
Next came Rhythm Nation 1814, a socially-conscious album critiquing injustice, illiteracy, crime, drugs, and racial intolerance, which last year celebrated its 25th anniversary. It remains the only album yet to have launched number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in three separate calendar years
1993’s janet sent her career into the stratosphere and brought the worldwide smash ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’. From 1995’s Design Of A Decade retrospective through studio albums The Velvet Rope, All For You and Discipline, Janet has continued to thrill and inspire her fans worldwide.
Janet Jackson is one of very few music artists to have also achieved a successful acting career. Initially known as a young TV star, her first three films opened at number one at the box office with her next two big screen projects opening in the top three. Janet’s music has also made an impact in the film world when the artist received an Academy Award Nomination in the Best Music, Original Song category.
Zach Katz, Chief Creative Officer, BMG Chrysalis US, said: “Janet’s list of achievements and accomplishments is truly staggering. She is a global artist whose career has touched on virtually every area of popular culture. Her new album will undoubtedly have a significant impact. We look forward to collaborating with her and Rhythm Nation to nurture a new generation of artists.”
Venus Brown, for BMG Chrysalis US added: “As die-hard fans of her work and of the musical jewels that Janet Jackson has bestowed upon the world, we are beyond thrilled that she has chosen BMG to be her new partner. Her music and her video and concert styling, particularly Rhythm Nation 1814, changed the course of pop music.”
The agreement with Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation Records is the latest high-profile milestone for the new BMG, just six-and-a-half years since its launch. Key to the BMG approach is a commitment to transparency and fairness to artists, typified by its Artist Services deals. Over the past year BMG has released albums by the likes of alt-J, The Smashing Pumpkins, Anastacia, Backstreet Boys, Nena, Bryan Ferry, You Me At Six and The Charlatans.
Janet Jackson is represented by William Morris Endeavor, Sterling Winters Company, attorneys Tom Hoberman and Don Steele, and JDJ Entertainment.
About BMG
BMG is an international company focused on the management of music publishing and recording rights. BMG’s services cover the entire range of rights administration, development, and exploitation, placing the needs of songwriters and artists at the heart of its business model. Since its launch in 2008, BMG has established a presence in eight core music markets and now represents the rights to around 2.5 million songs and recordings, including the catalogues of Chrysalis, Bug, Virgin, Mute, Sanctuary, Primary Wave and Talpa Music, as well as many prominent artists and songwriters attracted by its service-orientated model. BMG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of international media company Bertelsmann, whose group interests embrace broadcasting and TV production (RTL Group), books (Penguin Random House) and magazines (Gruner + Jahr), media services (Arvato) and print (BePrinters). In the United States of America and Scandinavia the company trades under the name BMG Chrysalis, in Benelux under the name BMG Talpa Music.
www.bmg.com
