90's Guilty Pleasures #52: Janet Jackson "Escapade" (1990) / Janet Jackson "Come Back To Me" (1990)

It wouldn't be completely out of line to label the album Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 as one of the all time most outstanding "transition" records from a major pop artist. However, it's not the type of music I'm always in the mood for. And somehow, the context surrounding the name "Janet Jackson," with all its various scandals and controversy, occasionally creates mild lulz. Also, most of her radio songs since 1999 have proven to be largely forgettable (in comparison), making it easy to forget that Janet released legitimately brilliant singles for years.

The big significant trivia of Rhythm Nation is that 7 of the songs on this album were top 5 singles, making it mostly ubiquitous during the 1st 2 years of the 90's. "Escapade" was a 60's-Motown inspired single which became one of the huge summer jams of 1990. The ballad "Come Back To Me" is mostly noteworthy for sounding vaguely similar to The Human League's #1 single "Human" from a few years earlier (also produced by Jimmy Jam). I specifically remember "Escapade" and "Come Back To Me" more so than the other 2 huge singles this album produced during 1990, likely because they were both played heavily on the adult-contemporary stations my parents used to leave on constantly. However, since the early 90's, radio and video airplay tends to forget these two more often than they should.

"Escapade"


"Come Back To Me"