Editor’s Note: From Albumism’s inception back in 2016, we’ve remained unabashedly and unequivocally passionate about our mission of celebrating the world's love affairs with albums past, present and future.

But while our devotion to the album as an art form has remained steadfast, as evidenced by our deepening repository of individual album tributes and reviews, we’ve admittedly seldom taken the opportunity to explicitly articulate our reverence for the virtues of artists’ complete album repertoires as a whole.

Hence why we’ve decided to showcase what we believe to be the most dynamic discographies of all time in this recurring series. In doing so, we hope to better understand the broader creative context within which our most beloved individual albums exist, while acknowledging the full breadth of their creators’ artistry, career arcs, and overall contributions to the ever-evolving musical landscape.

We hope you enjoy this series and be sure to check here periodically for the latest installments.

JANET JACKSON

From the post-disco soul tunes that comprised her eponymous debut album Janet Jackson (1982), over to the hip-hop and alternative soul of The Velvet Rope (1997), around to the grown and sexy R&B constituting Unbreakable (2015)—Janet Jackson’s discography is a form of “living history” as it relates to contemporary American rhythm and blues and black pop music. Her eleven studio albums boast a record-breaking nine number-one pop charters, sixteen R&B number-one hits and an infinite number of deep cuts for one’s listening pleasure.

And it is those deep cuts where Jackson’s forward-thinking strength truly lies. Although she never shied away from the traditionalist R&B roots—found throughout her material—there has always been an innovative streak to her music that has made it both consistently classic and relevant.

Quentin’s 3 Favorite Janet Jackson Albums of All Time:

1. Damita Jo (2004)
2. The Velvet Rope (1997)
3. Control (1986)

VISIT Janet Jackson’s Official Store

LISTEN & WATCH: